TCD MS 3414 folio 38 recto
[September 1915]
very high Schumal (desert wind), Capt Wells on attaining the height of some 80 feet was born down backwards, he met the ground tail foremost – not a portion <of the aeroplane> remained unsmashed while he himself was unhurt. I must say that<having to witness these accidents> this was rather an alarming initiation into the RFC.
On Sept 12th the Division started on a march to Sannaiyat, where the[y] arrived about the 17th. All our machines were to fly up. I was very pleased when I heard that I was to accompany Lieut Treloar in a “Caudron” (gnome engine) for this was to be my first flight in an aeroplane. We started off and flew to Sheikh-Saad where we landed & met Major Reilly and his “Martin Syde”, we also refilled our machine ready to start again the same evening to complete our journey.
Ones first trip in an aeroplane I found to be most exciting & most interesting. I felt perfectly safe, and flying through the air like a bird viewing miles & miles of country below one I found <a> most interesting experience. Though Mesopotamia is an ideal country to fly in owing to the air being so clear & the total absence of clouds, I found that it