S.R.1 left ground for her flight from Ciampino, Rome to England at 4.25 a.m. on the 28th October, 1918, having on board a crew of 9 and sufficient fuel for 18 hours full power.

Lights of Rome presented a very pretty appearance, the War not affecting them to any extent.

The coast was reached at Lodispoli.  Off Civita Vecchia the air was much troubled on account of the nearness of the mountains to coast, and some heavy "bumps" were experienced.  The wind was blowing N.E. 10-15 Km.

There is very little to relate in regard to this part of the journey.  Giglio Island was passed at 6.45 and Elba at 8.10.  Ship was in touch by W.T. with Civita Vecchia, Toulon and Maddelena.  The weather continued to be excellent after passing Elba – the wind changed to E.N.E. which helped us along well after passing Cape Corse.

At 9 a.m. course was made for S. of France from Cape Corse – the petrol consumption up till then being 95 gallons.  Approaching the S. of France the sky clouded over and a rain storm passed through about 35 miles E. of Cape Larder. From 10 o'clock ship was in W.T. communication with Pourquetollas.  Antibes was the first point sighted in France at 11.15 and the coast followed round to Marseilles.  The ship was very light and a great amount of gas had to be valved to effect a landing, which was done at 3 p.m.   The total of petrol used was 310 galls. And oil 17 galls.

The engines were run practically all the time at : Italas 1250 propeller pitch, Spa between 1200 and 1500 revs.  The ship was moored between the wind screens at the French Airship Station at Aubagne.  Everything was done by the French Authorities to assist in replenishing fuel and gas.  The amount of petrol put in was 320 galls. And oil 17 galls.  It was rather a long job with the gas as there were only two fillers, however, 350 tubes of 6 ms. were put in by midnight.

29.10.1918.  Aubagne was left at 2.50 with a French Airship Pilot to assist in navigating the ship over France and in case of landing.  The River Rhone was picked up at Arles at 4.30 and followed Avignie being passed at 5 o'clock.  Montelimar was reached at 7.15 the wind being fairly strong N. which reduced our speed to about 21 kn.  The French Pilot informed us that this kind of weather is always experienced as far as Lyons.  The ship was flown as near the ground as was compatible with safety, the average height being about 600 ft.  From Montelmor to Valence was a very bad piece; this being the worst of the whole of the Rhone Valley.  This stage took 2½ hours and was one of the three bad periods of the journey.  It may be thought that it would be advisable to return to Aubagne, but as they are, but as they are never sure of what the weather will do there, and as there was no more shelter there than at Lyon, this course was not resorted to.  At 12 o'clock Lyons was reached. As the Paris weather report had forecasted moderate N. winds in the Rhone Valley and S.E. winds elsewhere, it was decided to go a distance along route to Paris to see if the wind turned in our favour.  At 1.30 the wind still being contrary, tough light, the ship was turned about for Lyons, and a landing effected at the French Aeroplane landing group at Bron at 2.50 p.m.   Here the ship was moored in the open by the mooring pennant being made fast to a three ton lorry filled with hydrogen tubes, and the guys of the mooring group being made fast to screw pickets.  The weather remained practically a flat calm all night.  Great delay was caused by the inexperience of the ground crews, Bron being apparently only a point of call for aeroplanes and airships in passage, the hands were quite unfamiliar with Airships.  Practically the whole work of gassing therefore devolved upon the crew who managed to teach some of the French ratings the way to work the tubes.  Another great drawback was only having one 12 way filler, and in the course of gassing six of them got blown out of their joints.  However, by every one of the crew working like six men 300 tubes were put in and 430 galls. of petrol taken on board.  The men were hard at it from the moment of landing till the time for leaving, with one break for a hurried meal.  As soon as one man had finished his particular job, he turned to help someone else.  The night was a bitterly cold one, the lowest temperature registered in the Car being 1° C.  Besides this, there was a heavy dew and everything was saturated with moisture.  On account of the above, great difficulty was experienced in starting up the engines, the oil almost having become gelatine and everything dripping with moisture.  However, the engineers stuck to it and at 4.30 two Italas were going.  At 5.0 a.m. the ship left the ground in the mist, that we were told was always over Lyons district until 11 a.m.  The ship was ballasted up 2 men light.  She rose to a height of 60 ft. and commenced to fall – the starboard engine stopped at this juncture, and it was necessary to let go nearly all of the water ballast to get up.  As soon as she got clear of mist she became very light, and it was with some difficulty that she was kept to a level height with the one engine.  The wind too was pretty strong from S.W.  The Spa was going at 5.50 and the ship brought down a bit.  The stopping of the starboard Itala was due to the congealing of the oil and the moisture on all parts.

The River Saone was picked up at 5.20 and a direct course was set for Paris, flying over the top of the mountains bordering the Saone Valley, the height being reached being about 3,500 ft.  At 7. o'clock a railway bearing N.W. was picked up.  Over the small town of Chauffailles the Spa exhaust pipe broke off.  The ship was making good progress in N.W. direction, the wind remaining fairly strong from the S.W.  At 7.45 Buegne was passed over and from then until 8.20 the ground was blotted out by low clouds.  The Loire was picked up at 8.30 and followed until Nevers.

Course was then set across country and Monterean reached at 12.25. the Seine was followed to Paris, and a landing affected at St. Cyr at 3. p.m.  Here we had to moor once more in the open, as it had been found that the measurements given on sketch of shed dimensions supplied when the Station was visited in July were incorrect.

Apparently a W.T. message had been sent to us to go on to Harve, but we never received it.

The ship was therefore once again refuelled and gassed in the open 200 galls. Being taken on board and 1650 ms. Of gas.  The amount of petrol used from Lyons to Paris was 350 galls.  Ship left St. Cyr at 6.15 a.m. without the French Pilot, passed Nantes at 7 and Andelys at 7.30 and ran in to fog soon after.

7.50 flying in rain cloud - height about 300 metres.  Indicator hand on low height aneroid broke off, but this caused no inconvenience as the face was turned round completely and the blunt end used – besides this, there were two other aneroids and two height recording instruments.

At 7.55 through a break in fog a large river was sighted, bearing E. and W., and this was presumed to be the Seine to the S.E. of Rouen.

8.10 Still in thick fog – raining, estimated over Rouen.  Went down to 200 metres to see if could get under fog: ground still out of sight.

9.15 reached coast.  Bearing E. and W. fog was still thick and coast was only able to be followed with difficulty.

10.00 Sighted small port with two piers forming harbour : this was considered to be St. Valery and the coast followed on up.

At 10.15 another port was reached and the W.T. operator recognised this as Dieppe.  From here course was set for Kingsnorth, after having sent various W.T. messages giving position and asking for weather reports from Polegate and Kingsnorth.

Fog and rain were again experienced in the Channel but weather cleared as English Coast was approached.  At 12.15 the coast of England was sighted and foreshore crossed in Rye Bay.  Uneventful cross country flight to Kingsnorth where landing was affected at 2.15 p.m.

CONCLUSIONS

Assistance of French Pilot was found to be invaluable while passing over France and at the landing at Bron (Lyon).

The willing help rendered by French Authorities at all landings made in France.

Great trouble taken by French Government to ensure a safe passage for ship.

Efficiency of the engines; certain of the Italas all the time, but Spa – although needing constant attention surpassed expectations.  Only five times did an engine stop involuntarily, - once when the Spa carburettor became frozen up, and when the starboard Itala stopped on account of oil becoming too thick and moisture in magneto etc..  Smooth running a credit to the engineers, and shrewd care taken by them.

Only damage to engines – two small leaks in radiators and exhaust pipe broken off in Spa.

Three engineers were carried, and it is considered necessary to have three appointed to ship if long flights are to be carried out.  (Two only are attached at present.)

Only one cox'n was carried.   For future flights of this kind it would be necessary to carry a second cox'n, as the amount of ground work devolving on the one man, although aided by the W.T. ratings as far as possible, was tremendous.  Failing being able to carry an extra cox'n, it would be quite as useful to have two R/L. ratings sent beforehand to various stations where ship is likely to land.

Deafening noise in cart – necessity for crew to be supplied with ear plugs.

Failure of W.T. over land.  Not one message received during journey from Aubagne to Paris.  W.T. quite O.K. over Mediterranean, and fair over the Channel, though only two messages were received in the latter case.

The Italian Officer attached to the ship worked as hard as anyone in these operations.  He was besides an invaluable asset in relieving the pilot and cox'n at the wheel during flight.

The crew of the Airship SR1 were as follows:

Cox'n	C.P.O.  G.T. Clarke
1st. Eng'r	C.P.O.  R.G. Owen
2nd Eng'r	P.O.  H.Leach
3rd. Eng'r	P.O.  R. Tomlins
1st. W.T.	L.M.  B. Bocking
2nd W.T.	A.M.  R.J. Rook
Italian Officer	Tenente de'Rossi
French Officer	Lt. de Vaisseaux Picard
2nd Officer	Capt. T.B. Williams
Captain	Capt. G.F. Meager