The Ypres Times.
183
The aerodrome was usually quiet enough, but one morning there was a lot of excite
ment. A venturesome Hun engaged on photography was caught by an Australian flight
and was driven down in a field by Capt, He crashed badly and was hurt. We
got him away in the squadron ambulance. The morning was devoted to shoots with
the artillery. The first target I was give» was a place called Spy Farm, which our
Intelligence Department had ascertained was being used as an enemy headquarters. The
old A.W. was ideal for this purpose, and one could often fly hands off." It was not much
good in a flight though-that was the job of the scouts and high performance two-seaters.
RETURNING FROM A NIGHT BOMBING RAID.
Imperial W(\r Museum photograph. Crown copyright.
The stickiestjob of all was taking photographs. The enemy always knew when
we were engaged on this work by the straight course of the 'plane operating on the line.
Special hate was reserved for the unlucky officers concerned. Archies' bark was
worse than his bite, but it was wonderful how accurately he obtained the height range.
He was not always so successful with the two other dimensions, however. We had to be
especially careful when clouds were about, for the enemy loved to lurk round them in the
hopes of suddenly dropping out on a slow corps two-seater. We were not entirely de
fenders, however, for both pilot and observer had a machine-gun even in those days, and
could generally manage to get back to the lines if it were not too far.
When the 2nd Army advanced we did more and more "contact patrol," and most of
us liked this work best of all, for one could indulge in dangerous flying toone's heart'scon-
tent. Indeed, the more one stunted," and the lower one did it, the safer one was, for
then the 'plane was harder to hit.
During all this time all our casualties were due to action-we did not have one flying
accident. There were a good many minor crashes, of course, but that was nothing. One
scout pilot went through one of our hangars full of machines complete with his bombs,
but they fortunately did not go off. Our last casualties were the saddestA pilot and ob
server were shot down at ten minutes to eleven on Armistice Day. They were the last
names on a long list qf those who failed to return to a famous squadron which alas is
now no more.
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