Letters of Gerard Henderson Cowan, 1918-1919 - Part 2

Queens College
Oxford
17/3/18
Dear Dad,
It is just over two weeks since I came here and
they have been pretty busy ones too.
I have not had very much spare time as it all
goes in study. Yesterday (Saturday) however
as we had the afternoon off two of us hired
a canoe and went up the Thames. There
are some spots here that, though they
don't look much now ther the trees
are all bare must be absolutely beautiful
When every thing is green. The canoes the
have here are built on the style of an indian
canoe and will hold two or three men. They are
just the thing for going up a river as you
can get to spots that would be too narrow
for a row boat and these are generally the
prettiest.
We have just come off a church parade
an inspection by some officer, and have
all been Cirematagraphed
Queen's Squadron was specially commented on
 

its smart turn out and he remarked as he
inspected the Australians that they looked
very smart, and then added that they generally
managed to look smart under any circumstances
I don't know whether he was being sar sarcastic
or not.
This afternoon I am in a four mile cross country
race. I don't know how now I will get on, but
as they are very keen on your entering into
sports here had to put In for it.
Just to swell the ranks if for nothing else
you see it all reflects back on our squadron
Commander, Mr Kilby, if there are not a
good number or entri enteries form our
College. And as Mr Kilby is very decent
and is also an Australian, although his is in
the R.F.C it is up to us to put up a good show.
Well I will have to finish this later after the
race.
To day is Monday. I should have finished this
yesterday but felt so lived when I had finished
that I went to bed early.

The race was quite a success. There must
have been about 500 starters, about 50 of
these being from Queen's College.
 

The course was 3½ miles not 4. I did it in 28 minutes
and without a stop. Rather a long time but
not bad when you have never run that
distance before and haven't done any
running for a long time.
I am feeling pretty stiff today although I had
a good hot bath immediately I came back.
We are in our third week of instruction now
and it is very interesting. They teach us
three Aero engines, Aerial Observation
Aerial navigation. Rigging, (that is all the
parts of an aeroplane and how to adjust
them etc) A short outline of Wireless.
And instruments such as the Compass
Altometer, speed indicator etc, then if
we pass our exams here we go to Uxbridge
for a two weeks course of machine guns.
Oh I forgot to mention bombs wer are
instructed in bombs here.
Well I must close as I wish to get this
posted before we fall in for parade
Love to all
Gerard
 

Queen's College
Oxford
21^st/3/18
Dear Frank,
It is your turn for a letter this time.
To de Today is Saturday and we have the afternoon off
It is an absolutely perfect day for this country and
I intend going out for a stroll later on or perhaps
go on the river in a canoe. A Mrs Brown, something
to do with the High Commissioner of Tasmania
has invited any Colonial Cadets out to her place for
the afternoon for tea and tennis There are about
12 of us going. l haven't played tennis for years but
hope to get on all right.
This is the end of our third week here, we have
three more weeks to go.
I started this on the 21^st and it is now the 27^th
and high time I finished it
I have had not no letters from any of you for
ages it seems. However a pair of socks Ethel
posted to me in Nov arrived today so
I am hoping a few letters will arrive
during the next few days
xxx I am getting along fairly well with the
work and nothing so far has given me
 

any trol trouble to understand but there is
a frightfull lot to remember.
Yesterday we were on what a known as prop
swinging, that is starting up the engine by
swinging the propellor, we were working an
eight cylinder Vee type engine known as the R.A.F.
It looks like this end on. This is how the engine
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
and propellor with no covering
looks like.
The engine we were on about
a week ago was a Rotary engine
known at the Clerget. In this
engine the crankshaft is
stationary and the engine
revolves, the propellor being
fixed to the engine
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
 

The drawings are not very much like the
engines, still it will give you some idea
what they are like
They wont allow us to swot in our spare
time in the afternoons now we have
either to take part in some sport or
else go for a walk somewhere.
To day being a half holiday, I spent
part of the afternoon playing hockey, or
to be correct, stood shivering in the
goal posts as the costume was light
and airy and the weather has become
very cold again.
Your brother By the way we had a vey nice
afternoon at Mrs Brown's place on Sunday. The place
the have had been Abingdon Castle and portions
of the old building are still standing.
Mrs Brown had very kindly invited several
very pretty girls there to help to make it
a pleasant afternoon. Only trouble was it
was too short.
Well wish Dad many happy returns of

the 2^nd of April from me.

love to all
Gerard
 

Queen's College
Oxford
31^st/3/18
Dear Aunt Bertha,
I received your letter this morning.
You must forgive me for not having written
before but I have had to rather neglect my
correspondence since I have been here.
As far as I know I will probably be here
another three wh weeks yet as our exams
come off a fortnight from today and then
we usually have so wait a few days for
instructions s
When we are through here we go to Uxbridge
and will probably be there from two to three
weeks.
Where is Elton now is he quite recovered now
or does his knee still trouble him. I expect that
R.F.C. Medical Board at Hamstead which
I went too is the one he had to go to
I have had no mail from home for
some time but expect it will turn up in 

a bunch shortly.
Well Aunt I must resume my studies as we

have a last exam tomorrow.
I remain

your effecate nephew

Gerard H Cowan
 

Queen's College
Oxford
7/4/18
Dear Dad,
Many Happy returns of the 2^nd of April
I ought to have sent them ages ago but
every thing is such a rush it is only
as the dates come round that I remember
them. Today is Sunday and we have
just come in off church parade &
commandant's Ins inspection parade.
Last Sunday (Easter Sunday) The commandants
parade was cut out and a communion
service was held at Pembroke College
Chapel to which any cadets who wished
might go. Needless to say the chapel was
full to overflowing. It was an awfully
pretty little chapel one of the prettiest
I have seen at any of the colleges yet.
Pembroke College is also a very fine old
college. I must try ang and get some
post cards these places & send them
out to you. I have not been able
to take any snaps latly lately
as it almost an impossibility to get
 

V.P.K films. I wonder if the photos I
sent out, which Aunt Bertha had had
taken of me arrived safely. Also the
snaps I took of Donnead.
One of the fellows here has some rather
good snaps taken round here and he
is lending me the negatives to get some
prints from.
I had a bundle of letters arrive from
you all yesterday. The latest being
dated 18^th of Jan. I am ^sorry to hear Connie
has been ill.
My word I do wish we had some of that hot
weather over here. It has not been ^very cold
this winter, but it is always too cold
to feel comfortable.
I had a letter from Ted two or three days
ago, he was well but expressed a dislike
for Fritz's shells, He called them rubber
heels but I expect they are what the
the infantry term Whizz Bangs
They are about the size of our 18 pdr
but have such a high velocity
that they have reached you & explode
almost as soon as you hear the whizz
 

We have just finished our 5^th week here &
during the coming week have our
preliminary exams and on the following
Monday and Tuesday have our final
exams. We have of all ready had
preliminary exams on several subjects
namely, Aerial Observation, Instruments
and phoilg Photography and as
far as I know have passed successfully.
The subjects to come yet are the
three Aero engines, Aerial navigation
Rigging & Signalling.
Well Dad I must close as I must
swot up for tomorrow.
Love to all
Gerard