Letter - 12 September 1916 - record flight in Egypt

Athol writes home to mother. Of course, more parcels arrive. This time they contain an assortment of reading material, mosquito nets, cigarettes, food, clothing, socks and a pen.

Athol and Lt Murray Jones make a reconnaissance flight lasting 9hrs and 20 minutes which they think is a record for Egypt. This may be the flight recorded in the Official War History and I attach the relevant extract at the end of this post.

No.1 Squadron

AFC

Egypt

12.9.16

Dear Mater

Many thanks for parcels of food (1), clothing (1) and socks (1) also for Australasians (2), Punch (4), S.Talk (4), Mags (4), Tatler (1), Sketch (3) all of which came along during the last few days. Posted 24.7.16 and 7.8.16. 

I'm writing this with the pen you sent me. Our mail is a bit out of joint at present as there has been a couple of accidents on our toy railway and so traffic was suspended for about a week and now stores etc get preference.

Last Thursday four of us left here at 5am in two buses on a job of work up the Nile. We flew into the Nile Valley and then went up north over 200 miles only landing once to fill tanks. Then we went west again about 100 miles and did our job the same day. Lt Jones was my pilot and we were 9 hrs 20mins in the air which is I believe a record for Egypt. Next day we started for home but had engine trouble and landed again to get fixed. Next day, Saturday, we flew back here having done 14 hrs 10 mins flying in three days over a distance of 1,000 miles. Of course this is quite entre nous.

I took a few photos but they aren't much chop mostly too high up as we were between 6,000 and 7,000 feet most of the time.

I had by last mail a parcel from Miss Adamson of refills for my pocket torch and cigarette lighter. Also she sends me papers from time to time. 

It's a lot cooler here now and doesn't get light until nearly 5:30am.

We have a new observer here now, an Australian Lt Dawson from Sydney and a new chum at the game.

I think that's about all my little tale this time.

My love to Pater and the Aunts etc.

Yours lovingly,

Athol

P.S. Another parcel of mosquito net and cigarettes dated 26.6.16 came along just now from the Camel Corps Coy here for which many thanks. AGA.

Extract from FM Cutlack's volume of CEW Bean's Official War History - Volume VIII – The Australian Flying Corps in the Western and Eastern Theatres of War, 1914–1918 (11th edition, 1941), Chapter 3, p.37.