Up In The Air
The World War I Diaries of Balloonist Cyril Gordon Jones
15th September 1917
Fine day. Hot sun and no wind. No view. No ballooning.
Went to 2nd AAP in afternoon with Nicholson and took in indents. Talked over withdrawal of lorries with Lee, and arranged to send him some good lorries and some duds.
2 Grouse arrived from Greenwell, which we had for dinner.
16th September 1917
Fine day. Good view in afternoon. All balloons up.
Practice barrage at 10am.
No 9’s balloon unsuccessfully attacked by EA. No holes made in it. Jolly parachuted, making his 6th descent.
No 18 Section’s balloon BMS 71 was hit by shell fire in the air, and was deflated on landing. The balloon had been condemned in the n morning on account of porosity.
No 36’s balloon BM141 showed very high pressure on gauge and had to be hauled down and let up to 3000ft in ballast. Gauge showed 55mm at 300ft and 80 at 900ft