Series 01 Part 02: Hughes family correspondence, 3 April 1917-22 September 1918 - Page 249
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[Page 249]
2.
Since my last letter my movements have been so erratic that I have scarcely had a chance to write to you, and I have waited for the end of the adventure to give you a complete account of the eventful transfer of 59 T.S. from Beaulieu to Lilbourne. I think I told you before that we were to move on Sunday the 16th. Now the primary cause of the last weeks adventure was that this is only a single squadron station and already there is another squadron here, so there was practically no room for us. But on the 16th another squadron was due to arrive at Beaulieu to take our sheds, so there was a danger of our being homeless until temporary hangars could be put up here. I have called this the "cause" but really it was the excuse, for Segrave arranged that we should make the move in two stages, first day to Rendcomb where we should wait probably a day until our temporary hangers here were ready, then on here. Now the key to the whole arrangement and the subsequent débacle is that Rendcomb was a most convenient port of call for Segrave as he could stay at Barnsley Park with the Wykeham-Musgraves and Miss W-M was at home!
Now for the débacle. On Sunday we got out of our beds in pitch darkness at 5.30 a.m. and all the men & officers who were not flying machines went off to Lilbourne by train at 8 am. I had six beautiful "Bristols" all tuned up to perfection for the journey