k moved up to Amiens, to make an
advanced base for the squadrons, which were already at Maubeuge. Three
days were spent at Amiens in unloading, unpacking, and setting up
workshops. Then, on the 25th, they received orders to retire to Le
Havre. The retreat from Mons had begun, and Boulogne was being evacuated
by the British troops. How far the wave of invasion would flow could not
be certainly known; on the 30th of August, at the request of the French
admiral who commanded at Le Havre, the machines belonging to the
Aircraft Park were employed to carry out reconnaissances along the coast
roads; on the following day German cavalry entered Amiens. There was a
real danger that stores and machines landed in northern France for the
use of the Royal Flying Corps might fall into the hands of the Germans;
accordingly a base was established, for the reception of stores from
England, at St.-Nazaire, on the Loire. The advanced base of the Aircraft
Park moved up, by successive stages, as the prospects of the Allies
improved, first from Le Havre to Le Mans, then, at the end of September,
to Juvisy, near Paris; lastly, in mid-October, the port base was moved
from St.-Nazaire to Rouen, and at the end of October the advanced base
left Juvisy for St.-Omer, which became its permanent station during the
earlier part of the war.

The squadrons flew to France. No. 2 Squadron, at Montrose, had the
hardest task. Its pilots started on their southward flight to
Farnborough as early as the 3rd of August; after some accidents they all
reached Dover. Their transport left Montrose by rail on the morning of
the 8th of August and arrived the same evening at Prince's Dock, Govan,
near Glasgow, where the lorries and stores were loaded on S.S. _Dogra_
for Boulogne. No. 3 Squadron was at Netheravon when war broke out; on
the 12th of August the machines flew to Dover and the transport moved
off by road to Southampton, where it was embarked for Boulogne. The
squadron suffered a loss at Netheravon. Second Lieutenant R. R. Skene, a
skilful pilot, with Air Mechanic R. K. Barlow as passenger, crashed his
machine soon after taking off; both pilot and passenger were killed. No.
4 Squadron on the 31st of July had been sent to Eastchurch, to assist
the navy in preparations for home defence and to be ready for
mobilization. From Eastchurch the machines flew to Dover and the
transport proceeded to Southampton. By the evening of the 12th of August
the machines of Nos.