Saturday March 30th. Early flip. usual work. Went up in new machine. Very right wing heavy. Badly hit by Archie. Main spar mostly shot away. Crawled home gently, and got back OK. After tea went a-bathing with Fry and McGregor in the old place behind the Cathedral. Got an antiquated taxi in. Bought a large box of chocolates. Caught a C.O.s car back. Had dinner – a jolly good one (how one’s thoughts do harp on food nowadays) in the new Flight mess, a large cottage. Took in two new packs of cards but yarned all the evening.
Tag: World War One
29 March 1918
Friday March 29th. usual work. Appalling windy day. Expected to be chucked out any minute. Afternoon calmer. Dinner with Pybes, Hanna, Stevens at the Hotel de France. Remarkable for about 3 omelettes each.
28 March 1918
Thursday March 28th: usual work. Afternoon came on to rain. Went up on a job of work. Engine overheated. Ridiculed by Major. Radiators proved to be half empty. Went up again. Very heavy rain. Decided to abandon job and fly straight back to [Abbeville]. Filthy weather, filthy flip. Found new aerodrome. Norton shot down. Tea at the old lady’s on the other side of the road (Who had recently lost her son in the French Army). Unloaded kit in the rain. Topping dinner at the Tête du Bœuf. CO acts the schoolmaster out of school.
27 March 1918
Wednesday March 27th: usual work. Flew with Hanna. Much grieved to see enemy swarming round our late drome. Did our best to rectify the matter. Our engine gave trouble when we were two or three miles over enemy lines. We turned. I pointed out V—- aerodrome and Hanna nursed engine, and landed in a good field close by. Hanna went off to ring up Squadron (by the way; and had a jolly good lunch with Corps). Walker flew overhead, and, by pooping off lights I carried on an intelligent conversation with him. Met a Camel merchant. Tired of waiting for Hanna, I made friends with passing M.G. Transport officer to the tune of beaucoup bread butter and vin rouge. Hanna returned. Reproached him bitterly. Presently Pybus (directed by Walker) rolled up with two A.M.s and a tender. Engine hopelessly seized up. Decided to dismantle. Left A.M.s to carry on. Met another Camel merchant. Stuck up his pressure pipe with mud, matches and spit. Great combination and it worked. He landed at our drome with a message for the CO. Went back to the tender: passed a Go pdr. battery in full. blast (my nerves! too near the line for me). Passed through A—- on way back. Called in Charleys bar! Deserted! Got back to Squadron. Jolly good dinner. Pybus reviled by CO. Machine burnt.
26 March 1918
Tuesday March 26th Hanna on early job (deuced unfair I thought – but McPherson isn’t a lovable character). I wouldn’t go, feeling too rocky. Was about three hours overdue. Wind up. No sign of grub. Went with Macgregor to a neighbouring village, where we discovered a villager who provided us with large omelette, mashed potatoes, bread, butter & vin blanc all ad lib. Oh happy days! Returned to find Hanna back. His observer (new to the Squadron) had been wounded, and was then comfortably in hospital. Looks like the hand of fate. Third new observer to get a blighty. Put up tents for ourselves all the afternoon. Everyone went by lorry that evening and had a glorious feed at the ———- in A——–. Sang all he way back in the lorry.
25 March 1918
Monday March 25th. After morning job Hanna touched hangar with tail skid landing. Jolly close. Evening – flew to [Bertangles]. Hanna and I went in the [Bristol fighter]. Wandered round and eventually found the drome. Just landing when we saw a ridge. Opened throttle in hope of clearing. Hit ridge going full speed. Turned completely over. Was caught and pinned down by gun mounting. Hanna got out, and lifted tail when I crawled out. Hanna badly shaken, me ditto. Old cord breeches finished off. Leg torn a bit. Machine smashed. Fuselage broken behind Hanna’s seat. Nobody knew where we should be. All slept in empty huts on floor.
24 March 1918
Sunday March 24th. Spent day being offensive. Escorted Pybes on the [Bristol fighter]. Great fun! ← Afternoon.
Morning. Peronne in flames.
Difficult to see ones way about. Saw enemy machine on old drome. Attacked by three Albatross W. of Peronne. Think I bagged one. Usual jobs all day.
23 March 1918
Saturday March 23rd. Cave returned about 3 AM. Cave Pybus M.Cs. Spent day being offensive. Idiotic staff want photos! PHOTOS!! Pybus Martin. Three machines failed to return. Pybus, Walker and . Chronic wind up. News late afternoon that all three were at V___ Town Mayor’s office. Machines burnt. Great rejoicings!
22 March 1918
Friday March 22nd. Similar fog till about 12. Spent most of the day being offensive. Incident of gun. team. Only cheering spot in a black outlook. About 3 pm did a last job of work and flew back to [Chipilly]. Cave stopped to do his duty by the old drome with Arch. New drome a topping one. Squadron mess
21 March 1918
Thursday March 21st Awoke about 4 am in the ‘hour before dawn’ to fancy myself back in the army. Shells screaming over and bursting quite close. Hellish gust up! 4.30 – Orderly officer entered with orders to arise. 4.30 A.M!! I ask you!! The Royal Flying Corps!!! 6 AM – Breakfast – last decent meal for some time. 7 AM Full daylight. Couldn’t see 20 yards for mist. Long range guns more active and bursts getting close and messing up drome. Squadron office resembled a cullender. Exit Major hurriedly. Spent next couple of hours dodging ignominiously about to avoid our friend the enemy gunner. 10 AM – local unrest over. Still impossible to fly. 12.30 A.M. Lunch off tongue and biscuits. 1 P.M. First machine up. Spent rest of day being offensive. Packed up in afternoon ready to move. Stayed the night. Slept in our flying suits. Nearly frozen. End of a perfect day.
