Arthur Pearce Diary 1944

Arthur Pearce Diary 1944

Memorandum items addresses of friends and acquaintances, mentions many days/evenings out and what sort of time he had in Belfast, Lincoln, Gainsborough and many others. Mentions various journeys and postings, lists birthdays. Jots down daily activities and feelings. Mentions crew and other he flew with and comments about them. Entries for days flying and activity. Entries for news of acquaintances and colleagues, some of whom were killed. Mentions posting to 12 Squadron at RAF Wickenby, 170 Squadron at RAF Dunholme Lodge and to RAF Warboys for Pathfinders. mentions many targets from August to December 1944.

1944

Multi-page booklet with handwritten entries

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YPearceAT1874945v4

Bank Holidays, 1944

[page break]

PERSONAL MEMORANDA

Sgt PEARCE

[page break]


Bank CITY 6001
G.T. HOP 1293
N.S.D. CITY 3623

G.W.R PAD 7000
Parry G.I P 3832
TENY KIN 5052.
[indecipherable word] EUS 6292.
MESS Seiford 61.
K.C. SER 4200.
Club TEM 3135

[page break]

1944 JANUARY

1 SATURDAY

[deleted] GIP 5852, KIN 3032, UES 6292 [/delete]

7412
Stalag XX13 (84)
Germany

2 SUNDAY
J.W. Simmonds
3 Malmesbury Road
South Woodford
E. 18

SG Parry
189 Gipsy Road
West Norwood
S E. 27

GIP 3832

[page break]

3 MONDAY
FX.115112. LDG AIR. PALMER JJ JEa/AG.
825 R.N.A. SQDN.
c/o GP.O LONDON.
Joan White
238 New Kent Road
London SE. 1.

[underlined] 4 TUESDAY [/underlined]
14423672
4th Batt C. Coy.
No.1. IR.T.D.
C.M.F

[page break]

5 WEDNESDAY

letter from home, wrote home.

Irene Hudd,
28 Upper Kenton St
Thorne
Nr Doncaster
Yorks.

6 THURSDAY

letter from Flo

[page break]

7 FRIDAY

[blank page]

8 SATURDAY

letter from Flo.

[page break]

9 SUNDAY

letter from Mum

10 MONDAY

went to Belfast good time.

[page break]

[blank page]

[page break]

13 THURSDAY

[blank page]

14 FRIDAY

Leave. Sgt. Tapes Belfast

[page break]

15 SATURDAY

arrived at home

16 SUNDAY

London. Pleasant surprise good time

[page break]

17 MONDAY

good time

18 TUESDAY

good time

[page break]

19 WEDNESDAY

good time

20 THURSDAY

good time

[page break]

21 FRIDAY

good time

22 SATURDAY

saw Bill.

Ring. Lovely night

Cable

[page break]

23 SUNDAY

good

24 MONDAY

good

[page break]

25 TUESDAY

good

26 WEDNESDAY

good

[page break]

27 THURSDAY

good

28 FRIDAY

good

[page break]

29 SATURDAY

good

30 SUNDAY

Cable

good week end

[page break]

31 MONDAY

very good time

FEB. 1 TUESDAY

Worried browned off

[page break]

2 WEDNESDAY

still worried and browned off

3 THURSDAY

good tan

[page break]

4 FRIDAY

good time in county

5 SATURDAY

browned off

[page break]

6 SUNDAY

things going wrong.

7 MONDAY

Birthday [deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted]

Smashing time

[page break]

8 TUESDAY

went to Parry.

Good time Joyce

Silvia

9 WEDNESDAY

Flos Birthday

not so good

[page break]

10 THURSDAY

[boxed X] trouble

Bad

11 FRIDAY

County. not so good

[page break]

12 SATURDAY

[deleted] Four indecipherable words [/deleted]

13 SUNDAY

still felt bad.

[page break]

14 MONDAY

Cable.

good leave untill [sic] last few days

15 TUESDAY

Hixon 2-45.

[page break]

16 WEDNESDAY

Met pilot [indecipherable word] and crew. O.K.

Wing/Co. Caulson
P/O Stevens
P/O Soo.
P/O Davies

17 THURSDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

18 FRIDAY

[blank page]

19 SATURDAY

Wals Birthday

[page break]

20 SUNDAY

[blank page]

21 MONDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

22 TUESDAY

[blank page]

23 WEDNESDAY

Marina Birthday

[page break]

[pages missing]

28 MONDAY

Roses Birthday

29 TUESDAY

Leighford

1 WEDNESDAY

[blank page]

2 THURSDAY

[blank page]

[page break]
3 FRIDAY

plenty of cloud Bashing

4 SATURDAY

still cloud bashing

Stafford good time plenty of fun.

[page break]

5 SUNDAY

bags of flying,

good crew.

6 MONDAY

still bags of flying and doing grand job.

[page break]

7 TUESDAY

grounded.

Very good time

8 WEDNESDAY

plenty of cloud Bashing and Bombing

[page break]

9 THURSDAY

more Bombing

10 FRIDAY

went to Stafford with crew. very good time. plenty of fun.

[page break]

11 SATURDAY

dingy [sic] Stafford plenty of fun

12 SUNDAY

Cloud Bashing

[page break]

13 MONDAY

more Cloud bashing no time off

14 TUESDAY

went sick. Hospital

[page break]

15 WEDNESDAY

Hospital

16 THURSDAY

Hospital

[page break]

17 FRIDAY

Bombing.

Not so good Hospital

18 SATURDAY

Hospital

[page break]

19 SUNDAY

Hospital

20 MONDAY

[author indicates he’s in hospital]

[page break]

21 TUESDAY

[author indicates he’s in hospital]

22 WEDNESDAY

[author indicates he’s in hospital]

[page break]

23 THURSDAY

Hospital

24 FRIDAY

flying

[page break]

25 SATURDAY

Bombing

26 SUNDAY

Cloud bashing

Bombing

Pilot hurt.

[page break]

27 MONDAY

48 hours leave

3-31 Stafford

dispointed [sic]

Pilot in Hospital

28 TUESDAY

good time in county

[page break]

29 WEDNESDAY

Cluston 5.38

Pilot Bad

30 THURSDAY

easy time

[page break]

31 FRIDAY

pressure test

48 hours. Leave

5.48 Stafford

APRIL 1 SATURDAY

Good time.

hard going

[page break]

2 SUNDAY

Uaston 12.00

all was well

3 MONDAY

Browned off

[page break]

4 TUESDAY

[deleted] Met New Pilot Sgt [indecipherable word] [/deleted]

5 WEDNESDAY

nothing to do no pilot or Wireless/opp

[page break]

6 THURSDAY

[blank page]

7 FRIDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

8 SATURDAY

flew with madman.

9 SUNDAY

[deleted] almost killed [/deleted]

[page break]

10 MONDAY

very easy day.

A good night out.

11 TUESDAY

nothing to do.

[page break]
12 WEDNESDAY

Volenteered [sic] to go on Balls eye.

Good things

13 THURSDAY

easy time

[page break]

14 FRIDAY

still nothing to do.

15 SATURDAY

good time in town bags of fun

[page break]

[missing pages]

20 THURSDAY

good time at Dance

21 FRIDAY

end of long rest

Posted

[page break]

22 SATURDAY

back to Hixon New Pilot Sgt Keeler.

23 SUNDAY

plenty of flying

new Pilot O.K.

[page break]

24 MONDAY

cloud Bashing

25 TUESDAY

cloud Bashing Bombing

[page break]

26 WEDNESDAY

grounded bad weather good time in town

27 THURSDAY

Cloud Bashing bad Crash

[page break]

28 FRIDAY

felt bad. No flying.
29 SATURDAY

flying again

[page break]

30 SUNDAY

Bombing

MAY 1 MONDAY

Cine Bombing

[page break]

2 TUESDAY

Bombing

3 WEDNESDAY

night off. good time Plenty of fun.

[page break]

4 THURSDAY

grounded

5 FRIDAY

grounded

[page break]

6 SATURDAY

grounded

7 SUNDAY

grounded

[page break]

8 MONDAY

grounded lost leave.

9 TUESDAY

48 hrs leave. Stafford 9-48.

[page break]

10 WEDNESDAY

disapointed [sic] but had good time

12 + 13 11 THURSDAY

Claston 8-30 a.m. Met new “Wop” Flt. Sgt Stricket

[page break]

12 FRIDAY

Cloud Bashing

13 SATURDAY

Cloud Bashing

[page break]

14 SUNDAY

long trip bombing plenty of trouble every [deleted] the [/deleted] thing wrong. I was nocked [sic] out. Pilot in trouble but all ended well Balls eye.

15 MONDAY

lots of flying

[page break]

16 TUESDAY

busy night Mick killed

17 WEDNESDAY

hopes of leave. Steve got F/O.

[page break]

18 THURSDAY

13 days leave. Stafford 5.48.

19 FRIDAY

Joe home. very good times

[page break]

20 SATURDAY

plenty of fun [deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted] Flo. old feeling again but held my own.

21 SUNDAY

pleasent [sic] time

[page break]

22 MONDAY

good time with Sal. good time with Joan

23 TUESDAY

Stepney good time Good time with Joan, plenty of fun

[page break]

24 WEDNESDAY

went to Totenham [sic] took Joany out from bank. Plenty of fun.

25 THURSDAY
County plenty of fun

[page break]

26 FRIDAY

Stepney, baby. Good time

27 SATURDAY

took Joan and Betty out. Stepney. Party. good time but worried

[page break]

28 SUNDAY

went out with Flo. Jess and Joe, hard time trouble

29 MONDAY

Bad time

[page break]

30 TUESDAY

Bad for me

31 WEDNESDAY

Kings Cross 12-45 Doncaster 4.10 Boston Park.

[page break]

1944 JUNE

1 THURSDAY

Bill Charlie O.K.

2 FRIDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

3 SATURDAY

day off, Thorne Plenty of fun.

4 SUNDAY

day off Thorn More fun.

[page break]

5 MONDAY

Stones O.K.

6 TUESDAY

The day.

[page break]

7 WEDNESDAY

on Charge. got away with with it

8 THURSDAY

Fred got his Comision [sic] Thorne. Morends [sic]

[page break]

9 FRIDAY

Irene. Smashing girl a very good time plenty of fun. Pleasant suprises [sic]

10 SATURDAY

Background danger. Irene. Smashing time More fun Wally went home. Charlie, Bill Posted

[page break]

11 SUNDAY

“P/O Keeler”

12 MONDAY

Stones O.K.

[page break]

13 TUESDAY

Posted Sandtoft Pool

Epworth. good time bags of fun.

John got Married

14 WEDNESDAY

Epworth O.K. bags fun

Whiteheart Raynor.

Doreene

[page break]

15 THURSDAY

Hopes of Posting

Epworth good time Joan. Plenty of fun.

16 FRIDAY

Bill & Charlie Posted.

[page break]

17 SATURDAY

Epworth. good time Plenty of fun Peggy.

18 SUNDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

19 MONDAY

[blank page]

20 TUESDAY

Posted to Blighton

Met Engineer JOE.

[page break]

21 WEDNESDAY

Posted Ingham.

Bill and Charlie again

Castle

22 THURSDAY

Went to Lincoln good time bags of fun.

[page break]

23 FRIDAY

flying.

24 SATURDAY

flying

Lincoln good time plenty of fun

[page break]

25 SUNDAY

flying

26 MONDAY

flying

[page break]

27 TUESDAY

flying

28 WEDNESDAY

flying

[page break]

29 THURSDAY

flying

30 FRIDAY
flying
Lincoln good time

[page break]

JULY 1944

1 SATURDAY

Posted to Blyton

2 SUNDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

3 MONDAY

[blank page]

4 TUESDAY

[blank page]

5 WEDNESDAY

[blank page]

6 THURSDAY

flying Bombing

[page break]

7 FRIDAY

Gainsborough. good time fun.

8 SATURDAY

Gainsborough. good time plenty of fun.

[page break]

9 SUNDAY

[blank page]

10 MONDAY

Lincoln. Gainsboro [sic] photo

[page break]

11 TUESDAY

flying

12 WEDNESDAY

flying Geordy killed

[page break]

13 THURSDAY

flying

14 FRIDAY

[deleted flying [/deleted]

Gainsboro [sic] good time

[page break]

15 SATURDAY

Lost Navigator

16 SUNDAY

Gainsboro [sic]. good time

[page break]

17 MONDAY

New Navigator. Flying. F/O. Yule.

18 TUESDAY

flying New Nav O.K.

[page break]

19 WEDNESDAY

Gainsboro [sic].

20 THURSDAY

flying

[page break]

21 FRIDAY

flying Bombing.

22 SATURDAY

flying

23 SUNDAY

flying Ballseye.

24 MONDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

25 TUESDAY

[blank page]

26 WEDNESDAY

Posted Hemswell 6.25. Lincoln
[page break]

27 THURSDAY

[blank page]

28 FRIDAY

11.15. Kings X.

[page break]

29 SATURDAY

[blank page]

30 SUNDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

31 MONDAY

Gainsboro [sic].

AUG 1 TUESDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

2 WEDNESDAY

Gainsboro [sic]

3 THURSDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

4 FRIDAY

[blank page]

5 SATURDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

6 SUNDAY

flying

7 MONDAY

Gainsboro [sic]

[page break]

8 TUESDAY

flying

9 WEDNESDAY

flying Dingy [sic] 8.30

[page break]

10 THURSDAY

[blank page]

11 FRIDAY

Posted to Squadron No 12. Wickenby

[page break]

12 SATURDAY

No.1. O.K. Cornfield “Falaise”

13 SUNDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

14 MONDAY

7. days leave Lincoln 1.55 Kings Cross 6.15

15 TUESDAY

good time

[page break]

16 WEDNESDAY

good time

17 THURSDAY

good time

[page break]

18 FRIDAY

good time

19 SATURDAY

good time fun

[page break]

20 SUNDAY

good time fun

21 MONDAY

Kings Cross 5.40

[page break]

22 TUESDAY

Guns OK.

23 WEDNESDAY

year.

[page break]

24 THURSDAY

[blank page]

25 FRIDAY

No 2. O.K. “Russelsheim”

[page break]

26 SATURDAY

[blank page]

27 SUNDAY

flying guns O.K.

[page break]

28 MONDAY

[blank page]

29 TUESDAY

No. 3. Cornfield O.K. “Stettin” Paddy killed good fellow real Pal

[page break]

30 WEDNESDAY

Lincoln good time

31 THURSDAY

[blank page]

1944 SEPTEMBER

1 FRIDAY

Lincoln good time

2 SATURDAY

flying

[page break]

3 SUNDAY

No.4. O.K. “Eindhoven”

4 MONDAY

Lincoln
[page break]

5 TUESDAY

No 5. O.K. “Le Havre”

6 WEDNESDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

7 THURSDAY

Lincoln good time

8 FRIDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

9 SATURDAY

Lincoln

10 SUNDAY

No. 6. O.K. “Le Havre”

[page break]

11 MONDAY

[blank page]

12 TUESDAY

No 7. O.K. “Frankfurt”

[page break]

13 WEDNESDAY

[deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted] flying

14 THURSDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

15 FRIDAY

[blank page]

16 SATURDAY

No 8. O.K. “Rheine Hopsten”

[page break]

17 SUNDAY

[blank page]

18 MONDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

19 TUESDAY

[blank page]

20 WEDNESDAY

No 9. O.K. “Calais”

[page break]

21 THURSDAY

Lincoln

22 FRIDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

23 SATURDAY

No. 10. O.K. “[deleted] Calais [/deleted] “Neurs”

24 SUNDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

25 MONDAY

No.11. bombs back not so good. “Calais”

26 TUESDAY

No 11 OK. “Cap Griz Nez”

[page break]

27 WEDNESDAY

[blank page]

28 THURSDAY

Lincoln 6.25. 7. Days leave.

[page break]

29 FRIDAY

Watch Bill good time Ted

30 SATURDAY

good time

[page break]

OCTOBER 1944

1 SUNDAY

Bill Home good time

2 MONDAY

Bank good time

[page break]

3 TUESDAY

good time

4 WEDNESDAY

good time

[page break]

5 THURSDAY

Reggie good time

6 FRIDAY

Kings X. 5.50

[page break]

7 SATURDAY

[blank page]

8 SUNDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

9 MONDAY

[blank page]

10 TUESDAY

flying F.A.

[page break]

11 WEDNESDAY

flying A.F.

12 THURSDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

13 FRIDAY

flying F.A.

14 SATURDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

15 SUNDAY

Posted to. [indecipherable word] Lincs

Binbrook.

16 MONDAY

flying Picked up new kite 190. Squadron.

[page break]

17 TUESDAY

Grimsby. good time

18 WEDNESDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

19 THURSDAY

No 12. O.K. “Stuttgart”

20 FRIDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

21 SATURDAY

Louth good time Watch.

22 SUNDAY

New Squadron. 170 Dunholme Lodge

[page break]

23 MONDAY

[blank page]

24 TUESDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

25 WEDNESDAY

No. 13. O.K. “Essen”

26 THURSDAY

Lincoln

[page break]

27 FRIDAY

[blank page]

28 SATURDAY

No 14. O.K. “Cologne”

[page break]

29 SUNDAY

[blank page]

30 MONDAY

No 15. OK. “Cologne”

[page break]

31 TUESDAY

No 16 OK. “Cologne”

NOVEMBER 1 WEDNESDAY

Party. Black Bull good time

[page break]

2 THURSDAY

No.17. OK. Dusseldorf

3 FRIDAY

Lincoln

[page break]

4 SATURDAY

P.F.F. ?

5 SUNDAY

Posted Warboys P.F.F.

[page break]

6 MONDAY

Warboys. 2.9. Kings X. 4.2. Joe. Good time

7 TUESDAY

Kings X. 6.40.

[page break]

8 WEDNESDAY

[blank page]

9 THURSDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

10 FRIDAY

test OK. Dinghy Cambridge

11 SATURDAY

flying

[page break]

12 SUNDAY

flying

13 MONDAY

flying Huntingdon

[page break]

14 TUESDAY

Post. Upwood. Squadron. 1.5.6.

15 WEDNESDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

16 THURSDAY

[blank page]

17 FRIDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

18 SATURDAY

[blank page]

19 SUNDAY

flying

20 MONDAY

[blank page]

21 TUESDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

22 WEDNESDAY

[blank page]
23 THURSDAY

flying

[page break]

24 FRIDAY

[blank page]

25 SATURDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

26 SUNDAY

[blank page]

27 MONDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

28 TUESDAY

[blank page]

29 WEDNESDAY

No 18. “Essen”

[page break]

30 THURSDAY

No 19. “Duisburg”

DECEMBER 1 FRIDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

2 SATURDAY

[blank page]

3 SUNDAY

No. 20. “Urfurt [sic] Dam”

[page break]

4 MONDAY

[blank page]

5 TUESDAY

No 21. “Soest” ears bad

[page break]

6 WEDNESDAY

No. Grounded ears bad.

7 THURSDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

8 FRIDAY

[blank page]

9 SATURDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

10 SUNDAY

[blank page]

11 MONDAY

leave Peterboro [sic] 3.58 Kings X. 5.25

[page break]

12 TUESDAY

good time Bank. Ted home Flo

13 WEDNESDAY

good time

[page break]

14 THURSDAY

good time County Flo. Dolly O.K.

15 FRIDAY

good time. Dolly

[page break]

16 SATURDAY

Ted good time. plenty fun

17 SUNDAY

good time Ted ship Dolly.

[page break]

18 MONDAY

Kings X 5.50 Peterboro [sic] 7.30

19 TUESDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

20 WEDNESDAY

[blank page]

21 THURSDAY

No 22. “Bonn”

[page break]

22 FRIDAY

Mess Dance Audrey O.K. Pat.

23 SATURDAY

Peterboro [sic].

[page break]

24 SUNDAY

Sqd Dance Audrey OK

25 MONDAY

Dance Ramsey Audrey. O.K.

[page break]

26 TUESDAY

[blank page]

27 WEDNESDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

28 THURSDAY

No 23. “Opladen”

29 FRIDAY

[blank page]

[page break]

30 SATURDAY

No 24 “Cologne”

31 SUNDAY

No 25. “Osterfeld”

[page break]

Flight 8/113
RAF. Stockleigh Rd
Regents Park
London. S.W.1.

E Flight
6 Squadron
18 I.T.W.
Bridlington
Yorks.

Hut 55.
D. Squadron
N.1. E.AGS,
R.A F Bridgnorth
Salop

[page break]

11 Course
12 A.G.S.
R.A.F.
Bishops Court
N. Ireland.

Sgts Mess
R.A.F. Hixon

Sgts Mess
R.AF. Leighford

Sgts Mess
R.AF. Hixon

Sgts Mess
R. A. F. Boston Park
Lindholme
Yorks

[page break]

Sgts Mess
R.A.F. Sandtofts
Yorks

Sgts Mess
R.A.F Blyton
Lincs

Sgts Mess
R.A.F Ingham
Lincs

Sgts Mess
R.A.F. Hemswell
Lincs
[page break]

Sgts Mess, Red
Wickenby,
Lincs.

Sgts Mess
[indecipherable word]
Lincs

Sgts Mess
Dunholme Lodge
Lincs

Sgts Mess
Warboys
Hunts

[page break]

Sgts Mess
Upwood
Hunts

Sgts Mess
Wyton
Hunts

Sgts Mess
Warboys
Hunts

Sgts Mess
Wyton
Hunts

Sgts Mess
Graveley
Hunts

[page break]