Up In The Air
The World War I Diaries of Balloonist Cyril Gordon Jones
31st March (contd)
Stringer came here to lunch.
Went to 2nd AAP in afternoon with indents.
Arranged to start moving balloons at 25 and 32’s camps tomorrow at about 4am if fine.
QMS Hart reported sick and went to Hospital.
1st April 1917
Got up at 3am and inspected weather and prospects of moving balloons, but there was too much wind then and move was postponed.
Wind dropped a lot and at 10am it was nearly calm.
Commenced moving No 32 at 11am. Their balloon arrived at No 25’s camp at about 12.30. No 25 had already started. All well until No 25 got to large bay of telephone wires close to Steenwerck. They were caught in a squall whilst crossing the wires. No damage done except two wires broken.
No 32 crossed wires satisfactorily. Both balloon winched along Steenwerck Road. Severe squall rain and storm just as we were crossing railway and telephone lines at Sternwerck Crossing. One bag of lines pull down.