‘A Short Life in the Sky’: the story of a WWI pilot
Letter of condolence, 23 December 1916, page 2
 (NRS reference: GD486/160/2)

Transcript:

…a few minutes before he went up & he was 
quite fit & full of spirits. His skin was sallow 
I presume as a result of the time he spent in 
Mesopotamia but as far as I know he was alright 
in himself. 

I had no opportunity of seeing him after the 
accident as he was taken to Sheerness, but from 
what Douglas tells me I think that death 
must have been instantaneous. They would both 
be unconscious if not before reaching the water, 
immediately the machine hit the water. 
The cut on his trousers would occur when the 
machine crashed into the water. I really don’t 
think he had any of the horror of seeing death 
approaching. As in all these cases of aeroplane accidents 
the pilot is so busy trying to right the machine 
that he has no time to think of anything else. This 
one hears from people who have had accidents of 
the same nature, but who have come out of it alive.

I don’t think there is any other point I can give you 
information on but I am glad to have this opportunity of 
telling you how much we all thought of your boy.

I am yours very sincerely

J. P. Berry