Letters of James Stuart Leslie Ross, 1918-1919 - Part 5

3
As it doesn't pay to let a Hun

get height on you. I pulled
out into a zooming turn.
As I went over the top of
him he pulled up & fired
a burst at fairly long range.
He was either a wonderful
shot or a fluker as I
stopped one in the leg. I
immediately started to throw
things around & he didn't get
another hit. My Flight Commander
coming from behind fixed
him up. My leg was stinging
a bit, & as I didn't know if
it was serious or not I left
for home at the double. I
got a good deal of Archie Lee
I crossed the lines but there
were no more Huns about, so
it was plain sailing. I did
about 140 miles an hr all the
way home - with my nose down.
I could have landed earlier
but I wanted to land on
our own 'drone to let the
boys know how I got on

4
(Sometimes if one lands
wounded at another place he is
taken straight to Hosp. & his
Sqdn doesn't know for a couple 
of days & are consequently anxious.)
I made a good landing &
got the wound dressed. Later
in the evening I was brought
to this address - a C.C.S.
nearby (Casualty Clearing Stn).
I don't know what they'll
do with me. I may stop here
as this place is well behind 
the lines & consequently
they're not doing a great
deal of business. However
I may possibly be sent to 
England.
I don't know whether I got
the Hun I dived on or 
not as I didn't wait to see
 

5
My Flight Comdr saw the chap
that hit me crash & another of 
the boys claimed one, so
we came off best.
It's just as well he didn't
hit me a bit harder as
the Huns use cruel ammunition
Incendiary, explosive & flat nosed
stuff. The stuff that was
flying around was smoky which
denotes incendiary. Our people
also use incendiary & I think
I'll be tempted to carry a
bit of "flat-nosed" when I get
back. They do it, so we might
as well.
My leg is not a bit sore
just a trifle stiff so don't
think I've been having a
bad time. I've been in
bed 3 days but its a
good spell. Plenty of good

6
fd food & a good appetite so
I'm as happy as Larry. The
Aerodrome is quite close & 
a couple of the boys come 
down every day. They're great 
chaps. My old bus was
crashed a few days ago but
a new one has arrived. They
say she's a beauty too.
They are painting JAG on
side so that I can claim
it when I return. Jag is my
nick name at present. It's derived 
from my initials the full title
being Jag Esses L. The style
is borrowed from Army Signallers
who use phonetics to distinguish
letters which sound similar
from one another - for instance
A is called Ack, D don
 

7
Jag" is not official but of
the boy's own coining.
Lee Smith is at present
wounded & in England. He 
did some very good work on
the old RO 8's & has been 
awarded The D.F.C. (Distinguished
Flying Cross) - I hear he will 
probably get a bar.
Well Mum dear, dinner's
about to be served so I'll
close. Will write you
when I know what they're
going to do with me.
Much love to you all
Les

 

The London Hosp.,
1^st Octr, 1918.

Dear Mum, 
This is your
birthday & I'm wishing 
you many happy returns, 
which, though long range, 
are none the less very
earnest. The best news has
of the war so far has 
come thro' today - Bulgaries
surrender etc. Things
certainly are moving these
days - I wonder what 
will have happened by
the time my birthday comes
round.
As you will observe

since my last letter
 

2
I've been transported
to the land of strikes &
rations. When you last
heard I was in No 8
Red Cross Hsptl, Boulogne.
There they decided that the
wound would take time to
heal (there have been a lot
of cases like this owing to
the Hun metal possessing nasty
qualities) & thought an
excision would be beneficial.
This means cutting out all
the bad stuff & stitching
her up again. They
opened proceedings by
leading me down to the 
operating Theatre, where
I clambered on to the 
 

3
table & waited for the 
anaesthetic. It took a
good bit to send me off
After my body & senses
took the count I just
had enough sense left to
realise what was happening
& I started to laugh. I can
remember it as well as
anything. The Doc told me
after that he had to 
give me more which was
rather difficult as I wouldn't
stop laughing & it set the 
whole staff going. I
came to just as they
finished so everything was
fine. They put 7 stitches in. 

4
I was them marked out for
Blighty. Left the Hosp
about 6 am ^on Friday for the 
boat - had a good 
trip across the Channel
& then came here
by ambulance train
to Charing cross. I was
the only one for this
hosp. so had an ambulance 
to myself. After 4 years
of war I was astounded

at the interest people
still take in the wounded.
There was quite a little 
crowd at Charing cross
to wave & f throw
flowers. All along
the Strand people waved
 

5-
& some old blokes
lifted their lids.
This is a very fine
Civilian Hosptl with 3
wards reserved for officers,
& is the largest in
the country. There are
quite a number of
R.A.F. chaps here, including
one poor youth who
crashed last November
who has been in
bed ever since with
one leg missing.
The Doc is very pleased 
with the my leg just now &

 

6
will be taking the stitches
out soon or as I say,
clear the system of twine.
There's quite a novel idea
here to amuse the
patients at night altho'
I haven't had a go at 
it yet. This is in the
nature of a telephone
which is connected 
to the different theatres

round town & consequently
the boys can keep in
touch with the latest
music.
Up patients are allowed
out from 10 am to 10 pm.
I expect to get up shortly