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

by Christopher Burgess

  I have been patching up my room today, putting up some Harrison Fisher pictures & some cloth on the walls, it looks quite bon! will send the names of the new “peelots” shortly as soon as I get to know them, they don’t seem a bad bunch.

  According to Intelligence, a new 180 h.p. Fokker Triplane is going to largely replace the Albatrii. I haven’t met the gentleman as yet & so I don’t know if this is an improvement for us or for the Huns! I don’t think the Tripes are very strong & I have hopes that they will fall to bits in the air! Here’s hoping!

  The weather promises fairly fine tomorrow. I fancy we are on O.P.s again. I wonder if the Hun is back in force on this Front again. I haven’t been to the lines for such a long time that I am forgetting where they are!

  You see the most wonderful bird formations round here in the evenings, I should think quite 500 birds gather in one huge bunch & this expands & contracts so that in the distance it looks just like a kind of smoke or cloud, perfectly distinct & clear cut, no stragglers – a good example for the R.F.C.!

  Well no more tonight dear folks. Bestest love from the “Bunsoy”.

  DIARY Tuesday 5th March

  Dud all day. No Patrols except dusk patrol – ‘C’ Flt on that. No E.A. seen. E wind tomorrow.

  65 Squadron R.F.C.

  6th March 1918

  Today was pretty fine with a strong East wind. We did an O.P. from 11 to 12.15 but there were no Huns anywhere near the Lines on this Front & so we had no scrap. We were up at 14000 ft & it was pretty cold. My engine has been returned & is awfully nice now, I am glad to say, it makes all the difference if your engine is running sweetly or not!

  This afternoon, Eaton & I flew down South & saw Trollope in No 45. He said that there were beaucoup Huns down South. Apparently they have moved most of their Squadrons there, which looks as if one may expect the Push from that quarter.

  Wasn’t that a splendid message in last night’s “Daily Light”? I don’t see how the Hun Push can be a success in the face of it. “They that be for us be more than they that be against us.”

  No letter from home today but there was only one letter for the whole Squadron – so the rest must have gone astray somewhere I think. This afternoon a fellow in No 70 apparently took a violent dislike to our Squadron Office for, on “taking off” he charged it with his Camel & knocked a hole slap through the side! With the exception of a cut face the pilot wasn’t hurt. I think perambulators are about the line for No 70.

  Well I don’t think there is much more news at present, so I will knock off. Hope you got the parcel I sent you all right – I registered it.

  DIARY Wednesday 6th March

  Finish all day. Cocks leading O.P. 9 Albatri sat over me but did not come down on me. Half came down on Symons – did nothing in afternoon.

  65 Squadron R.F.C.

  March 7th 1918

  Just a wee wee one to thank you for your letter & to let you know I am still “going strong”! Very misty & no patrol today.

  A fellow called Hancock [2nd Lieutenant J. M. Hancock] who was at college with me (Le Bas) arrived here two days ago. I went up this afternoon with him to show him the Lines but shortly after he had taken off, he did a right hand turn, stalled & spun. I watched him from above & he didn’t pull out of his spin but spun straight into the ground from 500 ft. He was killed instantly, poor fellow, rotten luck, wasn’t it. Quite his own fault poor chap – pulled the stick back to try & get the nose up & of course the bus spun faster than ever.

  I am writing at 11.30 p.m. having spent all the evening from 5 p.m. putting pale blue cloth round the wall of my hut – it looks topping now. I am rather tired but I simply had to write home!

  Bestest love dearest folks. Bunsoy.

  DIARY Thursday 7th March

  O.P. in morning. Symons leading. Very few Huns around. Went all down Seille and saw some Huns but did not attack. To No 1 & 19 & 43 with Eaton in afternoon.

  Bed late. Papering room.

  65 Squad. R.F.C.

  8th March

  Thanks so much for your letter of today & the lovely long one yesterday which I think I forgot to mention in last night’s notes.

  A fairly clear day today but with a slight haze & making it rather thick “upstairs”. I was on an O.P. from 12 to 1.15. Fifteen machines went up but we split into 3s when we got to the Line as it was pretty thick. Presently 4 Huns appeared fairly well East of the Line & these loafed about at our level in an unconcerned way – in fact just asking us to come & shoot them down. We played about for some time & then Balfour, who was leading our three, made for them. I was quite sure that there was some hanky panky somewhere or these four would never have waited about, so I had a good look round & sure enough about 2000 ft above were 8 little Albatrii in a beautiful straight line all waiting for us to go & attack the 4 whereupon they would have come clattering down on us! In fact it was “Ye very ancient” Ha! Ha! a dud Hun asking to be shot down “Confidence Trick”. However, Balfour, having been bitten by that sort of thing before, did not attack the four & as soon as he spied the eight above we hove off with all speed. One learns wisdom in the gentle art of waging war after some time out here!

  I went to the Lines this evening & shot up the trenches – the Hun was putting some gas shells over – they leave a huge stream of gas when they burst. They machine gunned me from the floor but nowhere near me.

  DIARY Friday 8th March

  O.P. from 12 – 1.15. The odd Hun about. Pretty dud and we split up. The very ancient Ha Ha! Confidence trick tried upon us – 4 Huns below & 8 just above – it did not come off! Shot up Hollebeke Chateau in evening. Huns attacked at 6 o’clock on 22nd Corps Front – the Poldernock Ridge. Result uncertain at present. Bridge in evening. Lost 6 fr.

  65 Squadron R.F.C.

  9th March 1918

  Fine weather continues. I was on O.P. today & made the acquaintance of the Fokker Triplane. They are nasty fellows. Three of us went at four of them. The other two dived away & the Hun dived after them. I fired at the leading Hun & the whole four transferred their attention to me! Whereupon I went down in a spiral dive at 160 m.p.h. with the Hun firing odd bursts at me, “and that’s the way I licked ‘em”, I only had three holes in my bus!

  The Fokker Triplane is an improvement on the Albatross I think & much more manoeuvrable. They are also pretty “stout merchants” – much more so than the Albatrii pilots. I only saw them in the distance as I didn’t let them come very close. The Squadron collected two of them today, 1 destroyed & one out of control.

  Well I don’t think there is any more news so will stop for today.

  DIARY Saturday 9th March

  O.P. 10 – 11.16. Five Fokker Tripes dived on front lot. Went for four of them after but did not get them. I shot at one but all four came for me. I faded away! Res: Pat: from 4 – 5.30. 8 Albatri came over lines. Balfour did not attack – why? Cocks got a Tripe this morning and Bill [Lieutenant G. Bremridge] one in the afternoon. The wing got 10 destroyed and 15 o of c today. The Fokker tripe is a blaster!

  Dinner in Pop: with Eaton. 2 O.P.’s tomorrow!!! Rumoured Hun push at Verdun.

  65 Squadron R.F.C.

  10th March 1918

  No letter from home today but I guess I will get two tomorrow.

  We were down for two O.Ps today but owing to a thick haze all day we didn’t go on either, however we were ‘standing by’ to go up all morning, so I couldn’t go to Kirk today – I was very sorry to miss it.

  It was a lovely warm day & after lunch we lay down in the sun on the grass in a field nearby. Then somebody started bombarding us with clods of earth, so we had a pitched battle all round the huts & sandbag revetments & had rather an amusing time.

  I got a lovely pair of socks from Eily today & wrote her to thank her. I have applied for leave to go to Paris from the 20th to the 24th; the C.O. has forwarded it & recommended it & thinks I ought to get it. I have written to May & asked her if she could manage to get leave for Paris at the same time, wouldn’t that be rip
ping? I ought to have a pretty good time anyway & I think the four days’ rest will do me good. I wish I could get four days at home but that I am afraid is impossible as we can’t leave France on “Special Leave”!

  There’s no wind at present & every chance of tomorrow being like today! No 1 Squadron shot down 3 Hun Balloons this morning – good show, what!

  Well dear folk, bestest love & God bless you.

  Bunsoy.

  DIARY Sunday 10th March

  Thick fog – no O.P’s or shows at all day. Lay on grass and ragged in afternoon. Very warm. Dinner in Pop. with Withers.

  65 Squadron

  11th March 1918

  No letter from home today as yesterday – I hope everything is all right! I guess they must have got mislaid in the post! I wonder if you ever got that lace table centre I sent you. I hope that wasn’t lost!

  Really I think the Prophet who enumerated the “four things too difficult for him – yea which passed his understanding” forgot the fifth, i.e. “The Boche Flying Corps”! The day before yesterday when we were on O.P. the air was stiff with Huns – today we did two O.Ps, both led by the Major, who went miles over the Lines & nary a Hun to be seen on the whole Front! It was a lovely clear day with very little wind & a ground mist, the Hun is really the most incomprehensible beggar!

  All Scout squadrons now carry one 20 lb bomb per machine which we deposit over the Lines. I don’t think this is giving away information as I am quite sure the Hun has tumbled to it by now! It seems to make him awfully peevish & I am sure it worries him no end to have 15 bombs dropped on him every time a formation of Scouts crosses the Lines.

  This afternoon we were to escort a R.E.8 & agreed to meet him over a Hun “Archie” Battery just over the Lines. We circled round the battered town containing the “Archie” for some time but ‘divil’ a shot did he fire. Then we all loosed off our bombs on the town. That simply enraged “Archie” for he chucked up a huge quantity of stuff. We circled round for about 20 minutes & “Archie” seemed to take that as a direct challenge to his ability for he grew simply rabid & hurled shells at us but he did pretty rotten shooting & only got about 4 anywhere near me! Strange to say, I was rather amused by it today & didn’t have “wind up” at all.

  I had a most comic dream last night. I dreamt I was in a kind of Zoo where they kept all sorts of comic pre-historic beasts, “iguanodons”, “dinosaurs”, etc. There was a pathway between two wire railings & I was walking up this when suddenly a whole bunch of these animals came howling down the path! I had awful “wind up” but I waved my arms & “boo’d” loudly & this seemed to frighten them for they hove off. Suddenly a fierce sabre-toothed tiger came howling along straight for me! I boo’d & gesticulated with great vigour but that seemed only to infuriate the beast. I was scared stiff & rushed to the railing & tried to climb through but found some silly ass had put up wire netting & I couldn’t get through! So I turned round & as the tiger leapt at me, I kicked him in the stomach “à la Charlie Chaplin”. This put him completely off his stroke & he faded away. Then I woke up!

  DIARY Monday 11th March

  Rather a shimozzle with C.O.! Going to lead all shows. Two O.P’s – C.O. leading both! No Huns at all by the favour of heaven! Sat over Comines and got archied!

  65 Squadron.

  12th March 1918

  No English Mail for the Squadron at all today & so no letter from home. I guess I will get them all tomorrow!

  I was on O.P. today from 11 to 12. Beaucoup Huns about. I was in the top lot of six. There were about 20 Huns in 3 formations but they were not very brave & kept well East of the Lines. Our bottom lot of six attacked some of them with no apparent result – however this evening two Huns were reported as shot down at that time – this was reported by another Squadron, so we were allowed them. Bon Luck! No 70 Squadron got – or said they got – 7 today but No 70 are famous on this Front for claiming Huns whenever they shoot anywhere near them, a fact which is commonly known as “hotstuffing” Huns, so we don’t believe they got anything like that number! I wasn’t in the scrap as the “top lot” stayed up above them preventing “umpteen” other Huns, who were above us again, from coming down at all. The Huns today were all Albatrii & not “Fokker Tripes”, who are much stouter fellows than the Albatrii pilots.

  Fine weather still continues, it was lovely & warm all day today. I don’t think I am on O.P. tomorrow, but don’t know yet for certain. I had tea with No 1 today & dinner in town with Withington this evening.

  Major Howes has gone away to hospital being rather run down & has been struck off the strength.

  Well that’s all the news for tonight.

  DIARY Tuesday 12th March

  C.O. led O.P in morning. The odd 20 Huns. C.O. and Withers got two. Reserve in afternoon Cocks and Balfour each got a two-seater. I attacked one which was being archied by the Huns. [Note: The Hun used black H.E. “archie” and we used white shrapnel. There was then no mistaking the Archie fire but one could naturally not normally attack a machine with ‘black Archie’ round it.]

  65 Squadron.

  13th March 1918

  All the long expected letters have arrived – 5 in all. Thanks so much for them – also the cutting about Brian Baker [2nd Lieutenant B.E. Baker, 48 Squadron], I must write & congratulate him on his decorations.

  Today I went to collect a new bus – it was pretty misty & I had rather a job finding my way back. The new bus has a topping engine & so I have kept it for myself.

  I wasn’t on the O.P. today but was on a Reserve Patrol in the afternoon with 2 new fellows – I spent most of the time collecting them when they lost themselves, which they did at regular intervals. I was over the Lines when I saw a machine coming from our side & being Archied by the Huns so I let it pass me. It then dived off East – I thought this rather funny & so I had a good look at it & I saw it had brown stripes on its top plane, obviously a Hun! So I dived after it & fired from long range but it faded away & I didn’t get him. They are wily beggars Archieing their own two-seaters to put us off. The other two fellows didn’t follow me down in the dive, when I asked them “why?” they said that they didn’t know it was a Hun! So I said that when they saw a machine diving East as hard as it could with me diving after it spouting tracer bullets, they might almost assume it was a Hun.

  Cocks & Balfour each got a two-seater today. Eaton went to a Base Hospital today with some trouble, I am awfully sorry he has gone. Balfour goes on 3 days’ engine course tomorrow, leaving me O.C. “C” Flight till Jack returns. The Flight, as far as War Flying goes, consists of G. M. Knocker! The new fellows aren’t good enough yet. Jack returns tomorrow night. Capt. Symons went on 2nd leave today.

  DIARY Wednesday 13th March

  Symons went on leave. I went down to Arques with him and then on to fetch a bus at [?]. Trés bon. Keeping it myself. Reserve in afternoon no E.A. seen to notice. C.O. not allowed to lead shows. Eaton to hospital ‘C’ Flt desolate!

  65 Squadron R.F.C. France

  14th March 1918

  There was a fog on nearly all today & no patrols. I spent most of the morning lying on my back painting comic stripes on the bottom of the planes of the new ‘bus’ to camouflage it from the ground & incidentally camouflage myself! It cleared up later in the day & I took up two new pilots for a practice formation to show them the Lines, but it was pretty thick over there.

  Jack Gilmour arrived back from leave this evening, adding one more to our diminutive Flight. The general won’t allow the C.O. to lead shows any more, as Squadron Commanders aren’t supposed to do so. Balfour went away for the 3 days’ course this morning.

  Well I don’t think that there is any more news & as it is 11.15 pm, I am going to bed!

  DIARY Thursday 14th March

  Balfour went to E.C.S. I.O.C. Flight! Raining in morning, no shows all day – Bon!! Camouflaged new bus. Showed new pilots the lines in afternoon. Jack came back from leave. Capt. Jackson in for dinner.

  65 Squadron R.F.C.

&
nbsp; March 15th 1918

  Thanks so much for your letter of today. I was on O.P. from 1 – 2 pm. but my engine was not firing well so I couldn’t keep up with the rest of the formation, I therefore fired a green light & came home.

  The nimble Hun came over here bombing at 6 am. this morning, but didn’t go anywhere near us. I am down for an early Reserve Patrol from 8.30 till 10 tomorrow, I am leading two new fellows on it, we might run across an odd Hun two-seater with any luck. I took a new fellow up today & he frightened the life out of me by diving down after me to within about 15 yards of my left wing tip; I waved him furiously away but he seemed to think it was a huge joke & stayed on! So I had to do right-hand turns all the way home! That sort of thing scares me stiff!

  My new engine is not a success at the present & I am having it fixed up as well as possible. There is an awful lot of dust & sand on this aerodrome & it is enough to ruin any rotary engine. No more so will stop.