Letters of Gerard Henderson Cowan, 1918-1919 - Part 7

AUSTRALIAN FLYING CORPS,

MINCHINHAMPTON,

GLOS.
we dont ever have to have a pass
I am doing my best to get down to Fovant
this coming Wednesday to see Clive.
If I could entice somebody to fly me
down it would be grand as it would
save hours. I could fly myself down
eaisly now but am afraid they would
not let me have a bus buss yet as I
have not been solo long enough.
If I go by train & will either have to go by
Bristol or by Swindon, probably by
Swindon as it will be eaiser to get trains
that way.
I had a letter from Ted a few days ago
he was O.K. and said he was making
some progress with his transfer He
had been up for several examinations interviews with R.A.F. Heads
etc and things seemed to be satisfactory
I think he will get through allright
 

Well Dad I must finish this now as
it is getting too dark to see & we
have not had the electric light put
on to these quarters yet and I have
not any matches or candles here at
present.
Heaps of love to you all
Gerard
 

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(1)

3rd Series
 

No 6 Training Squadron

AUSTRALIAN FLYING CORPS,

MINCHINHAMPTON,

GLOS.

4-8-18
Dear Frank,
Haven't had any letters from you
all for ages. I dont know what can have
happened to the mail. Ted also says he has
not had any for over 6 weeks.
The weather has not been very grand lately
but have been getting in a fair amount
of flying.
Did a formation flight yesterday for an
hour and went all round the country.
Its marvellous the amount of ground
you can get over in that time although
the busses we are using while learning
to fly only do about 60 miles per hour.
Today has been very cloudy the clouds
being very low which of course was
rather a bother as one was continually
getting mixed up with cloud and have
to dive out of them.
It is rather difficult to fly in clouds
as not being able able to see the horizon
 

you are y usually inclined to pull your
nose up too high and stall the machine
and of course it is easy to xx loose
your direction as you may do a complete
turn without knowing it if you are not
watching your compass.
Yesterday an (Sunday) & today, which is a bank
holiday, there has been quite a crowd of
people watching ther flying. It is funny
to see them staring almost openmouthed
at some of the things done.
It is a great attraction this aerodrome
people always come up to see the
flying whenever they have the
opportunity and they get plenty
of excitement when ^some of the wild
flyers get to work. We We have some
pretty good stunt pilots here &
I can tell you they are worth
watching.
Wednesday is our day off again. I am
not quite sure where I will go this time
but I am thinking of going to Bristol
 

AUSTRALIAN FLYING CORPS,

MINCHINHAMPTON,

GLOS.
and paying Mr Bush a visit. It only takes
about two hours to get there from
here.
I had a letter from Ted today, he had
just received two of my letters which I
had sent to the wrong address. I am
glad he received them as that snap of
Mrs Lacy was in one of them.
I have not heard from Gracie for a long while
although I have written a couple of times
I am afraid either her letters or mine must
have gone astray.
We have a piano at our mess, or it least
in the ante room, now and it is great
having s a little music occassionally.
My word I wish now that I had learned
to play it when I had the opportunity.
I find now that the only thing
I remember is that F A C. E.  are
the four spaces. Well Frank You ought  to
learn to play it now while you
 

have the opportunity you will never
regret it. I'd have a shot at it now
but you cant very well sit down a
kick up a row at the piano when
there are 50 or 60 officer & cadets
in the room.
I have taken a few more snaps which
have turned out fairly well I will
send them along with this letter.
There are four, two of Gloucester Cathedral and
two snaps taken near Stroud.
well I must close now. Heaps of love to
you all
Gerard.
DONATED RECORDS LIST
3660 (1)

3rd Series
 

No 6 Training Squadron
AUSTRALIAN FLYING CORPS,

MINCHINHAMPTON, 

GLOS.
24-8-18
Dear Frank,
received a letter from Mrs Elliott
sent c/o Gracie, which was dated 20 June
so I am hoping to get some more during
the next day or so.
Last Wednesday I could not make up my
mind where I would go for the day
I had thought of going to the George
du Boulays at Cheltenham but it left
writting to them until too late, so
I decided & would go to Tewkesbury
and return by the river to Gloucester.
I arrived in Tewkesbury in time for dinner
and I and an English officer who I had
met on the way up dined together at
one of the Hotels there.
I then set out to explore the place
which proved to be small & not very
picturesque. It has a fine old Abbey
which was well worth the visit. I
took several snaps of it and will send
them along if they are any good.
 

AUSTRALIAN FLYING CORPS,

MINCHINHAMPTON,
GLOS.
I am also enclosing in this letter some
snaps Ted took while at Heytesbury and which
I have had printed for him. There are seven
altogether. One of Ted, one of myself, one of Ted
and a friend, one of Ted in a gas mask
The other three are, Old prison, at Heytesbury
village, a group of Artillery men and
someone in a gas mask.
To get back to my trip to Tewkesbury
I spent the afternoon exploring the town
and then walked to the river Severn
and caught a small steamer which
leaves at 6 pm for Gloucester.
The day had been gloriously warm
and the trip down the river was
O.K. We arrived at Gloucester at
7-30 and a there was no train back
to Stroud until midnight. I went
to the a play to fill in time. It was
Called Oh Boy and was nothing
very special though some of the
music was good.
I arrived back at the aerodrome at
 

AUSTRALIAN FLYING CORPS,

MINCHINHAMPTON,

GLOS.
about 1-30 am and am glad to say
there was no early flying next morning.
In looking through A.I.F. orders
a day or so ago I saw that Sergt
Peter Snodgrass 11 11^TH Battalion had
been posted to No 3 O.C.B. Parkhurst
Isle of Whic Wight. O.C.B.  is Officers
Cadet Battalion so that means Peter
is going up for his commission.
I am jolly glad. If any one deserves
it he does.
We I will have to get along to
machine gun classes so must
close now
Love to all.
Gerard
 

No 6 Training Squadron
AUSTRALIAN FLYING CORPS,
MINCHINHAMPTON,

GLOS.
27-8-18
Dear Dad,
I am enclosing a few more snaps
taken at Patille Pitville Gargen Pitville
Gardens, Cheltenham, also one showing the
interior of our hut. The latter not being a
very clear one. The hut has since been divided
up into cubicles with two or three in
each which makes it very much nicer,
as it gives one a chance to keep things
a bit tid cleaner. Of course the rooms are
swept and beds are made by orderlies, but
in a cubicle you have more room for your
own personal belongings.
With me in this cubicle is a chap called
Gulley. We went through the same course
at Oxford and came to this squadron
together.
It is raining again today and even when
the rain stops you cannot get higher
than 500 feet without getting into
clouds and very often not more