Friday, September 7th.
This afternoon I went up on patrol with several others but at 9000 ft. felt my engine was boiling so I had to come down. As it turned out there were no Huns in the sky, so the others came in after a while. I had to climb through 6000 ft. of mist before I could see a thing, and then everything looked like an ice field. Very pretty indeed, but I had no idea of my exact location. On diving however, I luckily spotted a well known road and soon found the Aerodrome.
We were going up again at 6.15 P.M. but a heavy land mist came over and cheered us up immensely! We feel very happy when the weather is dud.
It is very drear when several fine days come along as the work is hard and the flying hours long. I have been in three scraps so far, and have found Fritz a less skilful pilot than I had imagined. They have a few stars but on the average we outclass them. I have heard nothing further about the Hun I shot down yesterday morning.
Tonight Drewitt joined us from London Colney. He was a room mate of mine at Turnberry. My tent mate has just telephoned in from about 40 miles away saying he lost his way in the mist when up with us today.
Just find my watch is stopped and it is 7.40, so I must get dressed for dinner, but will come back, after the coffee. Must have coffee!! On "dud" nights we wear slacks and everyone cleans up generally. Just now our Mess and Anteroom are being fixed up, repainted, etc. and things are not very comfortable.
We are getting a new gramophone as this one is awful, so I think we will be quite comfortable later on! Also, we will be in Armstrong Huts instead of tents.
I am on a patrol at 7.30 and have to be on the ‘drome at 7.15 sharp. Will get up at 6.30 and as usual get a very good breakfast - melon, eggs and bacon, tea and toast. The patrol is for one hour and a half. I doubt if it will come off as the weather is very muggy and causes a heavy ground mist.
P.S. Sept. 8th. 8.45 A.M.
As I thought it is extremely misty and I can hardly see the hangars on the ‘drome. Everyone is up and singing "Aren't we having lovely weather"!!
