The Icelandic connection - 01.12.2020, Blaðsíða 16

158
ICELANDIC CONNECTION
Vol. 71 #4
with Tidmarch. Said my flying was good.
Stunted me, felt rather giddy.
Tuesday March 19th: Arose at 7:00
am. Did 45 minutes in 7806. Switch
on buss broke. Up again for 60 minutes
in 4286, 5 landings. Did 30 minutes in
afternoon, 5 landings.
Wednesday March 20th: Arose at
7:30 am. Was up for 15 mins and 50 mins
on 3223. Had close call. Did 55 minutes
in afternoon. (the close call, entered on the
previous page, was: “this morning I got into
a spin 200feet off the ground. I just got out
in time. After that I felt — well not exactly
pensive yet happy”).
Thursday March 21st: Arose 7:30 am.
Cold shower, up for 65 mins. Up again for
65 mins, in afternoon. Caulfield did spin into
ground. Passed MG and CC gear (machine
gun and interrupter ?) Camford crashed, flat
turn spin. Stayed home all evening, retired
at 9:30.
Saturday March 23rd: Arose at 7 am.
Cold shower. Up for 1:20 without landing.
Very cold at 8000’ also bumpy. Graduated
with total time 20 hours 7 mins.
And so, on March 25th we found
ourselves returning to Heliopolis where
the School of Aerial Gunnery (S.A.G) was
located. Here, flying as an aerial Gunner,
jockeying an old BE2c or a D.H.6 (we
actually used live ammunition), we flew
our assigned target practice. And then if
we had a few rounds left over, we would hit
for the neighbouring desert hoping to find
something we could shoot at. This training
we really enjoyed. This course ended all too
soon, only ten days in all.
Monday March 25th: Arose at 5 am.
Packed up bed and roll. Left for Cairo SAG
(?) on 7:15 Tram, arrived and had lunch at
Shepherd’s Hotel. Reported to Adjutant
of 38 Squadron S.A.G. In hut with Grant
and Spalding. In bed at 9, Frank came and
pulled me out and we went downtown, had
a great time, danced, etc.
Tuesday March 26th: Arose at 7:30. Up
3 times, fired at trenches, made 28 out of
40 with Lewis. Fired at truck with Vickers.
Went solo on BE2E after three landings.
Wednesday March 27th: Up with
Lewis, fired at silhouettes (planes).
Saturday March 30th: Arose at 4:30 am.
Usual work for the day. Went downtown in
morning. Slept in afternoon. Worked from
4 to 6. Spaulding and Grant out on desert,
didn’t get in until 2:00 am.
Thursday April 4th: arose at 7. Course
complete, finished packing. Took 11
o’clock train for Suez. Arrived 5 pm. Hall
and I got in hut with Tulloch.
We were now posted to Pool Flight
at Suez, from which were drawn all the
replacement needs. While at Pool Flight
we had the opportunity of flying the latest
single-seater fighter aircraft.
Friday April 5th: Arose at 8. Reported
to C flight. Hung around Hangers. Windy
out, started to rain.
Friday April 12th: Avro 8531 Solo 25
minutes.
Sunday April 14th: Avro 8531 solo 30
minutes and 55 minutes.
Monday April 15th: Up for 30 mins
with Aitkens. Up solo for 30 mins.
Knight killed himself in a Nieuport.
Tuesday April 16th: Avro 4345 Solo
25 mins 40 mins. Avro 4465 with Rowell
15 mins.
Thursday April 18th: Arose 5:15 am.
Up for 60 mins solo. Sultan over to see
flying in afternoon. Retired 8:30 pm.
Here I got my hand in on the Bristol
Monoplane, the Sopwith Pup, Nieuport
Scout and Bristol Scout, all rotary engined
aircraft. The S.E.5 came into the picture
at this stage, but I never got a chance to
fly one. We only got the one, and it was
damaged by the time my turn came around.
Wednesday April 24th: Arose at 5 an.
Up for 45 mins in Avro 4455 with Aitken,
chasing clouds. Up 65 mins solo. Had scrap