Gerald H. J. Courtenay Luck, RNAS, Salonika, Greece, 1916

Just a few lines to thank you most awfully for the ripping Tuck Box you sent me. It is really decent of you and the fellows at the school to think of us all as you do. You have no idea how it bucks one up to hear from you all. Also, many thanks for the school magazine. It makes one feel like a schoolboy again to read the good old form notes... As perhaps you know by now, I am attached to the RNAS as an observer while I am out here, and then when I get home I shall be transferred, and have to take my pilot’s ticket; that, I think, will be a fairly easy matter, as I have learnt to fly here a little. At present I am in a detached squadron from the ship, and am on shore; it is really ripping, as we have got ideal quarters here, right on the coast, with mountains rising up about two hundred yards behind us covered in woods, and miles away from everybody; quite in a little world of our own, except for one or two ships from the fleet that are always lying off here when we go to “strafe” the Bulgars and their coast.

  By the way, I am writing this two hours after getting back from a big raid on the Bulgars...

Just before a certain spot we were supposed to be met by several French machines which were to escort us in; but when we got there, there were no machines to meet us, so we went off on our own, and “strafed” a certain town, and then came back. An air raid is really most awfully exciting, as one never knows what is going to happen next.

  The night before (last night), we were packed off to bed very early so as to get as much sleep as possible, and then at day break this morning we were called, although for myself I didn’t need much calling, as I had been awake nearly two hours before, feeling very excited. Then when we did get up, everybody was getting ready. Revolvers were loaded, goggles and glasses were given another rub up, and a thousand other things. Breakfast, and then into the plane, and in a few minutes we were on our way. After a time we saw our objective in the distance, and began to wonder what was going to greet us there; then in a few minutes we were over our objective and saw our target, then a second’s pause and our first big bomb went. Then we dropped a few incendiary bombs, and in a few minutes we saw the ground burst into flame. You have no idea how pleased one feels when one sees a flash below, and knows one has got one’s target, as I’m jolly glad to say we did to-day.

  Then before we knew where we were, we heard a “whizz” and a “bang”, and something went past us; we then thought it was rather unhealthy, and thought we’d go a bit higher, and we did as soon as we could. Then we gave them a parting bomb, and a few shots at a Hun plane, and went off for home again. From that time, there was a written conversation between the pilot and myself until home was sighted, and what a relief it was to feel good old Mother Earth again after being up for three or four hours. We had a quick wash and made our report, then another breakfast, then went very quickly to sleep, and by Jove, we wanted it, too!

  I am keeping all the messages that are written when we go on a “strafe.” I think they will be rather interesting when I come back. I wonder when that will be. At present I’m not very keen on getting back, as we are having quite a good time here. We seem to go and “strafe” some place or other nearly every Sunday. I don’t know why Sunday…