Diary And Letters Of A World War I Fighter Pilot, The by Christopher Burgess Page A

to take up a D.H.5 and I did! I did fine in it really & landed quite well. You have to glide them down at 90 m.p.h.; they stall at 70, so you have to land very fast. However you have a good view being in front. I find them a bit awkward but will get into that soon. I rather like them as they are a bit like F.E.s. Don’t worry!
    40 T.S. R.F.C. Croydon
    9th August 1917
    This is just to let you know I am flourishing & am fit. I think I am going to a place called Turnbury [ sic ] on Tuesday or at least I am told so! – what do they do at Turnbury?! Well I am getting on A1 at D.H.5s. I like them awfully – as much as Pups now I am used to them. I did 6 landings this morning & all of them A1. I have now got the hang of flying & landing them, also I have looped and rolled them. They don’t roll too well, still they do it, but they won’t spin at all, I have tried them several times!
    There is one other fellow on them & he & I are the first to try stunting them, as neither the C.O. or any of the Instructors have tried & the C.O. is the only other man who has flown them at all – we are rather dabs! I may go to France on them but don’t think so – I wouldn’t mind now if I did. The idea is that if you go out as a Pup or a D.H.5 Pilot they will put you on any Scout. The weather is very dud. I am on H.D. again but there will be no raids this weather. Being at present the Senior Pup Pilot I will lead the formation in a scrap. Wot ho!
    40 T.S. R.F.C. Croydon
    10th August 1917
    Last night I was told that I was for Overseas & had to report at R.F.C. H.Q. at Mason’s Yard at 3. pm. today. There were two more fellows from here. Well we reported & were then sent to the Hotel Cecil to find out particulars of our journey. I was down as a D.H.5 pilot & will probably go abroad as that -- not bad! The officer at the Cecil asked my age & when I said “18 on the 14th” he went & saw the General who said I couldn’t go overseas till I was 18 & so I was sent back here! I was actually under orders to go to France by the 7.25 am train tomorrow – a near thing! I expect I will go to Turnbury on Tuesday & go to France immediately after. I told the man I would just as soon go now as in a week but it was no good. I am not sorry except that I would like to have gone out with those 2 chaps. I had a scrap with a fellow yesterday in Pups & beat him easily – getting my sights on him a good many times. I have now finished my flying here & will just fly when there is a spare bus. Just before I went today my Flt. Com. said that he would be surprised if I didn’t get the M.C. Nice of him wasn’t it?
    Â 
    Princes St. Station Hotel, Edinburgh.
    12th August 1917
    I expect you have got my wire of yesterday. I got up here free & did want to see Edinburgh again!
    Yesterday morning I went up in a Pup & fought Collingwood & beat him pretty easily as I got my gun on him pretty often. I got leave from the C.O. to come up to Edinburgh today as it is a holiday & there is no flying at Croydon. So I will join the train for Turnbury [ sic ] at Ayr with the others on Tuesday. I am having a topping time of it & it is just great to see Edinburgh, Liberton & old Burnhead again. I will be at Turnbury [ sic ] if all’s well on Tuesday night.
    No 2 School of Aerial Gunnery,
Turnbury [ sic ]
    15th August 1917
    Well here I am at Turnbury [ sic ] at last. We are quartered in the hotel and are very comfortable & get very good grub. We are pretty hard worked 8 am till 8 pm. We were on the range today & flying in the evening. I went up in the front seat of a Vickers as an observer & used the camera gun on B.E.s, i.e. fired at a B.E. with a model Lewis gun which takes photos of your point of aim & shows where your bullets would go. I was just acting as observer. This is a lovely place. I expect I really will get to France after this; I will get some leave first if I possibly can.
    Â 
    Turnberry
    19th August 1917
    I am