No.1 School of Aerial Gunnery
Hythe, Kent
22/3/17.

Dear Ones All:

Father’s letter of Feb. 14, May’s of Feb. 15th and mother’s of Feb. 26 th all reached me on March 19th just as I had come to the conclusion that everybody had forgotten me. The mails are so irregular now-a-days and it is so very uncertain whether a letter will ever reach its destination or not that it puts all regular correspondence completely on the rocks.

As you see, I am at Hythe. I have graduated and shall up my my wings as soon as I leave here which will be in 12 days. It is a fine course and I am learning lots about aerial fighting, which as an F E 2 U pilot, is to be my particular role overseas.

I went up to B’de H.Q. the other day and cajoled them into posting me to a squadron where I could learn to fly F E 2 d’s before going overseas. I hope to go to No. 28 squadron who are equipped with those machines. They are at present at Gosport but are proceeding overseas very shortly. In case their personnel in pilots is already filled up, I’ll be sent to some reserve squadron in England where they teach that type of machine, and when I have got it fairly well into my head I’ll be sent over as a draft. The FE 2dbus is exactly like the F E 2 b which I have been flying in Hounslow except that it is fitted with a 300 h.p. engine (the largest aero engine made) and of course is much faster and more powerful.

Molly is in Hounslow and if she misses me as much as I miss her, she is a very blue little girl at this moment. You have no idea how good she is to me and how happy she has made me. However, I mustn’t go on like that or you’ll begin to smile at me. You had better address all letters to me at "Avondale, Wellington Rd. South, Hounslow, Midd'x" until I am able to give you a permanent address. Best love to each one of you.

Always yours devotedly,
Eric.