pleasure
was enjoyed by the little band of stalwarts who about the end of April
1911 went into camp at Larkhill as No. 2 Company, Air Battalion. If they
received scant encouragement, they got to work without waiting for more.
When Mr. Cockburn, after instructing the naval officers at Eastchurch,
returned to Larkhill to find his old machine, he found the company in
possession on the plain. Captain Fulton was in command. Most of the
officers had had some little experience of flying. 'Captain Fulton',
says Mr. Cockburn, 'had had some practice on my machine; Lieutenant
Conner had had some also, but not nearly so much. Captain Burke had
learnt in France, and was about on a par with Captain Fulton. These two
were certainly the best pilots at that time. Lieutenant
Barrington-Kennett had had a short course on a Bleriot some time before,
but had not flown for some months. Lieutenant Cammell was flying a
Bleriot of weird and wonderful type, his own property. These were the
originals, but Captain Loraine and Lieutenant Hynes joined soon
afterwards.' To these names should be added another--Lieutenant H. R. P.
Reynolds, of the Royal Engineers.

Having taught the navy to fly, Mr. Cockburn now lent his help to the
army. 'The machines', he says, 'with the exception of the Bleriot were
either Farmans or Bristol box-kites.... Lieutenant Barrington-Kennett
had no experience on these, and Lieutenant Reynolds had no experience on
anything. The experience of the remainder was not sufficient to admit of
their acting as Instructors, so Captain Fulton got permission for me to
carry on and take Barrington-Kennett and Reynolds in hand. This was an
easy business compared with Eastchurch--a three miles' straight with
good landing all the way made the first flights an easy matter. There
were no incidents, except in a joy-ride for Lieutenant Cammell when his
cap blew off and back into the propeller, causing a most tremendous
noise which scared us badly, me particularly, as I didn't know the
cause.... Progress was good; every one was very keen; and the Air
Battalion soon developed into quite respectable pilots without any
accidents.'

The company had a glorious and adventurous summer. It is strange to
compare their doings with the elaborate exercises which were being
practised at the same time by the French air corps at the Camp de
Chalons. On Salisbury Plain very little effort was made to co-operate
with other arms, except spasmodically. The pilots