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Letter 16 - The Sister is a nice girl & has a medal of a military character.

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A note from the Editors:

After only being in the Squadron a couple of days, Oliver is involved in a bad crash, writing off his Sopwith Camel and putting him in hospital, luckily with only superficial wounds.

Franked 22 AUG 17
Mrs Chas. E. Pearson,
Hillcrest,
Lowdham,
Notts.

39 Stationary Hospital France
21.8.17
Letter No 9

Dear Mother
This is only a very temporary address & I am writing with all haste so that you may not be alarmed if you see my name in the casualty lists. I am here as the result of an aeroplane accident. The aerodrome I was on was fairly big but on one side you took off over a valley & in doing so yesterday my engine conked & I of course had to turn round which is a fatal thing to do & anyway after turning I remember no more.

I came down about 200 feet & smashed the machine to atoms so I am told but all that is the matter with me is a sprained ankle a cut lip a cut eye my jaw somewhat cut about & worst of all two teeth knocked out at least one of my two tombstones is right out & one next door is broken off flat with the gum. I am otherwise alright & am thanking my lucky stars I’m alright as it must have been a great escape but I know nothing of it as I fainted after the turn back I made & was still unconscious till just befor I arrived at the hospital when I woke up wondering where I was and what had happened. I have had a stitch put in two of the cuts but have been left alone otherwise.

I am in a nice ward made of a hut there are five others in all as well as me all infantry chaps with very little wrong with them. The Sister is a nice girl & has a medal of a military character. I was having a fine time at the squadron & am awfully mad this has happened. I was actually setting out on my first rip over the lines when I had the accident. Till then I had been flying round practicing.

I had been given the most beautiful machine & was as pleased as punch with it. I also had a fight in the air with one of our best scrappers & I surprised him pretty well as he was loud in my praises when he got down so I had a good prospect. I am a bit afraid now that I may not get back to my old squadron but shall work like mad to do so. One of the Ternhill boys is missing poor fellow. Keep on addressing my letters except the answer to this to 70 Squadron remember that I might have been in a boxing match & shall soon be alright. Also if I go though the casualty lists I shall be entitled to wear a gold stripe although I shant of course. With much love to all from
Oliver.
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Anonymous said…
What, I wonder, just did Oliver mean by 'has a medal of a military character.'; he doesn't expand on it in the letter; possibly he meant 'mettle' ie spirit?
25 April 2009 at 10:25
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