A Day in the Life – Entry in a World War 1 Diary by Malcolm Gough
A Day in the Life
My grandfather sailed from Cape Town, South Africa to England on Thursday 10th May 1917 to join the RFC (Royal Flying Corps) in the ‘War to End All Wars’(as World War 1 is commonly known):
10th May 1917 THURSDAY
Late again this morning – parade as usual – left at about 1.40 this afternoon. Some chaps feeling rotten already – 8 ships & cruiser in the convoy – ship rolling horribly – not feeling over sprightly myself. Paraded at 2 and given our stations and boats. We have 22 frigs – 4 cadets & 2 non-coms – Tippson – Blair – Nicholls – myself – waited there for over 2 hrs – time 1 hr forwards & backward – Eng. Time.
He was not a man who showed outward emotions much at all. Partly, this was as Englishmen were expected to behave, and partly it was the military background of his family, the stiff upper lip. His daughter, my Mother, said, though, that he was in fact quite highly strung and sensitive, far more so than he ever let on.
His diary is, therefore, fascinating, but to the point. The entry, however, that caught me for being especially so, understandably, for another reason, was the one below.
To explain a little: Firstly, the time frame he mentioned included training time, as flying was dangerous, period, back then in craft that were little more than wood and canvas. The first ever short powered flight by Orville Wright had been not quite 14 years before. Secondly, it would have been heartening and with gratitude that he spotted some Americans at a racecourse. The US had entered the War officially five months before and they were there at last in England.
He was 17 when he wrote it. In today’s terms, he would have had another year left at school.
5th September 1917 WEDNESDAY
Saw 50 Americans at Queen’s…. Races at Ch. Grounds. Letters from Miss Webb. Went running this morning. Told today life of pilot 3 months. If lucky 6.
That was it for the day and I’m not surprised.
