Series 01 Part 02: Hughes family correspondence, 3 April 1917-22 September 1918 - Page 412
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[Page 412]
4.
there was a hole about 9 by 6 inches in the tail & several in the wings. Also one of the planes was obviously settled by the strain of the dive & was very flabby. So we flew quietly home & landed. The C.O. was very bucked to see us as the last that had been seen of us by the others was when we had two triplanes on our tail! So though we had a really strenuous & exciting patrol we could'nt claim a single Hun! However that did'nt worry us as we were lucky to have got out of a tight corner & that made up for the disappointment of having, as far as we know, brought down no Huns. It also has this compensation, that an admission of failure where nearly everyone else has got something is a fair guarantee that you are not in the habit of bringing down imaginary huns!
Poor old "Peter" was rather the worse for wear after this patrol & had to be laid up for repairs for a day. Now he has a complete new set of planes & is as good as ever. The bang & the nasty smell of phosphorous I spoke of were due to an explosive bullet in Claye's cockpit. I'd rather like to bring down a Hun on this side who had been using explosive bullets at me & take him prisoner – I'd feel rather like shooting him. But they are too cunning to carry these forms of frightfullness on our side of the lines.