1916 - 1917 Bromet 03

The “Nieuport” Flight, ably led by Mackenzie, arrived only one short, and a “Pup,” flown by Travers, also reached Vert Galant safely.


Meanwhile, our transport consisting of eight lorries, five tenders, a large trailer and a workshop lorry had arrived, but owing to darkness, mud, and pouring rain, it was decided to defer unloading until the morning, and we just tumbled out the bags and hammocks and got the men settled into

their quarters for the night. Hammocks were slung in a large barn belonging to Monsieur Bossu’s farm, and the men made themselves as comfortable as circumstances permitted - which is another way of saying that there was no comfort at all. There are better places than barns (and leaky ones at that) in which to sleep on a wet October night, but there are also worse places in war time, although you wouldn’t have got any of our “braves” to believe that at reveillé on October 27th.


Further along the road, in the Officers’ billet, things were not too comfortable either. The departure of the machines from Dunkirk in the afternoon had not been anticipated and when the pilots started to come in, some with and others without their machines, we had neither kit, quarters, nor food ready for them. Eventually some fourteen hungry, cold, and tired Subs had collected in Monsieur Bossu’s parlour all demanding everything we hadn’t got, and the entertainment was complete. In the end we got them sorted out and sent to No. 23 Squadron for meals, after which we unearthed their traps and sent them to find their sleeping quarters as best they could.


The morning of the 27th broke with rain driving against our windows and with a steady drip through the roof of the barn. If the men felt as miserable as they looked, they must have been miserable indeed, and their cheerfulness was not increased by finding only tea and dry bread for breakfast. However, we soon got them too busy to worry over such matters and the day was spent in detailing quarters, arranging about rations, unloading stores, and sending out parties to the stranded machines. The Squadron was visited by Major-General Trenchard, accompanied by Colonel Hudson (No. 2, A.D.), Major Spicer (No. 5, A.A,P), Captain Corballis, and Lieutenant Maurice Baring. The General, with his accustomed concern for the well-being of Officers and men, made us feel at home right away, and with the thoroughness for which he had become famous, set about satisfying himself that we were au fait with the supply and repair facilities in the Field, and that we had everything we wanted. The General’s “Make a note of it, Baring,” with which we were to become so familiar, was heard for the first time.

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