Letters from Raymond Collishaw

August 12th, 1919

Dear Art, I was ever so glad to receive your letter and to know you were well and enjoying life more or less - I wondered I did not hear from you. No doubt you will be surprised to hear of my latest adventure over here in this country. It is some stunt and you cannot imagine how interesting it is proving. 47 Squadron is the only RAF squadron now on active service in the whole empire. About April the 30th I commenced to recruit crew for 47 Squadron who were then at Salonika and journeyed all over England enlisting practically all 203 squadron men. Fuich, Hoskins, Thorogood, and a whole flock almost go altogether. I have about 340 men. 24 Snipes, 12 Camels, 19 DHQ's, 14 DHQ A's and 24 SE5's and 67 pilots with me and I am in command of the whole show of 6 flights. We had some trip out here in June and we have been at the front about six weeks now. It is some show and I am "full out" for all the boys. Breakey and the Duke are with me. Teddy Gerrard, Kirkhead and Slatter are my flight commanders. Lindsay, Sport Murton, Gus Edwards, Brawl. Daly and a very fine bunch of fellows. We are having some session. You would never believe the things that have happened to us out here - we took a very prominent part in operations so far and you can bet the volunteer Army under General Dewiken is full out for us alright. My fellows were responsible for most of the success during July and August and for the fall of Kharkoff and Tzaritson and already the Russian Command has presented twenty-four orders and crosses as decorations to the squadron. I drew a couple. I shot down within our lines the only Bolshevic machine ever shot down in this war one day last week. An Albatross D5 with a volunteer Hun flying it. Quite a few Bosch have volunteered with the Bolshies but they do not show themselves off here much, although I have had several scrapes during our visits with low strafing. Just imagine it, Whealy - strafing squadrons of cavalry who wave a sword at you some hundreds of feet in the air. I can tell you we have shaken this show out here. The Bolshies come over in the night and drop pamphlets saying what they will do supposing they capture any of us. To crucify us would be as something in comparison. Out here they dip your hands in scalding water and skin them for fashionable gloves. Then they put you up against a tree naked and place a starving rat in a bowl fastened to your stomach in action. Oh, they are nice little chaps. About a week ago Capt Anderson a Canadian sportsman was flying at about 500 ft in a 9A and had a bullet pierce his tank. He set off for home damaged. Another Capt Elliott was shot down within the enemy lines about five miles amongst several squadrons of Cavalry. Anderson immediately landed and kept the cavalry at a distance with machine guns until Elliott burned the crashed machine. Anderson's observer got out on the plane and held the petrol in the tank while Capt Elliott and his observer remained in the back cockpit while Anderson flew home. Some stunt. They are getting DSO's. Out here we not only have to watch for Bolshies: but crazy chaps known as Green Guards abound and make raids on our show. But we go around with four or five machine guns to each man so they leave us alone mostly although they don't like us. Then part of the volunteer army are full out to send us from Russia. They are known as Cuban Cossacks. They wish to command the whole show and ignore the Volunteer Army. 11 am. There are no British troops in this country and no regulations or orders of any kind so you can guess about things. A man's life is about 3 days C.B. punishment. They take life every day here and one must be prepared to defend oneself. Then we have to guard everything going in any direction anywhere. There are no roads and the war only occurs in the vicinity of railways where they have pitched battles with armoured trains. No one knows exactly what is going on anywhere as hardly any communication exists and one can only guess. Then the Volunteer Army is run upon the most peculiar lines. Consisting mostly of Cossack forces who seem only in the war to be enabled to plunder captured territory. We are up near Kharkov. If you look on the map you will see it about 400 miles north of the Crimean peninsula. We are that far from any other British. Where we have a British Military Mission at Rostov. We have good food here: so it is not so bad. Then we get one pound a day allowances extra and colonial allowance 4/ army of occupation 4/6. So it really is pretty good you see. I wish you had come along to help me tell all these fellows off. You knew of course that poor old Bolicky Hayne was killed on the south coast of England. Dived into the ground on a DHQ about two months ago. All our fellows here were very sorry - one of our best boys gone, Art. In the RAF now all officers and Flying officers get the same pay. Some show. I am very glad I had luck enough to be sent off on this show. It really is a great affair and adds to my hoard of experiences. One really must be strong to make this a success and I am hoping to. We are receiving our gratuities out here carrying on as in France. Hoskens still looks after my Snipe in "B" flight. It is still the crack flight too. We have our machines all painted as old No. 203 squadron. Bell has been demobilized and has gone back to Australia. We all wear a V red white and blue sign that we belong to the Russian Volunteer Army. But we really are a British unit absolutely and I maintain my own operation orders. One of these days we are going to raid Moscow with DHQ A's. That ought to shake them somewhere. About four hundred miles away - I have a snappy Rolls Royce car and Kharkov is some place. The women in this country are priceless, Art. They just pray for you to go with them and they refuse money to entertain you! You couldn't send most of the fellows away. I can't think what we may do when the snow comes. I believe they have about six feet of snow here. We are making preparations to fly on skis this winter. Perhaps I may get home to Canada by next year on leave from this place. I hope so anyway - I wish you were with me, Art. I need you here. It is about time I went into town now - several of the boys are waiting for me now. Hoping you are keeping well and happy.

November 1st, 1919

Dear Art, It is quite a long time since I wrote to you before but I have been mostly busy since coming to South Russia. I have worked awfully hard and so have all the boys. I have been congratulated twice by Gen. Trenchard upon our work out here and everyone is pleased with results. Our three flights are now working full out. Each flight is absolutely independent of each other and have special trains. Some snappy affairs too - distances in this country seem even greater than in Canada. Never seem to be able to work closer than 500 miles from our base on the Black Sea at Tagonrog. When we first arrived we made a great hit as we were the only British unit to go on the front in South Russia. At first we had only bombers, one flight of DH9's - each flight is almost as big as a squadron in France. The Bolshevics had about a dozen new Neiports and Fokkers and Albatrosses. They used to annoy our bombers but a couple of stout lads shot two of them down which kind of damped their spirits. Then Kinkead arrived at the front with Snipes and Camels and his bunch certainly shook them, I can tell you. Not one of them are left. Kinkead destroyed most of them himself. But they were game enough. I have been flying a splendid "Snipe" and have been having a splendid holiday after France. They have no come back or defence and it seems such a great relief after the very unhappy experiences I experienced in France during our eventful 1918. In this country an advance or retreat of 40 miles a day is common. To me it seems it only depends upon which side decides to run first. Then the other follows up. These Russians do not fight at all well and on the occasion of such an advance have a most engaging and interesting time for, of course, the operations are carried out over open prairie country. The two-seaters fly around at 2000 feet while the observers shoot up every conspicuous object. But Kinkead's boys, you should just see them scattering and chasing thousands of Bolshevic cavalry over the great Russian plains. They are all "full out" lads and do enjoy the show. Luckily none of them have been casualties. But the two-seaters have been more unlucky, for they have had two observers killed, two pilots wounded and six observers wounded. But we have done no end of damage as the DH9 A's carry 3- 230 lb bombs and 6 - 25 coupers and no-one ever goes above 3000 feet, so you can imagine the bombing is quite accurate and a 230 lb bomb hits like a 15" shell. Last summer our squadron practically captured Tzaritsan on the Volga for the Army. But unfortunately the Bolshevics are in command of all the gunboats and destroyers on the Volga. So they are enabled to bombard any part of the river bank and our troops they wish, except when they are too busily engaged receiving our attentions. These boats are our special delight and everyone concentrates upon them. They are armed with very small anti-aircraft guns which fired up to about 200 feet. We go above at 2500 ft and laugh at them. And get up-wind and deliberately drop off one bomb at each round. Of course the whole fleet of them go wild and fill the sky with their ridiculous small fire. In fact, they begin to shoot as soon as we are in sight. But when a 230 lb bomb makes a direct hit it blows the boat almost out of the water. Of course, we have destroyed a great many, but they seem to have hundreds and they certainly have guts to sit and take all our dirt. Their great idea is to recapture Tzaritsan which is very valuable to them at present. We have all had a great time and I had hoped that we would have been at Moscow by now, but no such luck. I do not know what is going to happen here now that Great Britain has at last definitely decided to give no more help to this volunteer Army or to any Russian source. Already we have lost our identity officially as 47 Squadron and have become merged into the Military Mission. I didn't think we are really supposed to be in action now at all, but I have done my best to keep the show going here. Winter is almost upon us and as we are all working over a country something like Saskatchawan where the wind plays havoc and six feet of snow drift across the country, I do not know whether we could carry on or not. I had hoped by designing sleighing skis to be enabled to fly from the snow if the snow will crust enough. We will probably lose all our machines in some big storm. As we are so far from our base, our rations have not been any too good and the communication is most indifferent. Telegraph is impossible. One can travel faster than a signal and Russians are pleased to make 100 miles a day. But we have good W/T stations so it is not so bad for us. We re getting six Salamanders from Glen Lambe for me to report on. I expect they will be failures as the first principles of ground strafing with a scout is efficiency in getting away after attack, before it can be shot down. This feature is absolutely lost in a Salamander which relies upon its armament to protect it. Then, one cannot dive in a Salamander as you sink like a stone. So I think they're no good, after having flown one of them in England. Unfortunately, about five weeks ago I was taken ill with typhus fever at the front and so was put on a train for our base without escort other than Russians. Enroute I got very bad so they put me off 250 miles from the Front, and so, 250 miles from our base, and I entered a Russian hospital. I was unconscious and delerious for some time and it was a month before our RAF people finally located me. While will show you the state of things out here, I laid in the same bed and room for a month without speaking to anyone, as I cannot speak Russian at all well yet. However I was lucky in finding that my nurse spoke some English. This is my first day to sit up and one of my first notes, so I hope you will excuse this paper. In a few days I hope to proceed to our base. I certainly lost flesh, about 50 pounds, I think, as I never ate for a month. I had intended to stay out here until April, but now my health is so badly impaired I do not know if I will be capable to do it. Typhus resembles Typhoid very much in that one has an inflamed and ulcerated stomach and intestines. I had some wonderful dreams during my illness, Art, and they seem surprisingly real even yet. I had hoped to arrive about the end of April and then apply for Canadian leave, and so arrive over in Canada about the 1st of June. What are you doing now, Art? Now that you have got back to civilian life, how do you like it? I suppose you get along alright as you have a nature adaptable to it. I have a permanent commission in the RAF and the other days mail brought me letter saying I had to report back for duty with the Navy on Jan 1st '20. But I don't know what I may do yet. In the Air Force I know nearly all the generals which helps a great deal, but then the RAF peace time strength is to be so small that promotion is bound to be so awfully slow. Did you ever get that money from Wilson? I am worried over that, Art, so please let me know how it goes. How is Toronto and John keens. Please give him my best regards, and the same to your kindly folks, Art. They were awfully nice to me when I was out there. Breakey and Slatter both got permanent commissionms; Breakey Capt and Slatter Lieut. I am getting one for Kinkead. This show is something like No. 3 Wing - except we work hard and it is much more amusing - twelve of the boys from Egypt are going on leave to England after three years tomorrow. Continually fights and disorders break out in your own lines in this country and one never knows what will happen next. When I get down to the base I will let you know how I got along. Hoping you are well.

Letters from Neville Dixie

June 22nd, 1924

Dear Old Whealy, Many thanks for your last received ever so long ago. Since last I wrote you quite a lot has happened, in our little community. First & foremost I am the proud father of a daughter. This is ancient news really as she is 7 months old, but I don't think I have told you about her before. I am told she favours me in looks, but whether or no, she is just the turning point around which we (& specifically the grandmothers) revolve. My wife is splendidly fit & just worships the kid. Second piece of news, Crystalbel's engagment is off. She broke it off about three months ago. The breaking off is very satisfactory to Mother & me, as we could see right from the early days that it was not a good arrangment. C. got engaged at the time that I got married, the whole busines was the result of that romantic & exciting period, easily mistaken for the real thing. Her ex-fiancé George Johnson is my wife's brother, so have had to cultivate a tact & carefulness to which my nature (in speech at any rate) is foreign. Third item of news (which probably doesn't interest you at all) General Smuts & his South African party have been defeated in our elections by General Hertzog & the Nationalists (S. Africa is as prone to generals as the U.S.A. used to be to colonels). This causes us some concern as the Nationalists are keen on succession & a South African Republic. Besides which they have formed a Pact with the Labour Party, many of whom are Bolshevistic, nihilistic & in fact extreme socialistic principles, the which is always dangerous. Speaking of our political troubles, I heard quite an amusing remark the other day. Our special Slacher(?) is a youth of great wealth, who stayed & looked after it by the name of Evans. Evans has recently been a trip to England & has returned the proud governor of a ultra British Warm, fur collar & all. Two gentlemen, both returned soldiers, discussing the political situation one remarks, that in his opinion, there will be another Scrap out here one of these days. To which the other "that causes me no concern, Evans has qualified for our next war, he has a British Warm". Well, Skipper - as Goode younger would say "What do you know". Sure looking forward to your long promised visit, we have no prohibition here & if you know the ropes, no closing hours, so come along just whenever you can, and whatever else may be lacking, I can promise you a real welcome. Best Salaams to your father.

September 8th, 1933

My dear old Whealy. Don't faint when you see this, although it is bound to give you the devil of a shock. I am such a shocking correspondent that writing practically does not exist for me, but somehow have been thinking of you & the boys lately, so thought I would drop you a line to let you know I am still alive. My wife & two kiddies (Justine & John, ten years & six respectively) are very fit & flourishing, & most likely are not nearly as wonderful as I think they are. Mother is well but of course is an old lady now. Crystobel is married to an ex-regular (Indian Army) lad called Burton. A real good chap. By the way he knows Collie, met him in Russia or some place. The depression & S.Africa remaining on the gold standard after England went off, has put rather a crimp in me financially & in spite of the improved progress for this season's Wool clip, am still wondering if & how I am to weather the storm. This is not a squeal, Old Man, just a statement of fact. I have absolutely lost touch with the fellows we knew in the old days, & would give a very great deal to strike a few of them again. Poor Bollickie Hayne was our only other S. African you remember, so there is no one of the old crowd in this country, as far as I know. When you write (as I hope you will) do tell me all about yourself, & any news you may have of the fellows we knew. Although the War is so far behind us, the memories of other days & the men I knew seem to get stronger rather than fainter. I seem to be getting sentimental so better quit. All the best in the world to you & yours, Old Chap, & if you have tons of money & nothing to do, take a visit to S. Africa & don't forget to come & stay with me.

P.S. Am hoping that the old address will find you

Letters from Edmund Pierce

January 15th, 1925

Dear Art, Do not go into a flat spin at receiving this! Anyway man thanks for your Xmas card received in good time for Xmas, which is more than ours did I fear. The reason for this effeort is to say that my governor may be going over the pond this year & in the course of his wanderings will probably include Toronto - I told him he was to call & see you if he did go. It is not a pleasure trip, I do not know if you remember, or if Jean told you, he was O.C. of a "Bughouse" in York; which, incidentally was one of the first in the country & therefore pretty well known; since he left there he is still carrying on consulting work & has been asked to go over to Canada & America to visit a number of similar "bughouses". Of course I tried to get the job of going too, but nothing doing I fear, & another chap has been chosen. We have been having a pretty dead time of it since I saw you last in Town, of course I was only filling in time then, shortly afterwards I joined with another fellow and we started a motor engineering place in Middlesbrough, Yorks. We got on pretty well and things looked o.k., my partner's father pegged out & left him a tidy bit of money, consequently we expanded the business enormously, incidently I built a house nearby (where we are now). But the blow fell last summer, my partner's father's firm (sounds complicated!) Suddenly & without warning went absolutely smash, the result being it nearly smashed us too! Curse them. Anyway to cut a long story short I have now left the firm I spent months in starting & find myself out of a job & all the cash I put in gone to the winds! Cheerful isn't it? However we still have a house to live in which is something. I hope you have been getting on ok, we often wonder how your trip around the world came off. I saw Tich not long ago, also Compston. I also had a flip in a DH. ga. Still in the RAF (& alive!); it was a dual bus & I found I had not forgotten the gentle art of cloud chasing! If I can't get a job before next August, I am seriously considering going with the governor if I can only scrape enough cash up, I shouldn't mind some experience in one or two directions, even if it's only getting you to teach me how to chop wood which might be useful. Of course the difficulty is leaving Jean & the infant behind, unless anyone leaves me a fortune I couldn't bring them too - & I'm afraid there isn't much chance of that. Anyway I would like to know if you expect to be in Toronto in the "Fall" of this year, or Autumn as we would say! It seems like writing about a year in advance, but if you are contemplating another world tour it is none too soon. We saw something of Alby Shaw last summer he is just the same. We are wireless friends at present - have heard one or two things from Pittsburg & Springfield. I do not think there is any other particular news - our infant is just over a year old now & really is a remarkably fine specimen! Her undercarriage is in poor condition at the moment, but I understand she will take off in the summer - she is obviously underpowered now & can only "taxi" with her tail down. Cheerio to you & your brother

March 22nd, 1925

Dear Whealy, I had the hell of a job to get out of the "steep spiral glide" that your letter put me into - however all is well, although it took me 4 1/2 hours to reach the ground, - looping all the way, "pity he ran out of loops!" Anyway best of congratulations & all that to you from us both - we are tickled to pieces & tricked stiff Bo. We propose having a present ready for you when you come here, something not too large to take back to Canada! We have got a small house of our own now, thank the Lord, so we most cretainly expect you in May or June. Curiously enough when your letter arrived, Compston was staying with us, and we had mentioned your name several times in connection with many things, and I had also asked Compston if he knew Freeland, "that long black streak". I met Compston up at the Motor Show two or three times. He left the RAF 2 years ago & is in busness in Leeds. We had a great long yarn about the late War & The Intrepid Birdman, he is an amusing guy & full of yarns. He said he would like to see you when you are here. I saw Tish a few months ago, I think he is a bigger dreamer that ever now, anyway his family is bigger, if that's anything to do with it. I spent a few days at Cranwell last September, & wangled a trip in a DH.ga. (dual); I found I had not forgotten much - I believe I told you this in my last effort; there is not much point in witing a long yarn, when we will be chewing the fat before long, so cheerio, & the very best of luck for the 15th April. Best wishes from Jean & myself To you & your wife to be

P.S. You never told us her name! I am looking forward to talking to you about the possibilities of God's Own Country, it is the devil getting a decent job here.

July 15th, 1927

Dear Art, Congratultions from all of us here - we were tickled to death with the annoucement you sent us and as usual I apologise for the delay in replying! I trust your wife & infant are both flourishing. I have just returned from the No 3 Sqdn. dinner & air pageant at Hendon, both excellent shows. Not quite so many at the dinner, but the following were present:- Collishaw also Hazel looked in Breadner and another I can't Ellwood remember & Glen Ireland Dudley Taylor Botts (2 Sqdn) Breakey Rochford Bingham Kirkpatrick Botts is writing up the history of 2 Wing & was "initiated" to get "copy" for writing No. 3 Sqdn. The records book was produced & copies will eventually be printed., Dudley Taylor has this in hand. I went down to Halton to see Ellwood at work - very interesting to see him doing adjutant's work in a huge camp like that, mostly for training boy mechanics. Not much flying done, but I had a pleasant flip in a Bristol Fighter and found I was not too clever at it! My excuse was that I used to be a good scout pilot, but I doudt if they believed it! I went to Newcastle Air races recently & met Broad & Ossulston, & had a flip with Broad in a DH Moth - priceless little machine. Ossulston is coming to Munthorpe next week with his Moth on his way to Norwich & London & is going to do a bit of joyriding. I wonder if you remember him - but he was at Cranwell. Tich is the same as ever (no there are no more children yet) & I went to the Pageant with him, quite a good show but we were not very impressed by the aerial flying because they were not anything like close enough (Tich says perhaps they are better shots nowadays!) & they threw hundreds of loops & rolls & things which altho' very nice to look at tends to put one at a disadvantage - altho' poor Hemming (now killed) used to find a few loops advantageous. Some of the 2 seater bombers are so fast, the man in the back seat can't stand up - because of the wind! We may be leaving here shortly & going to Town, but at the moment things are uncertain. When do you expect to visit England again - it's about due isn't it? I must close - very best of luck from us all to you and your wife.

November 28th, 1931

Dear Art, Just a line to wish you & your wife the best of luck for Xmas and 1932. Herewith snapshot of yours truly in "the blue". What about another world tour? & making Mombasa a port of call? Cheerio, and drop me a line sometime

June 6th, 1932

Dear Art, Ever so many thanks for your letter which we were delighted to receive. Certainly you are the heavy father these days, judging by the excellent snapshot - I supose you already spin them the yarn about "What I did in the Great War" and so on! I have heard very little RAF news since I have been here, but do occasionally get a letter from Tich, and one at Xmas from Harry Chisham (Oh that I had the wings of a dove that I might fly away from this bloody awful war). I cannot understand why you had a Xmas card returned, as it should have been forwarded alright - anyway I came out here in 1928 & Jean and the family arrived in 1929 January. We got fed up with things at Middesburgh, & having managed to let our house, after a short spell with my father I came out here and went on to a farm belonging partly to Jean's sister's husband. Strange as it may appear I got enthusiastic aboput farming, possibly because it was all wheat there & the tractors, harvesters & whatnot tickled me to death - but after some 6 months I got a job running someone else's place, then I rented a wheat farm for a year, while the owner was in England. We were lucky in this, as we got a good crop of wheat, prices had not fallen to nil, & locusts had not arrived in quantity - so we did not come out of the year so badly. All this time I got the idea of buying some land of my own, & about 2 years ago, did so. 1646 acres about 14 miles from Thomsons Falls (which you might find on a map - as we boast a railway line which branches off the main Uganda line at Gilgil.) There was nothing on the farm when we got it, so had to build a house, farm buildings & whatnots & have been doing so ever since. I came here full of ideas of cultivation, but wheat went flop & most other things, so I changed my ideas, only planting so 30 acres of linseed (locust proof) & a few acres of peas, maze etc. Then I proceeded to buy cows & now have about 110, some 60 calves & heifers & various bulls etc, not to mention pigs dogs, cats & so forth. You are probably laughing at this, so do I like hell, when I think that a year or so ago I could just tell one end of a cow from the other. However one lives & learns and I'm getting quite a star turn at pulling them about, poking pigs with a stick & all that sort of thing. I don't suppose we will ever make our fortunes here, but it's the devil of a good life, calling it farming is not too good really, as it is all mixed up with wood cutting, fence making, water furrows, home building, concrete work & god knows what else; & occasionally some extra excitement like we had 3 weeks ago when a lion killed 2 cows of our neighbours. We hunted for 2 days but had no luck. We have some 300 acres of forest & and there are all sorts of comic things therein, although we very seldom see them. But one doesn't have to go 100's of miles to get on the track of buffalo, leopard, rhino's, zebra, water buck, bush buck, elephants & other whatnots. Do not get the impression that these lurk behind every bush because they don't. They take some finding & perhaps some only pass by at certain times of the year, & we see nothing more than their footmarks. No, I'm no big game hunter & never will be!! My training with the Service rifle at the Crystal Palace only lasted 3 wks! There have been occasions though when I wished I had a couple of Vickers firing through the prop. I haven't had a flip in years, altho' I saw the RAF buses when they came to the Colony some months ago. I still take in the "Aeroplane" & laugh over C.G.G's stuff - but he is getting hiself into trouble with America now & to a certain extent with Canada. Is it a fact though that the Canadian RAF has been cut down to next to nothing? I still have a cousin in the RAF; was an instructor during the mess 1914-18 at Cranwell, & is now quite a big noise test pilot for RAF at Marblesham - but he is not a big success at letter writing so I only get news from him 2nd hand. My father has been ill and wants me to go & visit him this year. I never expected to go to England for another 10 years or so, but under the circumstances will try & do so - the great snag being that we have not got a bean. It's all in cows, & if we get there, do not know how we shall get back again! Well, I must close - drop us a line sometime & don't forget if you want a real change, get on a boat to S. Africa & then come up the east coast, or go to England first & that way. I cam promise you it would do you a power of good, we haven't much of "the ready", but never wear a collar & don't pay income tax!! Very best wishes to Margaret from us all here.

September 28th, 1935

Dear Art, I expect this will give you a bit of a shock, but I thought it would be interesting to find out if you old address still works, & if you are still alive. We have been struggling along here for about 7 years now, and really have not made a cent, but find it a good life on the whole. The only real setback we have had, was that our small daughter Rosemary died very suddenly from peritonitis just over two years ago, this has made life a bit trying although we still have another younger daughter of nearly eight I forget when I last wrote but fancy it was some years ago so you probably never heard this. We still occasionally heard from Harry Chisam and Tich, and we saw them both when we were in England in 1932. Ally Shaw too is married & living somewhere in the South Coast. Isn't it time you did another world tour? We have a great scheme of selling out here (if we ever can) & making the trip home via India, Japan & Canada; if this ever comes off I will send you a cable, so be prepared! This Italian mix up seems to me a proper mess & we are uncomfortably near Abyssinia, in fact Kenya both it & Italian Somaliland; I trust we can keep out of it all. I never was one for the heroics of war, but if it comes I think I remember telling you I would join the anti-aircraft next time, and quite possibly I should see you there too! Our farming efforts are increasing, but as I said before we never make a cent out of it. We have about 200 head of cows, heifers etc. now & and have plunged into the growing of pyrethrums which is going pretty well & is a new industry in the Colony. We should be very glad to hear from you all these days & all about what you are doing. With kindest regards to you and your wife from us both

PS I have just been reading a whole lot of war books about Richtoffen & others, pretty good on the whole seeing they were written by Germans. And after all this I have forgotten to wish you all the best for Xmas, as no doubt it will be near when this arrives.

February 11th, 1937

Dear Art, We were delighted to receive your lengthy and interesting letter just before Xmas, but were very sorry to hear that you had been ill with heart trouble - I hope it is all cleared up again by now & that you will find that you can shine at golf again this summer. I'm afraid this altitude might not be too good for you, but it is amazing how one gets used to it. Strangers puff & blow like the devil at first. Just before Xmas Jean, "Blue" & I went off for a short holiday at the Coast, it was grand the see the sea again & have some decent swimming. We also took one of those Folbots (collapsable boats) with us, complete with sail, etc, & had a great time with it. I have an idea they originated in Canada. Mombasa is about 550 mile from here & we really intended to go by train as there is only one road & if it happens to rain, no road; however at the last minute some friends persuaded us to go by car as they were also going. So I have our old 1929 Model A Ford gingered up & off we went. You simply can't beat those old model A for this country, nearly all our friends have plunged in V8's, and 10's, Terraplanes (quite hopeless here), Chev's, etc. But when the real wet weather comes along, our old Ford leaves them all behind - there is not enough clearance on the modern car for this country in bad weather. To return to the Mombasa trip. We spent a couple of nights in Nairobi & then set off for Mashi in Tanganjika, which is roughly half-way to Mombasa. It may interest you to know we only met one car in the first 180 miles or so, but saw all kinds of game including a herd of giraffe strolling along the road. I jumped out of the car to try and get a "close up" & thought I had done so, but on seeing the results it is difficult to see a giraffe in the photo at all. Much to our disappointment lions were conspicuous by their absence. We arrived in Mashi without incident & spent the night there. I had not been close to Mt. Kilimanjara before & we had a splendid view of it. If you look at a map you will see that the line between Kenya and Tanganjika take a curious bend to include the top of Kilimanjara in Tanganjika - the story goes that the Kaiser said he wanted it & Victoria let hime have his way. Anyway, Tanganjika is full of Germans, & I should say it is a clear case of peaceful penetration, Whether the Germans living there want it to go back to Germany, or whether they really prefer being left alone under British rule, I would not like to say. Our stay was too short to find out much. From what I saw I shouldn't think it is a patch on Kenya as a farming country & and it is pretty hot too. We did the next stretch to Mombasa without incident & and met about 3 cars that day; it got hotter & hotter & we went for about 100 miles through the most terrible thorny bush you ever did see. Thank heaven nothing worse happened to the car than a jammed self-starter - so firmly stuck that I had to take it off. Blue was thrilled when we finally saw the sea & were taken across the harbour in a motor boat to saty with some friends. We spent almost a week with friends opposite Kilindini harbour & it was interesting to see the air mail come in & go off again. They were very busy preparing for night landings while we were there. We also spent a week further North up the Coast & and amused ourselves by taking the boat out to the coral reef at low tide & trying to catch the various fish etc. left in the pools - with no success whatever I may say! We returned home alone and spent the night up on the slopes of Kilimanjara, reaching Narobi next day after a run of 230 miles, which may not sound like much, but is quite enough for me. Next time we go to Mombasa it will be by train. Driving a car is too much like hard work, although I am glad to have done it once. Things out here had definitely improved as regards prices, but the labour is getting worse & worse; you probably hear that Kenya native labour is very cheap, & missionaries will tell you that they are absurdly underpaid - don't you believe it! They may not get paid much, but then the amount of stuff they break, steal, or lose, makes up for the rest. Pynethrum Is doing well - I think when I last wrote it was about L40 per ton & we could hardly pay our wages, now it is at L104 & has been high for a year. Unfortunately I am now so short of labour I cannot pick the damned stuff, always the way when there is something good. I should like to go in for wheat again, as one can deal with it mechanically & and only a few boys, but our farm is not suitable for a decent acreage. I have grown small amounts, but by gosh you ought to see the wild pig, water buck, & what-not feasting off it! There is too much forest here to keep them away. Pynethurm is certainly the thing here, 50-60 acres is ample & brings in quite a good return if only one can get enough labour to pick it. We had a whole lot of fellews staying over Xmas & had an amusing time, especially as they took it into their heads to re-arrange the electric railway. So now it is beautifully fixed up and working well. Incidentally we get the current from two car batteries & a Zenith 6 v windmill, which also lights our house. Of course it was a job keeping away any children while the grown-ups played with it. And now Blue is back at school & I do not expect it will be touched until next Xmas. We are a little worried over Blue's schooling, she is only at a small one now, & next week will certainly have to go elsewhere. There are good schools out here, but we have entered her for a school in Somerset & and she may go next year, but we do not know for certain yet. If she goes there one of us will have to go with her to England I expect, which gave me the crazy idea of trying to let our farm for a year or so & both going! Jean says I am a bit late to think of it & what are we going to do in England, etc etc. My only reply being that if we can get enough for the farm per annum we should go to England via Canada! So there you are, if you get a cable one of these days you will know why. Actually I am a bit vague about travelling from Mombasa to Canada direct, but I believe there are cargo boats that take a few passengers, possibly the Robin Line. However, plenty of time to find out about that, especially as I doubt it will ever come off! There is nothing I should like better, but I fear it is a question of L. s. d. What money we have -or had- is all tied up in this place & is not easy to spend like that, possibly just as well, too. Just heard a few days ago of Anthony Eden's resignation over going to Italy; he seems to have more guts than I thought, & I should imagine the fat will be in fire over it all, especially as it was broadcast all over the world. We also read of Niagara Falls bridge being carried away, or rather crashing on account of ice - sounds a cold place to me! Well, I must really close this & send it off, as you will see by the wear & tear of the paper, this letter has been going on & off for some time. By the way, did I tell you that Brook-Popham was governor here now, a pleasant change after the other guy.

PS We had a niece of Mrs. Hayne's staying here at the end of last year. It was interesting hearing something of old B's family. His brother is in England in the RAF.

April 29th, 1937

Dear Art This is really in answer to your letter of over a year ago! Same sort of promptitude as before. We are sending your Rosemary a little brush, mirror and comb that belonged to our Rosemary. I suppose she is about 18 months old by now, so will soon know how to use them. I only hope they will arrive safely & that you will not get stung for customs duty or anything of that sort. You certaily seem to be a regular family man these days - ages nicely spread out! I hope you found 1936 a bit better than the end of 1935 with all that whooping cough & one thing another. I wonder what Canada really thought of King Edward's abdication. It seems to have been a pretty miserable business altogether, but I do think London & England took it pretty calmly. Since you last wrote Abysinnia & Spain, Dictators & what not have taken up all the news, I also would like to know what Canada & USA really think of that. Although I think the League of Nations is a washout, I do think that Italy (or rather Mussolini) slipped it over the old Negro. After all, we may have annexed various countries such as this, Sudan & others - but no one can say we persuaded them to join the League first & then turned around & "gassed" them later. Certainly Europe is in a muddle & I only hope England manages to keep its grit. Having Italy as a neighbour here now is not too pleasant. Perhaps you have heard that Kenya has just got a new Governor, Brooke-Popham. I expect you will remember the name well enough. He seems popular enough & is making the Air Force hum into hue. We are going to have several squadrons & various aerodromes dotted about the place. There is to be an auxiliary Air Force, possibly some sort of local Force. I suppose I shall get lucked in for something, but as long as it is a nice ground job, such as looking after our local aerodrome, which is 10 miles away, I don't mind! Or was it anti-aircraft we arranged to do next time? I should like to have a poop off at something, irrespective of marking, of course. Do you remember those amateurs in destroyers popping off at us for hours off Belgium, at least 2000' too low? & do you remember the report we sent in saying we didn't object to our own Navy firing at us, but we thought they should be informed they were 2000' short. We haven't heard from Tich for a long time now, he is busy farming somewhere in the south of England. I forget where at the moment. I am tickled to death at that pipe you mentioned, I had forgotten all about that. I hope it stays the curse. How goes the steam engine & lathe work? A lathe is one of the things I want here, but I also have a hobby (no doubt also due to old age creeping in) in the making of an electric railway for "Blue". (Really for me, of course.) I have one of those 6 volt windmill chargers which lights a few lamps for the house, & in its spare moments, works the electric railway. It is really a most amusing toy, especially making up the points etc, etc. At any rate it keeps us quiet during a wet evening. I note you say you cannot locate us on the map - it depends upon what sort of map you are looking at! But to give the usual map reference, we are as near as dammit latitude 0d 0m, longditude 36d 17m. That is, roughly, 70 miles west of Mt. Kenya. Have you got it? Altitude is 8500 ft & it is never very hot here, fires every night to keep warm, although we are sitting on the equator. It takes 6 minutes to boil an egg here, & it is a bit tricky trying to land aeroplanes! One has to land them something like that bloke who had several shots to land that atrocity of a Newport Triplane at Bertangles. Things here are looking up Thank Heaven, prices for stock have risen, & land values are better. pyrethurm As hard as we can, & the price had risen from L39 per ton to L85 during the last few months. I don't know if you know all about the stuff, but in case you don't, it is a sort of white single chrysanthemum; the flowers are picked & dried, & eventually pressed & sent off, chiefly to America. It is used in the Keatings' powders, Flit, Tox & all those comic things. Formerly the Japs practically supplied the world, but by the Grace of God, Kenya can grow it all year round, & what is more, its toxic value is greater than the Japanese flower & therefore commands a higher price. England does not take a very large quantity, but where does Canada get supplies from? If you happen to know about this, I shall be interested in hearing about it. The oil compaies usually know of it. New Yorker knows the Kenya pyrethurm well, but where does Toronto buy from?! All our marketing is done by the Kenya Farmers Association & not by individuals, & a large consignment was recently sent to Australia, & I hear there are repeat orders. Well, I must close - I wish we could come and see you sometime - did I say we had always wanted to go to England via India, Singapore, Hong Kong & Canada - some neighbours of ours have just gone to England that way, but across USA instead of Canada. There is now a special line that supplies through tickets, & really it is not so terribly expensive, especially if one returns via the Red Sea (which is a bit boring and a bit hot). At the end of last year Jean & I spent 10 days or so at Mombasa on the Coast & had a fine lazy time of it bathing and beach combing; as a momento of this I have bought a Tolbot 3- seater with Bermuda rigged sail ready for our next trip to Mombasa - I expect you know them well enough as I fancy they originated in Canada. They fold up nice and small to put in a car & and we hope to use it on some of the lakes here. Well, all my best to your both & hoping to hear from you this year (1937!)

Dear both of you, I am just packing this up and sending it along to Canada. I hope your Rosemary will love them as our Rosemary did. Do write soon again. We love your letters and they make us long to meet you again. If only we could make a small fortune & go home via Canada, we certainly should come and look you up. These things enclosed were hand painted by a lady artist in England. Blue has some with her name on "Jeanette" and little white lambs and apple blossomed trees painted on. With love and good wishes to the entire family of 6.

April 17th, 1940

Dear Art, I have been meaning to take up my pen and write you ever since last September. I expect you are either an Air Marshal or some other big noise, but inspite of that I wanted to remind you that you & I had settled on being in the AA in Iceland (Summer months only) if & when the next war ever came. It seems we have misfired slightly in our calculations of over 20 years ago. Here I am in Kenya still & God know where you are, & and in any case I am not at all sure Iceland is a very good spot, although it seems fairly ok so far. If this ever reaches you, I hope you will take a chance & send a reply & let me know what you are doing & how your family is, & what various mutual acquaintances of ours are doing. I am afraid I have little or no news for you from here - I rather expected to be called up for the RAF & even filled in particulars as to what I had done & not done, & perhaps could still do, but I heard no more about that - instead I have been ordered to carry on farming until further notice. I must say I find it a bit strenuous because I have several farms to look after beside my own. A lot of farmers have departed, too many I think because we should produce as much as we can, seeing that Kenya is pretty well self contained and can grow pretty nearly anything. However, if Italy gets sticky & joins the cutthroat gang we shall all have to go, & pretty quick too. It will not by funny here then. I hear on the wireless that a lot of Canadians have gone to Norway. I think things would be a bit sticky there, especially as regards the flying!. When I hear the various stories on the wireless of "aerial skirmishes", oil patches on the water, flaming onions, 8 gun fighters & all the rest of it, it rather makes me feel I should like to be off with No.3 Naval again & and have a smack at it. From what I can gather this scrapping is totally different from the last war, machines are too fast to do much of the going round to catch each others' tails - I should think it's a case of 2 or 3 good bursts & it's all over. Anyway, they have parachutes now which is something, instead of those infernal rubber life belts blown up with a soda water sparklet! How about your hobby of steam engines? I dare say that had all gone West, as my electric railway has these last 6 months or so. I occasionally sort out a few stamps & stick them in, but do not think I have done even that for well over 6 months. "Blue", otherwise Jeanette is at school some 70 miles away, but has just come home for the holidays. She has been headgirl & and goes to another school next term. This makes me realize I am getting a little ancient - all the same, I should rather like to feel the throttle again & "press the tits" (8 of them, I suppose). Well, I am afraid this is not a very interesting letter, but perhaps it will bring one from you in about a year's time. With good luck to you,

Letter from Edwin Hayne

April 13th, 1919

My Dear Old Art, Guess you are very nearly on your "mummy's" knee by now down by where the cotton blossoms grow or pumpkins? Wish I were!! Returned to Coventry after leaving you via Brueau. Called in and saw the DGME & let me tell you right now I got no satisfaction because I couldn't prove I was a Jaufect or get support from my father so that is decidely decided that & lunch is nearly ready so will continue later. Continuing later! You see by the above that I have shifted. Came here on Tuesday as Officer i/c Dispatch relieving Bulman my chief at Shotwich, as he had to revert to Lieut damn hard lives they sent me here as this is a Capt's job the station is rotten full of hot air reg's & nothing to show for them so you can judge the C.O cutting down leave officers parade at 09.00 hours breakfast booked at 08.40. Needless to say I have not been on parade yet & have had no breakfast, this morning being Sunday. The job itself is ok & will have some experience flying. Birmingham is alright & and out of duty hours I am not on the camp. I am conscentious over the job more punctual than I have been thereby safeguarding myself & there will have to be some case for the C.O. to vent his ire on me. Am sweating like a bull to get the bike in time for Easter & I want to be seen for dust. Oh! I met Bernie in B'ham when I passed through. He is in business here with his uncle. Called to see him yesterday but he had just ridden out for the weekend. Has a bike I may purchase. I like my "ways" tho remember that May also is astounding. Peck & his fianc� are now at York for the remainder of his leave. He hasn't devulged any more details of hairish scheme. I think he has foreseen that I do not intend to be an ardent supporter of joy riding. Received notice yesterday that no officers, with a few exceptions, will be granted perm. coms. above their substantive rank. It is quite easy to deduce who tho few exceptions will apply to! I don't know whether this is a gut to get out or what but I am still sticking to it. Ginger Godfrey is here and I know he will fix me up where I want to get out at my own convenience. My month of "steer clear of C.O.'s" is going to be tested to the limit here. I suppose you are in the throes of a dancing crisis now & 'day' parties, what oh! Am looking forward to hearing from you pretty soon. No pictures just plain facts. It's raining cats & dogs now. There's just enough spring in this month like the Ford car to give you a pain - Well cheerio Old buck & write soon to Faraday House. Kind regards to any old boys.

Letter from Ed Hayne's mother

Dear Mr. Whealy, I knew you would write to us as soon as ever you heard about dear old Son. He looked upon you as one of his best pals & somehow I seem to know you from his dear letters. He was just one of the very best sons a woman could be blessed with & we were real chums. He & I had two years in England together (I only returned to S.Africa two months after War started) & during all that time we were more like sister & brother. I never thought of doing anything without Edwin or asking his advice. All through this awful war I have had such perfect faith that he would come through safely & so he did but for some reason he was not allowed to return to us. My husband and I shall never feel the same about things again & his death has altered everything for us. The last few months our every thought has been his return home - the welcome he would have, & the pleasure of introducing him to his little sister, & new baby brother (the other son Wilfred was in England with us and now 9 1/2). It is over three months since Edwin was killed & some days I feel too crushed for words & and it is so hard to realize he will never come back to us. After all he went through it seemed too cruel that he should have been killed in such a way. He wrote and told us of the farewell dinner the four of you had at the Savoy, but it really turned out to be a farewell to him, poor boy. I have not heard from Capt. Rochford, but am certain he feels as you all do. It has been very hard answering all the letters we have had, my husband has written a good many for me, but to Edwin's best chums I must write myself & thank them from the bottom of my aching heart - for all their sympathy & their friendships to my darling, & I trust they will always remember him. If you have any snapshots & can spare a few I shall be so pleased to have them, tho' it is quite likely Edwin had some, but whether I shall ever get them remains to be seen. I am told that very little ever reaches relations. What has become of Beamish? & did you know Dixie? The latter came to see us as soon as he arrived in Jo.burg, & gave us such fine accounts of Edwin, & he was very shocked when afterwards he heard Edwin had been killed. I have two photos and would like to know the names of all the officers. It is a photo marked Canadian Officers of a RAF Squadron. Edwin & Dixie are in both these, are you there too? Such a nice group, & you all look so happy. If ever you come to Africa I do hope you will pay Johannesburg a visit & let us have the pleasure of meeting you. A very nice photo of Edwin was found on his desk the day he was killed evidently a proof. I think it must have been taken in Feb when he met you. We have written Homes for some, & hope to get them out soon. Again thanking you for your sincere sympathy.

Squadron Reunion 1926