Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps

Extracts from Lt RA Burnard’s #WW1 diary, handwritten #OTD 1918. Airman with #35Squadron, then POW. Ex-army #Somme #Passchendaele. Website for full diary+

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

Next diary entry: September 8th (1918). Meanwhile, photos from 35 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps taken prior to my capture #WW1 #WesternFront #RAF100
1) With B Flight in front of mess
https://t.co/pXKPMMVzfD

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

Men from 35 Squadron, A Flight, B Flight and C Flight.
(From the back of my #WW1 diary)
Never forgotten.
#RemembranceDay #RoyalFlyingCorps #RAF

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

Next diary entry: September 8th (1918). Meanwhile, photos from 35 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps taken prior to my capture #WW1 #WesternFront #RAF100
1) With B Flight in front of mess
https://t.co/pXKPMMVzfD

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

Nov 11th 1918
It’s come!! #Germany is, in a quiet way, in a state of revolution. Guards removed the eagle from the front of their helmets, officers and NCOs removed their epaulettes and badges of rank. The Commandant handed over to us the parcel room. #WW1 #Graudenz #Armistice100

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

@jamesinealing @BHGSchool @JourneysEnd2017 @meshtheatreco That's unexpected! And you must have been there round about the time my daughter, Mrs Myers, retired from the English department.
Also, while we speak, thank you for the extraordinary https://t.co/I5QAJOf0IO

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

1968 - 50 years on #WW1. Letter to my daughter, Jean Myers, teacher @BHGSchool:
My dear Jean,
I have been thinking about Journey’s End play. If we go on, I should like to have, as early as possible, a list of the questions your pupils would like to ask.
… my love as always.
Dad

[@simonjones.bsky.social @SimonJHistorian]

I think we can all agree with these instructions to the writers of War Diaries by the Historical Section, Committee of Imperial Defence, April 1917. Whole document below👇 (26 Bde HQ WD WO95/1766)

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

1968 re March 1918 for @BHGSchool: Returning from leave. Squadron tender turned up with some of B flight. I have a note in my diary “Everyone seemed very glad to see me. Almost as good as going home”. Even after 50 years I find that a little moving.
#RemembranceSunday #WW1 #RAF

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

1968 re 1917-18 for @BHGSchool
I was posted to 35 Squadron in France, a squadron flying reconnaissance machines. There for 6 months my pilot and I flew daily over an area which undoubtedly included “the British trenches before St Quentin” where this play, Journey's End, is set.

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

1968 re Late Summer 1917 #WW1
Spent 2 or 3 months at #Passchendaele, a hellish place…
I decided that, whatever I was fitted for, it was not the job of a platoon officer, so I applied for and was soon given a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps as a Flying Officer, an Observer.

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

1968 re 1917
My company commander was a wise man. He left me to myself for a bit & gave me a chance to think things out. Obviously I was heading for great trouble. When he came back he said because of the particularly difficult time my platoon had had, the order would be varied.

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

3/ Two nights later. Beyond fear, braced to meet the certainty of annihilation. When shelling stopped I reported to my company commander and broke down and wept. When he said I must take my platoon back to my original forward position, I refused to go.
#Bravery #Cowardice #WW1

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

4:15am 17 Sept 1917 / To O.C. C Coy
I ordered “Stop firing” to our men. I & Cpl Wilson & several others then shouted "We are English, second third Londons, stop firing!” They didn’t believe us at first until I shouted “The password is Beer” – and walked out to meet their officer.

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

2/ #WW1 #Ypres #Passchendaele #FriendlyFire
Something had to be done and it was my job. I walked slowly out towards them - I thought they wouldn’t fire at one man and they didn’t. As I went I called out and the language I used was both English and bad.
#Bravery #Cowardice

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

3/ Two nights later. Beyond fear, braced to meet the certainty of annihilation. When shelling stopped I reported to my company commander and broke down and wept. When he said I must take my platoon back to my original forward position, I refused to go.
#Bravery #Cowardice #WW1

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

1/ 1968 @BHGSchool Journey's End question: What is your attitude to cowardice like that of Hibbert?
Answer notes: This is the most difficult question. In my experience all of us are capable of #bravery and #cowardice. I want to tell you a long story to illustrate this #WW1.

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

2/ #WW1 #Ypres #Passchendaele #FriendlyFire
Something had to be done and it was my job. I walked slowly out towards them - I thought they wouldn’t fire at one man and they didn’t. As I went I called out and the language I used was both English and bad.
#Bravery #Cowardice

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

1968 notes. The Introduction says, “RC Sherriff had been a soldier, and his portrayal of trench warfare was recognised as authentic by those who knew.” To satisfy you that I am one of those who knew, I must tell you something of what I was myself doing during the war. #WW1

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

1968 @BHGSchool notes. I accepted Mrs Myers' invitation:
a) I have always found it difficult to refuse my daughter anything;
b) I couldn’t bear the thought that you should think Journeys End to be something less than a great play.
It was like a slice out of my own life #WW1

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

@felthamgirl @wherrypilgrim @CamDigHum @wherrypilgrim - are you speaking in London too by any chance? My grandson, Piers, would be interested!

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

#WW1 POWs converse in verse
From BBL:
For doubts as faint as summer breath
Shall haunt us till we die,
We who once had the choice of death
And chose captivity
To BBL:
And now that cuter men than we
Have got away from the war,
Writing after their names M.C.
… #NationalPoetryDay

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

2/ ‘The Vistula’ was also the name of Graudenz POW camp weekly newspaper. There were only two editions. The first was intended to be issued in October 1918, but came out in early November. The second was issued just after the armistice. Here are the beautiful front covers!

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

@wherrypilgrim Thank you Connie

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

@wherrypilgrim Thank you Connie. Beautiful and prophetic.

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

@LucyLondon7 @wherrypilgrim @jillbushwrites @DavidUnderdown9 @VoicesFrom1918 @JWalkerwords @mgmcgeehan @ww1lit You're welcome Lucy!

[Lt Burnard, Royal Flying Corps @RABurnard]

Thursday. December 12th 1918 #GraudenzPOW
2/ Was visited in the evening by the Naval Officer, a doctor who gave us ripping and recent news of England. Felt no end cheered. Stayed up till two o’clock stewing in front of the fire and reading.

https://t.co/A241EjJE3e