10 November 1936

Dear Mother:

I hope Ronny isn't getting too big to handle. I'll bet he has grown a lot since I last saw him. I had only one hour solo flying time today. There was rather too much wind and rain. Our mid-term exams start on Thursday. Russel told me that he touched a wing tip on his last landing - naughty, naughty.

I'd give half a crown if I could go home for a weekend.

This morning there was many small puffs of clouds at 4000 feet. - I imagined them as enemy aircraft and made many attacks on them. - It was very thrilling - I would ease the stick forward and zowie shoot down while the air speed would go off the clock - It's wonderful what one's stomach gets used to.

The air is terrifically bumpy - one just relaxes and toys with the stick while the plane behaves like a bucking bronco - thank goodness we have fighting harness or I would have gone goodbye before now.

There is a beautiful lake three miles from the aerodrome. Every time I pass over it my plane goes sock, bang, etc.

It is getting rather wet and raw here but we have lovely days. I hope to be in Singapore in a couple of years where it isn't cold - We pass out of our F.T.S. next July or August and are posted to our respective squadrons.

Fighters would be wonderful to fly but Flying Boats and heavy bombers have a greater future in civil life.

Just a few days ago a whole squadron of Flying Boats left here by air for Singapore. Officers tell us here that Flying Boats are wonderful and think that branch one of the finest.

Others swear by heavy bombers because of the long cross countries by night and day - big crew, etc.

Fighters because of lack of responsibility - only your own life to risk.

I shall probably change my mind a hundred times before I leave training schools.

We have to know relative and equivalent ranks of navy, army and air service by heart - a terrific job, e.g.:

Navy

Admiral of Fleet

Army

Field Marshal

R.A.F.

Marshal of R.A.F.

At Uxbridge where we stay two weeks, probably Dec. 27 or about - we have to shoulder rifles etc.

Discipline is terrifically strict once one receives King's Commission. At end of course next summer - I shall be a finished pilot - a qualified morse code expert, semaphore, gunnery rigging engines, navigation - a real engineer.

Devey's parents are still in Spain and are in one h' of a position. Devey speaks Spanish like a native - a wonderful chap. - He was captured by insurgents and escaped himself and had wonderful experiences. It is amazing to live here and in Spain a couple of hundred miles away a terrific war going on.

We are the first and only R.A.F. flyers to be trained on monoplanes. Our school is the latest and newest. Most of the others get trained on De Haviland Tiger Moths or Blackburn side by side trainers.

We love our blood red Hawks and are straining on the leash to do cross-countries and swagger with our fast, beautiful machines - they make a moth look like a flying hay rack.

Don Hoar evidently trained at the school Russel is at.

Nov. 12

Boy! Rain and more rain. We are drowned - I think half the Atlantic is being poured on us. Enclosed is a picture of one of our machines EL. I have often flown in it. This picture was taken above the school last week. See the clouds below - this was a beautiful day, it is rather worse most of the time. Isn't she a beauty - clean lines. The whole school was grounded today - are we chafing on the bit. These machines will do 150 m.p.h. flat out. I cruise at 135. 1936 model. Sometimes I fly along Souther Railway Line to Maidenhead where I amuse myself by passing Tiger Moths of the DeHavilland School there. When I tell you they pronounce grass grawse and brass brawse, ass aws etc. here I am not kidding you - I am so used to it now I don't notice it but it is the truth. You would think they talked like us but they don't.

Friday. Terrifically cloudy but I put in three hours solo today. This morning I had half an hour dual in instrument flying. This afternoon I climbed to 7000 feet and broke out above the clouds. Below it was drizzly and cold - here it was clear. - Blue sky and a carpet of pure white lay below me. I was all alone - not another Hawk in sight - The old Gypsy motor turning out 2000 revs per minute and cruising along at 135 mph. Five minutes later a No. 4, a red Hawk, rose out of the clouds and flew beside me. - My dear friend Orton - a couple of flicks with out leather gauntlets and we both zoom away in opposite directions.

Back into circuit at 1000 feet - Hawks about every 50 yards. - We knew each other's numbers and wave back and forth - Boy what a traffic jamb on the aerodrome. Even 18 Hawks get in each other's way, especially doing circuits and landings.

Two more chaps are nay so good on landings and are due to be chucked. Flying Officer Wilson said I was coming due to do cross countries - what ho! Away to Bristol, Hamble Aerodrome at Southampton and north to No. 11 F.T.S. at Wittering.

Calgary is wonderful for lying compared with Berkshire. We find clouds in layers beginning at 1000 feet and continuing up to nearly 7000 feet. I know now why your throat nose passages etc. have to be so clear. They all relieve the pressure on the ears. A bad cold with stuffed passages would about break one's eardrums. Coming down we breathe in great gulps of air and, snap, our ear drums go back in place.

The most beautiful moment in flying is when you suddenly climb out into brilliant sunshine - your wheels clearing through the cloud below.

Up here over Reading a mile high (not in the Canadian Rockies) I defy you to worry about tomorrow's exams.

On the circuits I follow the chap in front - banking steeply after him and sending imaginary bullets through him. (My blood-thirsty nature breaking out).

Saturday

I am enclosing a mess bill for a week so you may see how expensive it is to live here. It comes to nearly $15 for one week.

I received your letter of Nov. 2 and also one from Aunt Ida who is staying at Royal York in Toronto. This is Saturday and fog completely washed out flying for the day.

Well! Goodbye for now.

Love Bill