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

by Christopher Burgess

  Jolly tired and fed up in general. Bed in office taking Balfour’s place as O.O.

  65 Squadron

  20th December 1917

  I did that last off: pat: yesterday afternoon under Jack Gilmour’s leading. We saw 5 Albatrii well above us but they didn’t dive on us & we couldn’t get up to them so we let things be. It was pretty thick low down with a thick mist & we nearly got lost coming home. I enclose a Brigade Xmas card, not my design!

  I was jolly tired last night having done nearly 10 hours in the last three days including one massive battle! Today we were down for another comic Squadron Formation but praise be to Allah! – there is such a fog on that you can’t see 50 yds so we got a day’s rest. I am pretty glad of it too! This is the coldest day we have had yet but there is no wind & it is quite pleasant. Well this letter will be to wish you dear people the very happiest Christmas & the best of New Years – let’s hope that 1918 will see the end of this beastly affair! I will write to all the sisters & hope you will choose some decent presents for them from me, I haven’t had time to go down town lately – mind you get yourselves decent presents.

  Another man Symons has gone on leave – I guess I ought to get mine at the end of January. Well dears it is time to knock off. I am very fit & happy. The very best of Xmas wishes & God bless you all, from your very own

  Bunsoy.

  DIARY Thursday 20th December

  Thick fog all day. No flying at all. Freezing hard. The Warwicks in to dinner and 5 M.A.C. and the Bedfords Col. Huge night! I sang “Annie Lawrie” and a “Wee Deoch and Doris” then we had “Naval No 3” & ”The ‘Arf Pint” & “The Muffin Man”. Everyone got tight; it finished up with the Col. of the Bedfords lying flat on his tummy in the middle of the road at 12.20, armed with a light imitating a machine gun!

  65 Squadron

  21st December 1917

  Thanks so much for your two letters, also for Dad’s!

  It was dud all yesterday for which many thanks! We had a great guest night last night. I went to the concert in the Town before dinner; it was quite a good show. Then I came back & found 3 R.A.M.C. Captains & 2 Colonels of other regiments in to dinner. After dinner we all sang songs & most people got a bit merry. I sang “A Wee Deoch & Doris” & “Annie Laurie” amid loud applause. Then we sang “Do You know the Muffin Man that Lives in 65?” One man goes up to another & sings that line, then that man sings “Yes I know the Muffin Man” & he links arms with the first & the two go round to someone else. Finally the whole room has joined up & I found myself with one arm in the C.O.’s & the other in a Colonel’s capering madly round the room all shouting – “We all know the Muffin Man that lives in 65.” It was simply priceless. Then they left. Just outside the gate Colonel --- proceeded to drill the others. Then I & some others marched along the road – the Colonel then yelled out “Take cover” & all the comic old Captains madly ran to the sides of the road – the sight of Col. --- lying flat on his tummy at 12.30 a.m. armed with a flash light & making a noise like a machine gun in the middle of the road struck me as being the funniest thing I had ever seen.

  Fortunately today was absolutely dud – thick fog & very cold. I was sent down to No 1 A.S.D. [Aircraft Supply Depot?] to collect a Camel but we had lunch in a town half way & as it was very dud in the afternoon we came back. I had tea with No 1. Please always pray for an East wind, that means it blows you back towards your own lines. A West wind is the one we all hate. The fog is still thick & there is every chance of a dud day tomorrow Wot Ho!!

  Well bestest love from the Bunsoy.

  DIARY Friday 21st December

  Freezing hard all day. Fog still pretty thick all day. Sent to Serny to collect. Lunch in Ami [?]. Got very thick in afternoon and so we came back. Moore came with us.

  Tea with No 1. Major Carter in to dinner. Bed 11.30. Very cold.

  22nd December 1917

  Enclosed is cheque for £3 for the Xmas presents; I am afraid the ash tray won’t be ready for a while yet but I will send it along when it is. By the way will you please send me that pair of “Issue” flying gloves – leather outside sheepskin within – there is a new issue of very warm ones & I have got a pair but I have to return the others.

  The cowling of the “bus” is the round tin guard which goes round the engine in a rotary engined bus. Yesterday as I told you there was no flying at all & it was freezing pretty hard all the while. Today the frost is gone & it is fairly clear with a layer of clouds at about 5000 [feet]. I went down to No 1 A.S.D. [Aircraft Supply Depot?] which is 15 miles West of this at 8.a.m. this morning & collected a Camel. I then went up on a Reserve Patrol from 11 till 12.30. I saw a good few Huns but as I lost the rest of the formation in the clouds I didn’t attack any. There is another Off. Pat. from 3 – 4 this afternoon but I am not going up as I have done more flying lately than most people! Loud applause!

  Jenkins my best friend at Croydon is coming here, isn’t it topping. O.B. came out of hospital about 3 weeks ago, didn’t I tell you? I don’t think Wigg will get anything for his Huns.

  Will you please write & ask Cox how my accounts stand; I have given up keeping them in French money as a bad job!

  Bunsoy

  DIARY Saturday 22nd December

  Up at 7.15 and by tender to Serny to collect ‘Camel’. Thick at first but cleared up. On Res: Patrol 11-12.30. Lost Formation. Saw some Huns – no scrap. O.P. from 3-4. Rumoured Hun push on! No E.A. at all save one 2 seater, no scrap. Shot up trenches at Hollebeke. Jack got lost and crashed at Hazebrouck.

  Read after dinner. Another ‘tea party’ tomorrow. Heaven send ‘dud’ weather!

  65 Squadron

  23rd December 1917

  Thanks so much for your ever welcome letter. Another cold day. Morning mist & no early show. We are down for a show this afternoon & as it has practically cleared up I think there will be one.

  We love going to do another whole Squadron show – commonly known as “tea parties” but I don’t think there will be one of those as we haven’t got a full complement. I went up on the Patrol from 3 – 4 yesterday afternoon after all as there was a rumour that a lot of Hun two-seaters working but we only saw one & he hove off & there were no Scouts & so we didn’t have a scrap after all.

  We ought to have a pretty merry time here on Xmas Day – I hope Heaven sends dud weather!

  We have a pond near the Mess which is frozen hard & we amuse ourselves by sliding & giving the puppies slides! By the way with reference to our mighty scrap on Tuesday General Webb-Bowen the Brigade Commander sent the Squadron a wire “Your fighting today was splendid, congratulate all pilots”. Pretty good, what!

  The fellows in “C” Flight at present are Capt. Gilmour, Balfour [Lieutenant B. Balfour], myself, Eaton [Lieutenant E.C. Eaton], Darlington & Boyd [Lieutenant J. Boyd, Scottish Rifles].

  “A” Flight: Capt. Higgins, Bill [2nd Lieutenant G. Bremridge], Wigg, Matthews, Capt. Sydall [Captain C.B. Sydall, Canadians], Peacock.

  “B” Flight: Capt Withington, Cocks, Hall [Lieutenant W.H. Hall, G.L.], Baker, Symons [Lieutenant, later Captain H.L. Symons, Can. Eng.], Shanks [Lieutenant D. Shanks].

  Well no more now – as the hour for Patrol draws nigh!

  DIARY Sunday 23rd December

  Dud weather in morning, no patrols. Up on Squadron O.P. in afternoon – very quiet. Balfour leading my 3, no ‘tea party’. One two seater seen and 5 Albatri – no scrap. Gorringe [Lieutenant F.C. Gorringe] shot down Hun in flames at Hollebeke, shot trenches at Armentières from 50 feet.

  [Note: This aircraft had observed the 11/Warwicks concentrating on the Reserve Lines before relieving the Front Line but fortunately Gorringe got him before he could lay on the batteries. The Warwicks were much relieved.]

  Church in evening. Saw Madame.

  65 Squadron.

  Christmas Eve 1917

  “Marley was dead to begin with – dead as a door nail” – & so on!

  I wonder if you are reading that this year – I hope so – carry on the g
ood work! I couldn’t get a copy out here I wish you would send one.

  Well the gods have decreed a dud day with low clouds & fog & no flying – loud applause! I hope it stays like this tomorrow!

  Yesterday from 3 – 4 I was on Off. Patrol with two others we saw 5 Hun Scouts above us but they didn’t attack us. One rash Hun two-seater ventured up to about 200 yds of the Lines & nearly every formation in the sky dived on it – eventually it was shot down by Gorringe of No 70 – it fell crashing & then burst into a large sheet of red flame – & that’s that! These little things teach the Hun not to come near the Lines. At about a quarter to 4 I went off to shoot up the Hun front line trenches. I went very low, lower than I have been before, in fact just above the wire, & fired both guns at the trenches hard, I don’t know if I hit anyone – I hope so!

  No news of any import so I guess I’ll stop. I wish all you dear people the merriest of Christmases.

  Bunsoy.

  DIARY Monday 24th December

  Dud all day. Thick clouds and mist. Nothing doing at all.

  Down town with Cocks in afternoon. Saw Madame and Marie! Kissed the latter! To dinner at the Club. All 70 Squadron there – Huge show! Stood on table and sang songs – A.M.’s [Air Mechanics] sang carols at 12.30 till 2! Awful noise. Cold and thick at night.

  65 Squadron.

  Xmas Day 1917

  Thanks awfully for the wrist watch curl [?], it is a wee thing too big & I am getting it altered at the Flight Workshop.

  Well I hope you dear people are having a jolly good time at Home today. I guess we are going to have a pretty merry time. Some people are beginning now! This morning we were all horrified to see a beautiful day as we were down for two Squadron Offensive Patrols – we went up in the morning but to our huge joy it came over very dud & so we came back & it has stayed dud ever since. Last night Cocks & I went down to dinner at the club & there we found all 70 Squadron having a dinner, we joined them & had no end of a time! Most people finished up standing on the table singing songs. Then when I was in bed about 12.30 a lot of fellows started singing carols. Please excuse more as the Mess is in an awful state everyone crashing about singing! Bestest love to you all dear folk at Home & the most ripping time & luck to you all from the very own

  Bunsoy

  DIARY Tuesday 25th December – Christmas

  Clear in morning. Up on patrol at 10.30 but came over cloudy and it was washed out. BON!!!!!! To lunch with No 1 and in afternoon slid on the pond.

  To sleep in afternoon not revving very well. Dinner in evening, not much of a show, nearly everyone, except me very tight. Too tight to be amusing. Snowing. May it be dud tomorrow!

  65 Squadron

  Boxing Day 1917

  Thanks so much for your letters received today.

  Well it was very dud all yesterday with no patrols after the effort in the morning. I had lunch with No 1 & congratulated Capt Rodgers – who got the Gotha – on his M.C. We had a very successful dinner last night but I went to bed fairly early as I was rather tired & most people were a trifle too merry to be amusing! It snowed most of the night & the snow is thick on the ground now. We were due for patrol this morning but this was washed out as there was more snow coming up & we are down for another patrol after lunch but this will probably not be on as there is lots more snow where this came from. There were no air fights on this front yesterday at all & only one Hun was seen.

  Well I have such a lot of letters to write today that I must stop now. Bestest love from

  The Bunsoy

  DIARY Wednesday 26th December

  No patrols in morning – snowing hard. Patrol from 2-3, saw a few Albatri and dove on one from quite close but he got away.

  Dinner at Mess, not revving very well. Perfectly mad show coming off tomorrow. Round the back of Lille! May it be dud!

  65 Squadron.

  27th December 1917

  No news of any import to give you today. I was up on patrol yesterday from 2 – 3 but had no scrap – although an Albatross appearing, as is the habit of Albatrii, from nowhere in particular, saw us & dived away hell for leather! We followed but – what a hope – Old Man Fritz can out dive you every time!

  We have a Cinema show in Camp now; I went last night – quite a good show too.

  We were down for an early show this morning but awaking at 6.30 were vastly cheered to see a layer of clouds. However we got up – saying to ourselves “quite impossible for patrol”. However the weather, in its stupid way chose to clear up at this moment & we set forth muttering imprecations at the grisly hour of 7.30 “and a sunny morning, sir!”

  It was very thick up & there were no Huns at all (The Hun is a wise man & does not go up needlessly. ) so to quote a song which is all the rage out here

  “For all the bally good we do

  We might as well fly Tanks.”

  Have wasted several gallons of Government Petrol & got really [?] chilly we got us home for brekker! We were down for another show from 12 – 1, a Squadron Show led by the C.O. & we all knew what that means, however the weather was really dud & it was washed out.

  I went up for a joy ride this morning in the snow & cheered up the troops by diving on them! It was a wonderful sight flying over the Lines yesterday. All the world is snow covered & this more or less effaces the signs of war except for the black lines of the trenches where there are any. The view was marvellous! Well no more now.

  DIARY Thursday 27th December

  Up on 7.30 show, dud at first but cleared up. Very thick and no Huns at all seen, cold as ****. No ‘tea party’ on thank heavens! Dud properly in afternoon up for a dice fight with Matthews. Very thick – contour chase.

  Tea, cinema and dinner in town Bon! Lovely moonlit night, very cold, two shows tomorrow not so bad.

  65 Squadron.

  28th December 1917

  No letter from you today but I guess I’ll get two tomorrow. The chief object of this letter is to wish you Dad many very happy returns of the day. I will send you a pipe if I can get a decent one, to add to your collection.

  It’s a lovely clear day today with frost & snow on the ground, we were on patrol this morning & had a scrap with a very sporting two-seater, I don’t think we got him but I fired a lot of rounds into him & so did the others. This East wind is very bon for us aviators.

  I went to tea in the town yesterday & to a Cinema & then had a very good dinner at the club. Higgins came back from leave yesterday & is feeling very fed up about it – I don’t wonder! It’s not quite so cold here today, pretty chilly but not so bad as it might be!

  Bunsoy.

  DIARY Friday 28th December

  O.P. in morning attacked D.F.W. over the lines but he got away – very bad show. “Reuters” show in afternoon. East gale blowing and we did not go past Houthulst and only one archie up at me!

  Jack went home with a dud engine.

  65 Squadron.

  29th December 1917

  So sorry that I can’t catch the post today but I was up on patrol. I was on patrol from 10 – 11 but about half way through my engine went dud & so I came back – anyway there were no Huns about so it didn’t matter.

  We were going out on a huge show together with No 70 at 2 o’clock but fortunately it was dud & so it was washed out! I know what these huge shows mean!! I find that I have done more “war flying” than anyone in the Squadron up till the present – 67 hours!

  Poor old Higgins is going home tomorrow with a weak heart, it is rather bad luck but in some ways he is a lucky man-n-n!

  The aerial Hun has been very quiet on this front lately but I doubt he is planning some devilment; he generally is when he is quiet! Yesterday there was a howling East wind – very bon for us. We went up on O.P. but did not see any Huns as I don’t think any were up in the afternoon.

  Well I am so sorry that you didn’t hear from me on Xmas day – I have written every day.

  Bestest love from the Bunsoy.

  DIARY Saturday 29th December

  O.P. in
morning escorting R.E.8’s. My engine dud – cutting out on both mags: and so came home at half time. Show in afternoon but it was v.dud and we didn’t get past Ypres.

  Bed early – Fed up. Dinner at Club.

  65 Squadron.

  30th December 1917

  Thanks for yesterday’s letter, today’s hasn’t arrived yet. I hope you get all mine eventually.

  We were to go on patrol this morning from 9 – 10.30 but it is very dud at present with low clouds. We are down for an Off. Pat. at 1 o’clock in conjunction with No 19 S.P.A.D.’s They will fly above us to protect us from above while we mop up the low Huns. I don’t think there will be a show as I think it will be dud, it has started thawing. No 19 did jolly well yesterday when on patrol – they met & attacked 9 Albatrii & got 7 of them! One in flames, 2 crashed & 4 out of control! Jolly hot work! I guess that Hun Squadron was feeling pretty sick with life losing 7 out of 9!

  Well whatever the pessimists may say about the war at the present moment we have got the aerial Hun absolutely cold! The only times he comes over our lines are when he sends single two-seaters over at 19,000 ft. His scouts hardly ever come over whereas ours loaf about almost over his aerodromes! I am afraid he will pick up in the Spring though & simply deluge us with Albatrii. But somehow I don’t think the deluging will be all on his side! However tell it not in Gath! I think the Hun peace terms are the most awful cheek I have ever heard. I am sure that if the men in the Trenches were given the choice of Peace on those terms or carrying on – fed up with the war as they are, they would all vote for carrying on!