State Library of NSW
[Page 168]
2.
The Division finding that I have been in England for a very long time sent to the Wing to get me posted to France as a flight commander. I cannot complain about that as they have treated me very very well and have kept me in England for over eight months already although the usual time is from three to six months. However there is an active service squadron of Bristols forming here which is due to go to France at the end of November and the Colonel told the Division that he wanted me to command a flight in that. So he has put off my departure for six weeks at least. I have not been ordered to join 62 Squadron yet but expect to have them any day.
So I will probably be leaving England with 62 in the middle of December or thereabouts. I will be going out with a new squadron, which is far nicer than going out as a reinforcement. We will arrive in France in the middle of winter, which means that the first three or four months of the squadron's career will be the quietest & shortest of the year. In winter time the days are so short that there is only about half the time for flying when the weather is good (and it is mostly bad) and consequently the dangers are far far smaller.
I will be flying magnificent machines and with my experience should stand a far better chance than the average pilot.
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