Diary And Letters Of A World War I Fighter Pilot, The

by Christopher Burgess

  Croydon

  30th August 1917

  I flew the bus back here all right from Norwich. I lost my way & landed 3 or 4 times. I was flying 4½ hours. I went from Norwich to Thetford then to Huntingdon where I had lunch & then to an aerodrome near the Thames. I started at 10 am & got here at 5.30 pm with only a punctured tyre. The distance was about 130 miles.

  Croydon

  2nd September 1917

  I have been doing a good deal of Avro flying (dual control) trying to teach fellows to fly who can’t! I don’t like the old Avro very much but she is not a bad old bus. She is nothing like as nice as a Pup. I did two topping loops on an Avro yesterday with a pupil in the front seat!

  Croydon

  4th September 1917

  I am now getting the hang of Avros. I took a man up today & showed him how to stunt & made him sick!

  There was an air raid warning yesterday & I was all ready to go up but it was washed out. I was rather sorry as I am a bit fed up with doing nothing! I believe I shall be going overseas in about 10 days now!

  Croydon

  10th September 1917

  Yesterday the C.O. went over to Dover in an Avro & took me to fly it back as he was bringing back a Pup. I asked if I could go & see Dad but he said I had to go back at once. However I did 2 beautiful loops & Immelman Turns right over the Parade which I hope he saw! I had a nice trip back at 12,300 ft. I hope to go up in a Camel tomorrow. I have done a good deal of dual today but it has been thick weather.

  Croydon

  13th September 1917

  The weather has been pretty dud lately & today is the first flying day for a long while. I think my two months must be nearly up & it is time I went overseas. I am afraid I shall be on H.D. next Sunday so won’t be able to come down home but will try to fly down to Dover to see “Dad”.

  In the Train

  22nd September 1917

  Herewith a few new experiences! Yesterday I had to fly a D.H.5 over from Croydon to Joyce Green; not far but I was blue with fear all the time as the bus was rottenly rigged & the right wing low. However I got there all right & came back in an Avro.

  In the afternoon Capt. Trollope & I flew over to Staines to shoot in the Reservoir on Camels. Trollope landed & I landed to see what the matter was. His engine had conked & so being a Flight Commander he flew home in my bus & left me to look after his, which I thought was the coolest thing on earth! I waited by that rotten bus from 5 to 8 pm! Mechanics then arrived to take it away but I wasn’t going back to Croydon at that hour as I knew we wouldn’t get there till about 3 am! So I stayed the night at a neighbouring farm where there was a most topping little flapper daughter! I had a top hole time!

  This morning a side car came & took me to Hounslow where I was flown back to Croydon on a B.E. As soon as I arrived I was informed that the C.O. & I were to go to Grantham & there we would find 2 Camels which we were to fly over to St Omer in France. We went to G. by the 2. train from King’s Cross only to find that we were meant to go to Lincoln & we are on our way there now. We hope to fly over to the Aircraft Park at St Omer tomorrow & should arrive at about 11. am. We shall deliver the Camels & return at once possibly in a B.E. if there is one to fly home, if not by train & boat, so I am afraid Sunday at home is imposs! Won’t it be ripping fun!

  Lincoln

  23rd September 1917

  We arrived here last night & this morning we started but the clouds were very low so we landed again. This afternoon we had another shot but the clouds are at about 500 & so it is no good & we shall have to wait till tomorrow which is very annoying as Lincoln is a ghastly spot. This is an Aircraft Receiving Depôt & the Aerodrome is I think the worst in the country. Tomorrow we hope to fly from here to Lympne & then to St Omer, the whole trip should take about 2¼ hours. At St Omer we will probably fly back in another bus or will come back by train & boat.

  7 Ravenna Rd S.W.

  26th September 1917

  False alarm again! Last night at dinner the C.O. casually informed me that I was for “Overseas” today. So I went & reported to the East Training Brigade this morning only to find that I wasn’t needed & that I was to return to Croydon! However I phoned up & got leave to stay in Town till tomorrow so Jack & I went to see “Romance” which is topping & then we came down here to find Mum had arrived in answer to my wire!

  I had a great trip over to St Omer. We tried to get off on Sunday but the weather was dud & we had to stay at Lincoln which is a simply appalling dull spot. The aerodrome is the worst in the kingdom all ponds & holes! I went to Lincoln Cathedral on Sunday night; it is a splendid old building & ripping singing.

  On Monday morning at about 9.30 the C.O. & I got into our buses & set forth. I didn’t know the way down but followed the C.O. We flew mostly by compass & at about 80 to 100 m.p.h. all the way – we passed over Southend & arrived O.K. at Lympne having taken 2 hrs & 10 min to come from Lincoln, not bad going as it is about 160 miles & was pretty cold! We had quite a good lunch at Lympne ‘drome & then took off again. We then flew across the water, crossing the English Coast at Folkestone & the French Coast between Cap Blanc Nez & Cap Gris Nez. About half way across my engine cut out! I was simply blue with fear! I saw there were some boats about which I determined to land near! However after frenzied fiddling with the instruments I managed to get it to start again to my intense relief. By this time the C.O. was miles ahead so I had to push along at about 105 m.p.h. to catch up. Then we took up the railway from Calais & flew on to St Omer. I saw a machine flying back from the Lines but couldn’t see anything of the Lines. We landed all right at Omer. We then asked if there was a bus to fly back on & were told there was an F.E.2d with a 250 h.p. Rolls engine. As the C.O. hadn’t flown the F.E. & I had, I flew back with the C.O. as passenger!! I came over at 13,800, the poor old C.O. shivering with cold in the front. I kept well away from Dover coming back as I didn’t want to be “Archied” as a Hun!! Then I did a vertical spiral for about 5,000 ft & very nearly made the C.O. sick! I made an awful landing at Lympne! Then we had lunch at Folkestone & caught the 8.05 train to Town. On account of that beastly raid it took 4 hours getting up to Town so we stayed the night at the Charing X Hotel & went back to Croydon yesterday.

  When I heard about going overseas today I was pretty “fed up” thinking I should have to go without leave but curiously enough the evening portion in my Daily Light [sic] read ” Judge nothing before the time”!

  The trip from Lympne to Omer took 45 minutes & from Omer to Lympne took 1 hr. & 10 minutes. Total there & back 2hrs 55m.

  Guy to May (his Sister)

  Homeland

  Queen’s Hill,

  Hertford

  28th September 1917

  Dearest,

  Thanks ever so, for your last letter. I am afraid I haven’t written for ages, please forgive me.

  Well, as you see I am at present on 48 hours leave prior to proceeding to No 65 Squadron, at Wye.

  This Squadron is going overseas v.shortly & so I will be going with it I trust.

  I had another false alarm on Wednesday & was informed at dinner that I was for overseas next day. So I packed up all my traps madly & rushed up & reported at H.Q. only to find that they didn’t know who I was or what I was there for. Apparently it was just their little joke & they didn’t want me! So I returned whence I had come & was transferred to Wye!

  I had a great trip on Monday. The C.O. & I set off from Lincoln each on a Sopwith Camel – 130 h.p. engine & flew down over Southend & thence to Lympne, a spot about 2 miles from Hythe. We had dinner here & then set forth again. We flew over the water – my engine cutting out about half way! I screamed with fear & fiddled madly with the throttle & managed to coax her back to life! We crossed the French coast between Cap Blanc Nez & Cap Gris Nez & then followed the line from Calais to St Omer. Here we landed & then came back. This time I flew back in an F.E. with the C.O. as passenger as he hadn’t flown the F.E. I did a vertical spiral down & nearly made him sick! Rather a shirt to have made y
our C.O. sick! Then we came back by train from Folkestone – 4 hours & arrived at 12.0 midnight! The times of the trip were as follows:

  Lincoln to Lympne 2hrs 10 mins

  Lympne to St Omer 45

  Omer back to Lympne 1 10

  Folkestone to London 4!! (by train)

  Day before yesterday Jack & I went to see ‘Romance’ – my second time! Isn’t Doris Keane topping – I would like to kiss her! (and I will after the war if all’s well!! Norraword!)

  The other day I had a forced landing & had to spend the night out. I slept at a farm where there was a topping little flapper. Tres bon pour les soldats!

  Well dearest dear, cheerio & write soon

  Your own Brother Boy

  65 Squadron R.F.C. Wye, Kent

  1st October 1917

  Here I am moved once more – this time finally I think till I go across to France. This is a simply topping Squadron – no hot air at all & an awfully decent lot of fellows here. My Flight Commander is a Capt. Higgins [Captain W.W. Higgins] whom I know quite well as he was a pupil at Croydon with me – a very good chap.

  There are two O.H.’s [Old Haileyburians – GMK’s school] here & two men from Croydon & I met another at Lincoln so I had quite a good reception. The Squadron is going out to France on the 22nd of this month & I hope to go with it. It will be ripping going out with your own Squadron! It is not an Instructional Squadron at all & the machines are all “Camels”. We just practise stunts firing & formation flying all day & the hours are not long. I shall certainly be able to fly over & land at Dover. I will phone you when I am coming. I flew over there this afternoon & did some stunts, rolls & etc. I wonder if you saw me? The messing is excellent & the C.O. Major Cunningham was at The Shop & is a very good fellow. They are the most madcap lot of stunt merchants. Here & there are some excellent pilots amongst them. I came down by the 7.15 train last night & was about 1½ hrs late on account of that air raid. We stopped outside New Cross & watched the shelling, several lots of “Archies” fell on roofs nearby – it was a great show! I hope you weren’t bombed at Dover. The aerodrome here is small but good.

  65 Squadron Wye.

  7th October 1917

  Isn’t it topping all the Squadron are getting 4 days overseas leave & I expect to get mine this week! There is not much news, the weather has got simply beastly cold & it rains most of the time. I was up for a short time yesterday & it was terribly cold. It’s going to be pretty awful in France if it is like this! However there will be only short hours in the Winter. We are in wooden huts here, very comfy with two to a room. I have one to myself as the other fellow is away at present.

  I haven’t been able to fly over to Dover yet but have often just flown over the Harbour, I will try to get over to land the first fine day, I will phone when I can. There is a most awfully nice lot of fellows here, all jolly good fellows & we all get on v.well together. We fight in 3s in France. My partners are Bremridge O.H. [Lieutenant G. Bremridge, Old Haileyburian] & I think Capt. Morrison [Captain K.S. Morrison], we practise flying together.

  Guy to May (his Sister)

  65 Squadron

  Royal Flying Corps

  Wye, Kent

  7th October 1917

  Dearest,

  Thanks so much for your last letter. In accordance with request I am writing to tell you that I shall be going overseas with this squadron on the 22nd of this month! What ho! Isn’t it annoy-ying . Pa – pa!

  This is a simply ripping squadron however & there are the nicest lot of fellows in it I have ever come across. They are all most awfully decent man & we get on splendidly. I knew several of them before & two of them are O.H.’s. As I think I told you the machines are ‘Camels’. I expect we shall go up in the North of the Line – where it is horribly energetic. I will of course try & get to Rouen if I can but I don’t know anything yet. Perchance I shall come there with a ‘cushy’ one!

  We are all now practising flying as hard as the weather permits – which isn’t much as the aforesaid weather is pretty awful – bitterly cold & raining most of the time. The thought of ‘Hun-punching’ in this sort of weather doesn’t attract me – not so as you would notice it! We had a simply topping dance here the other day – about 20 ladies came & we started at 9 pm & finished at 6 am! I met some ripping girls & rushed round the room in a way strongly suggestive of an intoxicated giraffe, but they were all too polite to say anything!

  Two beastly officers from Dover who had come as guests got beastly drunk & began behaving disgustingly & there was nearly a fire fight. They offered to fight half of us! When the ladies had gone we laid out one & hove them out! They had brought a girl who was equally tight & so it was pretty awful!

  I get 4 days leave this week as overseas leave! It is bon lour les trompers.

  Well dearest dear, Cheerie ho?

  & the v.best love from the

  Brother Boy

  Wye, Kent.

  11th October 1917

  I got back quite all right after leaving Dover & didn’t even crash land. I choked the engine a bit taking off as perhaps you noticed but I managed to get it going fairly well after that. It didn’t go very well all the time tho’ I did one roll for your benefit, did you see it? It took about 25 minutes to get back against that wind! We aren’t going out till the 26th so that means four more days. I tried to get to Croydon today but funked as it got so thick that I couldn’t see at all & so I came back after getting pretty well lost!!

  We practise formation flying at every available opportunity now & are getting better at it. Today we did a formation to Lympne & fired into the sea, we also did some very “hot stuff” dives. I had a scrap with Capt. Morrison in the air the other day & I think I won it.

  65 Squadron R.F.C.

  Wye, Kent.

  25th October 1917

  All own kit has now gone & so I am living in what I have got on! I bought a very nice Haversack. I was down in Dover yesterday morning but couldn’t get off. Two other officers & a lot of men & myself were doing an anti-gas course. I put on a filthy gas box respirator, you can only breathe through your mouth through a rubber tube & you breathe in air through a box containing potash permanganate, hypo and other diabolic compounds; your nose meanwhile being firmly held by a kind of clothes peg! Having put on this mask I had to go into a hut & shut the door & a man proceeded to turn on chlorine gas from a cylinder on the floor, we stayed in about 10 minutes & then went out. As a matter of fact you can’t tell you are in gas & might be breathing ordinary air.

  We are sleeping in billets at Wye now as all our kit has gone. I will try to get over again before I go. We have got that new windscreen on our buses & the cowling cut away which is a great improvement; there is less draught & much more room.

  Bunsoy

  65. Wye, Kent.

  26th October 1917

  We couldn’t go over today as it has been raining all day at St Omer – very rotten! I can’t get down to Dover as we have to be up at 7 am tomorrow & it wouldn’t be worth it.

  Enclosed is a Squadron photo, I am there. Also a picture of all 18 buses ready to start, mine is 5th from the end.

  No more news – bestest love & Cheerie Ho!

  From The Bunsoy

  DIARY Friday 26th October 1917

  Got up at 6.45 – at aerodrome at 7 am – Good weather. Weather raining at Saint-Omer. Hung about aerodrome all day – no flying as dud at Omer all day.

  Went to say goodbye to London & Miss Pates with Pitt [Lieutenant G.H. Pitt] in evening after tea. Got a lift back in van. Dinner at Kings Head.

  Bed early – v tired and bored. Phoned up Dad.

  Letter from Colonel Cuthbert G. Knocker to his son 2nd Lieutenant Guy M. Knocker RA / RFC (born 1899 – aged 18) on the latter’s departure to France from Wye Aerodrome, Kent, with 65 Squadron (Camels).

  At the time, Colonel Knocker, aged 60 – late 21st Royal Scots Fusiliers, was OC Dover District as a retired officer – from May 1916 to the end of WW I. He was decommissioned sub lieutena
nt in the RSF in 1875; born in Madras in the year of the Indian Mutiny 1857.

  [Supplementary information from Lieutenant Colonel Robert King-Clark, Cuthbert Knocker’s grandson and GMK’s nephew.]

  8 Marine Parade

  Dover

  27 October ‘17

  My very dear Bunsoy,

  So you are across the water at last. We have all been on the qui viri since yesterday morning and have done lots of sky-gazing in that time. As you know we were up at Archcliffe at 7:30 am yesterday, and at 8:30 we went down to the beach near the Lord Warden Hotel. This morning Mother and I saw Eily [Daughter Eileen, a VAD nurse in France with the BEF.] off and then went on to the beach again and waited ‘till 10 am thinking perhaps that you would be some little time getting away and that we might see something of your squadron, but were disappointed. When I got to the office I phoned to Wye to find out when the squadron left and the answer came back 9:10 so we were probably at the station when you crossed the coast or you were too far to the West for us to see you. I am sorry we missed you but it could not be helped. If you dropped a note I wonder if I shall ever get it!