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Pancaking in a Wheat Field.
I ran out of petrol a quarter of a mile from the aerodrome, and had to land in a field of wheat about five feet high. I had been up three hours and twenty minutes non-stop when my petrol ran out, and the gauge still showed three gallons in the tank, though it was bone dry. I was 700 feet up and had to make up my mind where I was going to land in about four seconds. I brought her down, and pancaked her beautifully into the field about three yards from a road. It is jolly hard to land in wheat without turning over, but I did it without hurting the machine at all; in fact J. flew it that evening on a night stunt. We wheeled it from the field along the road back to the aerodrome inside half an hour. My passenger said he enjoyed the flight more than any other he had had!
At the present moment there is some storm on. J. is playing the violin not two yards from me, and I cannot hear a single note except during lulls. Perhaps it is just as well.
One of our squadron was out on a stunt the other day. Next day the ’phone was continually on the go, and there was so much “hot air” in the office that it was dangerous to fly over on account of the bumps.
Several of us have got special leave to go to a flicker show some way off, and a tender is coming in a few minutes. I am very fit, and we are all a very happy party. I am sitting on my bed, in my little hut about 8 feet by 6 feet. It is really quite snug. Washstand, etc., and shelves and books and boots and clothes. Diabolo (home made) is the latest craze here! Here comes the tender, so I must catch the post first.
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I was up on photos to-day. I hope and expect these are the last for a while. I had quite a job getting them owing to clouds. I flew about behind the German lines for over an hour before I could get a single photo, owing to there being no holes in the clouds. I got practically no Archie, and got the photos.
I went to the flicker show the other day and it was quite good. A splendid divisional band, a Charlie Chaplin film, and tea, and patisserie! Ah!
I think Gillespie’s book (Letters from Flanders) most interesting. I have only dipped into it here and there at present, but am going to read it through. Send some more as soon as you like.