NAA: MP1049/1, 1918/066, pages 218 and 219 is a letter from 'Anxious' of 'Bundoora', Charles St, Brighton, Victoria, to the editor of the Melbourne Herald:

A mysterious aroeplane [sic] passed over the east of Brighton this morning at 10 past 7 a.m. & went south east towards Gippsland. The machine was a very large one & was flying very low to the ground. About a fortnight ago we heard one at 4 o'clock a.m. I would like to know if you thought this machine might be the German one that is about.

Yours etc.
Anxious

This was immediately passed by the Herald to the Melbourne censor, who just as quickly handed it on to the naval censor, and it was with naval intelligence later that afternoon. The analysis was just as quick, as NAA: MP1049/1, 1918/066, page 217 records: 'A military machine' (i.e. one of ours).

Of course, the reason why I use this letter in my article is because of the glimpse it gives into the writer's thinking and feeling: not only was the immediate (and immediately-dashed off) thought was that the aeroplane 'might be the German one that is about', but it's signed 'Anxious'! Gold.

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