Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 45]
next shift will be out towards the Fireing line as it will be more interesting. After Breakfast I slept on & off all day & after Tea I went along to where they send up an Observation Balloon. I just arrived when it was going up with General Murray & I waited for it to come down. The Balloon is an Oval Shape & has 3 Flaps on each side & one on the Top to balance it, it has several long ropes hanging from it which the Flying Corp Boys hold on to when it is down. There is a long steel Chain which works from a very heavy Motor Car as the Balloon goes up a Blue Flag is hooked on to the Wire in two places, for the purpose of giving Aeroplanes warning that a wire is there. The Balloon goes up over 2000 ft & has a separate wire which is connected with a Telephone up above – on the ground. After a little while it came down & the General stepped out, he had leather straps about his body to couple on to a Parachute, There is a large Basket hanging underneath about 4 ft square & 3 ft deep. There are two Parachutes on each side hanging down ready for use & on one side of the Basket is a board which has a Map