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[Page 7]
58th Training Sqn.
R.A.F. Suez
19.1.19
Dear Judge
I'm afraid I have neglected you rather badly of late, but I have kept Dorothy fairly well posted as to my doings. I find that the lazy life here is not conducive to letter writing: the less one has to do; the less one wants to do seems to be the rule.
I am nearing the end of my course here now. I have one more machine to learn yet and hope to start on it to-morrow. It is the fast fighting scout S.E.5., which has proved very useful on service, but which is rather awkward to handle owing to the speed with which it lands. However I have now done nearly 50 hours in the air since starting here and feel fairly competent to fly it. After five hours on it I should go on to the Fighting School where I have to qualify for "wings". That should, with luck take from 3 weeks to a month. After that I don't know what is to happen.
We have no information as to the Air Ministry's intentions
[Pages 2 and 3 (a9319009 and a9319008 respectively) have been typed in the correct order]
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with regard to us. To make a pun it is "all in the air". I think I shall use every endeavour to return home though. I don't think the chances offering in the Air Service are good enough to warrant my remaining in it longer than necessary to complete my training. That is to say if I can get out, which at present is doubtful.
I wonder what the developments are likely to be as regards flying in Australia. If the Government has enough go in it I think they might do quite a lot, but it would probably mean sinking a lot of money in it at first without much return, a game our politicians don't seem fond of – as it doesn't catch votes.
Perhaps it would be better for me to make up my mind to go straight back to the law on my return, but it will take quite an effort after being away from it for so long. Anyhow there will be plenty of time to think that over when I see how things are going.
There is a huge camp growing up just beside our aerodrome here. I think it is to be a