Journal Entry: August 11, 1915
St. Pol-sur-Mer

Well, the last two weeks were glorious because I wasn't here. The higher ups apparently decided I needed a rest because of the pace I'd been on. I, of course, wasn't going to complain and I took my leave like any good soldier would. I spent the last two weeks fishing with my father, sleeping late, taking long walks along the seashore, and generally just being lazy. I would have expected dreading coming back, but just the opposite happened, toward the end of my leave I was getting restless to get back to the boys. All in all, it was a good leave and I dare say I'll get another like it for a long time.

When I arrived yesterday, it felt like I had never left, the same fellows flying the same missions. It didn't take long to get caught up on all of the news and I was glad to hear that nothing terrible had happened to any of my comrades. There was one bit of news that I was rather excited to learn, it seems that Alvin Vix may finally be coming out of his shell. I learned that the other day he deliberately sought out and destroyed a number of Hun machines. I say, jolly good show, he's a fine pilot and is turning out to be a good and conscientious officer, but I've always felt that he was just a bystander in this war and I believe that is one thing we can do without. We need everybody pulling their weight if we are going to beat the Hun.

For some strange reason, the CO has reassigned Thayer to another pilot and given me Tom Stanley as an observer. Tom is a fine fellow, but why break up such a successful team as Thayer and Ethelstan. The CO said that Tom needed to learn from my experience and Edmund has been assigned to a newer pilot to share his experience, so I can see the logic. I sure hope this doesn't jinx Edmund and myself.


Member and provider of banjo music for the Illustrious BOC