Little Hawk seems to have forgotten that nobody on the British side was issued parachutes during WWI (apart from a brief period at the very end). The reason given was that craven cowards might fail to press home their attacks on the enemy if their plane was damaged. It would be too easy if all you had to do was jump out.

So, elephant or hamster, you would have to contrive a landing, or take your chance on terminal velocity working in your favour. My money's on the hamster in that contest...