Up In The Air
The World War I Diaries of Balloonist Cyril Gordon Jones
1 MON. Beautiful day. Feeling much better but arm awfully stiff still. Rather weak, no appetite. Up in balloon in evening with 12in How. Officer. Wind 20 mph. Up 1 1/2 hrs. Felt cold a lot. Fair view. Explained country. Post gone when I returned to camp. Sent spl despatch rider with my letter. Wind E.
2 TUES. Very hot muggy day. Slight thunderstorm at lunch time and wind shifter to W. After lunch Nelson up in balloon but no view. Hauled down at once. Nelson got 2 shocks from telephone due to magnetism in air. Buchanan and I went to Elverlinghe and Brielen. E heavily shelled whilst we were there. Had to send car and Angus to Vlamerentingle as it was too hot. B and I walked to Brielen. As we left E large splinter of shell whopped into grass just behind our heads. Shells were going over all afternoon. We had to walk to Vlamerentingle. Got v very wet. Caught in thunderstorm. Picked up base of Wiz Bang.
3 WED. Hot muggy day. Very misty in morning.
4 THUR. 10.30 am Howard handed me telegram from Mother. Brenda got a daughter. Never felt more relieved or delighted in my life. Overcome with joy. Wrote off to everybody but hand rather shaky. Lovely day, very hot but rather windy. Went up in balloon from 5.40 to 7.20. Spotted some flashes. Horribly rough, thinking of B all the time, never out of my thoughts. Wire arrived on Wed afternoon, but not handed to me.
5 FRI. Hot sultry day, tested light cable in mng. At 11 am went to 13 Bde H Q. Stayed there to lunch. Went to their O P at C & bc.8.6 from 3-5 pm. 3 ½ mile wlk there and back. Frightfully hot. Splendid view of Bosh trenches on top of ridge. Our trenches in hollow. Our second line trenches badly shelled just in front of O P which was just 2000yds from Hun trenches. Splendid view of Konintearon and Hindenburg lines. Saw Bosh sandbags moving in trenches. Picked up part of German fuze.
6 SAT. Windy cloudy day. G wind at 10am 14 miles ph. Tested special light cable up to 1000lbs. Sent balloon up in ballast. Wind about 35 miles ph. Did not go up. Bagged down. Had letter from Mother (B’s) with B’s dear little bit added. Absolutely delighted. 1.30pm message from Mcneece to let up balloon. Nelson and I went up from 6.35 to 6.45pm. At 600 ft wind over 30 miles ph. Terrific gusts. Very rough trip.
7 SUN. 2nd after Easter. Dull blustery day. G O wind 10 miles p/h on ground. SSW increased during day. No ballooning. Nelson and I went to No2 Sectn to dinner in honour of Pen’s arrival. Heaps of champagne etc very nice dinner. Everyone drunk Pen’s health. I was presented with special menu which Raffles endorsed “ to celebrate Jones baby.” Arrived back at 1.30am.