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[Page 46]
and down in charred debris. The one he now attacked did the same and the airman circling once round started leisurely to climb and soon was out of sight. It was all so rapid, except his contemptuous , slow exit. . A few minutes after an R.E.8 patrol 'plane came along. Our boys in chorus mocked it - hands to mouth, megaphone fashion, in semi crouching position.
R. E. 8 - ARE WE LATE?
" " " – " " "
with a lot of vivid imprecations to keep it company.
Bois d'Escardonneuse
15/7/18.
The mail man came so suddenly last night that I hadn't time to enclose J's letter. We had a party of officers, but at half past eight the two remaining guests went and our two hosts went part of the way with them. I was rather glad when they left, for it gave me a chance to get to bed early, - to rest my body and have a read. But I was disappointed, for some enemy 'planes came over and began dropping bombs about and we had to douse the glim. The sergeant, the telephonist and I then yarned in the dark while the strafe went on and at last I went off to sleep. This morning it was dull and cloudy so I did a sketch of Reid. It wasn't a grand success. This morning Jerry was more active than usual, putting over some long distance stuff which wailed and whimpered overhead on it's way to the back areas. About noon he came over again and "did in" one of the balloons that replaced one of those he outed yesterday. He was just as business-like about it as he was yesterday - out of a cloud, like a streak of evil and off in a flash; the Archies and other guns going like blazes. At one time he nose-dived so suddenly and for such a distance that we thought he was hit, but he was only dodging and continued to climb and duck like a porpoise until he disappeared into a cloud. It got brighter after lunch, so I continued with my picture. The poor little town was being shelled all the time I was working. I could see the shells bursting in various parts of it. I had a look at