1
25
4
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16299/BAllenJHAllenJHv20003.1.jpg
c2d46d8f592d27616c417e299c0fb611
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16299/BAllenJHAllenJHv20004.1.jpg
6d88889eec4f1e3ae082b545fbe82a2a
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16299/BAllenJHAllenJHv20005.1.jpg
477911dd120177c4bd0ebc983ee6df96
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Allen, Jim
J H Allen
Description
An account of the resource
18 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant James Henry Allen DFC (b. 1923, 179996 Royal Air Force). He flew a tour of operations as a pilot with 578 Squadron. The collection consists of a number of memoirs, photographs and a diary. It includes descriptions of military life and operations and his post-war life and work.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Steve Allen and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-05-12
2019-02-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Allen, JH
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
AFTER THE WAR WAS OVER
We have read many stories circa 1944-45, but relatively few of the years that followed. We know that at least one member of 578 Sqn became an Air Marshall and another became a Group Captain and an Australian member became the Speaker in the Australian Parliament, in each case generating a feeling of reflected pride in the rest of us having once known them.
It may well be that other members of 578 Sqn were in their own modest ways perhaps as successful rather lower down the scale contributing to the sum of human happiness when their wartime flying days were over. It is possible that many interesting stories lie untold covering some sixty plus years which might be of interest to the rising generation(s) indicating that normal life can be full of incidents and problems ranging from elation to downright despair.
I left Burn in September 1944 on completion of a normal tour of 40 operations, with heartfelt thanks to our Guardian Angel who had been on duty full time.
After some months at an OTU I was posted to Transport Command and made some interesting trips to America, ten flights to India bringing troops home, and a proving flight to New Zealand. Having served a year beyond my normal demob date I left the RAF in October 1947.
My wife and I had married in July 1944 and in 1947 she was pregnant and keen for me to leave the service. After some difficulty we did manage to buy a house in Hornchurch, Essex. Then there was the matter of getting a job, there being a dearth of vacancies for bomber crews. Pre-war I had been in the engineering industry, but soon found it impossible to return to that trade. Something had to be found which involved working outdoors in a large firm which offered some prospect of advancement.
I chose London Transport and went to work as a bus conductor. Surprisingly I met a number of ex-aircrew who had chosen the same path. ‘Night School’ classes were available and I attended for two years, learning, among other things how to schedule buses within this vast organisation.
After a year I applied for promotion, but was turned down on the grounds that one needed two years service to be even considered for advancement. When I was turned down the following year I made some gentle enquiries and I learned that I was unpopular among the other crews because of my strange ideas of timekeeping. The conductor was responsible for timekeeping and I considered that we were paid to keep to the schedule. Drivers considered this ridiculous, the idea was to catch the bus in front and leave prospective passengers to the following bus. (Now you know the basis of: ‘no bus for twenty minutes, then three together’) Some drivers spoke with the garage manager saying they didn’t want me allocated to them. Unable to accept this atmosphere I left and became ‘The man from the Prudential.’ This was an eye-opener as many women would invite one in for a cup of tea and then proceed to pour out their stories of domestic woe. And some were very sad storied indeed. After a year of me selling insurance my wife said on (sic) evening that she could see that I was not happy, and if I wanted to return to the RAF she wouldn’t object.
That evening I wrote to the RAF basically asking, “Have you got a job I might do?” The reply was, “Come and have a chat”. A few weeks later I was offered a Short Service commission in the Fighter Control Branch. I was over the moon at the prospect of returning to the RAF and my wife was willing to accept the position. I reported to RAF Patrington towards the end of October 1951.
At the end of the training period, as a newly qualified Fighter Controller I was told at 9am one day to get packed and report to RAF Acklington (Northumberland) [bold, underlined] today [/bold, underlined]. On arrival I asked, “What’s the rush?”, to be told that I was a replacement for a controller who
Page break
2
was leaving the following day, and as the station was an Armament Practice Camp with quite high pressure controlling I was to have one day’s instruction before taking over.
This turned out to be the most profitable 24hrs of my life. The system of control was very well organised, high pressure and continuous. Target (towing) aircraft took off every 40 minutes, firing aircraft every 20 minutes. There was a requirement to avoid hitting fishing vessels below. The firing aircraft were Meteor 8s using 20mm cannon, the target aircraft towed banners or glider targets.
After two years of such intensive control one became a very slick Fighter Controller. We were used as a finishing school for Controllers nearing the end of their courses at Units. A most satisfying time.
This was followed by a 30 month tour in Germany at the time when the new Luftwaffe was being formed. The first Unit was a defensive one – a Control and Reporting station at Brockzeitel near Jever in North Germany. Guess who found himself volunteered as one of the two instructors – neither of whom spoke German. In the best Service tradition we were promised that all trainees would be English speaking. This was true for the first course.
The second course arrived with the one member who “Spoke English”; He had served for two years behind the bar at an American unit!!
Again in the best Service tradition we were told to get on with the job. This called for much burning of midnight oil, sweating of blood and laughter in class as this instructor struggled with (and mangled) German grammar. Fortunately all voice procedures were in standard Nato English so progress was made. After three months conversation in German was smoother and at the end of the year I was reasonably fluent in practical German. (A one-time girl friend once said to me, “You don’t have to be bright to learn a language, small children can do it”. I think she was trying to tell me something).
In February 1959 we were posted to Bishops Court in N. Ireland. In July my wife became ill and in March 1962 died of cancer. We had three children, ages 14, 12 and 2 years. The older two children were placed in boarding schools close together and the baby was taken over by my wife’s sister and her husband who had a boy and girl of their own the same ages as my older two. They fostered the baby for the next seven years until he too could go to boarding school.
In July 1962 at my own request I stated a one-year unaccompanied tour in Kuwait in order to recover somewhat from two stressful years. Contact with the children was maintained by means of tape recorder at each end; at the time tape recorders were just coming into general use – mine weighed about 14lb. On returning home in 1963 I bought a small house for the older two children in order to provide them with a base during the holidays. At the same time I became a founder member of No.1 ACC (Air Control Unit), a new mobile Control and Reporting unit. This was at the time of the UDI crisis in Southern Rhodesia. There was a need for political reasons to put British forces on the ground in Zambia. Obviously a very sensitive issue so the RAF was used. No.1 ACC went to the airfield at Lusaka, The RAF Regiment to Livingstone and a Javelin Squadron to Ndola; this we occupied the key points of the country.
We arrived at the beginning of the wet season, I kid thee not; the we season is WET. We stayed in Zambia for almost a year, meeting president Kenneth Kaunda a very intelligent man who was a pleasure to talk with. Returning to the UK in 1966 we found, “It’s all been changed” ACC personal were dispersed and replaced. I was asked if I would like to go to Iran, and accepted and in 1967 found myself at Babolsar on the shore of the Caspian Sea. A new Hydra multi-beam radar was installed there and I was soon on a steep learning curve. It was quite interesting teaching the Iranian Controllers how to
Page break
3
Switch beams as the mountainous terrain south of the station produced a profusion of permanent echoes which the Controllers claimed made the tracking of aircraft impossible.
About a dozen English and German nurses worked in the local children’s hospital and we were appalled at their living conditions. We bought electric fans for them to alleviate the summer heat. These girls were doing Voluntary Service Overseas. The Iranian nurses treated them pretty much the same as nurses in England were regarded in Florence Nightingale’s day – barely above the social level of prostitutes. Yet these girls simply loved attending to the children. We had a GP14 dinghy and took them sailing and swimming in the sea.
Some six months after arrival in Iran I developed double vision in one eye and was sent to CME (Central Medical Establishment) in London. I was developing cataract, but as it could not be treated for a year I returned to Babolsar wearing a patch over the affected eye. This caused hilarity among the Iranians who now called me, “Captain Jim the pirate”. After a year in Iran I returned home blind in the left eye, quite useless for Fighter Control. Cutting the story short surgery was carried out on the left eye (removal of the lens) and some months later on the right eye. Eventually I was fitted with contact lenses that today give me something like 80% normal vision.
On return from Iran, in Oct 1968, I was able to reconnect with my children, by now very grown up – the two older ones at University and the youngest at boarding school.
Now the wife of a long-standing RAF friend played Jane Austin in deciding that I was in urgent need of a wife and entered the match-making stakes – “In seven years you haven’t done very well in finding another wife; it’s time I gave you a hand!” In March 1969 I married a widow with three children – all six children at the wedding. We have now been married 36 years, have six grandchildren and one great-grandchild, in all a very happy family. The one tragedy being the sudden death of the youngest child five years ago.
Jim Allen 2005.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
After the War was Over
Description
An account of the resource
Jim Allen's experiences after the end of the war. He married in 1944 and had three children. His first job was as a bus conductor, then an insurance agent but he was unhappy so rejoined the RAF. He trained as a Fighter Controller and was posted to RAF Acklington, Germany then Ireland. His wife died in 1962. He did tours in Kuwait, Rhodesia, Zambia then Iran. He remarried in 1969.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jim Allen
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2005
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Three typewritten sheets
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
BAllenJHAllenJHv20003,
BAllenJHAllenJHv20004,
BAllenJHAllenJHv20005
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Fighter Command
Royal Air Force. Transport Command
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
United States
India
New Zealand
Australia
Great Britain
England--London
England--Northumberland
Germany--Jever
Kuwait
Zimbabwe
Zambia--Lusaka
Zambia--Ndola
Iran--Bābul Sar
Germany
Iran
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Laura Morgan
578 Squadron
aircrew
Meteor
Operational Training Unit
RAF Bishops Court
RAF Burn
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16301/MAllenJH179996-160512-020001.1.jpg
dc8832898b9affc7bb5031a911202bd0
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16301/MAllenJH179996-160512-020002.1.jpg
aca449644998cb8919f6e3e20c6691fe
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16301/MAllenJH179996-160512-020003.1.jpg
2fcd790afdb0a0582c290a45f0076c7a
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16301/MAllenJH179996-160512-020004.1.jpg
02db65d966ed750a662e71b3bd92b3d1
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16301/MAllenJH179996-160512-020005.1.jpg
33ec8bb8d8552978360b53b4b7521bbf
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16301/MAllenJH179996-160512-020006.1.jpg
d64eb9d7fd70e90489d2f472d4e4a649
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16301/MAllenJH179996-160512-020007.1.jpg
3a5fb9ec9cb43b006a87885bb3508628
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16301/MAllenJH179996-160512-020008.1.jpg
2187d714a711c4b5a68a86e62a73ba26
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16301/MAllenJH179996-160512-020009.1.jpg
377ec1a6e4b5f7f856219100d34c06ca
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Allen, Jim
J H Allen
Description
An account of the resource
18 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant James Henry Allen DFC (b. 1923, 179996 Royal Air Force). He flew a tour of operations as a pilot with 578 Squadron. The collection consists of a number of memoirs, photographs and a diary. It includes descriptions of military life and operations and his post-war life and work.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Steve Allen and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-05-12
2019-02-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Allen, JH
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
To my grandchildren
With grateful thanks to Peggy and Sam Hunt
and
Irene and Peter Hinchliffe
A Love Story
by
Granddad
J H Allen
November 1997
[Page Break]
In the Spring of 1941 I was working for the Plessey Co. Ltd, Vicarage Lane Ilford Essex as an apprentice instrument maker. The office of the instrument shop was a wood and glass box about 12ft square. My lathe was about 15ft from the door of this office. One day a fellow turner said to me, “what do you think of our new office girls?” I looked up to see a young lady learning forward over a table in the office displaying some 4” of white leg between the top of her stocking and the hem of her skirt atop a very shapely pair of legs. My first view of a girl who years later would become my wife. Her name was June; I thought her rather plain with steel-rimmed spectacles.
On 23 June’41 (a Sunday) a number of us were working including out office girl. It came up that her birthday was on the 26th June; she would be 19. Someone suggested that we give her a birthday kiss, and we all did,. It was the first time I had kissed a girl. I was one month short of my 18th birthday.
Shortly afterwards I asked her if she would ‘come to the pictures with me ‘– standard request then for a date. She agreed and on the following Saturday we went to see a film at a cinema in Romford; we both lived in Romford. No romance blossomed, in fact she dated another (rather handsome) chap in the instrument shop, named Johnny Johnson. However I did learn that her surname was Eve, which somewhat intrigued me.
I joined the RAF on 30 March 1942. On my first leave some thirteen weeks later I contacted June and was gratified to find she was no longer dating JJ and there was no-one else in her sights. Leave over I departed ad we agreed to write. This rather gentle romance jogged along until November 1942 when I sailed for Canada – on the Queen Elizabeth. I had a double cabin shared with fourteen other airman tiered bunks three high. I was now in love with June, but she made it quote plain that she regarded me as no more than a friend. In fact this was the second time she had made this clear to me. Before departing I purchased a writing case for her (it cost thirty shillings, four days pay, which I still have 55 yrs on) in the hope that it would encourage her to write.
Whilst training in Canada I wrote to her and she replied. One letter I received about April ’43 informed me that she was much interested in another young man, and it was clear that I was well down the list in her affections. This was the third occasion on which she has in effect told me to go away, [sic] Even so I maintained contact as I expected to return by early July’43. In fact I had seriously debated with myself whilst in hospital in May ’43 suffering from a very high temperature whether or not I really wanted to marry her. I concluded that I most definitely did want her, but felt that she would probably not return my feelings – my hard luck! It is worth recording that in all my training I really did strive to so well as I felt very strongly that if I failed to get my wings I would not return to Romford, being unable to face her as a failure, Thus she was an inspiration to me – that is no exaggeration.
On return to Romford in July’43 I called on June (without much hope) to learn she had no other attachment. I had two weeks leave during which time we visited the cinema and theatre and spent as much time as possible ‘walking out’ together. June was able to take one week summer holiday so we were able to spend quite a bit of time together [sic] On one such occasion she said “Look, there’s a church, lets go in and get married!. Being totally taken aback I made some stupid remark about it being a good idea as it would reduce my income tax. It did however cause me much thought that evening – this being the first intimation that there might just be a glimmer of hope for me, The following day I told her again that I loved her and asked frankly “Is there any chance for me?” When she replied “There’s a great chance” I was simply over the moon. We agreed to marry ‘when the war is over’ and announced the engagement to our families. The date was 16th July 1943. June was 21 yrs, I was a fortnight short of my 20th birthday.
We were now in a sort of limbo; unable to set a date to marry and restrained by our upbringing and culture from enjoying each other before marriage. A majority of young women at the time strove to preserve virginity till their wedding night. June was such a girl and indeed I expected it of her. We were waiting for the war to end.
On January 21 ’44 I was flying a Wellington on a night cross-country exercise and crashed just outside York bear a village called Askam Bryan. It was pitch black and we hit the ground at over 100mph, downwind some five seconds after I saw it in the landing light [sic] All six of us got out of the aircraft without a scratch. The plane was reduced to scrap and one engine was on fire about thirty yards from the aircraft.
This incident triggered the date of our wedding as June said “Let’s get married and take what happiness we can while we can”. We set the date for July – in fact we married on St Swithin’s day. 15 July. In January ’44 the war was far from over, and I would be on an operational bomber squadron in a few months.
My leave started on Thursday 31 July, we married on the Saturday in Romford with ‘doodle-bugs’ (V-1 flying bombs) passing over head – speeches bring curtailed until they had passed - then departed to spend our wedding night at the Winston hotel in Jermyn St. London, further to the sound of flying bombs passing by accompanied by the crash of anti –
1
[Page break]
aircraft fire. We then had three days honeymoon at Marlow (Bucks) and on the Wednesday night I travelled back to camp to arrive for breakfast on the Thursday, to learn that during the night the squadron had lost six aircraft, two crews from my flight. On 23 July I carried out my first operation as a married man, to Kiel where U-boats were being built. My very new wife was now in line to become a very new widow.
As you know, by our wedding day I had flown twenty-twenty two operations and flew a further eighteen after it. You can read two or three of them in the book, “Based at Burn”. June was sometimes asked how she felt knowing that I was operating. She said she felt no great anxiety as I always seemed so confident that my crew would services. This despite having met us (the crew) twice at Liverpool St station, London as we returned to base by rail after landing away due to the damage to our aircraft. How I felt in surviving the tour in Bomber Command and later flying the Atlantic in winter in York aircraft is another story which has no place here apart from the fact that June was always my home port and reason for returning.
In 1946 we bought a house for £900 with a mortgage of £640. It was a poor house in a non-salubrious area and the top half of the house was let to a family with two small children at a ‘controlled’ i.e. low rent, and the law gave them total protection against loss of their accommodation. I was still in the RAF so this really was no problem; we had our own home small as it was.
Shortly after the war in Europe ended (May 1945) June developed a strong urge to have a baby. There is no greater force in human emotions than this; it is inconceivable to anyone who has not come up against it.
Cutting short a two-year-long difficult story in April 1947 after numerous painful and embarrassing visits to the hospital for both of us, and the last of which for June consisted of oil being forced into her reproductive tract (under anaesthetic during which she woke up) in order that is could be x-rayed the verdict was delivered: “In the present state of medical knowledge we have to say that we think it is not possible for you to conceive. The fallopian tubes are so malformed that it is impossible, and we cannot correct it with surgery. This is a congenital condition that you were born with. You may prove us wrong one day – it has been know – but we think not.
The verdict produced a profound depression. We enquired about adoption, to be told that we could not be considered until we were both over the age of 25yrs of age. (in April ’47 I was under 24yrs and June not yet 25yrs) It is quite impossible to find words to describe the depths of misery that these to blows produced. At the time I was stationed reasonably near June and got home most weekends.
I came home for the weekend in late July ’47 to be greeted by my wife in a state of supreme suppressed excitement. She was simply bursting with the news that her period was [underlined] two days [/underlined] late. She was pregnant and no amount of cautionary words would alter it. She KNEW it and she would have a daughter who would be called ‘Marion’!! She couldn’t wait for the first bout of morning sickness. When her condition was confirmed a week or so later her joy was boundless. From the depths of despair to overwhelming elation in three months.!!
I left the RAF in October ’47 having served a year beyond my demob date. I would have liked to continue, but pressure to leave was now great; our living conditions were not good and I felt I needed to be with June when the baby arrived.
I returned to engineering, working for a small firm in Brentwood, Essex. My pay was two shillings an hour, fifty hours per week. After working inside for a few weeks I simply could not stand it any longer and became a bus conductor with London Transport, the pay was just under six pounds per week and I would be working outside. I was in fact the best job I could get.
Our daughter Marion was born ten days late on 29 March 1948, weighing-in at 10lbs. As the midwife said, No wonder it was a tough job”. The baby was born at home as it was not possible to get into a maternity ward unless complications were expected. Our accommodation comprised of two rooms and a small kitchen. The only heating being a small fireplace in each room – central heating was simply not on and coal was rationed. The after-birth was wrapped in newspaper and put on the small fire in the room where our daughter was born. The attendance of the doctor cost £7, the midwife £3.
June’s Aunt Rhoda came in each day to help with the baby until June was able to get up again.
Up to a point the job of bus conductor was quite enjoyable, it also had some prospect of advancement and after a year I did apply for the a post as Inspector. I didn’t get it as it was policy not to promote a conductor until he had several years experience – primarily to make him acceptable to other drivers and conductors. This attitude and the lowly status of the job produced a high degree of frustration. June never wavered in her support for me: from being the wife of an officer in the RAF she was now the wife of a bus conductor. By this time our living conditions became intolerable due to the attitude of the family upstairs. As always their darling little children were just playing; to us it was continual intolerable noise without relief.
When Marion was three months old we were able to buy a house at Ardleigh Green, Hornchurch. We took out a mortgage for £1300, cost £2 per week plus 10 shillings per week rates. May take home pay was £5 per week. We were
[Page Break]
Utterly desperate to get a place of our own, Ardleigh Green was a much better area and we felt pleased to have moved and improved our situation. In the event we had to let two rooms to a newly married couple to help pay the mortgage, but overall we were better off.
In June 1949 my wife asked how I felt about a second child. I replied that this was entirely a matter of her choice; she would have to produce the child and do 99% of the upbringing for a least the first three years. June said that she had always wanted two children: Marion was now 14mths old she would prefer to bring up two children together rather than several years apart. In contrast to the difficulties of conceiving out daughter June became pregnant immediately (I now think that both our children were conceived on 26 June – her birthday). As certain as she had been that the first-born would be a daughter June was now equally certain that she would bear a son. She duly did on 14 March 1950, on schedule. Chris was born on Oldchurch hospital, Romford, as this situation was now improved.
I visited mother and son that evening; looking down on Chris I said to him, “What have we done. We created you quite deliberately, you are much wanted yet what future have you? Before you reach school age you are likely to be a little heap of atomic ash”. At the time it did look as if we would be at war with Russia quite soon; the whole atmosphere was depressing. All the newspaper talk was of Foreign Ministers meeting for a ‘last chance’ to avert war. A week later Marion met her new brother and our family was complete.
Chris was born with a band of eczema across his chest. He suffered severely and continuously with this complaint for over fourteen years; it never did clear up. The doctors assured us from birth that ‘it would clear up in a couple of years’ always two years ahead! He suffered severely from the itching of this complaint; the amazing thing to us was that he was always very lively and so cheerful accepted his bandaged arms and legs. The strange thing was that neither of our families had a history of eczema.
June was now totally happy with the family she wanted and excelling in what was really her destiny – to be a wife and mother. Financially we were not well off, in fact living literally from one pay day to the next. In 1950 food prices were relatively twice the prices of the 1990s. With each other we were totally happy. It is fashionable now to sneer at such statement on the grounds that the wife must thereby be a doormat: this is total rubbish. My mother burned herself to death due to the treatment she received from her husband; my wife was never less than my equal and we were both happy with our condition.
In June 1950 I started work with the Prudential Assurance Co. Ltd as an insurance agent. It was quite an interesting job and I got to a point where I enjoyed calling on families. Some families opened my eyes more than somewhat. I found myself invited in for a cup of tea many times, not so much for refreshment as for someone for the wife to talk to. If the stories I heard were half true some wives lived appalling lives at the hands of their husbands. It was almost impossible in those days for the wife to escape from home (especially if she had children) other than ‘going back to mother’ – regarded as shameful; she got precious sympathy. In some cases a wife would pay pennies per week insurance on her husband’s life and beg me to keep it secret as the husband would beat her up if he knew. The same husband considered talking out life insurance as the equivalent to signing his death warrant. Half a century on I look back and consider that these wives were not exaggerating.
There was as much marital disharmony then as today and I was appalled to find that of the families I called on, as ‘The Man from the Prudential’, that only one or two of them lived in genuine harmony.
In July 1951 a cousin of June’s Joyce Levi, called on us one afternoon. She was in the WRNS (Womens Royal Naval Service) and just before she departed I said to her, “I often wish I was still in the Service”. When she had gone June said to me, “If you really feel that you’d like to go back in the RAF don’t let me stop you”. After some little discussion to be sure that this truly was the case I wrote that evening to the Air Ministry to ask if there was any possibility of me rejoining the RAF. The short answer was, “Come up and see us and let’s talk”. I was asked if I would like to be a flying instructor. Would a duck like to swim? Unfortunately, as I expected, my eyesight was just not up to standard. However all was not lost.
On 19 October 1951 I returned to the Royal Air Force. The Korean War provided the opportunity to rejoin and I considered myself extremely fortunate to return with a commission (rank of Flying Officer) in the Fighter Control Branch. My flying experience was the crucial factor. June was not keen for me to RAF, but accepted that I was not happy in civil life, and the RAFF would pay me £53 per month – nearly double our current income. In the event June took happily to service life and agreed that it was the correct decision. Once again she was totally supportive.
1953 was a year I remember for two particular reasons. Our ninth wedding anniversary instead of giving June a card I wrote her a short letter saying quite simply that she was my reason for living. Many years later I gave this letter to our daughter Marion that her children might know that in a world of much martial distress it is possible for two lovers to remain so down the years. Little did we know that we were then half way through our life together. At about this
3
[Page Break]
time I asked June if she could tell me at what point she decided to accept me after telling me three times to go away. She replied that there was no particular moment, a sort of growing realisation ‘that you were always there’ which developed into the feeling that this was a desirable state that she wished to maintain on a permanent basis.
We were stationed at Acklington, Northumberland. This is a very beautiful county and it was a happy time for us, June spent some time in the hospital in Newcastle as in 1955 she underwent hysterectomy (removal of the womb) which meant a round journey of some 80 miles to visit her. I was able to fit this in with talks I gave to the Royal Auxiliary Air Force in the evening so reducing travelling expenses. June seemed to be in and out of hospitals on a continuous basis from about 1946. She once said to me “In trying to have a baby it was a case of ‘Take your knickers off’ and since the birth of the babies it’s been the same story.”
In December of the same year I was granted a permanent commission in the RAF. It was a ‘Branch Commission’ which meant that I wold not be promoted above the rank of Flight Lieutenant, but we were both delighted as it meant we would now be able to spend many years in the RAF. It wasn’t a job; it was a way of life and we liked it.
We spent two and a half years in Germany, July ’56 to February ‘59, which was a joy to us all. Life was good to us. On our thirteenth wedding anniversary in 1957 June wrote on her card to me, “ You could have not made me happier in the 13 yrs of our marriage”. We were indeed a happy family During [sic] our time there we were able to travel and see the country, and also to visit Austria. Today this nothing exceptional, but in 1950s it was still an adventure to see another country. And of course to try the food and wines! I had said to June many times, “If I had a thousand years with you, when it was time to go I’d want another five minutes”. Several times down the years I had voiced to her a fear that as we seemed to be so much happier than many families in the world, and indeed some we knew, that one day a bill would come in to pay for it. She always replied, “Let’s enjoy the life we have and be glad of it and not worry unduly”.
In 1958 June had to spend a few weeks in hospital in Germany The [sic] Services has a military hospital there exceedingly well equipped and run.
We moved to Ireland in February 1959. Marion was now 11 yrs, Chris 9 yrs. We discussed adopting two children as June could have no more. In five years our children would be thinking of leaving home one way or another we felt that we had years ahead of us to take on two children, say two years apart. And there were many children in the world who were not wanted. At that time abortion was a criminal offence and to be an unmarried mother was a matter of great shame, both to the girl and her family. In July ’59 we were placed on the register as prospective adoptees, in Belfast. June was now bubbling with joy at the prospect of another baby.
In August ‘59 June went into hospital with suspected ovarian cyst. I was told one day that she would undergo surgery that afternoon at 2pm. I arrived at the hospital at six o’clock ad went straight to the ward (I knew the way!). On entering the ward I saw her bed by the door [underlined] stripped down to the mattress [/underlined]: my soul screamed. The Sister now spoke saying that she has intended to stop me entering as my wife returned. She had been seven hours in the operating theatre. The surgeons told me that they had found stomach cancer and has removed over 4ft of her intestine. They also gave me the usual rubbish about having cleared it all out, with a good chance of it not recurring. She was in hospital for ten continuous weeks.
It must be mentioned here that June’s grandmother had died of throat cancer (the last two weeks being nothing short of slow strangulation as doctors then, as now, were not allowed to provide death with dignity) and her mother’s sister also died of cancer at age 37 years. As a result June has a profound fear of cancer. When the surgeon told me that he has found I faced a major dilemma. As she had so much agony of body I could not give her agony of mind by telling her of the cancer; it might not develop anyway. I could not cancel plans for adoption without giving reason – which would have to be the truth as she would pick up a lie at once, which would simply compound the problems. And what would out relationship be of the plans were cancelled and the cancer [underline] was [/underlined] cleared? There seemed to be no alternative but to proceed as planned and hope for the best.
[Page Break]
In March 1960 we were offered a 3 mth old boy and in due course formally adopted him – we called him Stephen Christopher. I recall one evening in the mess when June was being asked by the other wives about the baby overhearing her say, “I couldn’t be more proud if I’d produced him myself” June was at the Gates of Heaven, and for the next year was [underlined] in [/underlined] heaven.
This ended in March 1961 when June passed a large clot of blood, and I knew at once that she would die in one year. Don’t ask me how or why, I knew instantly.
Very soon the surgeon confirmed that the cancer was back – and far worse. It was a difficult year. My own state of mind was one of continuous oppressive worry. To provide a bit of relief I took up dinghy sailing as it is almost impossible to think of anything else when sailing. This did help.
In July we planned to take a caravan holiday in Southern Ireland. I spoke to the doctor about this and he replied that s we were to go on holiday it has better be very soon (like tomorrow) as my wife would not be fit to move in two or three weeks. I now spoke with my CO (Wg Cdr Pope). who [sic] was a good friend from our days in Germany, and fully in the picture regarding June’s condition (one of [underlined] very [/underlined] few people in the know). In order to allow us to go on holiday he recalled another officer from leave; as you may imagine this upset the officer and his wife, but we could not tell them why. (After June’s death did write to him with a full explanation).
By now June was in almost continuous pain. Through our doctor she was able to visit a Harley Street specialist who hopefully could make the pain bearable through hypnosis. In fact she did obtain considerable relief through this method. But by October her condition was so bad that we decided to sleep in single beds, as much as anything to allow me to sleep. This was almost as much trauma s deciding to divorce – utterly dreadful.
I also had to gently persuade June that it would be a good idea to get Marion and Chris into boarding school to ease her load at home.
In November 1961 I arranged to be posted to RAF Uxbridge so that she could go into the RAF hospital there.
We flew from Belfast and were met a Heathrow by and RAF staff car which took us directly to the hospital. June was mildly surprised, but by now she was in a wheelchair a few more lies from me smoothed the way and considered the RAF service to be nothing less than excellent.
I was posted on to the strength of RAF Uxbridge to be near her. The RAF is a very understanding employer. Thus I was able to see her every day. She was told every day that she was beautiful and I loved her – both true. At Christmas 1961 the three children and I spent the whole day with her. They were staying with me in a married quarter on camp.
Marion was able to go to boarding school at Brentwood County High School in January 1962 and Chris was boarded by Aunty Rhoda whilst he attended Brentwood School (a Grant Maintained school) He was given a boarding place in March. June’s sister Peg (Mrs Margret Daphne Hunt) took over care of Stephen for the next five years.
A few days before June died the Duty Sister allowed me to take Stephen in to see her one evening. The Matron then complained the following evening when I was there that the baby should not have been allowed in. The Sister stood her ground and said that is was probably the last time June would see the baby. So much for the humanity of the matron. The Sister was right. I was sitting with June shortly afterwards, I has just told her I loved her so much, he struggled to say something and I said, I know, you love me too!; she relaxed and her eyes smiles. In a few seconds I realised that though her eyes were open she was not seeing. I went out to call the Sister. It was 7.45pm.
June died in Uxbridge hospital on 22 March 1962: She was 39 yrs old. We had been married 17yrs, 8 mths and 1 week. She has undergone surgery not less than twenty three times.
Our courtship had ended. The bill had come in.
Can I find a grain of comfort in all the stress and strain of those years. Only that June did not suffer mental strain in her family relationships. She loved and was loved deeply; she was utterly happy with her children and her husband for the time that she knew them, and we both knew it at the time.
5
[Page Break]
Epilogue
In the last few years, since 1990 I have learned that many cancers have a genetic basis. June was born with a cancer gene and was doomed from birth.
After June’s death a major problem has to be faced – the upbringing of our children. Marion was 14yrs, Chris 12 yrs, and Stephen 2yrs and 3 mnths. There was no question of me leaving the Royal Air Force, the problem just has to be solved. My own health was under strain and at my own request I was posted to Kuwait for a one-year unaccompanied tour. Before leaving it was necessary to cover every week of my absence especially the school holidays. June’s sister Peg took over the complete upbringing of Stephen this in addition to her own children who were the same age as Marion and Chris. My debt to her and to her husband Sam is total.
I returned to England in July 1963, did a ten-month tour in Zambia (1964-65) and spent a year (1967-68) in Iran as an ‘Operations Advisor’ in the Iranian Air Force. In October 1968 I returned to England blind in the left eye due to cataract and underwent surgery to restore a large degree of sight to the eye. The right eye went blind a year later and again surgery restored some sight, but not as good as the left eye. I did feel some bitterness as this time as having lost my wife there did seem some distinct possibility that I would lose my sight – and livelihood. In the event I was able to remuster to the Administration and Organisation Branch of the RAF in 1970.
On my return from Iran in October 1968 I was invited to dinner by RAF friends from out days in Germany. Flt Lt Peter Hinchliffe and his wife Irene. There I was introduced to Irene’s friend Mrs Alison Barclay- Jones, a widow with three children. Irene was frankly match-making, (“You haven’t done very well in finding another wife; it’s time I gave you a hand”); we all knew the score and the rules of the game. The upshot of this introduction was out marriage on 29 March 1969, Marion’s 21st birthday, with all six children at the wedding. There was no difficulty in integrating the children into one family and in 1970 we formally adopted the four children under 18 yrs. (After the authorities had checked with the children that they were in agreement to being adopted!)
Peter and Irene attended our Silver Wedding Anniversary in 1994. Our six children and five spouses attended complete with six grandchildren. In Match 1997 we celebrated our 28th anniversary.
The story owes nothing to imagination, it is entirely factual.
Hopefully my grandchildren (and perhaps their children) will find it of interest and learn of the sort of problems that may be met by a hopeful young couple as they set out on life’s journey together.
6
[Page Break]
Photographs
[Page Break]
Top
Left Miss June Eve 1942
Right Marion and Chris 1952
15 July 1944
Bridesmaids left to right
Dorothy Groom’s sister
Joyce Brides Cousin
Joyce Groom’s sister
Peggy Bride’s sister
Molly Brides’s cousin
Christmas Day 1961 at RAF Hospital Uxbridge
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
A Love Story by Grandad
Description
An account of the resource
An account of Jim Allen's life from 1941 to 1997. He details meeting his future wife and their intermittent courtship. There is great detail about his social life and relationship with his future wife. There are two pages of photographs:
First page: Jim in uniform, June, young woman with child, three children (one a young boy) sitting on car, young boy and girl.
Second page: Miss June Eve 1942; Marion and Chris 1952; Wedding photograph 15 July 1944, giving names of bridesmaids (Dorothy, Joyce, Joyce, Peggy, Molly); photograph of June in hospital bed, with boy playing electric organ captioned 'Christmas Day 1961, RAF Hospital Uxbridge'.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jim Allen
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1997-11
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Seven typewritten sheets and two pages of photographs
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MAllenJH179996-160512-020001,
MAllenJH179996-160512-020002,
MAllenJH179996-160512-020003,
MAllenJH179996-160512-020004,
MAllenJH179996-160512-020005,
MAllenJH179996-160512-020006,
MAllenJH179996-160512-020007,
MAllenJH179996-160512-020008,
MAllenJH179996-160512-020009
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Air Force. Fighter Command
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--London
Canada
England--Northumberland
Germany
Ireland
Zambia
Iran
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Claire Monk
coping mechanism
entertainment
fear
love and romance
RAF Burn
RAF Uxbridge
training
V-1
V-weapon
Wellington
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16310/BAllenJHAllenJHv1.1.pdf
368ff6096040c7a52f4ecd60bf3d29e4
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Allen, Jim
J H Allen
Description
An account of the resource
18 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant James Henry Allen DFC (b. 1923, 179996 Royal Air Force). He flew a tour of operations as a pilot with 578 Squadron. The collection consists of a number of memoirs, photographs and a diary. It includes descriptions of military life and operations and his post-war life and work.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Steve Allen and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-05-12
2019-02-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Allen, JH
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
A SHORT PERSONAL VIEW OF A BIT OF HISTORY
The following questions and answers may be helpful to those studying World War II history by bringing a little closer what war was like for one man. The man concerned flew Halifax III aircraft in Bomber Command in 1944 over Europe. There is nothing exceptional in this account other than surviving a full tour of operations - which was largely a matter of having a good guardian angel.
Q1. How did you first hear that Britain was at war with Germany. How did you feel?
A. It must be appreciated that the declaration of war was no surprise. For at least a year everyone in the country was aware that war preparations were in hand, and Hitler was set on war. I heard the Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) broadcasting on the radio at 11am on Sunday 3 September 1939 when he announced that “a state of war exists between Germany and ourselves”.
I was aged 16yrs and 1 month.
How did I feel? First I think some sense of relief that the decision had been made. (Hitler had invaded Poland on 1 Sept and there was a general feeling that we should declare war at once). Secondly for me a vague feeling that my world was on the brink of change and I was somehow about to enter the unknown.
Summed up: some sense of relief, a little apprehension and some vague feeling of excitement.
It is interesting to note that my father's war had started when he was 15yrs old (in 1914) and mine was starting as I reached 16yrs.
Q2. When did you join up?
A. I went along to the RAF recruiting office one week before my 18th birthday at the end of July 1941. Strictly speaking one could not join up under the age of 18yrs of age, but I was allowed to fill in the application form for training as aircrew. I was called up on 30 March 1942; I reported to Lords cricket ground, this being the assembly point for men intended for training as aircrew.
In common with all the other young men there I had volunteered for flying duties; in the RAF all aircrew were volunteers. In fact I had been fascinated with aeroplanes and flying since I was about 5yrs old, and the prospect of flying was far more important to me than the war, and I think this was the general feeling.
The timescale for my training was:
Reported for duty 30 march 1942
Sailed to Canada November 1942
Received my 'Wings' 28 May 1943
Returned from Canada July 1943
Flew first operation 1 May 1944
[page break]
2
Q3. Can you remember how your grandparents & parents reacted to the outbreak of war?
A. Again I would mention that war had been expected for a long time.
The reaction of both my grandparents and parents was one of deep disappointment that they were involved in a war only 20yrs after their previous one – the war to end war! They blamed Hitler for the war, but also felt that the weak British governments of Mr Baldwin and Mr Chamberlain had, with the policy of appeasement, encouraged Hitler. There was a general feeling that had Hitler been confronted when he re-occupied the Rhineland (I think that was about 1935 or '36) the war would have been averted. “Appeasement” was now a dirty word.
My grandfather was nearly 70yrs old in 1939, but he became a War Reserve policeman and served throughout the war. Once war was declared the feeling was that we were caught up in it and would have to do what was necessary. It is worth noting that nowhere did one hear any suggestion that we might lose the war. It simply wasn't considered.
Q4. What were your experiences as a bomber pilot?
A. “Experiences” has a fairly broad meaning so I'll confine my answer to how and what I felt under a few different circumstances. Initially on arrival at the squadron the feeling was of a certain excitement in approaching a new job with some element of danger. The feeling remained constant for about 10 operations; after that the excitement faded and a certain amount of worry began.
On return from each operation one was mentally exhausted, but felt a certain elation (and relief) on having returned and of having contributed something towards winning the war.
A question sometimes asked is “How did you feel when carrying a load of bombs to a city knowing that women and children would be killed?” The answer is that almost everyone thought little beyond the next moment; the main concern being to avoid fighter attack, searchlights or flak; in short to survive. Bear in mind that we usually flew in the dark and there was virtually nothing to focus on but the instruments: and with the engines pounding away in your ears our concentration was quite intense. Whatever the target it was thought of only as a city, military camp, gun battery or whatever. We didn't think of people.
On only one occasion did I feel sorry for the people in the target area: this was one night over Kiel when I deliberately banked my aircraft in order to look at the target. (Normally I never saw the target, as with my seat fully lowered I flew entirely on instruments in the target area). I looked down on a city ablaze; it was like looking into the mouth of a huge furnace. I thought 'you are looking into the mouth of Hell'. On that raid my aircraft carried one high explosive bomb weighing a ton and 13 cannisters [sic] each containing 90 (yes ninety) incendiary bombs; that is 1170 fire bombs of 4lb each, some with explosive charges in them. Over 200 aircraft took part in that attack. Today this is called conventional warfare.
[page break]
3
One point I do want to make is that war is not as shown in films or on the tele, with handsome men charging heroically and willingly into the mouths of guns. Initially on any bombing raid there was apprehension. When actually engaged by enemy fire the feeling varied from real worry that one might be hit to downright terror when, for example, one was boxed by flak and an engine was damaged and on fire at night. Or flying against a target in the Ruhr Valley in daylight when the intensity of the flak was itself terrifying. In these cases the mouth goes dry, one's temperature soars, sweat pours down the face, the knees tremble and the hands grip the control column like iron. To watch another aircraft spinning down or blown apart makes one physically sick. In short wars are fought by terrified men; and anyone who tells you different has never experienced it.
But training, discipline and sense of duty still carry men through.
Not every bombing trip was dangerous: sometimes we would complete an operation with no trouble at all, and be thankful for that. On other trips things could be difficult and one struggled back to make an emergency landing, everyone utterly exhausted and oh, SO thankful to have completed the sea crossing. The prospect of crashing into the North Sea (that is, ditching) was not a happy one. Even if one survived the crash and got into the dinghy before the aircraft sank the chances of being picked up were slim - about 1 in 9.
Sometimes it was possible to have a quiet laugh. One day in daylight we were flying west at 18,000ft just north of Calais; over France it was quite hazy. I happened to be looking towards the land when in the haze I saw a very bright flash and knew instantly that I was looking almost straight down the barrel of an anti-aircraft gun which had just fired at us. My training had taught me that the shell would reach us in 11secs, so by putting the aircraft into a diving turn towards the the [sic] gun we dodged the shell and saw it explode where we would have been had we continued on our original course. In this case we felt very pleased with ourselves. Even so one did not want the war to get so personal.
On finishing our tour of 40 operations we were posted from the squadron. How did we feel? Firstly very happy at the fact of surviving. Secondly an appreciation that we had been very lucky (although
of course we always believed that WE wouldn't be shot down: just as everyone else did). We HAD been lucky as only 1 crew in 4 survived a full tour. And of course my new wife of only two months was very pleased.
Sometimes one is asked if religion played a part for a bomber crew. For myself, I had a definite belief in God and in the power of prayer long before my bombing tour started. I did pray as I got into the aircraft, usually “Dear God, please look after us” or something as simple. When pounding through the night to or from the target I certainly felt a Presence with me, and if in difficulty dragging home I certainly did pray for help. On landing I ALWAYS offered up a heartfelt prayer of thanks.
[page break]
4
Q5. Describe any campaign or important flights you were involved in.
A. Apart from a few spectacular actions such as the breaking of the Mohne and Eder dams, and attacks on the battleship 'Tirpitz' Bomber Command's campaign was continuous, but help was given to actions such as the Battle of the Atlantic, support for the Army in Normandy and defence of London against the flying bomb (the V1).
The Battle of the Atlantic was continuous, and Bomber Command helped by attacking the U-boat bases. Kiel was one such base where U-boats were built; it was of course heavily defended. I twice went to Kiel with the object of bombing the U-boat yards. If we couldn't find the U-boats then bombing the peoples' houses was almost as effective in stopping the U-boats being built. Flying to Kiel involved a long flight each way over the North Sea; thus if an aircraft was damaged near the target or by a flak ship off the Danish coast there was little hope of living if we had to bail out, and not much chance of survival if we ditched in the sea. The round trip took some five and a half hours, most of it quiet, but over the target quite exciting and not a little worrying. Strangely enough it was unusual to see another bomber except one below showing up against the fire.
In 1944 the British Army was held up in Normandy and Bomber Command was asked to help. On 30 June a village called Villers-Bocage was occupied by three panzer divisions: 250 bombers were put on this target and with precision bombing wiped out the village without damage to British troops not far away. This was a daylight attack; a message of thanks and congratulations on the accuracy of the bombing was sent by General Montgomery to Bomber Command HQ.
On the night of 12 August 1944 a major attack was made on the Opel motor works at Russelsheim, Germany. It was a moonless night, and the pathfinders put the target indicators down three miles from the factory. My navigator told us that the markers were wrong as we approached them, but as our bomb-aimer could not see the factory we carried out the master-bomber's orders to bomb the target indicators. One the way home, over Belgium at 12,000ft we were suddenly boxed by radar-predicted flak. We dived to get out of it, but our port outer engine was damaged and caught fire. We managed to put out the fire by stopping the engine. (We did this by feathering the propeller, which means turning it edgeways on). We now flew on 3 engines and about an hour and a half later landed at Woodbridge emergency landing ground. We were the first of over 50 damaged aircraft to land there that night, many with dead and wounded crewmen. When we learned that reconnaisance [sic] photos proved that the target had been missed by three miles we felt very cross with the pathfinders as all our efforts had been for nothing.
(You probably know that 12 August is the start of the grouse shooting season. I KNOW that the grouse don't like it).
[page break]
5
In September 1944 oil plants were high priority targets. On 11 Sept an attack was made on the synthetic oil plant at Gelsenkirchen in the Ruhr Valley. This was a daylight attack against a small target which resulted in bombers getting very close together on the bombing run. Flak was so intense that the smoke from exploding shells formed a thick black cloud through which the bombers had to fly. This was very frightening, as also was the danger of being bombed by other aircraft only a few feet above. A damaged Halifax spinning down just in front of us made me feel quite sick; there were seven men inside struggling to get out.
After return to base it was found that every aircraft on the squadron had sustained flak damage; it was probable that all the other squadrons suffered as much.
In July 1944 Bomber Command made a big effort to destroy flying bomb bases in France - from where these weapons (the V1s) were being launched against London. Attacks were made in daylight in good weather. The targets were small, but well defended by flak; even at 18,000ft flak was quite accurate. On 4 July we attacked a site at a place called St Martins L'Hortier. On the run-up to the target our aircraft was hit by flak; the instrument panel was smashed and one engine was damaged. We completed the bombing run and later made an emergency landing at Farnborough.
Q6. What was it like to come home on leave?
On my return from training in Canada in July 1943 I became engaged to a young lady named June, so my main interest when on leave was to be with her. She lived at Romford, about 15 miles east of London, so she was familiar with air raids.
We were generally aware that civilians died in air raids and airmen were killed when flying, and this tended to strengthen our feelings for each other. We married in July 1944, with flying bombs passing overhead, and had a 3-day honeymoon. I had to get my father's permission to marry (in writing I may say) as I was 2 weeks under 21yrs. I had by then flown 22 operations over Europe - for which I did not require my father's permission!
After our marriage I flew a further 18 missions to complete a tour of 40 operations, (I flew 39 missions with my crew; my first trip was as second pilot with another crew – just to get the idea!). The time taken was from 1 May to 24 September (21 weeks), during which time I had three lots of leave.
The depth of feeling we felt towards each other during leave was undoubtedly greater than under normal conditions, and provided a foundation for many year of happily married life as we had learned that each day really could be the last. When coming home on leave one brought a ration card as no family could feed an extra person for more than a day or so.
On the bomber squadron we got 7 days leave every 6 weeks provided we weren't shot down. Thus leave became very precious and we lived every minute conciously, [sic] but not morbidly; we did our best to enjoy life together.
[page break]
Q7. How did the war affect your family?
A. I was the oldest of 7 children – 16yrs old in 1939. My father was not called up as he was over 40yrs of age and in poor health. The three oldest children (myself and two brothers) served in the RAF and Royal Navy respectively. The elder of my brothers did 4 trips to Murmansk in Russia on convoy duties. Those trips were extremely dangerous and uncomfortable. He also took part in the D-Day landings in close support bombardment.
The four youngest children lived at home in Romford, spending many a night in the air raid shelter in the garden, and going to school as possible. My mother was not called up for factory work as she had children at home under 14yrs of age.
No-one in our family was killed or injured during the war; In this respect we were very lucky as the family suffered the air raids and the two oldest children were actively engaged in the fighting.
[page break]
BASED AT BURN
THESE PAPERS CONSIST OF THE ORIGINAL ARTICLES OFFERED FOR THE BOOK
EDITING HAS RESULTED IN SOME LOSS OF STORY, AND IN SOME CASES CHANGES OF MEANINGS
IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THESE PAPERS BE READ FIRST
THE RELATED ARTICLES WILL BE RECOGNISED IN THE READING
J H Allen
May 1995
[page break]
INTRODUCTION
It is fairly well known that Bomber Command lost over 55,000 aircrew killed in the Second World War. Perhaps not so well known is that over 6,000 aircrew were killed in training. There can be little doubt that most operational aircrew were lost to enemy action. Possibly a large proportion of trainees and some operational crews were lost because the pilot failed to interpret or believe his blind flying instruments:- Airspeed indicator, Artificial horizon, Climb & descent indicator, Altimeter, Directional gyro and Turn and bank indicator. In cloud or pitch darkness it is impossible to determine one's positional attitude by human senses alone.
The following account shows how one crew survived several nasty moments because the pilot took blind-flying seriously and the crew applied the disciplines taught in training. The operation described was one of thirty-nine that the crew flew together.
In producing a Squadron history it is appropriate to include descriptions of operations as experienced by individuals and crews. This account makes no pretence to be anything but factual; the events described were at the time not considered out of the ordinary; certainly not worthy of serious presentation in the mess. Many experienced bomber crew members may well say that they experienced far greater trauma; and they should be believed. For a description of a rough trip the reader is referred to the account of Plt Off Cyril Barton VC of 578 Sqn; target Nuremberg, 30 March 1944.
Rising generations may nonetheless be interested in trying to imagine the conditions described. As in so many situations there are lucky people and lucky aircraft – in this case a happy combination. The aircraft was a Halifax III, B-Baker, no. LW473 which survived the war completing 91 operations. The crew contained at least two 'lucky' members, (the sort of people who get knocked down by an ambulance) and flew twenty operations in her.
The other factors that mattered were crew training, and crew discipline based largely on crew confidence e.g. keep quite unless you have something worth saying; stick to the drills and procedures.
Although considered part of the job at the time experiences such as described can have strange long-term effects. Fifty year on the pilot's wife still tells him about three times a year that he has spent the night thrashing about and shouting, and cannot be woken – yet he wakes with no memory of disturbed dreams.
[page break]
2
12 August 1944 Pilot Plt Off J H Allen
Take-off for Russelsheim was 2120hrs in LW473, B-Baker, with time on target 0016hrs. A routine run to the target, some opposition, the trailing aerial taken off by an unseen aircraft passing below. No moon, pitch dark. As we approached the target the bomb-aimer gave a course correction to enable us to bomb the target indicators (TIs) as instructed by the Master Bomber (M/B). The navigator (Joe) immediately said that we would miss the target by three miles if we altered course. This posed a dilemma as standing orders laid down that the M/B's instructions were to be followed even if the TIs were clearly wrong. Even so crews were prepared to disobey the M/B and on this night one crew did (Fg Off Townsend, pilot, who brought back the only photo of the factory being hit). Recce photos next day showed open fields three miles from the target heavily bombed!
There was of course heavy flak opposition in the target area, but the crew were not overly concerned as we had seen it all before. Myself and the bomb-aimer were concerned to find the target as there was no point in making such effort to deliver the exports if they did not get to the right address.
I asked the bomb-aimer (Phil) if he could identify the factory and if so go for it. However the glare from the incendiaries was blinding, so the M/B's instructions were followed. The navigator was cross and asked why we bothered to bring him along, then gave the course out of the target area.
We were all glad to leave as there was a lot of exciting activity around.
Part of the tactics of the bomber stream was to alter height at various points along the homeward route, usually between 18,000 and 8,000ft. Hopefully this 'would confuse the enemy'. Heard that before? At 0120hrs somewhere over Belgium B-Baker was in climbing power on such a leg when without warning both port engines cut dead. The aircraft swung violently to port, and I found myself instinctively pushing the control column hard forward with right stick and rudder at the same time asking the flight engineer (Geordie) to check fuel to the port motors (as they say at Courts Martial “or words to that effect”). In fact in something approaching a high pitched scream! The blind-flying instruments previously so well behaved now looked decidedly sick, the artificial horizon at 45deg, altimeter unwinding rapidly and gyrocompass turning steadily, turn & bank needles slammed into the left hand corners with the airspeed approaching the world record: again the instructors’ voice clamoured, “Believe the instruments”. As control was regained the engines burst into life and with balanced power back the situation could be reviewed. The aircraft was below 8,000ft and 90deg off course. The incident had occupied about 10secs on the clock (and taken 10 years out of my life). On resuming course the engineer was asked if he had let the tank run dry – both engines were feeding from one tank, which was the correct drill. He was emphatic that this was not so, but had changed tanks as soon as the engines cut. There was no argument among the crew, nor was the matter referred to again. It could have easily been due to flak damage.
[page break]
3
After a minute or two temperatures had come down, knees and hands stopped shaking and thoughts turned to bacon and eggs in two hours time. At 0130hrs (ten minutes gone) I saw flashes by the starboard wing and called “Fighter, flashes to starboard”. The rear gunner (Eric) called back laconicly, [sic] “it's not a fighter it's flak and it's all around us”. As each shell burst into many pieces there was a lot of metal flying about. I now carried out a diving turn to port, lost 2,000ft and climbed up again, resuming course.
All seemed comfortable back in the friendly darkness until the wireless operator (Ron) seated immediately below the pilot came on to the intercom and said quite quietly, “Al, port outer's on fire”. There can be few other phrases which produce so much instant worry. A quick look showed a streamer of fire. Reaction was instant as only drill can be. Throttle slammed shut, feathering button punched – time 3/5sec. The engineer was now alongside me and said, “Shall I press the fire extinguisher?” I said “NO!” and the engineer held off.
Why did I say No? Because the instructors had stressed this drill and the lesson was absorbed. You can't [underlined] practice [/underlined] fire drill with real fear present.
As the propellor [sic] feathered the engine stopped and the wireless operator reported that the fire had died. Had it not done so [underlined] then [/underlined] the extinguisher would have been used; the last chance.
The really important point here is that in the moment of high stress the engineer [underlined] asked [/underlined] if he should use the extinguisher. Crew discipline isn't a matter of shooting people at dawn: and crew drills need no remembering.
With the fire out and the instruments getting back into proper order power was increased on the remaining three engines to maintain speed in the stream; the engineer checked fuel to use more from the port wing tanks, and parachutes were returned to stowages.
The navigator advised that there was still 30 minutes to go before crossing the enemy coast, and we would then set course for Woodbridge emergency landing ground.
The crew had now been badly frightened three times in less than a quarter of an hour. The worry, sweat, trembling, parched mouths and throats gradually subsided to something like normal fear of something else going wrong. What other damage had been done? The port inner was now surging, or was it?
The next half hour was a long one; there was no knowing what other damage had been done, but at least there was no injury among the crew. I was certainly praying fervently – not a sudden conversion this being the [sic] our 31st operation – just 'Dear God get us back, be with us please'. I also gave some thought to my wife, married just four weeks earlier on St Swithin's Day.
Eventually the navigator said that we were crossing the coast and the let-down into Woodbridge began. The aircraft was now in thick cloud, but with good Gee reception an accurate homing was possible.
At 1500ft the aircraft broke cloud and almost immediately two searchlights came on producing an inverted 'V' marking the emergency runway.
[page break]
4
B-Baker was now over the runway at 1000ft; I was calling “Darkie” on the emergency frequency and being given clearance to land. Some two minutes later we were down on the runway. The landing was not the best I'd ever done; but the sense of relief was palpable. The following day I noted in my diary, 'Landed (?) 0226hrs. Shaken up a bit. Nerves stretched'.
At the end of the runway a Jeep was waiting to guide us to dispersal. Some 50 aircraft followed B-Baker into Woodbridge that night, some with dead and wounded crew members.
As one would expect the organisation was excellent. We were received kindly, fed and accommodated without fuss and generally made to feel welcome. In the meantime other crews were being received and cared for with much more attention, as the crew of B-Baker had had a relatively easy trip; no-one was hurt.
Before departing (by train) the next day we checked to find the cause of the fire. The oil cooler situated below and at the rear of the radial engine had been smashed allowing oil to be pumped out into the exhaust flame. The ensuing comet-like tail must have been gratifying to the flak crews!
This crew completed a further eight operations without personal injury.
The lessons learned in training: blind-flying, crew discipline based on confidence in each other, together with total attention from our Guardian Angel paid off.
Abbreviations used:
u/t under training
SFTS Service flying training school
OTU Operational training unit
TIs Target indicators
M/B Master Bomber
[page break]
ONE MORE CHALKED UP
Aircraft B-Baker, LW473
On 4 July '44 the Squadron was detailed to attack a flying bomb base at St. Martin l'Hortier in France, a daylight mission on a nice easy target. Fine sunny day with no troubles to crease the brow. Bit of flak after starting to trespass, otherwise a smooth run to “Bomb-doors open” then an almighty thump which literally shook everybody. The instrument panel immediately reported sick with the gyro instruments out of action.
A quick check over the intercom confirmed no-one injured. The bomb-sight was OK so the run was continued and the target attacked. Course was set for home after clearing the target. No great immediate problem - daylight, in clear air with good visibility.
Damage assessment indicated that a piece of shrapnel had entered the fuselage a few inches in front of the pilot's windscreen and had been stopped by the solid brass gyroscope of the artificial horizon, making rather a mess of the back of the blind-flying panel. However the airspeed indicator and altimeter seemed to be working so there was no great anxiety and we continued fairly comfortably giving me time to contemplate the point that had the aircraft been flying 12inches lower the shrapnel would have entered via the windscreen and been stopped by the inside of my skull. As we approached the English coast the cloud cover below thickened to 10/10ths and the starboard outer engine began running roughly. The flight engineer (Geordie) reported that it was suffering low oil pressure and high temperature; he recommended immediate feathering of the propellor [sic] (or words to that effect). The prop feathered OK and attention was turned to the question of what to do next.
Standing Orders dictated that if engine damage was sustained south of The Wash the aircraft should land as soon as possible as there was no way of knowing of possible damage to other engines.
We had a text book problem; the answer was clear.
[page break]
2
In 1944 the Bomber Command emergency call was “Hello Darkie” (today's “Mayday”). Darkie was called and an airfield answered at once giving a course to steer and runway heading (around 240 mag).
The aircraft descended on this heading in thick cloud with a worried pilot balancing it horizontally on the turn & bank needles which may or may not be working, fully aware that not-so-funny positions can be achieved in dense cloud. However all was well, cloud base was broken at 1500ft with:- wonder of wonders a big fat runway dead ahead!! A bit close admittedly, but nothing that couldn't be accommodated with closed throttles, full flap and undercarriage down and a 50deg nose-down approach with a horrified flight engineer looking at the runway through the perspex roof of the cockpit.
A rather fast approach (say 40% above normal), brakes on as soon as the tail gunner had landed and held hard on as the runway got shorter.
As the aircraft stopped figures with wheelbarrows and shovels were seen running to the sides of the runway. A new section was being laid; we stopped just before the wet concrete, brake drums at approximately the same temperature as the crews' brows.
We had landed at Farnborough – and everyone concerned was surprised.
Our first concern was to telephone Wg Cdr Wilkerson to say that we hadn't lost one of his planes – just mislaid it. He didn't mind as it would come back again.
We returned to Burn by train next day.
Out aircraft returned to Burn a week later with new instruments, a few patches and a new engine.
So ended trip 19.
[page break]
A TRIP TO REMEMBER
Monday 11 September 1944 Lovely Summer Day
Aircraft: Halifax III, B-Baker, LW473
Briefing was at 1330hrs with take-off at 1555hrs which gave the crew just on two and a half hours to think about the target – the synthetic oil plant at Gelsenkirchen in the Ruhr Valley.
A daylight trip down Happy Valley on a clear sunny evening was not a Sunday School outing.
The crew of B-Baker had additional reasons to be concerned. Their original mid-upper gunner having done thirty trips with them (his second tour) had departed. Another gunner, F Sgt Wilkinson, had been allocated to the crew for the last few trips of his tour, [underlined] and this would be his final trip [/underlined] He too was more than usually worried.
There were certain points in a crew's tour of operations that were regarded as particularly dangerous ('dicey' in the jargon of the day): The first trip together, the 13th, any trip on which an 'odd-bod’ ie not a regular crew member was carried, and the last trip either for the crew as a whole or any individual member. F Sgt Wilkinson had flown seven trips with our crew – and as this was our 37th operation we were nearing the end of our tour. I spoke quietly to the worried mid-upper saying, “We've simple GOT to get you back come hell or high water”. The combination of an odd-bod on his final trip, and down Happy Valley on a sunny afternoon was not cause for rejoicing.
Met briefing had promised a smooth flight there and back with clear skies, and good visibility in the target area.
On the climb out from base I engaged George, the automatic pilot. This was not my normal practice; the reasons now were firstly to be able to concentrate better on the large number of aircraft around (379 heading the same way) and also to try to be that much less tired when approaching the target area. All went according to plan with no undue worries until the turn-in for the last 10mins, the bombing run. Looking towards the target I commented, “Met have got it wrong again; there's a great black cloud over the target – and at our height”. A minute or so later I realised that the Met [underlined] hadn't [/underlined] got it wrong: the sky was cloudless. The 'black cloud' was in fact smoke from flak, so thick that it formed a dense block bracketing the height band of the bombers, (17-20,000ft).
Exploding shells twinkled within this black block.
I was now flying manually, virtually rubbing wingtips with lots of other aircraft, with more above and below. Piccadilly Circus at rush hour had nothing on this.
There was no alternative to flying straight through; as the course was good only minor changes were called by the bomb-aimer which could be accommodated in the press of aircraft. This was no run of the mill trip; at least in the dark one didn't [underlined] see [/underlined] the extent of the flak and rarely saw another aircraft. (What had we missed?).
This lot was not just scary – it was near terrifying; and in addition bombs were falling past from aircraft above.
[page break]
2
B-Baker ran in and bombed then kept a steady course until the camera had operated to film the bombs hitting the ground. This time was once described as 'akin to standing naked in Piccadilly – and you are NOT dreaming'. (The photos later showed the bombs straddling the aiming point).
Then GET OUT!! We were in a swirling circuit of aircraft trying to avoid collision and with the flak still in close attendance. As B-Baker set course away from the target a Halifax ahead and above rolled to port and dived vertically passing dead ahead at about 100yd. Reaction was instant - mouth dry, sweat bursting out on my face, fingers locked hard on the control column 'spectacles', almost physically sick into my oxygen mask. The bile rose into my mouth, to be forced down again (care to join in the taste?). The bomb-aimer reported that the tail of this aircraft broke off and also reported two other aircraft going down. Within all this activity I found myself worrying about getting the mid-upper safely home; of how ironic for him to be shot down on his last trip, and also asking myself what the hell I was doing three miles up in the sky being shot at when there were better jobs going – like Orderly Room Clerk.
Some ten minutes out of the target area there seemed to be more sky per aircraft and life was generally quieter.
A check round the crew revealed everyone still in place no-one hurt and no apparent damage; (this was found after landing). Temperatures returned to somewhere near normal the coffee flasks were opened and sampled, everyone thankful for some relief from the physical and mental effort (and also to allow me to wash my mouth and throat). It had been a long half-hour.
The rest of the homeward run was without incident. A very relieved crew landed at 2025hrs none more so than the mid-upper gunner. The rest of the crew now had something else to think about – the next two trips would entail carrying an 'odd-bod' as a gunner, and the second of those trips would probably be the final one of the tour.
Final notes: Bomber Command War Diaries (by Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt) record, “5 Halifaxes of 4 Group and 2 Pathfinder Lancasters were lost. These losses were caused by flak or 'friendly' bombs”.
And every 578 Sqn aircraft on this raid was damaged by flak.
[page break]
[underlined] SABOTAGE ON 578 SQUADRON AT BURN [/underlined]
On the night of 24/25 July 1944 Halifax Lk”C” LL548 took off on its way to attack factories at Stuttgart. Earlier in the day the crew had given the aircraft a flight test and the very experienced crew captained by F/Sgt J Allen had given it a clean bill of health, including the oxygen supply and the distant reading (DR) compass.
On reaching 10,000ft oxygen masks were clipped on and the oxygen supply switched on. The Mid-Upper, nearing the end of his second tour, reported that he could feel no puff of oxygen as he had during the test flight. The Flight Engineer discovered that the oxygen tube supplying the M/U had been cut, but he was able to rig up an emergency supply from one of the crash positions. Unfortunately it would allow the gun-turret to turn only 180 degrees.
A little later the navigator asked the pilot to check his DR compass which did not agree with the Navigator's compass, and it was decided to ignore the DR compass (thus flying on the basic magnetic compass).
Finally nearing the target the Rear-gunner reported that his hydraulics system was out of action; thus the guns and turret could be moved only by hand.
They flew on to the target then back to Burn, to report all these matters at de-briefing. Next day they were informed that the M/U oxygen tube had been cut with something like an electrician's wire-cutter, the rear turret's hydraulic system had been loaded with iron filings as also had the DR compass. All this had been done while the flying crew and the ground crew had been eating a meal prior to take-off. From that date all ground crew were required to stay with the aircraft until take-off, and eat later.
There was no doubt whatever that “C-Charlie” had been deliberately and very skilfully sabotaged. The official supposition was that it was performed by someone coming from the road nearby (through a hawthorn hedge 8ft high and 4ft thick!).
But whoever it was had to know which aircraft were operating that evening, and when they would be unattended. They also needed a highly professional knowledge of the Halifax. The sabotage was designed to be undiscovered until late in the fight, [sic] while in the event of cancellation the evidence could be easily removed or repaired. The saboteur also needed solitary authorised access to the interior of the aircraft so that his presence would not be challenged.
Other problems met by this same crew on operations, in a cluster of three aircraft were:
9 May “D” Bombs failed to release 'due to electrical fault'
22 May “C” Bombs failed to release 'due to electrical fault'
24 June “B” Air position indicator U/S 'due to electrical fault' AND DR compass became U/S 'due to electrical fault'
10 Sept “B” Bomb-sight U/S at target 'due to electrical fault'
[page break]
2
If this person sabotaged one aircraft it [sic] likely that he did the same to other aircraft on the Squadron, sending them off track to be easily picked up by enemy radar, anti-aircraft batteries and night fighters, and with both turrets out of action unable to defend themselves.
A few days before the Stuttgart operation the Squadron had set off to attack a target at Bottrop (26 aircraft, 20/21 July). Six failed to return to Burn. Two collided in mid-air near Hull with the loss of all crew members, but the other four were lost over Europe, with the loss of 22 crew, the most disastrous episode in the history of the Squadron, while the total losses that night in Bomber Command were 7 Halifaxes (B.Cmd War Diaries, page 547). One has to consider seriously the possibility that the high losses on 578 that night were due to sabotage.
Colin Joseph Dudley
August 1994
ADELAIDE Sth Australia
[page break]
[underlined] Memories of 578 Squadron at Burn 1944 [/underlined]
Colin Dudley Flt Lt DFC Navigator
Among the luckiest days of my life is the day I met Jim Allen, my pilot through 39 operations over Europe trying to bring peace to our suffering nation by destroying Nazism and defeating their armies as quickly as possible.
He was also my pilot through Operational Training and Conversion Units which were quite as dangerous as ops over Europe.
Jim was not my first pilot. I had done an OTU and Conversion to Halifaxes with a crew that I regarded as the greatest. The pilot was an antique dealer, an old man 30 years of age, while the Bomb-Aimer was an Irish poet, Louis Chamberlain, and the others equally interesting. But on our final night exercise at Con. Unit I got lost. In my EFTS in South Africa I had emerged as top student. But navigation by map-reading in daylight in perfect weather in South Africa was vastly different from night-flying in British weather at 18,000 feet, using H2S, in which I had little confidence. I was also wearing an unfamiliar oxygen mask as my own had been taken in error that night. Whatever the reason, my navigation was a failure and the following day the C.O advised me to take further training, which I certainly felt in need of, and my place in the crew was taken by a spare navigator looking for a crew, while I was sent back to OTU to find a new crew. I was deeply depressed and disheartened.
Then I was introduced to Jim and his newly picked crew. We were all NCOs and all under twenty-one except an old chap of twenty-three, the Mid-Upper, who was forgiven this fault as he was entering on his second tour. Eventually after miraculous escapes from certain death we arrived at Burn and I, who had now done two OTUs and two Conversion Units, was probably the best-trained navigator in Bomber Command not yet on Ops. Furthermore, to my great relief I never had to use H2S again. The Gee-Box was my friend everfaithful, [sic] and my guiding star. It could not mistake one city for another, nor could it be homed onto by night-fighters as it was discovered H2S could be.
Thirty-nine ops later we all said goodbye to Burn without a single scratch on our persons, although I at least had my digestion ruined for years after by the combination of stress, irregular hours and an unremitting diet of fried bacon, sausages and eggs, Which reminds me of the incredible hilarity that marked our meals on returning to base. We would laugh our heads off for an hour before making way to our beds where we found it difficult to get to sleep for the sound of engines that continued to ring in our ears. It always took two hours after landing before we got to bed, as it also took two hours from briefing to take-off. The shortest sortie of four hours therefore always occupied us for eight hours, whilst the longest, of eight hours, kept us busy for twelve hours.
[page break]
2
The next that I heard of my old crew, piloted by Bill Hogg, was that they had gone missing (got lost?) on their first sortie, and later I heard that they were in a German prison camp. Quite remarkably, on VE Day, when like everyone else, I made my way to London and home, the first person I met on getting off the train at St. Pancras was my old rear gunner just having landed in England after two years of Nazi hospitality.
Jim was not only a brilliant pilot and a lucky one (better to be born lucky than rich), but he had, rather uniquely I imagine, begun is training for aircrew as a Navigator and he was very quick to check any of my courses and ETAs, (and there has never been a Navigator who hasn't made at least one modest error in his career, though I can't remember a particular instance, and I double-checked all my calculations). I on the other hand, had begun my training straight into Navigation, with my Observer's wings, and knew virtually nothing about piloting.
Jim was very 'highly-strung' and lived perpetually on a high level of adrenalin. He also felt very keenly his responsibility for the lives of his crew. The whole crew had absolute confidence in his skill, courage and intelligence, but some of the crew found his intensity hard to live with at times. But they couldn't ever fly with anyone else, although on one occasion they came to me to try to persuade Jim to ease up and relax a bit, (a lot!) which he very sensibly did.
Jim (or Al) has described his feelings in graphic detail when flying over the target, braving the flak and dodging other aircraft. But while all this excitement was going on, I in my curtained Navigator's corner was busy checking the Estimated Time of Arrival, entering details in my log and calculating the course out of the target area; and seeing nothing of the War in the Air.
The more Jim sank down in his seat hiding from the shrapnel the higher his voice rose and the faster his speech. The Flight Engineer also had a rather disturbing habit of suddenly shouting through the intercom at moments of high tension with some dire information about engines being on fire:- 'HEY, AL!' I therefore made it my business to speak very calmly and slowly into the intercom when instructing the pilot, as though I was lazing on the beach and sleepily commenting on the nice weather. I also used the correct procedure – “Navigator to Pilot”. I hoped thereby to cool the atmosphere. Of course it was easier for me to appear calm and relaxed or at least to sound like it, for over the target I could see nothing except a glimpse of flares and bewildering lights over the bomb-aimer's shoulder.
But although my voice may have sounded calm, my knees were shaking with at [sic] a tremendous rate and with great vigour while my hands were trembling so much that I could hardly write at all as I tried to record everything in my log and work on my chart. In fact one could always tell from my log when we had crossed the enemy coast because my
[page break]
3
writing immediately became a bit shaky until it became almost illegible over the target. Coming home, crossing the enemy coast the writing became neat and clear once more. As for the parachute, which was supposed to rest beside one, I always wore it clipped on my chest. The idea of trying to catch a parachute flying around the aircraft as we spun out of control with only one wing did not seem a very hopeful exercise.
On one occasion (our 37th op, 11 Sept) a daylight raid deep in Happy Valley, to Gelsenkirchen, Jim invited me to come up to stand beside the pilot's seat as we approached the target, which was clearly visible to the bomb-aimer from about 50 miles away. So Jim called me up saying, “You've never seen the flak, Joe. You've nothing to do just now. Come up and have a look”. So up I went. Unforgettable! All those black blobs suddenly appearing from nowhere like magic. All the aircraft around us, one suddenly diving out of control, – one or two parachutes blossoming into life.
Then, for some reason (a little bored perhaps!) I looked above me, and there about ten or fifteen feet above my head the sky was blocked out by a whole bomb-bay full of bombs, bomb-doors wide open. Our bomb-aimer was calling “Steady, Steady left, left, Steady”. I punched Jim on the shoulder and pointed upwards. He took one glance and immediately threw the old Halibag into a steep dive to port. The Bomb-aimer yelled “What the hell!” Jim levelled out and as we found an even keel the bombs above dropped past our starboard wing, it seemed within inches. A few seconds later the B/A called “Bombs gone”. Then the interminable wait, flying straight and level for the camera to do its stuff. As Jim has said, our photos showed our load straddling the target, so our friends above must have fallen short.
That was my only view of the outside world over a target, and it was according to Jim the most fearsome of our whole tour. But what made Jim call me up? And what made me look up at that moment? Another one, or two seconds at the most and we and the aircraft would have been obliterated by “friendly bombs”. Many of our Squadron came home with 'friendly holes', and one was certainly lost as photographs were to prove. All this was reported at our debriefing and passed on to HQ Bomber Command. But at our next briefing the CO read out a letter from the Boffins at HQ in which they stated that damage from from [sic] “friendly bombs” was 'mathematically impossible!' Actual words! Never to be forgotten. Amazed and bewildered merriment (?) from all present.
What our wingless boffins did not appreciate was that in daylight navigation is much easier and more accurate than at night, and that therefore far more aircraft arrive over the target on track and on time. Also the target is seen far ahead, to greater accuracy; and also that sheer fear, as with ground troops, tends to make men under fire bunch together.
[page break]
4
All this led to much closer concentration of aircraft over the target.
There was little that one could do about it except to keep an eye on what was going on overhead, and perhaps below, but Jim, being a sensible fellow kept our old Halibag on the outside edge of the herd of aircraft approaching the target in daylight, not only to avoid bombs from above, but also because he knew that the A/A guns would be shooting at the centre of the clearly visible mass of aircraft.
Although none of the crew suffered a single scratch in 39 ops, many of our colleagues died and our aircraft suffered damage, sometimes severe enough to require landing away from Burn. Such landings were quite pleasant for they required us to travel back to Burn by rail through London, where Jim and I both had fiancees working. A quick phone call, and when we all arrived at Waterloo, Liverpool Street or wherever – with no caps, collars or ties, to the chagrin of the Service Police – there we would find our lovely laughing girls running to meet us, rayon covered legs flashing down the platform. Very good for morale! One memorable landing was made at the “Secret” experimental base at Farnborough – by mistake! It was the 4th of July, returning from a daytime visit to a place called St Martin L'Hortier. We were flying above ten tenths cloud over Kent seeking a bomber-sized aerodrome. Our “Darkie”* call was answered by a 'drome south of London and we made our way there until I was able to give the pilot a Gee fix over the answering 'drome, a fix that would in this area have been within a quarter of a mile. Receiving instructions from Ground Control we descended through the thick low cloud to find the runway dead ahead. Still speaking to Ground Control Jim with his duff engine and smashed instrument panel landed safely, only to discover that we were not on the aerodrome with which he was communicating, but at a station which had no Emergency service therefore without knowledge of our existence, being an independent experimental station, until we suddenly arrived out of the low cloud and landed in front of the Control Tower! Meanwhile our 'Darkie' aerodrome about a mile away was wondering what on earth had happened to us. Being driven away from our crippled Halifax we were intrigued to see little fighters with no engines! Our first encounter with Jets. But there was no way our pilot coming out of low cloud with a smashed instrument panel and a duff engine, runway almost underneath him could have known it was an unmapped aerodrome only a mile or so from the one he was talking to. Farnborough would have had no identification letters, just as it would not be listening on the emergency frequency.
But to return to our fiancees in London. They of course were suffering the horrors of the V1 Flying bombs and the V2 rockets, both of them massive and terrifying. My own girl (whom I have known since childhood and to whom I have now been married for nearly fifty years) after nights in the air raid shelter would be travelling every day from her home in south-east London to her office in the City of London by overland train as crowded as any modern Japanese underground train, the train stopping as the roar of the V1s overhead cut their engines
* Bomber Cmd emergency call. Equivalent to today's “Mayday”
[page break]
5
and began their silent descent to blow as many people as possible to pieces. Flying out one night over Kent towards the V1 launching sites I once saw a little red light passing below us towards London, the back end of a V1 Flying Bomb, and felt great satisfaction in knowing that I was on my way to destroy their launching sites and storage depots.
Forty years later I watched and recorded a T.V. programme called “Wings of the Storm”, concerning the Australian contribution to Bomber Command, which was massive, immensely courageous and skillful, [sic] and I heard Air Marshal Don Bennett say that “Germany had 10,000, I repeat ten thousand! Flying Bombs to descend on London in one week! If Bomber Command had not gone to a little place called Watten in northern France and had not destroyed that entire stock in one night [underlined] we would have lost the war[/underlined]!” The terrible thing is that Australian aircrew in England were receiving white feathers from people in Australia who thought they should be in Australia, where there were no aircraft and no sign of a possible invasion. What would have happened to Australia if Hitler and his SS and Gestapo had defeated the Allies, as they very nearly did, may be left to the imagination.
Behind all the tragic drama of ops from Burn, a few human dramas:-
One of our crew, our Mid-Upper on his second tour, was having trouble with his girl in Scotland, a Scottish nurse. She couldn't make up her mind to marry. The rest of the crew were concerned that our colleague, very much in love, was not in a FIT STATE OF MIND to concentrate on finding night fighters, so we concocted a letter, I think I was asked to frame it, to his nurse telling her of the situation and asking her to do something about it and give us all a better chance of surviving. She did so, she said “Yes” and they both lived happily ever after, as did the rest of us.
Another member of the crew had decided to get married during the tour. He was a strict teetotaller and non-blasphemer. His strongest expletive was “Flipping”. Eventually our crew were given a few days leave and our friend went home to finalise arrangements for the wedding. Arriving back in camp on my return I found my hopeful bridegroom in the middle of the Sergeants Mess as pissed as a newt and cursing the whole world in the strongest possible language. I got him back to our billet and soon we were back over Germany and eventually I attended the wedding. It was only long afterwards that I learnt that on his leave my friend had discovered that his future father-in-law who had a respectable income and was to pay for the wedding, was quite penniless. In fact he had been keeping another family quite unknown to his own wife and family.
[page break]
6
All this was discovered when the future bride and groom went to pay for the wedding goodies that had been ordered. No wonder our mate got sloshed. But he said nothing and we went on to complete a long and successful tour, always bang on target and bang on time. Three of the crew commissioned and all gonged except for the poor Rear-Gunner, – the best gunner on the Squadron. Although he had picked out a number of night fighters he had never fired his guns as the enemy had never seen us. Perhaps they were homing on the other poor so-and-sos who were using H2S, the fighter pilots watching their radar instead of the night sky around them. On our last op however, which was low level to attack the German troop positions at Calais our pilot, Jim, flew back and forth below the level of the cliffs, (the Master Bomber having cancelled the bombing due to the very low cloud base) so that the gunners could fire at the searchlights and gun emplacements and anything else that looked nasty; and at least tell their grandchildren that they had attacked the enemy.
This final sortie to Calais was particularly difficult for me, for we flew out in heavy rain under clouds that became lower and lower until the pilot was able to check my watch by reading the time off the clock on Maidstone Town Hall! Halifaxes may have been reasonably waterproof on the ground, but at 180mph the rain drove through the bodywork as though it was wire netting and my chart table and log were soon under half an inch of water. Not the easiest way to navigate an “easy” op.
The attack on Le Havre on the 9th September was a disaster. The noise on the R/T was horrendous, but had to be suffered in case of recall. In fact as we approached the target the Master Bomber aborted the attack with the codeword 'Applepie' But as we turned away we heard him repeating “APPLEPIE, APPLEPIE” more and more desperately until finally he cried, “For God's sake stop bombing!” It would seem that Allied troops on the ground had moved forward unknowingly or unexpectedly, which must have resulted from a lack of co-ordination or communication somewhere, but it also meant that someone in the air was not hearing the Master Bomber's words either because they had switched off their R/T or perhaps they were on a different wavelength. According to the official record Mosquitoes and heavy bombers went out on the operation, but the bombing was aborted before the heavy bombers reached the target, which suggests that the Mosquitoes were the problem. Anyway our problem was to jettison some of the bombload. The problem there was that not only had had [sic] we navigators been given areas of the English Channel which were prohibited for such purposes that day, but all the way out the W/Op was passing me new co-ordinates extending the prohibited areas until only one square mile (a tiangle [sic] actually) was left. When the pilot asked me where to go to jettison I gave him a course for this little spot and eventually a very clear Gee fix over it. But below was ten tenths cloud, so Jim said, “I'm going down to have a look and make sure”. We came out of cloud at 1,300ft to cries of amazement! We were surrounded by warships all firing at us. A quick press on the bomb release and up we zoomed into the cloud, but not before some of the bombs exploded in the sea and bounced us around. Back at Burn everyone was closely questioned about what happened at the target and where bombs had been jettisoned.
[page break]
7
Our living accommodation on the Squadron was a Nissen hut remote from the central administration. Because of this remoteness, and perhaps because of orders from a wise Commanding Officer, our hut was never visited by an Orderly Officer nor by anyone else except the coke cart to fuel our stove in the centre of the hut. This situation suited me in particular for I have always been one of the untidiest people on Earth. As it happens I had taken up a couple of correspondence courses before arriving at Burn, but the books didn't catch up with me until I was on ops. Before enlisting for Aircrew I had been at art school with the aim of becoming an art teacher, though with some hope of becoming an architect. Therefore I had entered into a course on the History and Appreciation of Painting and another on History and Methods of Architecture. My bed-space, in the corner of the hut was strewn with books and papers, under the bed, on the bed, around the bed. My desk was the hut card-table propped up between the bed and the corrugated wall of the hut. I still have the essays on the development of Egyptian temples, Greek and Roman styles, and portrait painting as well as the books I used. One great advantage of being in the Armed Services for a student such as myself was that such correspondence courses were available free of charge and also we had access to all local libraries, even in South Africa. I was also freely able to attend evening classes in art schools where ever I happened to be.
But tragedy overtook my architectural ambitions. On my 21st birthday, which I celebrated on 13 April 1944 by going to a Sergeants Mess Dance (ruining a few WAAF stockings, and trying to drink my first Guiness [sic] – which was over-ripe and frothed all over the bar), my parents gave me a fine set of Architectural Drafting instruments in a hansome [sic] chamois leather case.
Although I had never had anything stolen in the RAF I decided to take my birthday present with me tucked into my battledress top during a bus trip to Pontefract. Returning to Burn I ran for the bus only to discover immediately that my case was missing; although I jumped off, ran back, searched madly, reported to the police and bus company I was never to see my beloved instruments again, and that was the end of my career as an architect. But as an art teacher I was never out of work and eventually became Head of a University Department.
At the end of the tour, all nervous wrecks, the whole crew felt the need for a long rest from each others company. On the other hand we did not want to fly with any other crews, so we voted to apply for an immediate second tour on Special Duties (spies, saboteurs and all that). But by September 1944 the Second Front was well on its way and spies weren't needed any more. So we were all sent off in different directions and never met all together again.
Colin Joseph Dudley (Joe)
August 1994
ADELAIDE Sth Austrilia
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Six chapters of wartime memories
Description
An account of the resource
A Short Personal View of a Bit of History (interview with Jim Allen)
'Based at Burn' Introduction by Jim Allen
One More Chalked Up
A Trip to Remember
Sabotage on 578 Squadron at Burn by Joe Dudley
Memories of 578 Squadron at Burn 1944 by Joe Dudley
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jim Allen
Joe Dudley
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Navy
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
France
France--Calais
Belgium
Germany
Germany--Kiel
Germany--Rüsselsheim
Germany--Gelsenkirchen
Germany--Nuremberg
Germany--Stuttgart
England--Yorkshire
France--Villers-Bocage (Calvados)
France--Neufchâtel-en-Bray
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
24 typewritten sheets
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
BAllenJHAllenJHv1
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1995-05
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944
1944-06-30
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Roger Dunsford
4 Group
578 Squadron
aircrew
anti-aircraft fire
bomb struck
bombing
Chamberlain, Neville (1869-1940)
faith
fear
Gee
H2S
Halifax
Halifax Mk 3
Heavy Conversion Unit
incendiary device
Master Bomber
military living conditions
military service conditions
Mosquito
navigator
Nissen hut
Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
observer
Operational Training Unit
Pathfinders
prisoner of war
RAF Burn
RAF Farnborough
RAF Woodbridge
submarine
tactical support for Normandy troops
training
V-1
V-2
V-weapon
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16316/YAllenJH179996v1.2.pdf
37df24045b7429c836febd53856ecca6
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Allen, Jim
J H Allen
Description
An account of the resource
18 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant James Henry Allen DFC (b. 1923, 179996 Royal Air Force). He flew a tour of operations as a pilot with 578 Squadron. The collection consists of a number of memoirs, photographs and a diary. It includes descriptions of military life and operations and his post-war life and work.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Steve Allen and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-05-12
2019-02-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Allen, JH
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
1944
[Page break]
[Printed frontspiece]
[Page break]
WALKER’S
DIARY
FOR
1944
(LEAP YEAR)
[Page break]
[1994 Calendar]
[Page break]
[Postal rate information and Holiday dates]
[Page break]
[Table of Sunrise and Sunset times]
[Page break]
[Table of Moon phases]
[Page break]
[Table of Church Festivals and Common Notes]
[Page break]
[Table of English Law Sittings, Seasons, Eclipses and University Terms]
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
SATURDAY 1
Gave B/A some Link this morn:- OK. Was to have done bombing:- too cloudy. P.M. In Int. Lib. till 1545. 16.20 Left camp. went to Maidenhead. picked up my cycle. Got back to camp 20.50hrs. Asked for day off this morning, a [underlined] very dim [/underlined] view taken.
SUNDAY 2
Dual bombing this morning. B/S U/S Bombed from 3,000’. Error converted to 20,000’:- 183x. 1500 Solo bombing. Only one dropped. Sent home, too many a/c on target (4 actually)
Wrote to my darling this evening
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
MONDAY 3
Did some Dinghy Drills today. Nothing else. Down for F/A but too cloudy. Could easily have been given the day off.
Feel absolutely fed up tonite, just about sick of it all. Do so want to see June again.
TUESDAY 4
Did .3 F/A this A.M. Report by Itr. Pilot-: “Very Poor” Corkscrews & D.Turns very poor. Feel rather badly about it. P.M. in INT.Lib till 1515. Then dashed off to London with Dudley. Didn’t meet any Snoops. At No.89. 2010hrs. Very glad to be able to see June even for a few hrs. Asked if she’d come away for a week’s holiday if I get Leave:- “No”. Disappointed. Otherwise evening O.K.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
WEDNESDAY 5
Got to Pad. By bus 0315 after much sweating & walking. (0230 Flak Barrage put up, I was at Bank) Met Dud, came back on Paper train. Two lots of bombing A.M. First 154x error, 2nd 99x at 20,000. Actual hits:- 9,500 & 10,500’. 30mins F/A 1600hrs. Bit better, I think. Received letters from Stan, Mum & Mr, Cunningham (Agate) Made a very bad lndg tonite 1755hrs.
THURSDAY 6
Did .20 P.T. first. Then C.G.I. asked if I wanted to go overseas:- “No”! Rest of day spent mainly in C/R. Saw film of 1st F/A. Not able to see yesterdays Dunton says fighter didn’t get inside 300x. Phoned home 1930. Most of the evening spent in writing to my beloved June.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
FRIDAY 7
0800 Paid £3/14/-. Allotment now 5/- per day. Did .30 F/A. Not as good. a/c wouldn’t do a C/Turn to the left. P.M. 1/2 link with Phillips. Short X-C run, for about 15mins. Then in Gee room for .20 or so. Tried to exchange sox & pants at stores:- closed. Wrote to Stan this evening. F/L Reade did a nickel tonight.
SATURDAY 8
No bombing:- too cloudy. P.T. 0830-0920. Lec on A.S.R.S. 1115-1145. Received a letter from June. N/F tonite. Briefing 1500. T-O about 1800. C&B with F/O Kerbey, he was O.K. My bumps were awful, couldn’t land at all. Weather clamp just after 2000. Got rations tho’. Egg & bacon supper. In bed 0200.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
SUNDAY 9
Link 09-1000;-poor. 1100 Church Parade. Weather duff, [deleted] pm [/deleted] in mess all afternoon. Wrote short letter to June. Had tea 1545. 1640 N/F cancelled. 1800 went to flicks “Gentleman Jim,” quite good. Went to bed 2100.
MONDAY 10
N/F tonight. Briefing 1430. C&Bs again with F/O Kerbey. Did the first half at H. Norris. Went solo O.K. All lndgs. good except last one at 2240. Egg & bacon supper again. Full moon, but vis poor. Flying satisfactory. Got to bed 2359.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
TUESDAY 11
Up 1030. Weather very bad:- vis bad. raining. 1400 told “Briefing at [underlined] 1900 [/underlined] hrs.” Maddening. Wanted to get 1700 train to Padd. Flying appears impossible. 1800 [underlined] N/F scrubbed [/underlined]; makes me sick. Absolutely fed up to the teeth.
WEDNESDAY 12
On so called “Crew Disposal” this A.M. Some mucking about in hangar 0915-0945, which passed as P.T. Cleared off into billet rest of morning. P.M. Briefing postponed to 1900. Did some Live Fusing & Bombing up. Wrote home after tea. Flying scrubbed [underlined] 1745 [/underlined] just an hour too late. Have rarely been so fed up.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
THURSDAY 13
Spent a couple of hrs. in Gee room with Dudley this morning. P.M. Killed time in Int. Lib. saw Met-man, until 1600hrs, - briefing. Expect to fly about 2359, as weather is duff, expected to clear. Wrote another short letter to my darling. Am in no mood for writing. Went to “Musical Appreciation Concert” 1945. Airborne 2212, on dual X-C. P/O Baker as screen. Made a bad start. Had no Gee.
FRIDAY 14
Landed 0420; Last hr was F/A. Very tired. “Supper” at 0500.” Usual egg & bacon. In bed 0530. Up 1215. Received letter from June, just what the doctor ordered. Weather beautiful. 1720 T-O on solo X-C. Went to Scillies, 15,000ft. vis wonderful. Could see whole of peninsular from Bristol to Land’s End. Had a bad shaking 1900. Thought I was upside down for a few secs. Laded 2200. Scillies – I of M. Anglesey – Base.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
SATURDAY 15
Foggy all day. Flying scrubbed 1655. Tried to get train to London. Got to Reading 1840. Came back 1940. London train had not then arrived. Fed up & miserable. Came back by bus. Left cycle in Didcot. Have until 1200 tomorrow free.
SUNDAY 16
Still foggy. Got cycle back. Left camp 1635, with a pass. Got to Padd 1940. Didn’t leave Lvpl. St until 2100. Mad as a hatter. Cursing & swearing quietly all the way. Arr. home 2240. Too late to see June. There was a bad crash at Ilford, but didn’t know about it.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
MONDAY 17
Up 0535. Saw my darling 0625-0730. At Ilford 0740, saw wreckage. [Deleted] To [/deleted] 8 persons killed. Made me feel small, for cursing as I did, what does it matter about being late, compared to this. Clamped all day. Briefing postponed until 1900 at first, then to 2100. [Underlined] Scrubbed at 2050hrs. [/underlined] F/LT. Woodven was killed this morning. Pranged in the fog. Wrote to Wilf & Stan today.
TUESDAY 18
“Crew Disposal” all day. Usual messing about. Pyros Lec. this morning. Also did some Gee with Dudley. P.M.- AML till 1545. Cleared off after that. No flying again tonite. Am down for a 6hr. X-C when we can get to it. Wrote June this evening.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
WEDNESDAY 19
In INT. Lib. & E.H. Room all morning Made up Link times in Log Book, & spent about an hr. in gym, this P.M. No flying, weather lousy. Wrote to June.
THURSDAY 20
Gave 1/2 hrs’ instruction to each gunner, in Link 11-1200hrs. 1500 Briefing. 1745 T-O for “Bullseye” exercise. Couldn’t fly at 15,500; so came down to 10,500’. Target :- green Pk. London. Caught in S/Ls for a few secs; found & “bombed” target O.K. on time. At Dorchester S/Ls held us for 80 secs. Violent E/action!! Very excited over target. Back 2315. Interrogated 2345, egg & bacon, then bed.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
FRIDAY 21
In bed 0115, up 1100. Two letters from Stan. Phillips excused flying for 48hrs Solo X-C tonite. Other B/A didn’t turn up. T-O 1805. 1904 something wrong with engines; ht 15,000’. Crashed 5 mins later. No one hurt, Wooly knocked out for a few secs. A Miracle, that we did [indecipherable]/S. Engine torn off. thought I’d bought it. Taken to Rufforth, (Con. Unit) by C.O. Couldn’t sleep. Thought of June, as we hit, wondered how she’d take it.
SATURDAY 22
Got what stuff we could find, from a/c, & dumped it in ‘chute room. a/c pretty badly smashed. Left York 1435. Brought Navi & W/OP’s stuff. Got back to Didcot 2330. Don’t feel like flying again.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
SUNDAY 23
Saw C.I. 0900. He balled me out!! Said I imagined it all. Just about finished me with any hope of wanting to fly again. Saw Smith 1430, he was better. Went up & told off the C.I. Was on N/F programme for tonite!! Got pass till 1200 tomorrow. 1530 pass not ready, went without it. Saw June 2015. Went home, then took her home again.
MONDAY 24
Up 0540 At no. 89 0625. Left her at Ps 0750. Got 0915 from Padd. Court of Inquiry opened this afternoon. Talking from 1400 to 1845. Went over every little thing twice, at least.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
TUESDAY 25
C of I continued. Made up Log Book. Hanging about all afternoon, in case we were needed. Have thought of nothing but the prang all the time. At least I managed to keep fairly cool altho’ I was sure I’d bought it. Wasn’t afraid to die, only very sorry. Received letter from Harold.
WEDNESDAY 26
Link this morning, - very ropey. C of I again this P.M. Nothing found to be wrong with the a/c. Trying to put it down to me switching off ignition switches & failing to check. Looks as if I’ll get the can.
Wrote to Harold.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
THURSDAY 27
Tried to get today off, - nogo. Scrounged out of a grope, had rest of morning off. 1300 went to Streatley for sailing. Very enjoyable afternoon. Got stuck in a backwater once & had to paddle & push our way out. Best afternoon I’ve had for a long time. Wrote to June this evening. Know what it is now to be alive. Appreciate the fact.
FRIDAY 28
Had a dream in the night; Joyce, Stan & Dorothy had died; so long as it only stays a dream. Went sick, want a medical. M.O annoyed because crew hadn’t been examined since prang. Scrounged off rest of morning. P.M. Saw M.O. 1500. Had a good moan to him. Didn’t give me a medical tho’. Got 1658 train to Padd. Saw June by 2000hrs. Cheered me no end, just to see her for a couple of hrs. Left on the 22.21 from Romford.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
SATURDAY 29
Arr. Didcot 0230, after having overshot to Swindon. In bed 0315, up 0710. Flew to Rufforth to get kit. Already been collected. Flying rather ropey, but am O.K. Had F/O Evans as screen, a binding b – d. Back 1500. Late dinner at 1545; made me sick, literally, 1700. In bed 1835.
SUNDAY 30
Went sick 0900. Wrote to June 1100. P.M. Tried to get a day off, again nogo. Got off 1515.Went to Romford, saw June 1935-2200. Only her Mum in, with her. Didn’t show any tact, or consideration for us. Left Rom 2230. Missed 2330 from Padd. There was a Nickel tonite. Would have been on it but for the prang.
[Page break]
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 1944
MONDAY 31
Got to bed 0640. Down for .30 F/A. Low cloud:- scrubbed. Did some Link:- ropey. Had a look at Bullseye photos:- O.K. Spent most of the afternoon in chasing up our flying kit. Got it by 1730. Went to bed at 2030. Am disgusted at not being given day off. Had expected at 48 at least.
TUESDAY 1 FEB.
Swimming 09-1200 at Oxford Baths. Quite good. P.M. Gave Dudley some Link, then did an hour, myself:- much better. Wrote home after tea.
[Page break]
FEBRUARY 1944
WEDNESDAY 2
Asked again for day off. No! Am just disgusted. Went to Ox. Baths P.M. Got 1540 train to Padd. At Ps 1840 June gone home. Saw her 1900. Went to flicks. Saw a Betty Grable film. Had supper afterwards. June says she wants to get married fairly soon. Has been doing some serious thinking, & I think she’ll have figured all the angles. O.K. by me, anytime.
THURSDAY 3
In bed 0600, out 0700. Weather rough, after a clear night. N/F tonite. Did 3hr X-C & bombing. Dual all the way. Very tired at the end. Bombing results 91x @ 20000’. Actual error 51x @ 6,000. Flying fairly good. I’ll be all right. Still a bundle of nerves. Jumped when intercom was used. Very pleased with bombing. Glad I went to Rom. last night.
[Page break]
FENRUARY 1944
FRIDAY 4
N/F again. Briefing 1500. T-O 1810. Did 4hr X-C, then bombing. Dropped one flare; 12 bombs. Results poor. Was very tired by the time we did the bombing U/C trouble at the end. Pumped it down, [deleted] l [/deleted] only got 10° of flap. Landed O.K. Egg & bacon as usual.
Bombing result:- one stick 30x error @ 20,000’. Pretty good.
SATURDAY 5
Briefing 1500. Pretty much as last night. X-C & bombing. Went to I of M Good moon, bit hazy. Phillips took over for about an hr. Bombing better. Stick not so good but group 135x @ 20,000’. This finishes our night bombing. Landed 2307. Borrowed a book from Woolly “Sex factor in marriage”. He read it on X-C.
[Page break]
FEBRUARY 1944
SUNDAY 6
Down for bombing tonite. 6 sticks to count as daylite, finish us. Weather clamped. Wrote to my beloved this evening. May be on leave in a few days.
MONDAY 7
Couldn’t bomb A.M. due to low cloud. On N/F programe. T-O after some trouble. Dropped 6 sticks on Udstone. Cloud 4,000’, bumpy. 250x @ 20,000’.:-Lousy. Went up again 2230 for another go. Cloud 3,000’. 2 sticks, useless. As we left each time, the cloud cleared. Annoying, [underlined] very [/underlined]. Finishes our flying. Egg & bacon 2359. Receive most complimentary letter from my darling.
[Page break]
FEBRUARY 1944
TUESDAY 8
Spent the morning in bed, & the P.M. getting a small C.Chit filled up. Made up Log Book. ‘Phoned home 1815. With luck may get away tomorrow.
WEDNESDAY 9
Saw C.G.I. this morning. All crew has done pretty well. Hinted that I may get a com. In a little while. P.M. Told to get cleared from station!! Going on leave till 24th then to Driffield, probably a Battle Course. Got C.C. 1600. Paid 6gns. 1525. Received letter from Wilf. He’s now a Cpl. Good Show!
[Page break]
FEBRUARY 1944
THURSDAY 10
Finished getting cleared this morning. Saw CGI 1430. Got away eventually on the 1658 train. Parked cycle & kit at Padd. ‘Phoned home from Lpl. St. 1935. At June’s house 2105-2205. Home 2230. Left my cap at No. 89. Clear night, - full moon.
FRIDAY 11
Went & got my cap first. Then got kit from Padd. Got a taxi from R. Stn. P.M. Jawing to Pop till 1500. Shaved etc. & went to Ilford. Got 4 tickets for show tomorrow nite. Met June 1700. Went to Havana 1900. Left her 2230. She has a good idea on how the wedding will go off. Has the basic ideas taped. Can safely leave it to her. We can have the front room of No. 89.
[Page break]
FEBRUARY 1944
SATURDAY 12
A.M. Collected cycle from Padd. P.M. At No. 89 1500-1900. Went to Ilford Hipp. 2000. Met Freddie Howe. Show fairly good. Had supper afterwards:- foursome. Some rain, drizzle. Got June home 2350. I Love her so!! She is certainly the most beautiful girl in the world, to me. Is all I could ask. She’s been much more fun lately, & more demonstrative.
SUNDAY 13
Saw June 1400. Went up to town. [Underlined[ All [/underlined] flicks full up, so had tea a Lyons Corner House 1630. Very good. Saw a Bob Hope flicker 1745. Not up to usual standard. Raid 2030-2145. Heavy flak barrage. Got to no. 89 2210. Left 2255. Am sure looking forward to marrying June. Had a spot of doubt a week ago. Not now!!!
[Page break]
FEBRUARY 1944
MONDAY 14
Spent A.M. cleaning some tools at home. P.M. Went to Ilford, had a look around furniture shops, to get some idea of prices. I did! Terrific. Met my darling 1700: went home & stayed there all evening. Leave it entirely to her re going out. [Deleted] D [/deleted] She’ll get more tired than me. I get up when I feel like it: not at 0600.
TUESDAY 15
Went to Town A.M. Got 4 tickets for Show at Vic Palace. Back home 1500. Met June at Ps 1700 & went to Ilford Hipp. So-so. “Jane” got boring. Back at no. 89 about 2100hrs, until 2245. Got tummy-ache. June’s sex education isn’t so good as I though. At present she finds the thought of sexual intercourse repulsive. Will have to be very careful.
[Page break]
FENRUARY 1944
WEDNESDAY 16
0500 Sick. Up 1015, stomach lousy. O.K. after dinner. Went to flicks with June 1900. “Lassie come Home”. Not bad. Met Ivy & boyfriend just as we were going in. Withdrew £10 from P.O.
THURSDAY 17
June took day off. Went to Lon. to do some shopping. Got only 2 utility pillow cases. 1530 bought 22-carat wedding ring: 8gns. Met Dud & Joy 1655., they were 25 mins late. Had tea, went to Vic. Pal. Arthur Askey, “The Love Racket”. Very good. Had a drink, Dud left 2130. Got June home 2225.Everything in town was a terrific price, & mostly trash.
[Page break]
FEBRUARY 1944
FRIDAY 18
Went to Vic. Rd. [deleted] O [/deleted] & collected my suitcase. Came back to Rom. & bought a set of carvers (£3/10/-) & water set (£1.) Suspect I was Joed. Gave them to June. Did not go out tonite. Don’t want to tire her out too much.
SATURDAY 19
Met June1220 & proceeded to Bedford. Left St. Pancras 13.30. Arr. H.Con. 1540. Was mad at myself for not taking any grub. Spent the evening sitting round the fire. June went to bed 2130. Had a boiled egg each for tea.
[Page break]
FEBRUARY 1944
SUNDAY 20
Got up 0900. Egg & porridge breakfast. Saw Phil 1030. Back 11.40. Spent next hr. in front room with June looking at the fire:- cosy. Left 1540. At no. 89 2000. Left 2145. A raid on. Took shelter in a house in Hav. Rd. Heard bombs, ducked under the table as the ceiling came down. When quiet went to see if June was O.K. Yes. God looks after me, my cup overflows.
MONDAY 21
Did a bit of shopping this A.M. Got a tin of salmon, for wedding:– 32 pts. Have managed to scrounge two books of points per month from Mum, to help get stuff for wedding. Didn’t go out tonite. Stayed in, looking at June all evening. Not very exciting.
[Page break]
FEBRUARY 1944
TUESDAY 22
Took one kitbag to Kings + this A.M. Met my darling as usual 1700; went to “Ritz” Romford:- flicks. Saw “North Star” & “Henry Haunts a House”. Not bad. Latter very funny. Left June 2230.
A raid during the night. Flak fire heavy, bags of noise; no incidents near here.
WEDNESDAY 23
Took 2nd kit bag to Ks+. 1300 had a cup of tea with June & Rene & Fred in Vic Café. Made up a parcel of grub for Grandma. Stayed in with June most of the evening. Just had one port in “Maurneys Arms”. Alert 2210, some firing. Left 2304. Not a very exciting day. Left £5 with June.
[Page break]
FEBRUARY 1944
THURSDAY 24
Met June 0625. Went to work with her. Left Ks+ 0935. A short Alert 0845. Saw a vapour trail, some AA. Had dinner in Y.M. Doncaster, 1400. Left 1530. Got to Selby 1600. Walked around, shops all closed:- half day. Arr. Driffield 1940hrs. Got a lift to camp in an Army truck. Rest of crew here. Came up from Ks + with Phillips. Billetted in Barrack Blocks. Course expectation 18 days – 5 weeks.
FRIDAY 25
Breakfast 0730. Oat cakes. Didn’t do much today. Talk by W.O. usual line. P.M. on bed all afternoon. Given further 3 days leave. Not much use to me. Got 8/-. Wrote a letter to June this evening. London raided again last night. RAF flew over 1,000 sorties last night, lost 35.
[Page break]
FEBRUARY 1944
SATURDAY 26
Walked to Driffield 1005. Took 20-25 mins. Managed to get a pair of [underlined] sheets & white woollen blankets. [/underlined] Cost £4/8/10. Put deposit of £2 down. Drew further £3 from P.O. 1230 got bus to Hornsea. Found Aunt Alice about 1415 hrs. Took a look around town, & at the sea. Not much doing. Feel very pleased over sheets & blankets. Uniform did it;- pukka. After tea:- raining fairly heavily.
SUNDAY 27
Got up 0930. Sitting about all day still raining & snowing. Went to Service 1800. Didn’t think much to it. Then went up to Y.M. until 2010. Got some Horlicks. Bed 2300.
[Page break]
FEBRUARY 1944
MONDAY 28
Left on 0850 train. In Hull 0930-1040. Got records “Dearly Beloved” & “All my Heart”, at last. Been trying to for months. Drew £3 from P.O. & paid for blankets. Shopkeeper is wrapping & posting them for me. Had another blanket – grey – put aside for me. Spent afternoon writing to June, then had a hot bath. After tea made down beds of rest of crew. Liver for supper – good. Bed by 2100 hrs. Wrote a letter home after tea, too.
TUESDAY 29
0915 had my teeth scaled. Nothing doing for rest of the day. In billet all morn, listened to Woolly’s domestic trouble, advised him as well as I’m able. Wrote to Wilf & Aunt Alice. P.M. spent trying to learn shorthand again. Made fair progress. Haven’t done any for 4 yrs. Only slightly before. Find I’m constantly “singing” “All my Heart” & “Dearly Beloved”.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
WEDNESDAY 1
Drew rifles & denims this morning, dodged FFI, expect trouble. P.M. spent in crawling about in mud & snow. Watched demo squad scale walls, fences & get thro’ barbed wire. Wrote to Grandma. Received expected letter from my beloved June. Replied. Did 1hr shorthand.
THURSDAY 2
Pretty easy day. Some ‘Observations’ this morning, & pay parade P.M. £4-4-0. Did nowt else. Got a pillow slip. We have no sheets here. Evening spent in composing & writing a letter to Wooly’s girl. She has to choose between her family or him. Made it a very formal type, but put the point. He’s very worried, & I asked her to let him know where he stands.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
FRIDAY 3
Room orderly today. Took 2hrs. to clean & tidy up the room. Went to Driffield 1400. Bought blanket & sent it off to June. Wrote her a letter too. Wrote home, sent £1-6-0. Back for tea, letter from Wilf.
SATURDAY 4
Did some bayonet practice, in the snow 10-1100. Shown film on night patrolling. P.M. Told we’re on a night op. tonite. Me as 2 1/2 Platoon. Had a look at the ground 15-1600. Marched off 1945. Op started 2010hrs. Three patrols. I just hopped around independently. Fresh fall of snow, but warmer than expected. Finished 2120. Quite good.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
SUNDAY 5
Paraded 0900 for Bull Parade:-Cancelled 1015 drew 2nd pr. of denims & webbing. P.M. went round the obstacle course, - rehearsal for A.V.M. tomorrow. Finished 1500hrs.
Wrote to June after tea.
MONDAY 6
1030-1200 visit by A.V.M. Parade, pep talk etc, then did ob. course. Seemed quite strange, everyone so busy, bags of activity. Had afternoon off. Didn’t go out as my crew is Town Patrol tonight. Received a letter from June. Phoned home 1910hrs. T.P 2030-2330. Spent most of the time in fish shop & station waiting room. In bed 2359hrs.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
TUESDAY 7
Went to [deleted] Middleton [/deleted] Millington by coach. 2 mile march across fields, -muddy, & snow. Went around the course, under two culverts, & thro’ a filled ditch; fell into the first stream, soaked to the waist. Water cold. Plenty of mud about. Had a hot bath as soon as we got back. Warm enough going round the course, altho’ wet, but got cold in the bus. Wrote to my darling after tea. 7 pages, for a change.
WEDNESDAY 8
0815 went sick. Right hand hurt during yesterday’s exercises. Told its only bruised. Stiff & sore. Stayed in billet rest of morning. P.M. “House clearing”. Quite good fun. Shown a couple of short films. Elementary map-reading, & a tactical film. Wrote to Stan after tea. Still doing shorthand, going rather heavy. Told that Charlton & Avery have been killed with crews. Avery crashed at night!!!
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
THURSDAY 9
A.M. ‘Battle Drill’:- stupid. Saw POW film “Information Please” very good. P.M. Playing at soldiers again. More water & mud. Sun out, quite warm. Received letter from my darling. Wrote to Harold & June. Dreaming of her last night, nothing unusual. Saw her very clearly.
FRIDAY 10
Dreaming of June again, dreamt we were married, 2nd in succession. On a scheme today. Dumped 2m South of Brid., with 2 gunners. Had dinner at Sgts. Mess Lisset. Just walked in & took it. Got lift home via Cornaby. Bags of cheek used. Really enjoyed it. Lovely day. Got a letter from Stan, replied.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
SATURDAY 11
Wood-clearing this A.M. Square bashing stupid, but actual clearing interesting. Blanks, smoke & thunder flashes used. P.M. Went over the Assault course. Piece of cake compared to Millington. Finished by 1530. Had another bath, 3rd in a week. Wrote to June this evening.
SUNDAY 12
Our turn at sentries while ‘N’ Course did the small ramble. Truck broke down just after we left. On a control point from 1150-1430. A bind, weather squally. Dinner 1630, ropey. Didn’t do any [diagram shorthand] tonite. Wrote home. [Diagram shorthand] heavy. Needs two to learn it properly.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
MONDAY 13
Rifle Lec. & cleaning until 1100. Then a talk about the 8th Army in Libya, by one who was there. Very interesting. P.M. Briefed for tonite’s ‘Ramble’. Received a letter from Harold; also one from my angel. 1800 left camp in bus. Dropped at 1940hrs. 7ms. N. of Scarb. Walked it by 2145.
In an open goods wagon 2230-2330, then went into guards van. Very cold. With Wooly & Denton.
TUESDAY 14
0230 got up, all 3 of us frozen. Walked about until 0400. Snoozed on some benches until 0600. 0640 on Scarb. Stn:- no tickets. Left 0730, at D. 0850. Jumped the fence in camp 0830. Very dirty, had cleanup. In Brid. 1500. Got a bed cover 27/0 sent it to June. Received letters from Wilf & Stan. Intended writing letters after supper, too tired. Wrote to June at mid-day.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
WEDNESDAY 15
Room orderly. Wrote to June, received one from her. Am posted to [underlined] Rufforth. [/underlined] Would like to see June again, her letters make me a bit lovesick. Got laundry from Harold at last. Went to Ensa show 2000hrs. Ropey & corny,- very poor. Finished packing. This included a blanket. I have to pay for gloves lost in prang, so will have it back this way.
THURSDAY 16
Up 0550. Left 0800. Got to Rufforth 1330hrs. P.M. spent cleaning up hut & self. Wrote home, to Harold & Stan. Food today very good egg & chips for tea. All crew in same Hut.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
FRIDAY 17
Running around with Arr. Chit all day. C.G.I. talk 0910hrs. Paid £4-4-0 1100. Saw training report from O.T.U.:- Slow, nervous, sound; not dangerous. Not firm enough with crew. Recmd. for commission at a later date. All rest of the crew in York this evening. Wrote to Wilf. Wish I could see June again. Literally my heart aches for her. Sent £1 home. Also 1/8d for ‘phone call.
SATURDAY 18
Finished off Arr. Chit. Had a look round a Hally. P.M. Met my F/E. Spent rest of afternoon in various Hallys. He seems to know his gen. A Newcastle chap, under 21 yrs. We are a kindergarten crew, only 2 being over 21:- W/OP & M/UG. a/c is quite spacious & clean inside. Think I’ll like it. Received a letter from my darling, replied.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
SUNDAY 19
At school all day. A.M:- did the petrol system of the Hally; P.M. the Messien Hyd. System. Nothing else doing until bed 2115.
MONDAY 20
Did Dowty Hyd. System, cooling system & carb. today. Heard that we go into Flights on Wed. or Thurs. Not known if 2nd Dickie trip are still going; hope so. Took laundry into York 1820, inc. 15 collars from rest of crew. Looked in a dance on camp 2130, discouraging, left 2230.
Food is very good here, so far anyway.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
TUESDAY 21
School again all day; engine handling limits, George etc. Got battle dress changed at last. 1620 got a lift into York with Dud. Bought a brevet [deleted] 2/ [/deleted] 2/6d. Had tea at Betty’s. Dud paid (7/-) Went to flick “Jane Eyre”. Heavy. Back 2230. Sewed on badge & tapes. In bed 2330. Started a letter to June in cinema.
WEDNESDAY 22
School A.M. Pneumatic system. P.M. Collected 3 oranges for each of the crew. Did a tour of a/c with F/E. until 1600hrs. Received mail from Stan, Home, & my beloved June. In it she writes “I Love You”, I know it, & it is the most beautiful knowledge in the world, to know that I’m loved by the one I love. And I love her with all my heart & soul.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
THURSDAY 23
Not much doing. AM Had Int. Lec. on evasion. P.M. Got Lockers & Harness for all the crew. In ‘D’ Flt. now. Asked for it as F/O Wilson, a screen, was Woolly’s Pilot on Ops. Wrote to Stan.
FRIDAY 24
Didn’t fly today. AM Hanging about, read flight orders. P.M. did 1/2 hr. dinghy drill. Posted blanket home. Also wrote. Received shirt from Mum. See that we’re down for flying tomorrow, 1st detail. 73 a/c lost in raid on Berlin.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
SATURDAY 25
Up 0620. Got rest of crew out. Airborne soon after 0830. Did stalls, 3 eng flying, C&B’s. T-O awkward, bumps easier than expected Vis. lousy. Couldn’t see the drome on the circuit 1100 landed. 1140 got gauntlets replaced free, CIV action. Didn’t think I would. P.M. D.D, ‘Chute D. & some turret manip. 1910 hrs. observe a large force of Heavies going S. Received letter from June, replied.
SUNDAY 26
AM spent mainly in a/c rec. room. Was to fly 1300 hrs. but scrubbed. Did a tour of a/c with a screen. F/E 1430-1530. Wrote to Grandma & June. June’s letter wasn’t so good, not much to write about. Planes last night raided N. France, 1 lost.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
MONDAY 27
Killing time most of the day. Beautiful day; no flying. Asked for a 48 “No! Well, come again tomorrow”. Said I wanted to make final preps for my wedding. FLT/Cmd, was married last week so have him biased. In York 1830. Got laundry, spent rest of time with Dud. in Library & TOCH. Very nice young lady serving. Almost as good as June. Wrote to Harold.
TUESDAY 28
0800 asked again for 48. OK. Made out pass. Left 1215 hrs. Got a lift to York, left on 1440 train. Kings + 1910. At no. 89 2025 hrs. Is good to see Her again. She finished my last photos. A couple of nights ago, I asked God if I could see June again soon. It seemed impossible at the time. My prayer was answered quickly. Left her 2230.
[Page break]
MARCH 1944
WEDNESDAY 29
Took June to work. Spent morning enquiring about catering & taxis for the wedding. Met June 1700. 1930 saw vicar of St. John’s Church & put up the banns. Left him 2030. At no. 89 rest of the evening until 2220. June a little unwell. Pay Parade at 1100hrs. in camp.
THURSDAY 30
Took cycle to Ks.+. Met June 1230hrs She took the P.M. off from work. Walked round home, picked up money & resp. case. Walked about until 1640. At flick 0 A.Askey – 1740-2025. Stood outside her house until 2055. About the only chance I ever have of having her to myself. At Ks.+ 2214. Just missed 2215 train, got 2315. (Gave June a little talk, in case I am a bit overdue sometime}
[Page break]
MARCH-APRIL 1944
FRIDAY 31
At camp 0530. Hut locked crew away, app. A 48. Reg my bike, got it stamped & painted. Received letters from Wilf & Harold. P.M. Stooging about, tried vainly to get the stove going. Replied to Wilf & Harold. Not much to do; crew on a 48 too. until tonight. Wish I’d known. My thoughts constantly of my beloved. It hardly seems possible that my ideal girl actually loves me, & will soon be my wife. (RAF lost 96 last night)
SATURDAY 1 APRIL
Playing around with a sextant up to 1100’. Link until 1145:- ‘K’ Test, O.K. Flying 1530-1800. Was lousy. Not done so badly since grading school. Twice failed to T-O, due to swing. Landings terrible. Harold came up, met me 1800 at Dispersal. Slept in our Hut. He has bags of stuff for me to collect. Wrote to June, sent £4; proceeds of the sale of a pocket watch.
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
SUNDAY 2
Weather very poor. No flying. Went to York Stn. with Harold. Got lifts both ways. He got train 1537, first stop N’castle. Wrote to my darling after tea.
MONDAY 3
Spent morning in billet. Still raining. Link 1500. Long 8. Duff. Wrote a short letter to Stan. Received one from him.
Camp very muddy.
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
TUESDAY 4
AM:- Up 0830, still raining. Did Gee 0930-1145. P.M. In Nav-Section with Dud. Raining all day.
WEDNESDAY 5
Hanging about all day, in case we [underlined] might [/underlined] fly. Made arrangements for a postal course on Diesel engines. Evening spent in billet receiving advice (?) on how to run my married life. 2145 borrowed some coak from compound, with Dud. No mail from June sine my 48.???? Wrote to Harold.
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
THURSDAY 6
Hanging about all morning. P.M. Wrote to June, sent £3-10/- to replace that borrowed on 48. Went into York 1620. Had tea, - stung 1/8d for a fishcake (?) & mash. Went to flicks “Miracle of Morgans Creek”, quite good. Rather lonesome, on my own.
FRIDAY 7
Up 0630 for first detail, didn’t fly. P.M. 1330 Link, - good. In billet rest of the afternoon. Received mail from June, Stan & Harold. The W/OP in trouble with his girl, crew composed a letter to her, all signed.
Wrote home, & to June.
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
SATURDAY 8
Did a spot of D. Drill, & T-manip. On first detail again, didn’t fly. P.M. kept hanging about. 1545hrs. told we’d fly at 1630. 1640:- a/c U/S, no flying. Cheeses us off. Beautiful day. Wrote to Stan. 1130hrs suggested a couple of ideas re D.Drill to C.G.I. Good view taken. Dreamed last night that my wedding date would be July 4th ????
SUNDAY 9
Went sick 0845. Want to make sure I’ve not got T.B. Get X ray tomorrow. Have had a bad cough for the past week, & bags of phlegm. P.M. In billet rdg. Pilot Notes. Evening spent mainly in telling very old & very weak cracks. Crew composing a letter to “Daily Mirror” re reports of pilots feats in papers, & no mention of the rest of the crew.
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
MONDAY 10
Solo-ed 1020hrs. in the Halifax. Flying & landings much better. 2 Solo lndgs. best ever. Vis very poor. Did 4 circuits before making the first landing. Can’t taxy for nuts. P.M. Had chest X ray. Just to make sure I’ve not got T.B. when I marry. Am O.K. Bomber Stream going over 2100 hrs onwards. Wrote to my darling. Also to Harold.
TUESDAY 11
Vis poor. Flew 1030-1330. Bad weather C&Bs. Rate 2 turns at 3-500ft. Did 1.25 solo. O.K. More or less map-read round the circuit. Landings all very good. Raining hard after 1500hrs. Received a letter from June. Last night we lost 22 a/c. Replied to June.
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
WEDNESDAY 12
No flying for us today. On “[deleted] seff [/deleted] Self Help” 1015-1500,- Cycle mechanics. P.M. Got washed etc by 1530, forgot it was half day closing. Seem to be suffering from bridegrooms nerves, somewhat. Phoned home, spoke to Stan, asked Pop to ask June to ‘phone me. No call by 2045.
THURSDAY 13
Went sick this morning just to tell the M.O. I’m O.K. Got away at 1100hrs. Only saw him for a min. 1130 told I’m flying at 1300hrs. 1300 airborne. Did 3-eng. flying at Holme. Solo 1445. On 2nd circuit P. Outer packed up, so made a pukka 3-eng. lndg. Flew back to base OK. A prang during the night. Only R/G got out alive. Wrote to Stan .
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
FRIDAY 14
Paid 0930. £4/2/-. Had a look at the airborne lifeboat, for the rest of the morning. Didn’t fly today. Took cycle into York for repair. Bought a 5 watt bulb & a bottle of Vol-par gels;- for my wedding night. Went to flicks with Ron & Phil, “The girls he left behind him”:- stupid & boring. Wanted to get drunk, not time. My mind having a terrific fight with itself. Had photo taken 1700hrs.
SATURDAY 15
Got up to find my wallet & this diary missing. Most huts cleaned out during the night by some swine. Got wallet & diary back, only £5 from wallet lost. Have been saving hard. Might have been worse. Mad. Didn’t fly today. [Underlined] Stan [/underlined came up 1500hrs. Went into York. Nothing doing. Feet sore,- we walked back.
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
SUNDAY 16
Wrote to June after tea.
Feet like balloons. Phoned Met 0700 to see if we’d fly at 0830. “No”! Stan left 1000hrs. 1400 told we’d fly at 1700. Then told “sometime before darkness.” 1815 scrubbed. Day utterly wasted. Something is wrong with me. Am constantly analysing myself. Even doubting my love for June! Oh God, what is wrong with me? Do want, in fact [underlined] must [/underlined] see her soon; I do love her so; but why this battle in my mind.
MONDAY 17
Didn’t do much A.M. PM:- 1410 airborne. Did climb,- to 18,600ft a/c ceiling. Should’ve been 20,000. Did A/sea firing 5-600ft. SBA on Riccal’s Beam. Down 1730. Good landing. Received letters from Wilf & my darling. Feel [underlined] much [/underlined] better. I know again I love her. She’s absolutely a perfect angel.
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
TUESDAY 18
No flying this morning. POW talk & film 1400-1530. Airborne 1630 with F/L Hartley. S.Ts. 2 eng. flying, Corkscrews. Am too gentle with the a/c. Controls were very stiff. 1830-2000 Solo, repeat exercises O.K. Egg & chip supper 2045.
Got a bottle of gin from mess 21.30. 28/-.
WEDNESDAY 19
Nothing doing this morning. 1100hrs told we could have the afternoon off. 1200 told to report at 1400hrs. Raining 1400, all details scrubbed. Then impossible to get to Blyth. Too disgusted for words.
Wrote to my beloved 1700hrs. No doubts now. Don’t know what was wrong with me. Wrote home at mid-day.
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
THURSDAY 20
Airborne 0845-1145. Air/Sea firing too cloudy for bombing. 1200 made up 4 Log-books of the crew who pranged last week. Got 1420 to Newcastle. At Blyth 1740. Got stuff from Harold, & left 1915. Got vest & pants, two towels, handkerchiefs, & a few oddments inc. 5/- of sweets. Left for York 22.35, after ‘phoning home, & writing to June.
FRIDAY 21
Arr. York 0055. In bed 0205. On 1st detail. Dual F/A. Didn’t touch controls, felt sick. Afternoon spent in a/c with Geordy. Received expected letter from my darling.
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
SATURDAY 22
Airborne 0855. F/A 0930-100hrs. Bombing 1100hrs. at Elam. Hd. Dropped two bombs, didn’t see them go off. B/Sight U/S, so came back. P.M. collected cycle & photoes from York. Photo is about the best I’ve had taken;- & is out of focus!! N/F tonite. A/B 2135. Went to Poc. Sent solo after 5 C&Bs. Very bad lndgs. Swung of rnwy 2355. Thought the u/c had gone. Not a very successful day.
SUNDAY 23
In bed 0230. Up 1030. Down to fly 1400. No a/c. Wrote to my beloved. C&Bs 2230. Check dual, then solo. Lndgs improved steadily. Dropped heavily on the last one tho’. Had “O” again. A bastard a/c. Everything in it stiff & awkward. Didn’t leave the circuit. Did 3hrs all told.
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
MONDAY 24
Landed 0130. In bed 0235. Up 1115. Got letters from Stan & Harold. Sent box of sweets to June. A/B 1630. Bombing 1700. 3 sticks of 3, should’ve been singles. Very bumpy. Did a bit of SBA. Made a wizard landing 1830. Hard work, flying today. Wrote a short letter to Harold. Made up a parcel, inc. the Gin, to send home to myself.
TUESDAY 25
Made up Log-Books. 1115 told we do a X-C this P.M. Briefing 1130. A/B 1410. Flew at 13-14000ft. instead of 20,000. Bombed at St. Tudwalls. B/Sight U/S again. Drift & s/angle mixed up. Gave B/A & R/G some dual. Also used George. Back 1930. Bad swing on lndg. Finished up going backwards. U/C O.K. tho’ I think.
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
WEDNESDAY 26
Got up 1115 hrs. On N/X-C tonite. Wrote a short letter to my darling. Briefed 1600hrs. In a/c 2000, & took off 2101.5. S/B dead on time 2133hrs. Went North to Stirling, S. to Fishguard & E. to Ely. 5.25 hrs. all told. Target Seagull Isles. We were a couple of mins late. No T.Is. seen at all. Very poor show. Wizard navigation by Dud. No George fitted. Chewed one piece of gum for the whole trip.
THURSDAY 27
Landed 0225. Good landing. Interrogated, had supper, in bed 0415, up 1200. Got a letter from June. She sounds cheesed off. Hope to get a 48 this weekend. 1400 hrs. told we can have off to 0800 Sat. Got 14.51 from York. Saw June 2035hrs. I’m too thankful for words.
[Page break]
APRIL 1944
FRIDAY 28
At No. 89 1105hrs. With June all day. Did some shopping, then went to flicks 1600. Not very keen, but June wanted to see the film. “Cross of Lorraine”. All doubts about my Love for her gone!! Saw her wedding dress. Very good. Am so thankful to God for being able to see her, even if only for a few hrs. She sent me a photo last Mon, haven’t yet received it. Left Ks+ 2240hrs. (22.15 train)
SATURDAY 29
Arr York 0315. In bed 0400, but couldn’t sleep. ???? Must be this thing, Love. Up 0820. Spent until 1430 getting cleared. Photo not arrived. Going to 578 Sqd. Burn Nr. Selby. Could be a lot worse off. Packing most of the evening. Thinking & talking of June, just like old times I must have been nuts to doubt myself. I Love her with all my heart & soul!!
[Page break]
APRIL-MAY 1944
SUNDAY 30
Said tata to F/L Hartley 1100hrs. Spoke to Bailey. He pranged Fri nite. Hit another a/c on a Bullseye. a/c badly damaged. He crash landed on a drome. No one hurt. Flew it over Welsh Mts. Couldn’t steer it properly. Good show. He didn’t bale the crew out. I would. Left Ruff. 1507. At Burn 1630.
MONDAY 1 MAY Maureen [underlined] 8 [/underlined] yrs
Usual C.C. running about A.M. 1430 told I’m [underlined] ON. [/underlined] tonight. 2nd Joe trip. Quick work. Rather glad, didn’t fancy hanging about too long. Briefing 1800hrs. T-O 2210. Went to Malinse in Belgium. Saw a little L. & H. Flak. Saw no T.Is Lots of other a/c. Attack regarded as very poor.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
TUESDAY 2
0001hrs. Leaving T.A. Saw glow of a fire for about a minute. Landed 0200hrs. In bed 0400. Woolly flew with another crew, too. Up 1100. Wrote a short letter to Harold. Talk 1430 by P.F.F. & a Master Bomber. Was to have done conversion this P.M. but the weather stopped it,- low cloud. Wrote to my darling 2000hrs; & home. A beautiful evening re weather.
WEDNESDAY 3
Did conversion this afternoon. First landing atrocious. Swing again. Others OK. a/c very fast taxying, bags of power, climbs like a lift. Evening, went to mess dance, just to get some eats. Bed 2330. No ops on from here.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
THURSDAY 4
A.M. Got a RAF bike, & did some D.D. 49 a/c lost last night. On X-C tonight. T-O 1810 climbed to 22,000’. Highest yet. Had “Charlie”. a/c I went in to Malinse. Climbed lovely to 18,000. Very slow last 4000’. Carried 5,000lbs dummy 500’s, dumped them in the sea. No change of trim noticed. Use awful lot of fuel. Eng. Handling poor. Landed 2340hrs. Inter-com U/S on circuit, & S.O. cut for a few secs. Very glad to get down;- trembling & sweating.
FRIDAY 5
Up 1130. Weather duff. Received a letter from June; & one from Harold. In F/Cmdr’s office 14-1530, being given Ops griff. May get our leave before June 2nd. Won’t be able to get married if so. 2000hrs Saw a serious play “The Father”, by ENSA. Very good acting by the leaders.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
SATURDAY 6
F/A 1430-1450. at 9,000’. Had my RAF bike pinched. Free now till Mon. morning. Dud gone home. Haven’t the money to, or I would. Went to York, collected laundry. Back 2230 hrs.
Received Banns Certificate. Sent it home. Wrote to Harold, too.
SUNDAY 7
Got up 1130hrs. P.M. Went for a cycle stroll with Phil & Geordie 1500-1700. Beautiful day. Scenery lovely. Wish I’d been able to go home. Just the day to go for a walk with June.
Wrote to Grandma after tea.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
MONDAY 8
Didn’t do much A.M. 1400 See I’m ON tonight. Had a look over the a/c, “D”. Briefing 1830-1930. T-O 2130, after a lot of finger trouble. Target:- 3 Heavy Guns (155MM.) on French Coast. PFF on time, we dropped first bombs. Pilot very pleased, right across the markers. Some unpleasant vibrations on the way back. More finger trouble by me on the circuit. Very pleased with the bombing. [Underlined] Ht. 8,600ft. [/underlined]
TUESDAY 9
Bed 0330hrs. Received letter from June. Will not be marrying on next Leave. ON again tonight. Briefing 1830. Wrote a short letter to June. Received letter & snaps from home. Went to camp concert 2000hrs. Quite good. Snoozing 2200-2330. Egg & bacon supper 2350
[Page break]
MAY 1944
WEDNESDAY 10 Ht. 9,000’.
T-O 0145. Target:- 6 x 155MM guns at Morsalines. [Underlined] 100% HANG-UP [/underlined] Jettisoned after some difficulty. Load 16 x 500lbs. Brought one back Landed 0530, - dawn. Dropped 3’. Bed 0730. Up 1345. “Windowing” 1530-1630-. Not on tonight. Photoes taken last night very good. Made me niggly, all hanging up. P.F.F. bang on. 300x out the night before. Wrote to Stan & Home.
THURSDAY 11
Received a letter, & watch from June. [Underlined] ON [/underlined] tonight. 1000hrs paid £4/5/-. P.M. spent out at aircraft. T-O 2237. First off, dead on time. Target:- 6 guns at Trouville. Everyone late, I think. We bombed OK. 0051 1/4 hrs. Some flak about. More than I’ve seen before. R.P.M. counter of S.I. packed up 0045, approx. Ht. 10,000’ Posted watch to Wilf.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
FRIDAY 12
Landed 0240. Poor landing. Bed 0430. Up at 1200. Saw photoes 1400hrs, wizard. Best of the Squadron. Lovely picture of A/P. Some chaps [underlined] miles [/underlined] out. No ops tonight. Wrote to Stan & June.
SATURDAY 13
A.M. POW Lecture again. 1145 told we are [underlined ON [/underlined] tonight. 1430 got a couple of gadgets compasses. DI-ed. a/c after that. 1820 Ops scrubbed. Wrote to Wilf. Received another letter from my beloved. Replied, sent her the snaps.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
SUNDAY 14
No Ops tonight. P.M. Gas test, ie:- respirators. In mess rest of time. Had expected to be on tonight. Weather OK here. Wish I’d had today off, would have gone home to see my beloved.
MONDAY 15
A.M. to have done practice bombing. 0900 a/c U/S. T-O 1030. 10/10 cloud over target. Gave Phil some dual. Me very nervous as we descended thro’ cloud. Lndg ropey. P.M. went to Snaith to see P.As. 2000 at flicks in Selby. Will Hay “My Learned Friend.” Quite funny. First evening out for a long time. Received a letter from Stan.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
TUESDAY 16
A.M. No Ops, hanging about. Drew out £38 from P.O. Closed account. Received £5 from Wilf for watch. P.M. Lectures on nitrogen system; & N/F tactics by Wingco. Raining most of day. Wrote to June 2000 enclosed money order for £40. She has all the money if cart goes wrong. Received letter from H.C. & “Recorder” from home. ‘Phoned home 2040hrs.
WEDNESDAY 17
Stand down again. Raining, Met Chart looked a mess. P.M. Lockers organised. Wrote to Wilf, having received another letter today. 2000hrs. saw film “The Sky’s the Limit,” free, in camp. Walked back with LACW Doreen -? Made a date for tomorrow nite. Haven’t forgotten my darling. No danger.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
THURSDAY 18
Tried to do some bombing 1140hrs. Cloud base 1,000ft. Hopeless, sent back. Waste of time. Woolly sick. 1430 First Aid Lec. No Ops tonite. 1800 met LACW Doreen Bramley. Saw “Behind the Rising Sun” at “Ritz”. Told her at the start I’m engaged. After show, spent most of the evening talking about June. Bad manners, I guess, but its natural for me. She is not booked. Total cost of evening 3/10d Made a break, have been very fed up; I was out with June, not D.
FRIDAY 19
1040 Ops on. 1050 No Ops. 1400hrs:- on a Bullseye tonight, in “C”. Woolly sick, carrying an erk as passenger. T-O 2245. P.I packed up at 12,000ft. Returned, landed on three. My mouth parched when we got down, 2330. Last time we flew with an incomplete crew, we crashed ???? Won’t take any more pass’s. Wrote a short letter to my darling.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
SATURDAY 20
Got up 1115. Stand down. Wrote to my beloved June. News: B. Good. out last night “in very great strength”. Would have been up there if we’d had bombs on last nite Throttle rod broke, actually. 20.00hrs. Saw “The Taming of the Shrew” at camp convert hall. Very good: Shakespeare was a bit of a dirty old blighter, methinks. Most enjoyable show. Don’t expect quite so much trouble in my married life!!
SUNDAY 21
1140 A/B to do air & sea firing. 3. ATC kids as passengers. 250-500 ft. over the sea. Nearly got mixed up in the balloons at Hull, on the way in. Wizard lndg, best ever in the Hally. Absolute Feather-bed. Wrote home 1800; & to June. 2000hrs. Saw concert in camp, free. Quite good, but for a couple of stupid Waafs behind me.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
MONDAY 22
1100hrs. Natter by the Wingco, then a first aid talk by the Doc. Ops ON. Taking “C” – Charlie, not happy. P.M. D.I’d the a/c:- OK. Receive another letter from my beloved. T-O 2355, s/c 0010. Dunton sick, - temp. 101°F. Last minute panic to get another gunner. Had P/O Walker. Even less happy. We are flying with an incomplete crew [underlined] again [/underlined]!!??
TUESDAY 23
S/C 0010. D.R. Compass packed up within 15 mins! Rather bumpy. On target 0215:- Rly yards at Orleans, France. Dozens of flares. Phil could see ground detail perfectly. [Underlined] BOMBS FAILED TO RELEASE [/underlined] again. Jettisoned 6 at F.Coast. Fed up, over this. No flak or fighters near us, fortunately. Didn’t see any flak personally. Landed 0505. Bed 0700. No ops on tonight Wrote to June. We got a perfect photo of A/P.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
WEDNESDAY 24
Had haircut AM. just stooging about most of time. Ops [underlined] ON [/underlined]. In “C” again. Eric still in dock. P.M. at a/c checked bombing gear. Seems OK. Received letter from Harold, & another from my June. Have a Canadian M/UG with us tonite. T-O 1158 1/2. Had trouble with P.I. at dispersal, held us up.
THURSDAY 25
On target 0020 bombs went OK. Landed 0155. Good landing. Got up 1200 hrs. 1340 Looked at crew lists my name not up. Ops ON. Paid 4gns. 1450, then went to Blyth. Arr. 2035, Harold not in, had to leave right away. Got 2235 train back to York.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
FRIDAY 26
In bed 0530, up [deleted 20 [/deleted] 0840. Wilf here. Told I [underlined] was [/underlined] ON last nite. To Manstein. Scrubbed 2220. Saw Wingco 1000. Balled out, but not disciplined. God is with me!!!! Have missed a C.M. by skin of my teeth. Fainted in W/C office, first time in my life. Saw M.O. am OK. Bombing, (DNCO) & Air-Sea firing. 1400. Very bumpy, vis bad. Wilf went back 1400hrs. Wrote to June. Received a letter & stationery from her.
SATURDAY 27
AM. hanging about. 1100. Ops ON. PM. out at a/c. “B” Baker. T-O 0003hrs. Sun. Target:- German Camp at Bourg [inserted] Leopold [/inserted]. (Belgium) On Target 0213 1/2 hrs. Bombs went. 18x 500lbs Some flak & fighter flares. Gunners saw one a/c shot down. No incidents for us. Diverted to Silverstone. Arr 0345, landed 04.26hrs. (Sun)
[Page break
MAY 1944
SUNDAY 28
Hanging about for petrol until 1600hrs. Back at Base 1645. Had tea -ham, egg & mash, & interrogation. Showered & went to bed. No sleep for 36hrs. Wizard weather for holiday. Scorching. Too hot for work, flew back with all windows open. Eric got out of Dock.
MONDAY 29
Practice Bombing 12-1245. DCO. at last. 11,000ft. Flew in shirt sleeves. Quite a nice line in the papers about Sats. raid. Wrote home & to my beloved after tea.
Thundery in the evening. Saw film show 1930 in camp.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
TUESDAY 30
Very cloudy, colder. Crew Con, 1000-1100hrs. Ops ON. Rather surprising Met. man reckoned no. PM. Wrote a short letter to Harold. DI’d a/c. Hot again after dinner. 1800 Ops scrubbed. Not sorry. Spent evening stooging about in the mess. Will soon be holding my darling again, only a couple of days now.
WEDNESDAY 31
Ops ON tonite. P.M. at a/c as usual. T-O 2210, bang on. Had “D” Donald. Went to Trappes, near Paris. About the third a/c to bomb. Half moon, & white st. below us. Rather worrying. Got of track after bombing. Made it up OK. Some flak about. Hell of a long route back. Phil satisfied about the bombing.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
THURSDAY 1
Landed 0415. Had flown thro’ storm on the way back, as going out. Very tired (6hr trip) bad lndg. P.As didn’t turn up, got away 1420, without pay. Got a lift into Donc. & 15.56 to Ks+. Met June 2035. Left 2250 on [underlined] her [/underlined] bike. Sat up until midnight gassing & lineshooting with Pop & Mum.
FRIDAY 2
Met June 1200 & visited inst. Shop for .30 mins. Had dinner with June. Met her again 1700. Told her about LACW D.B. A dim view I fear. Went to Ritz, “The Desert Song”. Wish now I’d not taken D. out, altho’ God knows I did nothing wrong. Don’t feel very happy over it now. Left June 2330.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
SATURDAY 3
Went to a show “Panama Hattie” in the evening.
SUNDAY 4
Went to Richmond, with Ivy & boyfriend. Beautiful day. My love for June is even greater, if possible, her honesty is amazing; most profitable day, - not in money. Wizard day all round
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
MONDAY 5
Spent P.M. at Rus. Pk. With June’s aunts & uncles. I love June more than I ever dreamed possible, & she returns it in full. Used to pray to God that June would love me half as I love her. Have been answered 200%.
TUESDAY 6
Saw show “Meet me Victoria,” – Lupino Lane. Very good.
[Boxed] Troops landed on N. Coast of France. Invasion begins. [/boxed]
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
WEDNESDAY 7
Stayed in at No 89. P.M. Evening – flicks. Am sure looking forward to next Leave.
On my knees when I got to bed.
THURSDAY 8
Go back today. Left Ks+ 1730. June came up, left 1700. Met Phil, & F/S Ridell (Banff.)
June looked very good, even if a bit prim, due to her perm. I Love her more than I would have thought possible, & she returns it in full. An excellent Leave, enjoyed every minute, & learned a lot. Have no doubts about a happy married life.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
FRIDAY 9
In bed 0015. Slept solidly 8 hrs. F/S Walker & S/L Watson missing. My chiefy thro’, also Phil’s, & Woolly’s W/O. Wrote to Aunt Alice mid-day. No Ops. Wrote to June 1800 hrs. Very tired, still. Glad we aren’t on tonight. Next leave 14th July. Wedding date 15th (Sat.)
SATURDAY 10
Ops ON tonight. In L-Love, an old a/c, no API or Monica. Did .20 local flying 1210-1230, just to see if I could still fly. Cloud base 900ft. Wrote to Stan. Guess he is in the invasion, somewhere. [Underlined] Ops [/underlined] scrubbed 1915. Issued with .30 revolver.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
SUNDAY 11
Wrote to Harold. Ops [underlined] ON. [/underlined] tonight. Hung about all evening, then briefed in a terrific rush. Had a row with crew, told I’m pretty unpopular, - too bossy. Didn’t realise it. T-O 2154. Rly. yds South of Paris. Ht. 5,000ft & less. Low cloud. Made [underlined] 3 [/underlined] runs before bombing. Had “L” Love. Trip went off OK. Good landing.
MONDAY 19
Landed 0222hrs. Up 1030 & paid £7/10/- 1150hrs. Ops [underlined] ON. [/underlined] tonight. In “Z” zebra, another old a/c. Briefed 2000hrs. Changed a/c to “J” for June. T-O 2335. Went to Amiens. Bags of S/Ls. Crew saw either 5 a/c or “scarecrows” go down. Most opposition I’ve met. Did a very long steady run-up. Target seemed to be pranged OK. Phil did .30 or so flying on the way back.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
TUESDAY 13
Landed 0354. Lousy lndg. Two a/c missing. In bed 0530. No OPS tonight. 27 a/c lost last night. Wrote to Grandma to try & scrounge some clothing coupons for June. Wrote to June after tea.
Saw flicker “Lifeboat” 2100hrs., utter waste of time. Load of tripe. Straightened out a few things with Phil & Dud over my Captaincy.
WEDNESDAY 14
Ops ON tonight. Have “B” Baker, which was “L” last Sun. Replace other “B”. – lost Mon. night. Get a [underlined] new [/underlined] a/c as soon as one comes into Flight. Received letters from Harold & Wilf. Briefing,- 2000hrs. Target Douai (France) T-O 0005HRS 15-6-44. On Target 0204 1/2. Not so lively as we expected. Very few S/Ls. 10/10 cloud from Δ to E/C. wizard. Bombed from 8,000ft.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
[Underlined] cont. [/underlined]
THURSDAY 15
Ron saw bombs burst 0205. Near T.Is. Landed 0400hrs. Received letter from my darling. 1200hrs. told we T-O 1700 for [underlined] daylight [/underlined] Op. 1400hrs. cancelled. Briefed 1830. At a/c 2030. S.O. U/S Revs. stuck at fully fine. [Underlined] OP scrubbed. [/underlined] for us. Annoying, but wrote to June 2220-2320 Target for tonight:-fuel dump near Rennes, (France.)
FRIDAY 16
Got up 1100hrs. Stand down. Target was well pranged last night. Jerry crashing pilotless a/c with 2,000lbs bomb on each, on London at a rate of 9 per Hour. Feel mad at this, worried for June. 1800 Went to flicks in Selby, then met Phil & Geordy in Y.M. Back in camp 2230.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
SATURDAY 17
Up 0930. Getting quite lazy. Ops ON. Ron on a 36 to go to his brothers wedding. Taking a W.O. W/OP tonight. Received a letter from June, & invite card for crew to wedding. P.M. at a/c. T-O 2315 HRS. Target:- supply dump at St. Martins L’Hortier ([deleted] F [/deleted]) 10/10 over target. Bombed glow of T.Is. Not permitted to go down. Got over London, outwards. Raid on, lots of flak; thinking of June. Very quiet trip otherwise.
SUNDAY 18
Landed 0320hrs. Bed 0500. Ops [underlined] ON [/underlined] tonight. Saw photo of last nite. Lovely picture of 10/10 st.cu. Briefed 2015. Ops scrubbed 2215. Had supper tho’. Can’t get to sleep before about 1.AM when we don’t operate.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
MONDAY 19
Ops [underlined] ON [/underlined] tonite. P.M. API fitted to Baker. Very pleased. Cleaned the Perspex of my cabin. Briefed 2000hrs. Target:- A [deleted] roc [/deleted] flying bomb installation in France. 2145 [underlined] OP scrubbed [/underlined] as we were ready to go to a/c. Scoffed the rationed. Very annoyed as these bombs have become a personal matter.
TUESDAY 20
OPS ON. Conference 1500. Told to stand by something big on!! 1830 another con. No gen, - go to bed & get some sleep. 2200 a/c loaded with I.Bs. Overload tank on. Told we T-O at 0600HRS. ???? Norway?? Bed 2200hrs. Received letters from Stan & H.C. Replied to Stan. Grandma has sent June 10 clothing coupons.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
WEDNESDAY 21
Crew Conf.1000hrs. Told we were to have gone to BERLIN, on target 1035hrs. Weather stopped it. To have been 2,500 bombers, & 1,500 fighters. Briefed 1400 for daylight over France. At a/c, at the ready till 1700. 1800 hrs. scrubbed. Everyone fed up. Bombload had been changed three times in two days. Received letter from June. 25 days to go now.
THURSDAY 22
OPS on [underlined] TODAY. [/underlined] T-O 1320. Target:- a doodle bug Ramp in France:- Siracourt. 18,000ft. Some accurate flak at F/coast. In first 5, with Wingco. In a pack, not formation. Went over Brentwood, saw Romford. Hundred [deleted] s of [/deleted] planes on. Back 1720. No fighters seen, ours [underlined] or [/underlined] jerry’s. A Tempest formated on us just after Reading on last leg. Letter from Stan. Wrote to June, sent £3 for her birthday. [Boxed] 13th trip [/boxed]
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
FRIDAY 23
Saw photo of yesterday’s do. Plotted as Sqdn’s 2nd best. Ground staff gave us a small piece of flak, from P.I. No damage. Briefed 1800 after some flapping. Sent card to June, for Mon. T-O 2256 after some bother with S.I. Flew down Eng. in formation. Op. Ht. 17,000ft. Target:- doodle-bug site at Oisemant. Very bumpy, - high concentration of both a/c & bombs. Target pranged. B Baker not fast enough for me, over 10,000ft.
SATURDAY 24
Landed (?) 0240:-Lousy. OPS. ON. Tonight. Briefing 1900hrs. Got wizard photo last night. Bombx plotted as straddling A/P. Target tonight:- P.Plane base at Rossignol. (France) A.P.I. went wrong. met. winds all to cock. Ht. 17,000ft 8 mins late on target. Everyone late. Very poor trip, all round. Wrote home. [Deleted] Rotten [/deleted]
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
SUNDAY 25
Landed 0440. Lousy. Bed 0600-1400. Saw photo:- one little T.I. in corner. Later plotted OK. Stand down. Wrote to “Winston Hotel“ Picc. to book room for our wedding night. Bed 2000hrs.
[Deleted] Wrot [/deleted]
MONDAY 26 June is 22yrs today.
Weather lousy. Stand down. Read complete novel “Four Just Men”. Wrote to Grandma. Received a letter from June. Flickers in mess 2000hrs. “George Washington slept here”. Very funny. Ideal way of seeing a film, in a armchair, with a glass of cider. All I needed to improve it, was June.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
TUESDAY 27
Up 0615. Briefed 0915 after 1 1/2 hrs wait. T-O 1140hrs. Went to big doodle-bug place between Calais & Boulogne. Ht. 17,000ft. Lot of Cu. Pitot head froze up at one time. Cabin frosted. Back 1448, cut up on the circuit. Made me so mad, Some guys should learn to fly. Have to stand by for Ops [underlined] tonight. [/underlined] Bed 2130. Received letter from Stan.
WEDNESDAY 28
Up 0030. Briefed 0130 & Meal 0300. T-O 0520. France again. T.O.T 0720. Bombs from Q nearly hit us. Too close for me. Shook me up. Landed 0855. Had a much needed shower; & bed 1200. Slept till 1930. Wrote to my darling.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
THURSDAY 29
My crew stood down today. Ops [underlined] ON. [/underlined] Went to Snaith PM. saw Pay Accounts get 10gns. next Pay day. Back 1615. Diesel engine text book arrived. Wrote home. 2115. Wrote to my darling. Only a fortnight to go now, am counting the days.
Received a letter from June.
FRIDAY 30
Briefing 1530. T-O 1745. Target:- Villers-Bocage, France. 3 panzer divs. to be smashed. Biggest armada I’ve ever seen, Lancs & Hallys everywhere. Target obliterated. Told there was 250 a/c on the target. Seemed more. Most impressive. Glad to help the poor B.I. Geordie saw the bombs hit – bang on. No trouble.
[Page break]
JULY 1944
SATURDAY 1
Ops ON. Briefed 1200hrs. First a/c off, -us – 1530hrs. P. Plane base at Ouisement (see 23-6-44) We were bang on time, all others early. Very lonely, but some fighters kept us company on the way back. Bombed visually, about the only ones who did. Got letter from Winston Hotel, room reserved OK. Trip today quite good.
SUNDAY 2
OPS on. Scrubbed 1300hrs. Crew Con. 14.30-1530. Wrote to my darling. Did first part of Diesel course. Wrote to Stan. Weather lousy. GOT SHEETS at last.
(Note in 1987. These sheets were for June & me. Such things were [underlined] very [/underlined] difficult to obtain in 1944).
[Page break]
JULY 1944
MONDAY 3
Weather still duff. Briefing put back twice during the day.
Op scrubbed 1800, everyone having got dressed. Wrote to Harold. Received a letter from June. Roll on the 15th.
TUESDAY 4
OPS ON. T-O 1210: target P.Plane at St. Martin’s L’Hotier again. Hit by flak just as B/Ds opened. A.H knocked out & all suction gone;- no D.I. or T&B. Flew visually. S.O. packed up over Farnboro’. 10/10 Cu. except for a fair sized “chimney”. Descended, & landed at F. on 3. Phoned WIllky OK 1500. Landed 1515. Meal ready for us, & beds. Met [underlined] Riddell, [/underlined] spent night at his billet.
[Page break]
JULY 1944
WEDNESDAY 5
Damage assessed;- will take a week to repair. Left 1500, smart work. In London 1700. At No. 89 1815. So glad to see June, even if only for 2hrs. P.Planes busy, causes me a bit of worry. Phoned RTO & booked seats on 2315 train. Left R. 2100hrs. & got train OK. Borrowed £1-0-8d from my darling.
THURSDAY 6
Got to camp eventually at 1100hrs. De-briefed. Saw Adj; to see W/C, & asked if I wanted a commission. Given the bumpff. Think Dud is to get one, too. Received a total of [underlined] 6 [/underlined] letters, including one from June, & the Hotel. Wrote to my darling. [Deleted] Sent telegram to H. [/deleted]
[Page break]
JULY 1944
FRIDAY 7
Hanging about all day. Wrote out a report about our damage. Briefing 1930hrs. Target:- Nantes, near St. Nazire. Scrubbed 2100hrs. Posted letter to June, sent £9. Had 6 tries to see the Adj today, re the com. bumpf. Sent telegram to Harold re wedding.
SATURDAY 8
Papers checked by Adj. Ops on. Hanging about all day waiting for times of M.B etc. Finally postponed indefinitely. Wrote home. Received parcel from Harold:- 2 towels; 2 pr sox, vest & pants; very pleased.
[Page break]
JULY 1944
SUNDAY 9
Ops ON. Briefing 0900. T-O 1108hrs. Target Les Cotelliers flying bomb base. Some trouble finding target. Stooged around for 5-10 mins before finding it. Very bad flying weather over England. In cloud all the way with rain & ice. My 21st Op. 2000hrs. saw concert on camp by camp personnel quite enjoyable.
MONDAY 10
Stooged about all morning. Ops. ON. In L. Crew Conf. 1430. FP 1500 MB 1530. Target N.W of Paris. Ops scrubbed 1800 hrs. In billet most of the evening, being sketched by Joe.
Received a letter from my beloved, replied. Wired Stan & Wilf.
[Page break]
JULY 1944
TUESDAY 11
Ops ON. FP1400. At a/c 1500. Op postponed 1505. Back at a/c again 1640. Scrubbed 1645. Letter from Grandad;- won’t be at wedding. Disappointed. So many people have let us down, it makes me feel ill. June’s efforts wasted. She’s worked so hard, & now for so little. Feel pretty miserable. Had wire from Wilf:- nogo either.
WEDNESDAY 12
Ops ON. Mucking about all day, getting some M.T. hrs in. T-O 1805. Went to [deleted] the [/deleted] “Thrivern” near Paris. 200 a/c. very good concentration. Bombed on gee. Had a shell burst a few feet under the tail, hell of a bang. Three holes in skin of a/c:- one bit of flak. No one hurt. Landed 2240. Not a bad landing.
[Page break]
JULY 1944
THURSDAY 13
At Snaith PAs. 0910. Paid £9. Packed up & away 1200hrs. Raining. Got 15.50 train from Donc. Romford 2030. Met Stan at No. 89. June round home. Met her at home 2200. Lovely as ever. Not the slightest doubt!! Have done pretty well in presents it seems.
FRIDAY 14
Shopping this AM. Got officer type F.S. cap. Fixed taxis, etc. Blew £5 or so. Received £4 from Wilf. P.M. Ironing & pressing. At No 89 18.30. Saw June once or twice. Played darts for quite a while. Saw some of our presents. Amazed, they are wizard. Saw cake. Shook me rigid, better than I’d dared hope.
[Page break]
JULY 1944
SATURDAY 15
[Underlined] Our Wedding Day [/underlined]
Married [inserted] at [/inserted] St. John’s Church 2P.M. Very good Service, everything O.K. Went off 90% perfect. Very pleased, & fully satisfied. Stan made it. Joe Best Man.
SUNDAY 16
Arrived Marlow 1415 hrs for our honeymoon.
[Page break]
JULY 1944
MONDAY 17
Went to Windsor.
TUESDAY 18
Reading.
[Page break]
JULY 1944
WEDNESDAY 19
Henley.
THURSDAY 20
Came back.
Honeymoon 80% perfect. Weather beautiful, like June.
[Page break]
JULY 1944
FRIDAY 21
Back at camp 0815. [Underlined] 6 [/underlined] a/c lost last night. Harrison & Coture included. Shaken me. No Ops. Went to Snaith 1500 to see about an allowance for June. Very tired, bed 1930. Weather:- dull & windy.
SATURDAY 22
No Ops. F/A 11-1200. Lovely above the clouds. Feel quite happy. Evasive action leaves room for improvement. Wrote to my beloved 1530hrs. Evening:- posted June’s letter, saw flick “Quiet Wedding”:- June looked better than the film bride. In Y.M 2030-2130. Not exactly an exciting evening.
[Page break]
JULY 1944
SUNDAY 23
OPS ON. Briefed 1845. Target:- KIEL, Germany. T-O 2250, Joe all but forgot dividers & prot. T.O.T. 0120. 10/10 Stcu all the way. Saw the Town by a flash once. As expected, opposition rather heavy. Lots of flak;- 2 very close; no fighters. Saw an a/c on fire over the sea, on the way back, it went down after 2 or 3 mins. 6 a/c lost.
MONDAY 24
Landed 0405. Not a bad landing. Bed 0600-1300. Ops ON. a/c “C” fitted with wing [underlined] and [/underlined] belly overload tanks. 2000-odd galls. Target:- STUTTGART. T-O 2140hrs. T.O.T 0150. Easier trip than expected. Bomb-load 9 x 500lbs. Saw a He 111 & a S/E a/c. One a/c went down over T/A.
The KIEL raid is being plugged heavily by radio. [deleted] in papers [/deleted] No mail from my darling.
[Page break]
JULY 1944
TUESDAY 25
Landed 0540hrs. 8hr. trip. Very tired. Bed 0700-1500. Stand down. Got a letter from my beloved June. RAF lost 25 a/c last night. T.O & landed in daylight. MUG oxygen U/S, Geordie managed to improvise. Turret half U/S. 2 mins from Δ. R/Turret motor burnt out.
Wrote to June.
WEDNESDAY 26
No OPS. Nothing much doing. Have stirred up the Int. section this last day or so over the lack of security on camp. Have found out that it was pretty common knowledge about the Stuttgart raid. Shook me.
Wrote to Wilf.
[Page break]
JULY 1944
THURSDAY 27
Nothing doing. Stand by all day. Wrote to Aunt Alice.
FRIDAY 28
Up 0200. Briefing 0230. Op scrubbed 0600. Asleep till 1100. Briefed again 1400. T-O 1630. Target:- a forest in France, contents unknown, but very important. Bombed visually, led in by 2 mossys. Strip torn off me for being ahead of Sqdn. Only a/c on time at C.P.
No mail from June. Got a 21st card from “Mum & Dad” but has June’s handwriting??
[Page break]
JULY 1944
SATURDAY 29
OPS. ON. Got up 1000hrs. Briefed 1500HRS. Wrote to my darling; received a letter from her. T-O 1802. Target same as yesterday. Foret de Niepe. P.O. packed up at 9,500ft on climb. Flew 70 miles out to sea & dumped bombs. Landed OK [deleted] 9 [/deleted] 1947hrs.
SUNDAY 30
Am 21 yrs. today. No Ops. Did air test in Baker 1600HRS. New P.O. Main bearings packed up yesterday. Wrote to my darling; & home. Got a parcel from mess bar containing 3 birthday cards. From June, Her Mum, & Stan.
2130hrs went to Station dance & got a little merry. Not drunk.
[Page break]
JULY-AUGUST 1944
MONDAY 31
No Ops. Hanging about most of the time waiting for gen. Received stationery & wedding snaps from my darling. Wrote her another letter. In good form lately.
Evening did a spot of swotting on the diesel engine.
TUESDAY 1 AUG.
OPS ON. Nothing much doing A.M. Briefed 1630. At a/c 1830. Tried to T-O. swung off runway. Checked engines again & had another go. S.O. would give only 1300 RPM. Sortie abandoned. Cheesed off. Twice running. Sent wedding photoes back to June.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
WEDNESDAY 2
Hanging about all day. Didn’t operate.
Did a bit more reading on the diesel. Wrote to my darling again.
THURSDAY 3
Ops.ON. Took-off 1140. Target:- doodle bug site near Paris. No trouble, tho’ S.O. vibrated badly when leaving the target, for a time. Bit of H.F. quite accurate too. Didn’t touch us. ‘M’ came back with a bomb hole in his wing.
Wrote to June after tea.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
FRIDAY 4
Paid £4. 12.15hrs. Reduc. Of income tax allowed me almost pays my allowance (3/6d) to June. Very nice. No OPS. Very hot today. Went swimming in Selby baths 1630-1730. Saw flick; a Gert & Daisy film. Received a letter from Wilf.
SATURDAY 5
OPS.ON. Pulled out of bed 0715. T-O 11.17hrs. Foret de Niepe again. We were about the only a/c on track. Others seemed to be following the leaders. We ploughed our own furrow to the target. No trouble, good trip. Very hot day again, a ‘High’ almost stationary over Eng. Landed 1540.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
SUNDAY 6
OPS on. Not much doing A.M. Briefed 1530. T-O 1900. First a/c off. TOT 2101.Marshalling yard at Hazebrouck, France. Hit A/P. Bomb right across the lines! ‘B-Baker’ running beautifully. Last a/c down. Good landing. Lot of flak,- comparatively over Δ. Almost an ideal trip. Rather congested over Δ.
MONDAY 7
OPS ON. Yesterday’s photos bang on. Wrote to my darling, received a letter from her. Briefed 1600. Army support south of Caen T.O.T. 2303. One min from Δ M/B gave “Lemonade”. Cheesed off. Jettisoned bombs 10MS. W. of Cherbourg. Brought back 4 x 1,000lbs. (max.) Ailerons jammed for a couple of secs. on way out. Wrote to Wilf.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
TUESDAY 8
Bed 0230. Called 0830 – “Scramble”. Paniced for an hr. then it was scrubbed. P.M. Had a short sharp storm. Hail bigger than peas. 2000hrs. saw show on camp. Very good, but smutty at the finish.
WEDNESDAY 9
OPS.ON. Called 0730. T-O 1120. Target:- fuel dump in Foret de Mormal Wizard prang. Ron saw our bombs straddle the A/P. Getting good these days. T.O.T. 1304 hrs. In B. S.O. gave only +2 in S gear at R.B. Woolly finished now, his 30th trip today. My 30th too. Wrote to June 1940hrs.
Wrote home 2150hrs.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
THURSDAY 10
No ops. Hanging about all day. Yesterday’s photoes bang on, -as expected. Mail from June & Stan. June has furniture permits now; what a wife! Wrote to Stan.
FRIDAY 11
OPS OM. T-O eventually 1330. Target:- rly. yds. at Somaire (France) Among first to bomb. Had to dodge a load of bombs from some fool flying at 15,000. We were at 10. Have another M/UG. Cloud-hopping on the way back. Not a particularly good trip, tho’ bombs fell on target. Two bombs went safe! Load 9 x 1,000lbs, 4 x 500lbs. Received letter from June, as promised.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
SATURDAY 12
OPS ON. Briefed 1800. Target:- Opel M.T. works at Russelsheim. T-O 2120, in ‘B’. T.O.T. 0016. Training AE taken of by another a/c. Wizard fire in Target area. Seen nothing like it. 0120 both P. engines cut out at 10,000ft for 10-15 secs. Made me flap. 0130 shot up by accurate flak. P.O. U/S. Sweating & praying all the way back. Thirty or more mins to E/Coast.
SUNDAY 13
0226 Landed (?) on Woodbridge Strip. Shaken up a bit. Nerves stretched. Place well organised. Left 1530. Returning via London. Met by June & Mum & Pop at Lvrpl. St. Stn. Spent night at no. 89. Didn’t get much sleep tho’ not for lack of trying. Too much in love with my wife.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
MONDAY 14
Up [underlined] 0600 [/underlined] Ugh! At Ks+ 0840. Left 1030, in camp 1730. Two a/c were lost on Russ. Letter from June waiting for me.
TUESDAY 15
Up 0545. OPS on. T-O 1007. Target:- N/F ‘drome in Belgium – Tirlemont. Hit it. 2,000 a/c hitting N/F ‘dromes this morning.
A ‘chute -no. 13 – is missing & I’m holding the can. Wrote to June, cycled to Selby to post it 2000.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
WEDNESDAY 16
OPS on. A German target. Not at all happy. Briefed 1730. Target:- Kiel again. Very unhappy. T-O 2130. In Z Prayed all the way round. God heard me, & looked after us. Z a wizard a/c. Twice nearly hit by other a/c. Saw no fighters. Bags of flak. Two good fires going in the town. My 34th trip. Shot a line to Public Rel. Off. after de-briefing. [Underlined] Very [/underlined] glad to get to bed.
THURSDAY 17
No OPS. Paid 4gns. 1415. 1430 Crew Conf. Wrote to June & Harold. Bed 2030. Received a letter from June.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
FRIDAY 18
Mail from June & Stan. Stan going abroad soon. OPS on. Briefed 1830. [Underlined] Happy Valley [/underlined] Niggly. At a/c 2130. P.O. rev counter U/S. Bags of flap. Couldn’t put it right. Not sorry at all. OP scrubbed. Not keen on flying this side of Leave. [Underlined] Four [/underlined] a/c failed to get off.
SATURDAY 19
Got up 1130. Stand down. Good, another day nearer leave. Did some binding on on Diesel course P.M.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
SUNDAY 29
Nothing on. Raining heavily all day. Am on the hooks for a missing ‘chute. My commission thro’, w.e.f. July 28th. A couple of short plays in concert hall 2015. Passed the evening. Have got 290-odd clothing coupons.
MONDAY 21
Running around most of the morning getting Warrants for rest of crew. Had to go to Snaith. Left Doncaster 1600hrs. Ks+ 2000hrs. Met by my darling wife. Happy now.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
TUESDAY 22
Walked around Ilford most of morning looking for a tailor to make me a uniform. Nogo. P.M. Went to Moss. Bros., fitted me out in an hour. Very pleased & thankful. Met June 1700 at Ps. Weather duff, rain & drizzle all day. 1900 saw “For Whom the Bell Tolls” at Havana. Quite good.
WEDNESDAY 23
A.M. running around R. P.M. Collected uniform from Moss’s. Tea at June’s Gran’s Ilford. Weather;- hot & clear, bit muggy. Bought a canvas bag:- holdall, 56/-
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
THURSDAY 24
Did a bit of shopping A.M. P.M. & evening raining hard. Played Rummy after tea, lost 4d.
FRIDAY 25
Went up to town. Wore my nice new uniform. A snoop shook me by saluting me. Managed to cope. Saw a Deanne Durbin film, absolute bind. Bought a suit case 26/6.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
SATURDAY 26
Stayed in R. Evening spent at flickers “Up in Mabel’s Room”, very funny.
SUNDAY 27
Went to Leytonstone 1600:- foursome. Pleasant afternoon. Evening played rummy again, lost a bit more.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
MONDAY 28
Took June to work, dumped big bag at Ks+. Back home 1000, got changed, left 11.44. Dinner at ‘Super’ with my sweetheart. Left Ks+ 1600. Walked most of the way from Selby, got to camp 00.45. 29th Dog-tired, arms aching.
TUESDAY 29
First day as an officer on camp. Have [underlined] n’t [/underlined] enjoyed it. Boobed in mess several times. Handed in kit, started getting cleared. Moved to No. 4 Site. Rather a strange feeling to be called “Sir”. Received a letter from Wilf. Wrote to my beautiful wife 2000hrs.
[Page break]
AUGUST 1944
WEDNESDAY 30
No OPS. Continued a while more running round with C.Chit. 1500 Crew Conf. Wrote to Harold & Aunt Alice. Joe’s commission is now thru. Very pleased.
1900hrs. good dinner. Fish & chips very well cooked, plums for desert.
THURSDAY 31
Ops ON. but not for me, very annoyed. Down for [underlined] practice bombing [/underlined] 1500hrs. Just about the last straw!! a/c was U/S, very pleased. Wrote to June & Wilf.
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 1
No Ops today. F/A & air test 1100. In ‘B’. Carried a spare Eng. for a test for him, & a Hgte. pilot – for a ride. P.M. Standing by. Ops on & off in 5 mins. Letters from my darling, & Harold.
SATURDAY 2
OPS on. Meal 0830 F.P. 0930. Scrubbed 1330. Got rations tho’. Spent P.M. chasing round Selby & York looking for rug-canvas. Nogo. Weather lousy. 2100 Wrote to June. [circled] A5 [/circled]
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
SUNDAY 3
OPS. [underlined]] ON. [/underlined] Briefed 1030, then postponed T-O 1515. Target:- Drome at Venlo, on Belgium-German border. Opposition negligible. In ‘B’, a/c & weather both lousy. Last 50ms back Q8B 200-550ft. Diverted to Carnaby. Landed 10-15ft high. All but hit a Lanc. on the way back. Stood a/c on its tail, cleared [underlined] his [/underlined] tail by less than 10ft. Thought it’d come, so did crew. ‘Drome was very well lit.
MONDAY 4
T-O from Carnaby 11.40 without Joe. Landed at base 12.02. hrs. No mail from June, Expected some. Running around all afternoon, with very little result. 2100hrs. spoke to F-Fox’s captain. He’d stopped a shower of bombs, a 1,000lb er thro’ fuselage, belly of a/c ripped out, port tail-plane hit by another, & S. side of fuselage scraped. Very shaky do.
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
TUESDAY 5
1000hrs. natter by Winco on rubber cheques. 10.10. went sick with upset stomach & hauled into dock. Was sick twice during the night, very little sleep. Slept big part of day; wrote to June. Not a very good letter, I fear. Feel pretty ropey.
2200 hrs. Joe brought in a letter from June. Feel [underlined] much [/underlined] better.
WEDNESDAY 6
Feel OK this morning. Wrote to my darling again. Got up 14.30. Did a bit of reading on the Diesel engine. Think I’ll take it up seriously.
One of the WAAF nursing orderlies is rather frisky, today. Weather still lousy. Joe got my F603’s fixed up at Snaith. Very pleased.
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 7
Came out of dock 12.20.hrs. P.M. spent clearing up stores etc. Got £5 advance from P.A.s. Weather:- raining all day. Received another letter from my darling.
FRIDAY 8
Saw Doc 1000. OK. Got rest of the day off. Wrote to June. P.M. Walked round Leeds with Joe looking for rug-canvas. Nogo. Raining hard so got soaked. Back in camp 2010.
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 9
Up 0145HRS. OPS [underlined] ON. [/underlined] T-O. 0610 for Le Havre. M/B scrubbed it over Δ. 10/10 Cu. Started 5 1/2 mins late. Only 1min late at Δ. Dropped bombs in sea near a convoy. Some went off & bounced a/c. Ht. 2,300ft. Wasted effort but another one chipped off. Brought 5 x 1,000lbs S.A.P. back. Ropey landing as usual. Wrote to my beloved 1700, got 1830 post. Made a rug needle from ali tubing.
SUNDAY 10
OPS. ON. Lovely day. Briefed 1130. Le Havre again. T.O.T. 1645 1/4. Wizard bombing, terrific concentration. Our B/S U/S. Phil straddled T.I.s tho’. Very pleased with the trip. Made a good lndg. too.
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
MONDAY 11
OPS. [underlined] ON. [/underlined] Briefed 1330. Target:- Gelsenchkirchen, (Ruhr). T-O 1455. T.O.T. 1830 1/2. Very heavy opposition. Flak thick enough to walk on. Saw a Hali go down, Phil saw its tail break off. I felt a bit sick;- but very busy at the time. Two other a/c seen to go down. Used ‘George’ a lot today. B/Ht 17,600ft. Made a good lndg. 2025. No mail from June?? Received a letter from Stan.
TUESDAY 12
OPS ON. T-O 1601 hrs. for Munster, B/Load 1 cookie & 3 cans of IB’s. 1830hrs S.I. oil press failed at O. Ness. E.R. rather niggly. Very good lndg. Others said trip was reasonable. Mail from June, Stan & Wilf. Wrote to June 2100. Sent off Test 4 of Diesel Course. Good chance of being screened by the 26th. Maybe 14 days. (Yesterday’s raid was very successful, our photo:- A/P bang on!!
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 13
No Ops. Hung about all morning. Did 1/2 hr “Link”:- rdg magazines. Its stupid to give us Link now. Given a handbook,- “The a/c Captain” if you please: I have two more trips to do to finish 1st tour!!! Another letter from my beloved. Heard from the Bank today. Wrote to June & Grandma.
THURSDAY 14
Am stood down today. P.M. In York with Joe. Got some writing paper:- that’s all. Looking for sack-cloth,- nogo. Back for dinner, (1900) Did a bit more of D. course. Sqdn. Recalled from OP. Target was Wilhemlshaven. Joe bought parts of a miniature radio set. Spent evening sorting it out.
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 15
Battle of Britain Day. Stood down again today. P.M. Bought some rug wool (Kt) & pinched two sandbags. Tried rug-making 1800hrs, -failure, need a pukka needle. Eric is [underlined] on [/underlined] tonight as a spare gunner.
Wrote to my loving wife 2040hrs.
OP is a night trip, not sorry I’ve missed it; getting a bit jittery.
SATURDAY 16
No OPS. My A/FO is thro. Sewed on the braid P.M. Made wire rug needle & did three hours rug-making. Result quite satisfactory, but is rather slow at present. Miss June an awful lot, a week to go. The sooner the better. OPS on at 0300 tomorrow. Clocks back an hr. BLACKOUT GOES TONIGHT.
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
SUNDAY 17
Up 0520. T-O 0909hrs. Target:- Boulougne. Bang on!!! Had trouble with S.I. Concentration dangerously thick. Saw an a/c 30ft dead above us with bombs [underlined] on [/underlined]. Moved rather smartly. He went round again. Bombing well concentrated, 3 M/Bs on, [underlined] none heard [/underlined]. Fog at base, landed as per Farnboro’ effort. P.M. Wrote to my beloved & did 3-4 hrs rugmaking. OK now.
MONDAY 18
No OPS. Received letter from June as expected. Spent afternoon rug-making again. Improving the quality now, if not the quantity. Progress satisfactory. Received a letter from Grandad;- wrote to Wilf.
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
TUESDAY 19
No OPS. Again. Cheesed. Letter from Mum, replied. Cheque book from bank. 1400 at Snaith PA to query my pay. Spent rest of day to 1900hrs. rugmaking. Received another letter from my beloved; & replied. Joe’s radio working now. Am quite pleased with my rug-making, takes an awful long time to do so little tho’.
WEDNESDAY 10
No OPS [underlined] AGAIN. [/underlined] Ops on 11.00, off 12.00. My hopes went up, & down. 1400-1530hrs. buried W/C Wilkerson. He was killed in a ‘Baltimore’ several days ago. Sorry:- he gave me a break once. Could’ve broken me. Did a bit of shopping in Selby, & continued rug-making. Received another letter from my darling.
Wrote to Stan.
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 21
OPS ON. Briefed 1300. Target:- Bottrop (Ruhr). Scrubbed 1400, we were at a/c. Rugmaking again. P.M. Wrote to [deleted] Stan [/deleted] June.
FRIDAY 22
OPS on & off in half an hour. Same target. Rugmaking getting on OK now. Have decided not to go on leave till next trip is done, & C. of I. over lost ‘chute is finished. Can’t go till C. of I. is done, anyway.
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 23
Nothing doing. Finished the wool part of rug. Taken about 22hrs. Wrote to my darling wife 2035hrs.
SUNDAY 24
OPS ON. T-O 1545 for [underlined] CALAIS [/underlined]. Took 64 mins to get to Δ. M/B scrubbed it:- disgusted. Ht 2,000ft. Bags of L/F. Didn’t get hit; in V. Had to go out into N. Sea to dumped 2000lbs of bombs. Landed 2009. Good landing. Had 8 x 1,000lbs on board. Weather very sticky. My 40th trip. Completed first tour. (A Snaith a/c shot down over Δ. Didn’t see it.)
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
MONDAY 25
Screening confirmed. Note from Bank, Moss Bros. paid. C of I started. Took 1/2 hr. of my time this morning. Asked to go to a S. [deleted] OU [/deleted] OUT. ‘Phoned home, wired June. Spent evening in mess. Twenty four hrs. to go & I’ll be with my beautiful wife. Roll on!! Have 14 days leave, (& nights) (M/B believed to have scrubbed CALAIS. op because of weight & accuracy of L/F. Some chaps damaged.
TUESDAY 26
Got away 1410hrs. after a spot of running around. Phil staying to fill in Com. papers this P.M. Very pleased. Left Don. 1435. In London 2050hrs. [Underlined] 1 1/2 hrs. late [/underlined] June & Joy waiting for us. Got home 2230hrs. Didn’t sleep very well, as expected.
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 27
Up 0600, went to Ps with June. Spent most of time round No. 26. Had dinner with June, tho’. Met her 1700. Got wet as it rained & I had no mac. Harold was with us. Evening spent at June’s aunt Lizzie’s house.
THURSDAY 28
Got up [underlined] 0845. [/underlined] Round home (26) most of the day. Met June 1700. Saw flick 1900 “Canterville Ghost”. Very good.
[Page break]
SEPTEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 29
Same programme as yesterday. Saw “Going my Way”. Bing Crosby. Not so good.
SATURDAY 30
Left St. Pancras 1530 for Bedford, arr. 1650. At H.C. 1815. Took rations this time. Bed 2130.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
SUNDAY 1
Up 0900. Saw Phil - & new baby girl – A.M. P.M. Indoors nattering. 1800-1900 Chapel. Bed 2145. More in love with my wife every time I see her. The capacity doesn’t get any bigger;- but stronger.
MONDAY 2
Left Bedford 11.10. Train packed. In London. 12.40. Went to Bank & made my account joint, with June. Wandered around for an hr. or so, came home.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
TUESDAY 3
[Deleted] Did some shopping A.M.
Saw flick “Story of Dr. Wassel” A true story messed up by Hollywood. [Boxed Stayed in this evening [/boxed] [/deleted]
WEDNESDAY 4
[Deleted] A [/deleted]
Saw “Dr. Wassel” this evening.
Made it properly at last.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
THURSDAY 5
A dull day. Went to Ilford Hipp. 1800. Show was so so.
FRIDAY 6
Dull day. Went to Southend after dinner. Very cold wind. Had no mac or coat. Brought back a jar of cockles. Home 2100. A doodle bug passed over Shenfield Stn. at 2000hrs, we were waiting for a connection.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
SUNDAY. 8.
[Deleted] SATURDAY 7 [/deleted]
Went to Chadwell Hth. with Mick & got cockles & winkles. P.M. Sam, Ivy & Norman arrived. Played rummy after tea, won two games. First time I’ve ever won a penny at cards.
SAT. 7.
[Deleted SUNDAY 8 [/deleted]
After dinner went up to town with June. After a bit of difficulty got seats for a show “The Banbury Rose”, quite good. Home 2230. In love with June more than ever, although a day or two ago had some queer ideas. Must have been barmy.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
MONDAY 9
AM. Bought a pair of slippers for June. Also shoes for self. June back at work, met her 1700. Saw a flick 1900hrs. “Mr Emmanuel”. Bit boring.
TUESDAY 10
Up 0600, went to Ps with June. Went round home (26), then packed, left 1100hrs. Met Phil at Ks+, & Joe at Donc. Came to camp by bus, arr. 1915, just nicely for supper. Mail from Stan & Wilf & statement from Bank.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 11
10.00hrs. asked if I’m posted. I am! To Lossiemouth, last place I wanted. Got cleared in an hour. Went to P.As. 1400. Found I’d £26- odd to come. Weather lousy. Wrote to June 2015. Spent an hour or two in crews’ billet nattering, until 2230.
THURSDAY 12
Packed. Told I’ll be attending a D.C.M. soon as principal boy. Had crew photo taken. Left 1200. Arr. Perth, via Edinburgh 2030. Spent night at Salutations Hotel. (Charge 11/6d) Didn’t sleep very well. Room contained twin beds. Oh June! wherefore art thou?
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
FRIDAY 13
Up 0630. After a lot of bother, -changing etc. arr. camp 1500. Got my cycle here without paying for it. Met Chick Henderson. Tea 1730. First full meal for 18hrs. Food so-so. Wrote to June & hotel. Have claimed marriage allowance & £1 expenses.
SATURDAY 14
0915 saw Groupie. Filled in more forms. Started [underlined] GROUND-SCHOOL. [/underlined] Airmanship & Navi. Told I’ll get the chance to [deleted] fly [/deleted] fly a Master, & a Hurri. Seriously thinking of getting June up here. G/C says I may be here for [underlined] 18 MTHs [/underlined] Food is quite good Weather lousy. Sent 11/6d to Hotel in Perth. Wrote to Phil.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
SUNDAY 15
Did a bit of stooging about first off. 1030 went to Int Lec. on [underlined] Briefing & De-briefing. [/underlined] PM. Did some Navi & Air. 1hr. ea. Wrote to June, & bank asking about marriage allowance.
MONDAY 16
Attested 3 yrs. ago. Called as usual by WAAF batwoman at 7AM. 2hrs. Navi 0815-1015. Am quite keen on this. 1030-1230 Air:- Electric props. P.M. Went to Lossie twice, & cleaned my bike. Navi 1645-1745. Wrote to Mum & Dad.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
TUESDAY 17
Stooged about all morning. Received mail from June, feel a [underlined] lot [/underlined] better. P.M. Did 1.30hrs Air:-engines. Replied to my darling. Asked about getting Gin & whisky from the mess. Gin probably whisky doubtful. Sent June another 20 coupons.
WEDNESDAY 18
Wrote to Harold 0845. 1000hrs:- a successful shopping expedition to Elgin. Fixed up cycle saddle & mud-guard. Put shoes in for repair, ready in [underlined] 3 days [/underlined] :-max. time. Chap was ready to do them in 30 [underlined] mins. [/underlined]P.M. In Air. Hangar for a couple of hrs. 1800 Went to Elgin, saw flick “The Purple Heart”. Wrote to Stan 1600hrs.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
THURSDAY 19
Wrote to Wilf 0845. G/S again Navi 1030-1230. Plotting. P.M. in decomp. Chamber. Went up without oxygen, to 26,000ft. Received a letter from June, & spent the evening replying. Rather bored here, & lonely.
FRIDAY 20
Received my Log-Book. 1030-12.00 Air. (Oxygen & carb.) No mail yet from crew-??
Spent some time checking & re-checking my Log book. P.M. In a terribly mess. Don’t know how I got such ridiculous figures. Robbing myself of about 9hrs. 1830 saw “Captains Courageous” at camp flick. Different from expected. In Gee room 1545-1745. Happy as a sandboy.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
SATURDAY 21
A.M. Finished checking log book after some difficulty. P.M. Did 1hr Air, then went to Elgin to do a bit more shopping. Received mail from my darling. After tea wrote to June, bathed:- so to bed.
SUNDAY 22
A.M. In mess readin most of the morning. Wrtoe to Joe. Dinner was lousy. P.M. Got back to diesel course at last & got another lesson done. Received flying gloves from June. Wrote her a short letter after tea.
Am Cheesed off, - so bored.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
MONDAY 23
Navi all morning in D.R.I. Didn’t get along so well. P.M. Told I’m to attend a C.M. Oct 30th. As a witness. Believed its to do with the money I had stolen from me when at Rufforth. Did some painting in Air Hangar 1530-1730. Something to do; & better than school. Saw flick “Standing Room Only” on camp. 1830. Quite good.
TUESDAY 24
Had most wizard dream of my beloved June last night. Did some more painting this A.M. Letter from June; found the stone of her engagement ring. P.M. Drew £5 from Bank. May need it of I can wrangle a day at home, Sat mid0day to Sun. 1900 went to a special radar lecture. Quite good. Wrote to June 2000hrs.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 25
A.M. reading Diesel gen till 1000hrs. Air exam for pupils. Mail from Home enclosing a quid. Got a bottle of Gin for June’s Mum. P.M. Spent in changing over the tires on my bike. Evening spent sitting in the mess. Nothing else to do. Tried to get a ticket for an “all-girl” camp show tomorrow night. Was [underlined] one [/underlined] too far down the line. Bed 2130hrs. Jimmy Seal believed alive, in Germany. “Missing” for over 2YRS.
THURSDAY 26
0815-1015 Air. Lecture on Dinghy & ‘Chute drills. Went to Elgin, collected shoed, & left another pair for repair. Letter from June, bless her. Air Lec. 1545-1700. Played checkers with F/O McMaster, he beat me each time. Be with my angel in 48hrs:- I hope!
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
FRIDAY 27
AM. Stooging about. Got Warrants & booked out. Paid mess bill 19/4d. Left camp 1230, got Aberdonian at 1900hrs.
SATURDAY 28
London 0815. Home (89) 0945. Front room looks wizard. Met June 1200. P.M. Went to tea with Mrs. Monk. Home 2000hrs. [Deleted] B [/deleted] Played rummy for an hor. 21-2200 hrs. Finished up won. Had a good start. Bed 2245. As expected, I couldn’t sleep, tired as I was. Love June more than ever.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
SUNDAY 29
Saw Mum & Pop 1100hrs. Left No. 89 1440. June came to Ks+. Arr. York 2106, & Rufforth 2230. Met [underlined] Joe [/underlined] in the mess. He’s on N.I. course. Rest of crew on [underlined] indefinite leave. [/underlined]
MONDAY 30
D.C>M. this morning, 1000hrs. Only rqd. For 3mins. Left York 1445. Went to Blyth & spent the night with Harold. Given a super supper by one of the Wrens. Bacon, tomies & bread, fresh Milk & jam tarts. Had a spot of rum later.
[Page break]
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1944
TUESDAY 31
Breakfast in bed 0800hrs. Left camp 1300hrs. Harold came to Newcastle. Travelled all night, with an F/O from [underlined] Stornaway [/underlined]. He’d just become a father. Nice chap.
WEDNESDAY 1 NOV
Arr. camp 1030. Packed up [deleted] parq [/deleted] parcels for June & Pop. P.M. Posted parcels, collected repaired shoes. Drew £5 from bank. Wrote to June 1815.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 2
AM. Got 3lbs rug wool from Elgin. 1100:- wet Dinghy drill in Elgin. Tried it with Flying suit & M. West. PM. Made out lecture notes for Drills;_ D,P, & B/L mds. As a sort of exam for me. Evening:- patched battle dress trousers. Got a fire going. Used wet & green wood & lots of paper. Miss June badly.
FRIDAY 3
AM. Posted to Gunnery Flt. Did 1hr flying with F/LT. Baker. Wimpy seems awful slow, but lighter. PM. Saw C.I. met Ginger. No Flying. Drew harness & mae West. Received letter from June. Replied, also wrote home. Cheesed off.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 4
Airborne 3 times today. Don’t like the R/H seat. Bit sick second trip. Went to camp flick 1830. “The Angels Sing”, enjoyed it muchly. Had intended going to Elgin. Weather lousy & no bus by 1815.
SUNDAY 5
Nothing doing this morning. Weather cold, but fine. Hung about all afternoon Was to have flown, but too windy for the Hurribox’s. Wrote to June 1925. Line-shooting after supper with P/O Fry & F/O Anderson.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
MONDAY 6
Flew two details, 1AM, 1PM. Mail from Aunt Alice & June. Replied to June 1600hrs. Spent the evening nattering to F/O Anderson.
TUESDAY 7
0915 A/B. Cloud base 800-1000ft so scrubbed it. Approach wicked, landing OK. Hung about rest of day, - Weather U/S. Mail from Stan & home. Replied to Stan. Got an invitation to a dance at [underlined] Burn. [/underlined] Got £2 expenses for C.M. [Underlined] Boobed, [/underlined] intended to get 3. Made up parcel for June. Received shirt & scarf from her.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 8
A/B 100 after a lot of messing about. A/B again 1345-1500hrs. C/S all the time. Hard work. Had ‘B’ again. Had the engines cutting at tops of C/S. Mail from June, replied. Forgot to post her parcel. Did a bit on the Diesel course 2130-2200.
THURSDAY 9
No flying – too windy. A gale on. Went to Elgin 1530. Had tea at Austin’s with F/O Cartwright. Two drinks later with two more chaps. Flicks 1815-2050. No a very hot show. Back 2130. Definitely decided to have June up here. Probably in the New Year.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 10
One detail AM. Two P.M. Did O.S. at 65 MPH. Shaky do. Mail from my darling, also from Wilf. Replied to June. Party for erks, in Lossie 1830 onwards. Got merry, good time had by all. Quite a respectable meal laid on. Egg (dried) bacon sausage & chips. Back 2230.
SATURDAY 11
Two details A.M. Made a lousy landing, O.S. C.I. saw it & ‘phoned up Flt. 1 detail P.M. Finis 1500. Camp flick 1830. “Fallen Sparrow” not so hot. Worried about myself. Afraid of the Wimpy Keep living that crash over again. See the C.I. if I can’t get over it soon.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
SUNDAY 12
Very miserable day. Nothing to do. Wrote to June P.M. not a very good effort. Met a chap from 69 course Assinibion. He’s a pupil.
MONDAY 13
Lousy weather again. Saw C.I. 1215 about getting off Wimpeys. Mail from June as expected. Wrote home. Got some hessian in Elgin. Saw “Phantom of the Opera”, 1830 in camp. Said ta-ta to Woolly. He leaves tomorrow.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
Weather lousy, no flying. Found two scrap drogues, linen. Gave them a home. Made a rug needle. P.M. spent hemming new rug & drawing on the design. Wrote to my darling.
WEDNESDAY 15
Did two details A.M. Dicing with Death, first one. Claggy. PM. rug making. Mail from June, Stan, Mum. Stan on leave, wrote to him, 1820.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 16
Did a double detail A.M. Had the afternoon free, -rugging again. 20.00hrs. saw Ensa show “Ladies in Retirement”. Very good, a drama. Wrote to June, & Wilf. Think this rug will be much better than the other.
FRIDAY 17
No pupils to fly, so got day off. Rugging all morning. In Elgin 1400 Got some Xmas cards & a scarf for Reg. Evening – did a little more on Diesel course. Mail from my darling. Drew £5.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 18
One detail A.M. New course. Formation. Don’t like F., no future. Weather better. Two details P.M. one C/S/ Did another 1 1/2 hrs. on the rug. Wrote to June.
SUNDAY 19
Did one detail A.M. Cloud clamped. Did circuit at 150-250ft.
P.M. Saw Wingco & Adj about going to a Con Unit. Rugging again after tea. Nearly half way. Have put in 14 hrs. so far. Wrote a dull letter to Grandma.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
Monday 20
Flew 3 details. C/S much better. Made the worst landing ever today. The last one. G Flt. Really in trouble today. Finished all the course. More rug-making after tea, another 2 1/2 hrs. Looks OK. so far. Mail from my beloved 1200hrs.
TUESDAY 21
No work. Spent most of AM. rugging again. Lovely weather. Letter from Stan. Wrote to June. In Elgin 1600. Tea in ‘George’ café, dried egg, chips bacon & saus. Saw flick Abbott & Costello “Hold that Ghost”. Funny.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 22
Hung about all AM. Nothing on. Mail from June, as expected Rugging all afternoon & evening. Finished pushing the wool thro’. Only to be backed now.
THURSDAY 23
Day off. 0830 Wrote to June. Spent most of the morning in the mess. Shopping P.M. Got backing & some XmasS cards. Did more rugging after tea. Wrote to Harold.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 24
No work again. Hanging about all morning. Rugging PM. & evening. Finished 2202. About 35 working hrs. Packed it up for posting 2230. Mail from my darling.
SATURDAY 25
Still no work. Was to have done one detail, but won the toss. Another letter from June. Wrote to her, posted rug. Went into Elgin 1600. Saw “lady in the Dark”. Quite good. Supper if “59 Café.” Fish & chips, wizard. Lovely fire for me in room on return. Bang on!
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
SUNDAY 26
Flew one detail 0930-1030. S & L. A/G’s dire!!! Rest of day off. Wrote home. If I could only be within reasonable distance of London!! Almost a whole week off, & no use for it.
MONDAY 27
AM. No fly. a/c all iced up. P.M. A/B 1430 approx. a/c vibrating violently 1440 ordered “Bale out”. Only W.O.P. got out. Landed at Dalcross. W/C came up, flew a/c. As expected “Nothing wrong.” Am sick of it. Flew it back OK. See Adj. tomorrow about posting. In mess 2100 had natter with Doc. Given 4 tablets to help me sleep.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
TUESDAY 28
AM. Spent writing out report. Vic Baker says I’m to have a go on singles. Drew £5 from Bank. P.M. Saw W/C & Adj. W/C a bit more civil. Adj. grounded me. Says I’ll be away in 2-3 weeks. Maybe Transport Cmd. Hope so. & see the Old man Thurs. Have said I will not fly Wimpys again. Adj. sympathetic. Was talking to the Old Man at the time of trouble. Wormald (WOP) in dock. Not hurt.
WEDNESDAY 29
1030 Saw G.C. Adj. said he’ll put me on Leave in a couple of days. Met Beaumont (EF & SFTS.) Did a spot of painting. No mail from June since Sat. ???? Bit worried. Wrote to her, also home. Did Lesson 9 of Diesel course. “Dining In” Parade in mess. Didn’t go. Lot of bull.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 30
AM. Read letter that’s going to Group, re.me. OK. Got C.C. & made out Leave app. Form (2-15 Dec.) P.M. spent in getting cleared. 1730. Adj. tells me [Underlined] Leave is scrubbed. [/underlined] Mail from my darling, at last. All OK. 1830 Saw Ensa show. So-So. Ventriloquist, Lloyd Nelson, was very good. Paid mess bill, £3-2-11.
FRIDAY 1 DEC.
Painting straight edge on hangar floor all morning. Messing about all the afternoon. F/LT. Blanks spilt a load of white paint down his front, most of it inside his blouse. Considered very funny. Wrote to June 1300.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 2
Feel sick. Couldn’t eat breakfast. Painting hangar floor AM. Felt very ill 1100hrs. PM. Sitting round fire, nattering. Mail from my darling, as expected. She’s received the rug OK. Made up parcel containing a bottle of Gin. Got it from mess bar a few days ago. Started a letter to Stan. Went to flick 1830. Projector U/S, - no flick. Film “The Nelson Touch.”
SUNDAY 3
Day off. Breakfast 0920. In mess all day. Finished Lesson 10 of Diesel course. Completed Stan’s letter. Started reading a book “All this & Heaven too.” Saw flick 2100. Talk 1900, on Discipline, C.Ms etc. Quite good.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
MONDAY 4
A.M. Painting hangar floor with broom again. Hands rather sore now. P.M. In bombing lect. 1545, just listening. Reading all evening. Book very interesting. Vic Baker tells me that the G.C was approached re my leave, nogo.
TUESDAY 5
Messing about in the Hangar all day, as usual. Spending every spare 1/2 hr. or more reading the book. Letter from Stan. Posted from Iceland. Saw film “Princess O’Rouke” 1830. Very good. Wrote to Stan. No mail from June. Had expected a letter.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 6
Dreamt last night, unpleasantly, of my darling. Her love had died, & she regretted marrying me. Must be certain that that never comes true; certainly can’t see it. Went into Elgin 1030-1215. Got only one more Xmass card. Mail from June. No doubt about her love for me! Wrote back 1300hrs. Letter was a bit better than my recent efforts. Did 2hrs Link this afternoon. Gave 2 Engineers an hr. apiece. W/C O’ [indecipherable] is back. Wonder if this will increase my chances of leave?
THURSDAY 7
Usual mucking about all day. Letter from Harold. No word of posting, no hope of leave, feel very unhappy. Went to section booze-up in “The Crown” 19-2100. Just 10 of us. Had 2 beers, 2 whiskies
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 8
Painting hangar floor again. Still fed up as can be. Letter from June 1700. Tells me Joe & Ivy have fixed “The Day” for 13-1-45. 1800 Wrote to my sweet. Saw camp show 20.00hrs. 2 1/2 hrs. First half very poor, second, very good. A girl sang “The Holy City,” – perfect.
SATURDAY 9
0830 Finished book “All this & Heaven Too”, - verdict:- very good. Did a bit of painting AM. Killing time all afternoon. Saw flick 1830 “Destination Tokio,” quite good as a film, interesting.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
SUNDAY 10
Day off. Spent most of the day reading. Am bored almost to tears. Wrote to Harold. Oh how I want to get out of this place. To go South where I could see my June on a day off.
MONDAY 11
Weather lousy. Raining hard all day. Mail from my darling as expected, bless her. Replied 1300hrs. Did a bit of painting during the day. Mail from Stan & Wilf 1700hrs. Stan still in Iceland 28-11-44. Wrote home 2000hrs. sent cheque ‘019’ for £7.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
TUESDAY 12
1100hrs in Elgin. Posted letter home with £7 in cash. Destroyed cheque. Drew £10 from Bank. Got a piece of hessian, for another rug. Letter from Grandad. Obtained a fair-sized piece of P.S. rather dirty, but useful.
WEDNESDAY 13
Usual wasted day. Received a letter from June, as expected. Replied 1300. Letter to her was very short. She didn’t send Bank statement:- a pardonable mistake, but for a moment I lost my temper. Why??? My nervous condition is certainly bad.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 14
More painting, occasionally. Read “The Scarlet Pimpernel.” Got it yesterday, finished it 20.00hrs. Hope of Xmass Leave. (6 days.) F/LT [inserted] Blanks [/inserted] arranging it for me.
FRIDAY 15
Day same as usual. Letter from my darling, replied 1300hrs. Miss meeting 19-20.00 hrs.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 16
Did a little painting. Finished book “Lord Tony’s Wife.” Received a letter from Mum, - Aunt Katie passed away. Xmass card from Stan. 1830 at camp flicks “Hour Before Dawn.” Tripe.
How I miss June!! Pray that I be with her Thurs. Have prayed every night, & know I won’t be disappointed.
SUNDAY 17
Did a wee spot of floor painting A.M. the W/C has signed my Leave app. Only the G/C now. P.M. Wrote to my darling wife. Reading most of the time. General Service lecture 19-2000hrs. Hygiene & Sanitation.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
MONDAY 18
Finished painting lamp shades. Mail from June, Stan & home. Wrote to Stan 1900hrs. Finished reading “The Cross-eyed Bear,” a very poor book, I think. Xmass camp draw drawn 1800hrs. First prize £100, over 100 prizes, didn’t get one. Debating whether or not to scive off tomorrow. Nothing to do on camp.
TUESDAY 19
Couldn’t get my warrant, blast them. As usual everyone is scared of everyone else. Killing time all day. Xmass card from Harold. Saw flick “Gung Ho. “ Not so hot.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 20
Got warrant 1045hrs. Tried to get a lift south by air. Too foggy in the south, no a/c went. A Sqdn. landed here last night;- just my luck. Left camp 1230. Got Aberdonian 1800. Good feed in Princess Cafe 1730. A bloke in Aberdeen asked me for “something to get a meal with” as he was “down & out”. He had a tweed jacket on that I’d’ve liked. Was very rude to him.
THURSDAY 21
Ks+ 0920. Went to No.26 1100hrs. Phoned Inst. Shop 1120; met June 1230 for lunch at “Super” cinema. Collected her 1700hrs. Weather:- foggy & miserable, Stomach giving me trouble. Ivy & Norman came round later in the evening. [Deleted] Comple [/deleted] June gave me a pocket watch for Xmass. She’s got a dressing-gown: but I can’t see thro’ it!! X
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 22
Up 0610. Was going to go to Ps with June, but tummy too bad. 1040 at Bank, London, querying my account. Got it straight, drew £5. Lunch with June at Lyons. Ilf 1240. Collected her 1700hrs. Went to her Gran’s at Ilford. Home 2030. Brought back cake & chicken. June received a necklace & 34/- from Inst. shop. for Xmass-box.
SATURDAY 23
Up 0900 after a somewhat restless night. Awake from 0400 onwards. Drew £5 from bank, June £15. Fog cleared. Trying to buy shoes for June & myself this afternoon – nogo. 1830 flicks, Bing in “If I had my way.” Seen it before.
X
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
SUNDAY 24
1530 visited Mum & Dad, left 1905, saw Mrs. Seal for 30 mins, there. 20.00, at Ivy’s home until 2100. Very enjoyable afternoon & evening. June is lovelier & sweeter than ever. Mum gave me a cake to take back, Mrs. Seal gave us a chunk of Xmass cake.
[Underlined] Received recall telegram 0900. [/underlined] Return by 1200 hrs. 27-12-44.
MONDAY 25
Xmass dinner at Aunt Lizzy’s house. Stayed until 2230. Quite an enjoyable time. June a bit sick later in the evening.
Returned to no. 89 to sleep. (Only June & I.)
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
TUESDAY 26
Up 0845; June had tea & toast in bed for once. Left 0950. Train from Euston1300hrs. Changes at Carstairs, Perth & Aviemore. Company to Crewe with a RAF officers wife. Left Carstairs 2315.
WEDNESDAY 27
Arr. Camp 0710hrs. Slept till 1200. Am posted to Pocklington to pick up a crew for [underlined] Transport Cmd. [/underlined] All my prayers answered. Got cleared again during the afternoon. Feel happier than for weeks past. Saw camp show 1830hrs. free. Not bad.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 28
Left 1330. Got Aberdonian 1800hrs. York 0300hrs 29th
FRIDAY 29
Arr. York 0300. Met P/O Fenwick (SFTS) He’s in T.Cmd. Freeman went into the sea Boxing Day. His mate. Glad to have met him. Train to Pock. 0748, arr. 0820. Very cold. At camp I’m unwanted, sent on indefinite leave! Can hardly believe it. Left York 1800 hrds. At Ks+ 2345. Very foggy. Have sent June a telegram, telling her to have next week off.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 30
Hung about Lvpl. St. Stn. all night. 0200 nattering to Mr. Seal. Arr. No 89 at 0600hrs. as June was getting up. Had an hr. or two’s sleep, & collected kit bag from Ks+. 1700 at No. 26 for a party. Harold home. Not a bad little do. tho’ I incurred June’s displeasure. Very sorry, I’d never hurt her, knowingly.
SUNDAY 31
Up 10.00hrs. P.M. Visited by Joy. Gave her Lockets & money for blankets as a wedding present. Got Ron’s & Geordie’s addresses & crew photo. Stayed until 20.00. Very glad we were able to see her again, hope we can get to the wedding. Took 3 hrs. to get home.
X
[Page break]
CALENDAR FOR 1943
[Calendar]
[Page break]
MEMORANDA
Joe Dudley.
559, Footscray Rd., New Eltham, SE.9.
N Phillips.
118c, Croftdown Rd.,
Highgate Rd., London N.W.5
E.G. Dunton.
37, Courtland [deleted] Ave [/deleted] Drive
Alvaston, Derby.
649746 W.O.
L. Woodridge,
127, Huddersfield Rd.,
Staly Bridge,
Nr. Manchester
Cheshire.
14-844. F/S R.E. Adams
61, Littlemore St.,
Balby
Doncaster
Yorks.
[Page break]
MEMORANDA
Ilford 3040. Ex. [deleted] IT.[/deleted] 44.
André Maurios.
174058 [deleted] 174508 [/deleted] F/O. Anderson, Lossie.
F/S R. Stobbs
28, Ridley St.,
Klondyke,
Cramlington
Northumberland.
[Page break]
[Deleted] Library ? [/deleted]
[Page break]
Printed page
[Page break]
Back of diary
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Jim Allen's 1944 Diary
Description
An account of the resource
A diary recording events during 1944. Includes detailed notes on operations, military life, the weather etc.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jim Allen
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One printed diary with handwritten annotations
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Diary
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
YAllenJH179996v1
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Anne-Marie Watson
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
England--London
England--York
France--Paris
Scotland--Elgin
France--Neufchâtel-en-Bray
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944
1944-06-30
1944-06
1944-07
1944-08
1944-06-24
1944-06-25
1944-08-07
1944-08-08
1944-08-15
578 Squadron
aircrew
bombing
bombing of Luftwaffe night-fighter airfields (15 August 1944)
bombing of the Pas de Calais V-1 sites (24/25 June 1944)
crash
entertainment
faith
Gee
ground personnel
love and romance
military discipline
military living conditions
military service conditions
Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
pilot
RAF Rufforth
tactical support for Normandy troops
training
Women’s Auxiliary Air Force