No wonder the public saw pilots as knights of the air. Hynes goes on to note the curious manner in which the First World War ended. Many veterans recalled 11 November 1918 as an anti-climax. Others were distinctly uncomfortable and could not figure out what to do next. Return to civilian life proved difficult and often impossible.
Few memoirs end with the armistice itself.
The differences between the First and Second World Wars are obvious, but it is still fascinating to see how these differences are played out in the memoirs. The Second World War was a war of movement. The scenes of death and destruction are still there, but they are always noted in passing, with the observer on his way to the next battle. Machines were also more important in the narratives of the Second World War, especially tanks and aircraft. Romantic adventures could still be found in accounts by fighter pilots or veterans of the North African campaigns.