Yesterday’s post was about a flight that was in Greg’s log book, but not in the Squadron Record Book (SRB). Today’s post is about a flight that is in the SRB, but not in Greg’s log book. Did today’s flight happen? Or were these two accounts of the same flight, albeit with some errors in the data?
Squadron Record Book
Here in its entirety is the sheet from the SRB on which the flight is recorded.
And here is a transcript of Greg’s flight – flight no. 5 on the sheet:
Type and Number: R.E.8.2517 Pilot and Observer: P. Lt Gregory. O. AM Dix Duty: Aerial Navigation Hour of Start: 1115 Hour of Return: 1125 Remarks: Height 1000’. Visibility poor.
The details are similar, but not identical, to those of yesterday’s flight as recorded in the log book:
| Log Book | SRB | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | 20 December 1918 | 21 December 1918 |
| Aircraft | 2517 | 2517 |
| Passenger | A/M Dix | A/M Dix |
| Duration | 10 mins | 10 mins |
| Height | 1,500 ft | 1,000 ft |
| Purpose | Engine test | Aerial navigation |
Same or Different?
They might be different flights, but I think it’s the less likely explanation. The fact that each only appears in one source (log book or SRB) is suspicious. And there’s some evidence that record keeping had become a bit sloppy after the armistice. See the post for 11 December 1918, where there was clearly a mix-up in aircraft numbers:
So my money would be on the log book and SRB entries being different accounts of the same flight – with added errors. It wouldn’t be surprising if people’s minds were wandering by this stage. To the prospect of going home, for example. Or Christmas.