THE BRITISH ARMY IN TRAINING
machine one of those little magnesium lamps used
by photographers. A point of light then appears on
the white paper. When the pilot comes down again
the instructor is able to show him, with complete
precision, the differences between the path he has
followed and the path assigned to him, as well as the
points where each bomb has fallen. It is a simple yet
perfect method.
The Lark
'These young pilots the Dominions are sending
us/ said the School Commander, 'are splendid—and
sometimes a little frightening. The other day I sent
one of them up to do his height test. We forbade him
to go over ten thousand feet without oxygen. It was
a marvellous day . . . sun shining, sky as blue as any
sky of Italy. Having got up there, my young
Canadian was intoxicated with the purity of it all,
like a lark or a poet, and he went on climbing. . . .
Twelve thousand feet. . , . Fifteen thousand. . . .
And then, I suppose, he lost his head and suddenly
dived flat out. They are told to straighten up when
they get down to a certain height, but when descent
is so rapid the needle lags behind the machine, so
my Canadian got almost to the ground at full speed.
When I saw the meteor approaching my knees
sagged a little and I said to myself: "Poor little
devil____That's that____"
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