FROM SEA TO SKY

In November 1918 we had over 200 squadrons, 22,500 aircraft
of all types, of which some 3,000 might be regarded as "first line/9
103 airships of all shapes and sizes and a personnel of over
290,000 officers and men. By November 1920 there were no more
than 26,000 officers and men and there was a corresponding
reduction in the number of squadrons and aircraft.

During the summer, family affairs claimed much of my atten-
tion. Our third child, William James, was born on May 6th3 and
two days later my father-in-law died. With the passing of this fine
old ma% who for years had served his country unostentatiously in
the India Office, I lost a firm friend and adviser.

The Headquarters of my Group moved in rapid succession to
Thurloe Place, then to Croydon and finally to Kenley> by which time
I had had enough of demolishing the structure which I had helped
to build up for the past eight years. I applied for half-pay, which
was granted, but with no guarantee that I should be employed
again; however, I took that risk and turned over my Command to
Brig.-General Becke on October nth. As one of the original
R.F.CL pioneers the latter must have felt the same lack of ent^iu-
siasm for the task of reducing the service, and he very soon
departed to his home in Scotland, where I saw him. from time to
time in later years.

Having completed the business involved in disposing of Witley
Manor and in moving to Lennox Gardens, my wife and I decided
on a tour of the battlefields in France. We took the car over in
late October and explored from Compiegne to Zeebrugge and
Ostend. What impressed me most was the astounding thorough-
ness of the German in many directions^ evidence of which was still
showing even after the twelve months which had elapsed since the
Armistice. The big long naval guns behind Ostend which had
shelled Dunkirk were still in position and complete in their turret
mounting. The Belgians, always with an eye to business, were
charging an entrance fee into the enclosure surrounding the gun
and were selling mementoes.

What interested me most, however, were the submarine
shelters at Ostend which protected the U-boats from bombing.
The overhead protection consisted of concrete in considerable
depth. The Vindictive was being salved at Ostend and the Iphigenia,
Thetis and Intrepid at Zeebrugge. I could appreciate the magnifi-
cent effort of the Navy on April 23rd 1918 by the position of
these ships in the blocking operations.

Outside Ypres, particularly at St. Julien, there were scores

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