Malcolm Staves Diary

YStavesME203137v1.pdf

Title

Malcolm Staves Diary

Description

Copy of a day by day diary kept by Malcolm Staves from 26th April 1943 to 6th January 1945. Covers training, lectures, gardening and cleaning tasks. Also covers his social life and home leave.

Creator

Temporal Coverage

Language

Format

19 handwritten sheets

Rights

This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.

Identifier

YStavesME203137v1

Transcription

[underlined] Monday 26th April 1943. [/underlined] Caught 9-45 am train to London
Arrived. Lords Cricket – Ground at 3-15pm.
Billeted Regents Park Flats.
27th Apl. Innoculations [sic] [indecipherable word]
28th RAF. Concert at Seymour Hall. The Squadronaires & Vera Lynn. Etc.
29th Lectures
30th Signals Test
[underlined] Sat [/underlined] 1st May. Started to wear RAF Uniform. (Went to Wembley.)
[underlined] Sun [/underlined] 2nd. Church parade & tour of London with Station Padres in afternoon.
3rd. N.V. Test Confined to billets for the night.
4th. Posted civvy kit home.
5th. NV. Test
6th. Fatigues at Abbey Lane. Seymour Hall Hi–Gang evening
7th. Eye test Abbey lane.
8th. –
[underlined] Sun [/underlined] 9th. Church parade. London in afternoon. Boating lake at night
10th. Pack inspection.
11th. Medical board. 9.15am Drill all day. Photo taken and on boating lake at night.
12th. Innoculations [sic] 11am
13th. Posting parade : [underlined] not [/underlined] posted. Met King & Queen at Church army services club at 3pm.
14th. Saw S/LDR Wilson re leave for Gwens wedding. Got posted in afternoon. FFI at Lords.
[underlined] Sat [/underlined] 15th. up at 3-30am. Left Kensington station at 10am arrived Bridgnorth [sic] at 3.40pm.
[underlined] Sun [/underlined] 16th. F.F.I etc. Billeted in hut 42. “C” Squadron.
17th. Up at 6-30am “day off”.
18th. Hut orderly for the day.
19th. On fatigues in the N.A.A.F.I.
[underlined] thurs [/underlined] 20th. Got 54 hour pass for Friday. Moved to hut L ‘A’ Squadron
[underlined] Fri [/underlined] 21st. Lift from camp in a “Persil Van”. Caught 8.28 train from Wolverhampton. 10.45 from Birmingham. Arrived Selby 3am Arrived Hull. 4.45am.
[underlined] Sat [/underlined] 22nd Gwens wedding. 2-30pm.
[Page break]
Page 2
Sunday. 23rd May. Caught 8.45am train to Leeds. 11.40am to Birmingham 4-45pm to Wolverhampton. Arrived camp 7pm.
24th. Lectures all day. On stretcher party at night.
25th Lectures all day.
26th -Ditto-
27th -Ditto- On Guard 11.30pm To 1.30am & 4.30am To 6am.
28th Lectures all day
29th Cricket match in afternoon.
[underlined] Sun [/underlined] 30th. Lectures all day
31st day off.
June 1st Lectures all day.
2nd -Ditto- 1 hour gardening at night.
3rd. -Ditto- Hut cleaning at night
4th. Pay day.
Sat. 5th Clay pigeon shooting in afternoon
[underlined] Sun [/underlined] 6th. Up at 7am. Football match V hut No2. Won 6-1
7th Lectures all day
8th -Ditto-
9th -Ditto- On camp fire party. 7pm to 6-30am. (Duties 9pm to 11pm & 3am to 5am)
10th. Lectures all day
11th Ditto.
[underlined] Sat [/underlined] 12th. Football V hut 2 in afternoon. Won 6-5.
[underlined] Sun {/underlined] 13th Reported to M.O. (2 days treatment for knee) On camp fire party 9pm to 11pm 3am to 5am.
14th Lectures all day
15th. -Ditto- Treatment furthur [sic] 4 days
16th -Ditto-
17th -Ditto-
18th -Ditto- Gas test. Pay day.
Sat. 19th Football V hut 3. Draw 3-3.
Sun 20th Day off. Church parade at 10am.
21st Lectures all day
22nd -Ditto-
[Page break]
Page 3
[underlined] 1943 [/underlined]
[underlined] June [/underlined] 23rd. Lectures all day
24th -Ditto-
25th -Ditto-
[underlined] Sat [/underlined] 26th. Lectures
[underlined] Sun [/underlined] 27th Lectures. Cookhouse fatigues at night.
28th Day off. Went to Bridgnorth in afternoon.
29th Lectures all day.
30th. -Ditto- fatigues in hut
[underlined] July [/underlined] 1st Lectures all day. Cleaning all night. 6-30 to 11pm Hut floor polished like glass. Stones outside hut painted white
Fri 2nd. Inspection by C.O. of station. Pay day.
Sat 3rd Football V 10 Flight ‘C’ Squadron. Lost 5-2.
Sun 4th Day off
5th Lectures all day
6th -Ditto-
7th -Ditto- On guard duty 7pm to 6.30am (Duty) 2.45am to 6.30am
8th -Ditto-
9th Lectures & kit inspection
Sat 10th Cross-Country run in afternoon. 1 hour cookhouse fatigues
Sun 11th Lectures all day. Squadron duty cadet 8am to 12noon. Bridgnorth in afternoon.
13th Lectures all day
14th -Ditto-
15th Morse test at 9am Aldis lamp test at 10-30am
16th Armaments board at 8-30am. Pay day
Sat 17th Aircraft recognition test 9am. Football in afternoon.
Sun 18th Day off. Church parade 9.30am
19th Signals theory exam at 9am
Tues. 20th Law and admin, hygiene & FA exams. Mathematics exam 9am to 12-15pm F.F.I at 1-30pm full inspection at 3-30pm (packed kit)
Wed 21st Left camp at 11-15am left Bridgnorth at 12-20pm arrived Birmingham 3pm arrived Leeds. 6-45pm arrived Hull 10-30pm arrived home at 11pm.
22nd. On leave. Up at 9am. Caught 1-15 boat to Grimsby arrived Stickford. 7-20pm.
[Page break]
Page 4
[underlined] 1943 [/underlined]
[underlined] July. [/underlined] 23rd. At Stickford.
(Sat) 24th Caught 12pm bus from Stickford arrived home 5-30pm
(Sun) 25th Church at 8am
26th. Various at home
27th -Ditto-
28th Caught 8-40pm train to Selby 10-07 to Birmingham.
(Thurs) [underlined] 29th [/underlined] Arrived Worcester 4-15am caught 7-10am train to Hereford. Arrived 8-45am. [underlined]Arrived Madley 3pm [/underlined]
30th First full day at Madley.
(Sat) 31st Sundry.
(Sun) [underlined] August [/underlined] 1st Up at 8-15am
2nd Started lectures 8am to 5pm.
3rd Lectures all day.
4th -Ditto-
5th. -Ditto-
6th -Ditto-
(Sat) 7th -Ditto-

(Sun) 8th Up at 8-15am went to Hereford in afternoon. Round cathedral
9th Lectures all day
10th -Ditto-
11th -Ditto-
12th -Ditto-
13th -Ditto- Pay.
(Sat) 14th -Ditto-
(Sun) 15th Church parade at 10am.
16th Lectures all day
17th -Ditto-
18th -Ditto-
19th -Ditto-
20th Lectures. Tech exam
(Sat) 21st Lectures. Morse exam. Went to Hereford at night. Bought pipe.
Sun. 22nd. “Blank” “Except for writing letters”.
23rd Lectures all day – Digging at night.
24th. Lectures. Went to Hereford swimming in afternoon
25th Lectures
26th Lectures. Evening class on Tech.
[Page break]
Page 5
[underlined] 1943 [/underlined]
August. 27th. Lectures.
(Sat) 28th Lectures. Went to Hereford. Had photos taken.
(Sun) 29th. Up at 8-15am. Various jobs etc.
30th. Lectures and combatant training.
31st Lectures. Gas test. Evening class at night.
September 1st Lectures. Went to see “Fantasia.”
2nd. Lectures. Evening class at night.
3rd. Service at 11am (All the radio school). On guard at night 5-15am to 8am.
4th. Nothing to record (Except letter writing)
5th. Church parade at 9-45am
6th. Lectures
7th. Lectures. Interview with C.O. in the morning. Evening class at night.
8th Lectures. Swimming in afternoon. (Haircut).
9th Evening class at night
10th Went to ENSA concert.
Sat 11th Nothing recorded except letter writing
Sun 12th -Ditto-
13th Lectures all day.
14th. Lectures. Wheeler left for Eastchurch.
15th On bayonet drill. “Battle of Britain” parade in afternoon.
16th Lectures. Evening class proceedure [sic] at night.
17th Tech exam. 7th week.
(Sat) 18th Nothing recorded except letter writing.)
(Sun) 19th -Ditto-
20th Lectures all day.
21st Swimming in morning. Lectures. Evening class
22nd Got watch.
23rd. Lectures. Bill re-classed to 10 ent. Left hut (8 weeks at Madley.
24th Lectures. ‘Pay day’
25th “Only letters recorded.’
26th Moved to hut 16. [underlined] from [/underlined] hut 14.
27th Lectures.
28th Lectures. Evening class on tech.
29th Lectures.
30th Reported sick. Treatment twice a day for a week. On live grenades in afternoon.
[Page break]
Page 6
[underlined] 1943. [/underlined]
October 1st. Treatment. ‘Haircut’.
(Sat) 2nd. -Ditto- “Started to wear greatcoats”.
Sun. 3rd. -Ditto- at 9-15am.
4th. -Ditto- Lectures. Kit inspection at night.
5th. -Ditto- Evening class.
6th -Ditto-
(Thurs) 7th. Removed into hut 5. 5 site ‘B’ Squadron. 10 entry. Treatment for 5 more days
8th Treatment
(Sat) 9th -Ditto-
(Sun) 10th -Ditto-
11th -Ditto- Lectures all day.
12th 4 more days treatment
13th Treatment. Defence.
14th -Ditto-
15th -Ditto- Tech exam.
(Sat) 16th Treatment complete
(Sun) 17th ‘Only letter writing recorded.’
18th. E. James joined. RAF.
19th Issued with kharki [sic]
20th. –
21st Lectures
22nd. Outstations test. ‘Pay day’.
(Sat) 23rd Haircut. Best on parade. Excused guard.
(Sun) 24th Only letter writing recorded.
25th Lectures
26th -Ditto-
27th Film on mosquitos etc
28th On defence – Throwing grenades.
29th. –
(Sat) 30th –
(Sun) 31st –
[underlined] November [/underlined] 1st. Went to wing concert.
2nd –
3rd –
4th Lectures. – Binding.
[Page break]
Page 7
[underlined] 1943 [/underlined]
November. 5th. Binding.
(Sat) 6th. P.T. Proficiency test.
(Sun) 7th. Binding all day
8th Binding all night.
9th Binding
10th. Board on Tech, Proceedures [sic] & Morse.
11th Results of board – “Passed”. Went to see 49th Parallel
12th. Lectures. Sent telegram.
(Sat) 13th. Caught 2-32pm train from Hereford. Arrived Hull 1am Home at 1-30am.
(Sun) 14th Up at 6-30am. Church at 8am.
15th Up at 9am. ‘Various.’
16th ‘Various’
17th “ A.T.C. at night.
18th. Bought tie. Macarther came.
19th Various
(Sat) 20th “
(Sun) 21st Caught 8-45am train to Leeds Arrived Hereford at 8pm Back at Madley camp. 9pm.
22nd. Lecture on defence in afternoon.
23rd. Lectures
24th Lectures – Writing up notes etc.
25th Lectures
26th Flying in afternoon 3hrs. Passed ex1 67%
(Sat) 27th Flying Cancelled.
(Sun) 28th Letter writing only recorded
29th Lectures
30th Flying in afternoon, 1 1/2hrs. No exercise.
December 1st Lectures
2nd Flying in afternoon 3hrs. Passed ex2. 65%
3rd [deleted] Exercise [/deleted] -Lectures-
(Sat) 4th Letter writing only recorded
(Sun) 5th -Sundry-
6th Flying cancelled
7th Lectures
8th Flying cancelled. ‘Haircut’
[Page break]
Page 8
[underlined] 1943 [/underlined]
December 9th –
10th Went to Hereford – Had photos taken. Went to see “The Great Waltz”.
(Sat) 11th. 15 minutes solo – Flying cancelled.
(Sun) 12th Defence exercise all the morning
13th Class leader
14th Finished at 4pm
15th. Lectures
16th Tech and signals orgs tests
17th Flying cancelled for day -Pay- Finished at 3-30pm Went to Hereford saw “Now Voyager”
(Sat) 18th Lectures
(Sun) 19th Flying in afternoon 3hrs. Passed Ex4 65%
20th 1hr Flying in afternoon
21st Lectures
22nd 2hrs Flying in afternoon. Passed Ex6. 64%
23rd –
24th Went to 11-30pm service of H.C. at Station gym.
(Sat) 25th Up at 7-30am. Went to station cinema to see “The Rains Came.”
(Sun) 26th Up at 11-15am [deleted] letter writing [/deleted] Went to Hereford. Saw “Design For Scandal.” Went to service 6-30pm at St Peters Church.
27th Up at 11-15am. Letter writing
28th Lectures again
29th -Ditto-
30th -Ditto-
31st Left Hereford 2-32pm Arrived Hull 1-15am Walked home arrived 2-45am. (48hr pass)
[underlined] 1944 [/underlined]
(Sat) January 1st Various activities
(Sun) 2nd. Caught 8.45am train from Hull. Arrived Hereford 7-30pm.
3rd Lectures
4th. -Ditto-
5th -Ditto-
6th -Ditto-
7th -Ditto-
(Sat) 8th Tech test
[Page break]
Page 9
[underlined] 1944 [/underlined]
(Sun) January 9th. On guard at the drome.
10th Lectures
11th Lectures Flying cancelled
12th Lectures
13th Lectures
14th Lectures -Pay-
(Sat) 15th Lectures
(Sun) 16th Swotting all day
17th Flying cancelled
18th Lectures all day
19th Lectures
20th Lectures F.F.I in afternoon
21st Lectures
(Sat) 22nd Got flying kit
Sun 23rd –
24th Lectures
25th Lectures. Took tunic to tailors
26th Sigs org and proceedure [sic] tests.
27th Lectures
28th Lectures. Pay day
(Sat) 29th Only letter writing recorded
(Sun.) 30th Up at 8-o-clock.
31st Lectures
February 1st Final morse board.
2nd Lectures
3rd Lectures
4th Lectures
(Sat) 5th Collected tunic
(Sun) 6th Sundry work
7th Game of football
8th Lectures
9th Flying 2hrs Ex 1&2. Haircut
10th No flying bad weather.
11th Flying. Passed Ex 3 twice 80%
(Sat) 12th Finished flying. Passed Ex 5 80%
(Sun) 13th At drome in the morning. Binding.
14th Binding all day
[Page break]
Page 10
[underlined] 1944 [/underlined]
February 15th. Final board. Passed
16th. Sundry work “Joe Peterson gone for a burton” “Wade bailed out”
17th Commission board in afternoon.
18th Passing out parade. Promoted SGT. Caught 2-30pm train from Hereford.
19th Arrived home at 2am.
20th Various
21st A.T.C. at night. Had photo taken.
22nd Various
23rd Various
24th Various
25th Caught 8-55am train to Hereford. Arrived -6-5pm Camp at 8-15pm.
Sat 26th Went to Hereford in afternoon.
Sun 27th Only letter writing recorded.
28th Went to Kingstone P.O.
29th. Lectures
March 1st Lectures
2nd. Lectures
3rd. Lectures
(Sat) 4th Lectures
(Sun) 5th Lectures. Camp cinema at night
6th Reported sick. Taken to hospital.
7th In dock.
8th In dock (Haircut)
9th Out of dock
10th Treatment
11th Went to Station cinema to see “Life & death of Colonel Blimp.
12th went to Station cinema.
13th Finished treatment
14th Lectures
15th Lectures
16th Lectures. Went to pay [indecipherable word]. 33 weeks
17th Lectures
(Sat) 18th Went to see gang show at station cinema.
(Sun) 19th went to see “The Plainsman.”
20th Moved to 6A and back to 5A.
21st Moved to 17 hut ^A site.
[Page break]
Page 11
[underlined] 1944 [/underlined]
March 22nd. Lectures
23rd Lectures. Half day off. Went to Hereford – saw “North Star”
24th Lectures. Pay £5.00
(Sat) 25th Lectures. Flying in evening 2hrs Dominie.
Sun 26th Lectures. Saw “Silver Fleet”
27th On defence
28th Lectures
29th Moved to 35 hut 6A. Site
30th Lectures
31st On 48hr Caught 2-30pm from Hereford. Arrived home at ?
(Sat) April 1st Various
(Sun) 2nd Up at 10-30am caught 7pm train from Hull left Manchester 11-55pm
3rd Arrived Hereford 3-45am arrived camp 6-15am (Haircut)
4th On defence.
5th Lectures
6th Defence exercise in afternoon
7th Flying cancelled. Pay £5.00
(Sat) 8th Afternoon off. Went to station cinema
(Sun) 9th Communion at 8-30am (Easter Sunday) went to Hereford to pictures & St. Peter’s Church
10th On drome all week. Afternoon off.
11th 2 hours flying. Went to see “San Francisco”
12th Half day off.
13th F.F.I at 7-30.
14th. Went to Hereford in afternoon. Went to pictures
(Sat) 15th Afternoon off
(Sun) 16th –
17th School again.
18th School again. Half day
19th Played football V 6D. Lost 3-1.

20th Lectures
21st Lectures. Went to see boxing at station cinema £4 pay.
(Sat) 22nd Lectures
(Sun) 23rd Sundry odd jobs
24th Lectures
25th Lectures. 1250 Photo taken.
26th Lectures
[Page break]
Page 12
[underlined 1944 [/underlined]
April 27th Lectures. Cricket in afternoon (4wkts for 10 runs) Digging at night.
28th Lectures. Half day. Haircut – went to station cinema. “The Petrified Forest.”
(Sat) 29th Lectures
(Sun) 30th Lectures
May 1st Lectures
2nd Lectures. Issued with defence boots.
3rd Caught 2-30 train from Hereford. Arrive home 1am.
4th Various
5th Various
(Sat) 6th Various
(Sun) 7th Various
8th Various
9th Various
10th Caught 8-40 train from Hull
11th Arrived Hereford 4am. FFI at night.
12th Reported sick. Missed flying.
(Sat) 13th Lectures. Half day.
(Sun) 14th Lectures. Station cinema in evening.
15th Lectures
16th Lectures. Half day.
17th Lectures. Went to see play on the wing. “Rope”.
18th 3hrs flying in the morning. Ex 4 and 6. 65% and 64%
19th Lectures. Pay £4-00
(Sat) 20th “ Tech test.
(Sun) 21st H. Communion at 8-30am – Went to see “Gentleman Jim.”
22nd Lectures. Tech result 65%
23rd Lectures. On evening instruction - Morse
24th Lectures. -Ditto-
25th Lectures. Half day. Went to Hereford saw “Phantom of the Opera.”
26th Lectures
(Sat) 27th Cricket match 4wkts for 10 runs. Half day in afternoon
Sun. 28th Lectures. Went to see “Great Waltz.”
29th Lectures. Half day.
30th Lectures
31st Lectures
June 1st Sundry – “Postings Through.”
[page break]
Page 13
[underlined] 1944 [/underlined]
June 2nd. Morse board 20 W.P.M. Went to see ENSA play.
(Sat) 3rd Various
(Sun) 4th Various
5th Flying in morning 2.35hrs
7th Half day. Saw “Gone with the wind” in Hereford.
8th Posting through “Dumfries.” Flying in morning 2.35hrs.
9th. Flying cancelled 2 innoculations [sic]
(Sat) 10th Various
(Sun) 11th. Various. Went to see “Kings row.”
12th (16th week) left Hereford.
13th Arrived Dumfries 8-15am. Went to see “Lamp still burns.”
14th Various tests.
15th Lectures
16th Lectures
(Sat) 17th Lectures
(Sun) 18th Church parade 8am. School all day
19th Lectures all day
20th Lectures all day
21st Lectures all day
22nd Lectures all day
23rd Lectures all day. Evening Harwell.
(Sat) 24th Flying 7 hours
Sun. 25th ‘Day off.’ Went to Dumfries.
26th Flying 3 ½ hours Landed at Macrihanish F.A.A. station Stayed tea and dinner. Back at 9-30pm
27th Lectures. Tom Rhodie pranged.
28th Flying scrubbed. Nav.
29th Lectures
30th Flying scrubbed
July 1st (Sat.) Flying scrubbed night in H.B.
2nd (Sun) Stand off.
3rd. Flying scrubbed. Night in H.B.
4th Stand off in morning. Flying scrubbed in afternoon.
5th Flying in afternoon and at night 12.30am
6th Bed in morning. Flying in afternoon. Posted.
7th Flying scrubbed H.B. night. Posted to 16 O.T.U.
[Page break]
Page 14
[underlined] 1944 [/underlined]
July 8th (Sat) stand off. Haircut. Flying in evening.
9th (Sun) Church parade. Kit inspection. Swimming. Tests in afternoon cinema in evening.
10th Clearance. Left Dumfries 11-00.
11th Arrived London 7-15am left 1-45pm arrived Oxford 3-30pm arrived Upper Heyford 6pm.
12th Varioos [sic] lectures. F.F.I. etc
13th Lectures and tests.
14th Went to station cinema. P.T. in evening.
(Sat) 15th On P.T. Notes E.T.C.
(Sun) 16th. Lectures all day. Notes E.T.C.
17th. Lectures. Saw “Goodbye Mr Chips.”
18th Day off.
19th. Lectures. Station cinema. P.T. in evening
20th. Lectures
21st Lectures all day.
(Sat.) 22nd Lectures. ENSA show in evening.
(Sun.) 23rd Lectures. Went to see “Sahara” in evening.
24th Lectures
25th Dingy drill at Oxford. Moved to Barford at 7pm.
26th Lectures
27th Flying.
28th Lectures
(Sat) 29th Day off. Went to Banbury with Ren etc
Sun. 30th Lectures
31st Flying
[underlined] Aug [/underlined] 1st Lectures
2nd Flying.
3rd Cricket
4th Defence exercise
(Sat) 5th Up at 10am. Went to Banbury. Phoned home.
(Sun) 6th Flying. Late finish.
7th Flying (Night).
8th Lectures
9th Lectures
10th Flying.
[page break]
Page 15
[underlined] 1944 [/underlined]
August. 11th. Lectures.
(Sat) 12th. Day off. Went to Banbury. (Saw Canterbury Tales)
13th Lectures. Flying evening & night.
14th Up at 12 noon. Flying
15th Flying.
16th Bed at 6-30am Up at 12-15. Flying.
17th. Bed at 8-15am up at 3-30pm.
18th. ‘Flying’ – Night flying scrubbed.
(Sat) 19th Flying scrubbed.
20th. Flying scrubbed.
21st. D’ Exam. Flying scrubbed.
22nd. Moved to Heyford. Went to station cinema.
23rd. Lectures. – Barford – Night flying.
24th. Up at 12pm. Barford in afternoon.
25th Barford. Flying at night.
(Sat) 26th Barford. Flying.
27th. Lectures
28th Flying at Barford. Back at 7-15pm.
29th. Dinghy drill at Oxford.
30th Barford. Flying
31st. Lectures. Swotting in evening.
[underlined] Sept. [/underlined] 1st Barford. Flying. Swotting.
(Sat) 2nd Lectures. (Pay £8.00)
3rd. Barford. Flying. Landed at Driffield. Landed at Wyton. Slept night at Wyton.
4th Stayed at Wyton all day. Went to cinema after tea
5th Went back to Heyford in afternoon.
6th Moved to Barford. Written board in morning.
7th Flying scrubbed.
8th Flying at night
(Sat) 9th -Ditto-
[Page break]
Page 16
[underlined] 1944 [/underlined]
September 10th. Up at 12 noon. Various.
11th X-Country in afternoon.
12th -Ditto-
13th X-Country. Flying at night.
14th. Cinema at night.
15th Parade in morning
(Sat) 16th Flying at night
17th Up at 11-15am
18th H. Level bombing – Finished flying.
19th. –
20th. Moved to Heyford.
21st Signals board. Clearences. [sic] Cinema.
22nd. Pay £10-2-0. Caught 1pm train from Heyford arrived home 10-45pm.
(Sat) 23rd Home on leave
24th. -Ditto-
25th. -Ditto-
26th. Caught 4.30pm boat to Cleethorpes arrived 6.30pm.
27th. Left Grimsby 12 noon. Arrived Stickford 2.30pm.
28th Up at 9am. Went to “The Mill.”
29th. Arrived home at 6pm.
(Sat) 30th Various.
October 1st Church at 8am. Various
2nd Various.
3rd. Various
4th. Left on 1-15 boat arrived Lincoln 4-16pm. Arrived Scampton 5-30pm. Arrived Balderton 8-15pm
5th. Up at 8-15am. P.T. in afternoon.
6th. Lecture and drill P.T. and games
(Sat) 7th -Ditto-
8th Posted to Winthorpe
9th Moved to Winthorpe. Cinema in evening
10th Lectures and tests.
[page break]
Page 17
[underlined] 1944 [/underlined]
October 11th. Various
12th. Various
13th. Lectures. – Letter from Hank.
(Sat) 14th. Swotting. Swimming at Cranwell in morning.
15th. Lectures.
16th. Clothing parade.
17th. Flying. Went to station cinema.
18th. Best blues changed
19th. Flying
20th. –
(Sat) 21st. Went to Newark.
22nd. Flying scrubbed. Went to station cinema.
23rd. Flying scrubbed
24th. –
25th. –
26th Flying scrubbed. Letter from Hank.
27th Flying 5 ½ hrs Pay £4-0-0.
(Sat) 28th. Sgts mess dance
29th Flying
30th Cycled to Newark
31st Flying 5hrs
November 1st Lectures.
2nd –
3rd. Flying. Went to Newark.
(Sat) 4th Up at 12noon Night flying.
5th.Up at 12-30pm. Station cinema in evening
6th Lectures.
7th Reported sick – No flying
8th M.O. at 10am No flying. Haircut. Newark at night
9th Newark in evening
10th Flying at night
(Sat) 11th Up at 12noon. Binding.
[page break]
Page 18
[underlined] 1944 [/underlined]
November 12th. Final tests. Sgts mess concert.
13th Newark in morning. Flying scrubbed. Station cinema in evening
14th Flying scrubbed. Wrote letter to Hank.
15th Flying
16th. Up at 12noon Flying scrubbed. Camp cinema.
17th. Flying scrubbed. Went to Newark
(Sat) 18th. Flying scrubbed
19th Flying. Station cinema in evening. Night flying scrubbed.
20th Flying. Night flying. Bed at 8am.21st Up at 1pm
22nd Letter from Hank. Station cinema.
23rd Flying
24th No flying. Wrote letter to Hank.
(Sat) 25th No flying. (Haircut).
26th No flying. Went to station cinema. “This is the Army.”
27th Flying. Diverted to Bardney. Back at 6pm.
28th –
29th Caught 6-50pm train from Newark arrived Hull 9-40pm
30th On leave.
[underlined] December [/underlined] 1st On leave
Sat 2nd On leave
3rd Church at 8am.
4th Various on leave
5th Various on leave
6th Various on leave
7th Various on leave
8th Various on leave
(Sat) 9th Caught 2-10pm from Hull arrived Newark 5-15pm camp at 7-15pm.
10th Up at 11am station cinema in evening
11th Haircut, Caught 4-36pm from Newark arr. Hull 7-30pm home 8pm
12th Various on leave
13th Various on leave
14th Various on leave
[page break]
Page 19
[underlined] 1944 [/underlined]
December 15th On leave.
(Sat.) 16th Caught 2-10 from Hull arrived Newark 5-20pm
17th. Station cinema in evening
18th Moved to Syerston.
19th Various.
20th Various
21st In hospital.
22nd In hospital
23rd. Caught 1-26pm train from Newark arr. Home 4-55pm.
24th On leave.
25th. Church at 8am.
26th Caught 9pm train to Doncaster arrived Newark 1-30am
27th Walked to camp. Arr. 3-45am. Lectures.
28th Lectures all day. Binding.
29th Lectures – Binding
30th X Board. Caught 4-39 from Newark arr. Home 9-15pm.
31st On leave
[underlined] 1945 Jan [/underlined] 1st. On leave caught 9pm train from Hull
2nd Arrived Newark 1am camp at 2am.
3rd. Arrived home 12-20am.
4th At home
5th At home
6th Caught 9pm train from Hull

Collection

Citation

Malcolm Staves, “Malcolm Staves Diary,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed March 28, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/11568.

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