THE DIARY OF PEGOUD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16098, 11 December 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE DIARY OF PEGOUD.

DIVING AMID THE CLOUDS.

HIS GREAT ACTIVITY.

M. Albert Ceemot, the father by adoption of the aviator Pegoud, whose death Was recently announced, is preparing a volume which will describe the services which he ha:? rendered to the cause of aviation. While he "is appealing to all friends to send him any documents they may have relating to him, he has more material than most biographers usually have available. Pegoud not only used to write daily to his father since the war broke out, but he also kept a diaiy. His activity was extraordinary. During the month of August, for instance, there were eleven days of rain, and for two days Pegoud*s machine was under repair, so that he only had eighteen days of flight in the month. In that period he chased twenty-one enemy machines, most of them declining fight as soon as they recognised their opponent. Two of them faced him one on the 28th, and the other, who killed - him, on the. 31st. M. Cremot has given in the Paris Journal an extract From Pegoud's diary, describing his jouruey of December 27, when he lost his way and nearly ran out of petrol. The diary is interesting in itself, but more especiallv so because it throws some light on the nature of the work that *- being done by the airmen, and because it reveals something of the character of one of the cleverest and most adventurous of French j pilots. Under the date of December 27 I Pegoud wrote :— Lost.

" Weather cloudy. Morning observation at Verdun. No Boche aeroplane about. [13.20 leave with eight shells for Nantil!lois. At 4200 ft over Bras I get into clouds. Fog and rain continue over Nantillois. More than beastly. My machine in all positions. Can see nothing. Am 1 continually wiping my glasses; compass jammed. After lit hours of all sorts of ' worry dive to get my position. I notice i 1800 ft under the clouds a fine captive bal- , loon and drop my eight bombs. General 1 panic in the company. Several guns are fired at me, and I rise up into the. fog. Ix>st again. Dive down to see, and continue flight at 3000 ft. Up again among the clouds and dive down to 2400 ft. I steady the machine and compass and take the direction SW. I have an hour's petrol left. Swearing like a pickpocket. It's the limit. I don't know where lam and am fired at. I am 2400 ft up. Up into the clouds. Down again. Note a rather large station. Am shot at. Up into the clouds again. Dive 26 minutes later -and am again over the station. I'm like a roaring wild beast. Only 15 litres of petrol left. Don't know where I am ; am shot at. I make up my mind, and am going to flv under the clouds at 2400 ft S.W. till petrol gives out, despite shots. I note a village far off, and as I get nearer recognise Etain. I can use mv lungs to breathe now. Saved! Good Heavens, to think how mad I have been with rage. I dive with the motor at full speed. The wind is in my nose. I keep on wiping the glasses and break one. case and all. Pass over Etain at 1450 ft still diving with motor at full speed. Reach Verdun in fog at 150 ft, and get hail and rain. Can sea nothing. One of my eves is hurting very badly. Land. It's a splendid feeling after all. _ I can breathe now with my face to the wind and take in lungfuls of air. But to think how I've cursed. Another lesson for me. and I shall keep mv eyes open more than ever. Report made "at once Captain astonished, and boasts about it to other officers and makes his report. Food. At my ease, very pleased to be by the fireside "at Verdun" Smoke several pipes, which are excellent. Bed "