1
25
61
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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
Edwards, Ellis
E D Edwards
Description
An account of the resource
Six items. The collection concerns Sergeant Ellis Drury Edwards (1236492 Royal Air Force) and consists of his logbook, memorial booklet and four letters. Ellis Edwards was a bomb aimer with 149 Squadron and flew operations from RAF Lakenheath. He was killed when his Halifax crashed on an operation to Berlin 30 March 1943. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Pauline Harkett and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br />Additional information on Ellis Edwards is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/208271/">IBCC Losses Database</a>.
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
2016-05-17
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
Edwards, ED
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Sgts Mess.
Stradishall.
Sunday
My dear Maggie
No doubt by now you are calling me all the names under the sun for not writing before, but I suppose by now you know me well enough to realise how very [underlined] good [/underlined] I am at letter writing
Well firstly thanks for the parcel which I got quite safely. and thanks for putting in my photo, good job it didn’t print too well what do you say it was really a terrible effort. Well you say you are busy well so am I. I was up in Yorkshire for 4 days last week took a plane & two passengers up to Doncaster & spent two whole days there and had a
[page break]
[underlined] 2 [/underlined]
very good time, since coming back have been down for early flying, so that means getting up at 6 o/clock
So with that & flying you can guess that bed called very early in the evening today we flew all morning & this afternoon we had a Trial football Match to pick out the better team to play the regular station team on Xmas Day. Well our side won 3 – 2 I scored one goal What do you think about that? So I don’t know if we will be playing Xmas day or not yet I cannot imagine it is Sunday here each day is the same we work all day & every day now we are flying
[page break]
[underlined 3 [/underlined]
but as yet have done no night flying here. How long will you get at Xmas we of course get none officially so it remains with the CO whether we fly or not on Xmas day I hope we don’t there will be some moans & groans if we do, because I guess most of the crowd will have had more than one over the eight. We are so isolated here, miles away from anywhere & cannot do any shopping so don’t be surprised if you don’t get a card at Xmas. I know you will understand.
Well I think that is all for now so will finish off now
[page break]
4
& toddle down to post with it so that it can get off at 6 o clock [sic] tomorrow morning, also I shall have to go & see if I am on early flying in the morning & if so get the Guard room to give me a shake or otherwise I shall be here in bed all day because now after my first game of football for 3 years I feel as if I had been kicked all over & my eyes are refusing to stay open
So cheerio, tell Dad I write him tomorrow, kind regards to Jim & Bertha
So Thanks again
Your loving brother
Ellis
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
Letter to his sister from Ellis Edwards
Description
An account of the resource
Apologizes for not writing and relates daily goings on at RAF Stradishall. Mentions a visit to Doncaster, having to get up early for flying almost every day, a football match, not night flying yet and the fact that they are very isolated.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Ellis Edwards
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four handwritten pages
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EEdwardsEDEdwardsM[Date]-01
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
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Suffolk
England--Doncaster
England--Yorkshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
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
Dianne Kinsella
Sally Des Forges
Emily Jennings
military living conditions
military service conditions
RAF Stradishall
sport
-
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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
Edwards, Ellis
E D Edwards
Description
An account of the resource
Six items. The collection concerns Sergeant Ellis Drury Edwards (1236492 Royal Air Force) and consists of his logbook, memorial booklet and four letters. Ellis Edwards was a bomb aimer with 149 Squadron and flew operations from RAF Lakenheath. He was killed when his Halifax crashed on an operation to Berlin 30 March 1943. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Pauline Harkett and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.<br /><br />Additional information on Ellis Edwards is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/208271/">IBCC Losses Database</a>.
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
2016-05-17
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
Edwards, ED
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[underlined] R.A.F Strad [/underlined]
5/1/43
My dear Maggie
Thanks awfully for the nice assorted parcel which I have just collected from the Post Office.
They all will be very useful especially now I was out of Shaving Cream & had only 20 cigs left. We are now flying every night so are unable to get out to replenish the stock.
Well as Regards Xmas it was quite OK but couldn’t do a lot because on Xmas day we were the only crew who were sufficiently advanced to be able to fly as a crew so were standing by in the event of Air Sea Rescue being required
[page break]
[underlined] 2 [/underlined]
but luckily we were not called on.
On Xmas Eve we were flying until about 5 o’clock, and on Dec 22 we flew up to Lossiemouth & back the next day Thats [sic] the reason the Xmas cards were late arriving. Xmas night I was invited to the WAAF NCO’s party had quite a good time there, plenty to eat and drink Free and since then have not been flying on the Sunday after Xmas we flew down to Newquay Cornwall & back quite a nice trip but flew over cloud the whole way never saw the ground once either there or back.
And each day since we have
[page break]
been night flying and even if the weather is bad when we are due to start we still have to hang about to wait for either better or worse weather to come We have only one more night trip to do here so shall be moving on again
Well I think thats [sic] all for now except to wish you all the best for 1943
Thanking you
Your loving brother
Ellis
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
Letter to his sister from Ellis Edwards
Description
An account of the resource
Thanks for parcel she sent, especially as night flying had precluded his from shopping for essentials. Continues to describe activities around Christmas 1942 including being on search and rescue standby on Christmas day and a sortie to Lossiemouth and Newquay as well as a Women's Auxiliary Air Force non-commissioned officer's party. Notes that he has only one more operation to go.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Ellis Edwards
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1943-01-05
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Three handwritten pages
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EEdwardsEDEdwardsM430105
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
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland
England--Suffolk
Scotland--Moray
England--Cornwall (County)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
1943-01
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
Andy Hamilton
RAF Lossiemouth
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/127/1273/MTurnerBM2146029-170131-03.2.jpg
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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
Turner, Betty
B Turner
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.
Description
An account of the resource
Four items. The collection consists of an oral history interview with Betty Turner, (– 2015, 2146029), a photograph and two poems. Leading aircraftswoman Betty Turner served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force at 92 Group Headquarters as a wireless operator. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Betty Turner and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-06-02
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Turner, B
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[inserted] This is why I joined [underlined] RAF [/underlined] Dec 1942 [/inserted]
He was twenty-two I was seventeen
I thought he was lovely &
he seemed very keen
But he was a bomber pilot
didn’t stand a chance
when singled out by fighters
shot down over France
That evening, as usual, I waited
His friend came instead
I sobbed as he told me
my lovely friend was dead
Since then I’ve loved a dozen times
But first love’s so sincere,
Remember him? Of course I do,
Especially this time of year.
After this happened within days I joined the RAF and after training at Compton Bassett, became a wireless operator. Very boring listening in to signals writing down pages of groups of letters. Found out many years later, some of which we wrote down went to Bletchley Park to help break the German secret code.
Betty Turner (nee Baldock)
Aylesbury
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
This is why I joined the RAF
Description
An account of the resource
A poem written in December 1942 after her first love was shot down over France. After his death Betty resolved to join the Royal Air Force and became a wireless operator. According to a note, she later found out that some of what she wrote down went to Bletchley Park to help break the German secret code.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Betty Turner
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-12
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One typewritten sheet
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Poetry
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MTurnerBM2146029-170131-03
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
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Cathie Hewitt
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.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
arts and crafts
grief
ground personnel
love and romance
military ethos
RAF Compton Bassett
recruitment
shot down
Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/562/8830/AWinterP160418.2.mp3
f845e45061463aeac09c3f83a2be823e
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
Winter, Phillip
P Winter
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Winter, P
Description
An account of the resource
Six items. An oral history interview Sergeant Phillip Winter, (748547, 144466 Royal Air Force) and five photographs. He flew operations as a pilot with 102 Squadron.
The collection was catalogued by IBCC Digital Archive staff.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-04-18
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.
Transcribed audio recording
A resource consisting primarily of recorded human voice.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
AS: That’s that one. Ok, we are ready to start. This is Andrew Sadler, uhm, interviewing Phillip Winter at his home in Bromley on the 18th of April 2016 on behalf of the International Bomber Command Digital Archive. Thank you for letting me come, Phillip. Uhm, can you, can I start with some general questions about your background?
PW: Yes, sure.
AS: Where, you told me that you’re ninety-nine years of age and we are here with your wife who is ninety-five. Where were you born and when?
PW: I was born in Herne Hill in 1917. My mother was in [unclear], uhm, well that’s it, yes. [laughs] My mother was in [unclear] Herne Hill, I never fathomed why. My father was in the trenches and her father was in a pub in Tunbridge Wells and my first memories are of the pub in Tunbridge Wells, uhm. Why all this happened I don’t know, but my mother went to stay with her father and mother and my father came over the war, uhm, a bit of a broken man.
AS: But he survived?
PW: He survived, yes, he had a minor wound to his hand, but he survived, but uhm, mother told me that if they were out and a car backfired, he’d lie on the pavement straight away,
AS: So he was very badly affected by it.
PW: Shell shocked, yes, yes.
AS: And so you, when you left school, what did you do when you left school?
PW: I was a civil servant. I took the competitive exam at the clerical class and that year they took seven hundred and I came five hundred and twenty fifth, so I was in. And when they asked me what I wanted, I said: ‘Air ministry’ and it came back, board of education. So, I was in the board of education, teachers’ pensions department, which couldn’t have been duller and uhm, by the end of 1938 I was fed up and my brother had taken a short service commission in the RAF, and I thought: ‘Well, I’ll take a short service commission, but first I want to know if I can fly’. And I joined the RAFVR, stayed in my office and joined the RAFVR and went down to Gravesend and then in July ’39 I did my first solo in a Tiger Moth and uhm.
AS: What was your reason for joining the RAF rather than going into any of the other forces?
PW: Because I liked flying, I liked the idea of flying. Ehm, when I was a little boy of twelve and my brother was ten, nine, nine or ten and we were living with my grandfather in the pub in Tunbridge Wells and one of the post First World War flying circuses came to Tunbridge Wells and over the dinner table one day my grandpa put out a ten [unclear] and said: ‘Go and have a fly’. So, the barmaid took us down to the field in the afternoon while this, where this flying circus was, and I had my first flight ever. And after that I just wanted to fly. It was wonderful, looking around, seeing the world from a different angle.
AS: Did your father’s experience of the First World War have any part in your decision?
PW: No, not at all. No.
AS: No. And so, when you joined the RAF, how was it that you came to become into Bomber Command?
PW: How? Well, I joined the RAFVR and of course at the beginning of the war we were, VRs were caught up straight in fact on the first of September and trained, went to Cambridge, inhabited the colleges, did, uhm, I did, initial training wing, uhm, and from there. Where are we, what was the question?
AS: It was, it was, uhm, why you were in Bomber Command.
PW: Ah, that’s it. Well, when I finished my training, uhm, I was asked what I wanted to fly, and I said: ‘Bombers’, because in those days there was a Fairey Battle, single-engine bomber and I was trained on single-engine aircraft, so I thought that would be alright. While I was on leave, uhm, my posting to a Fairey Battle OTU was cancelled and I was sent to Abingdon. And, much to my surprise, Abingdon was twin-engine Whitleys OTU, so I had to convert from single-engine biplanes to twin-engine monoplanes with retractable undercarriages and flaps, uhm, was quite a trial but I managed to, I managed it. Uhm, I had a night flying crash which set me back a bit, but eventually I passed out and was posted to 102 Squadron in Yorkshire, at Topcliffe they were. Uhm, from then on, ah, [sighs] it was extraordinary, I did three trips as a second pilot. Obviously, you had to do several trips as a second pilot, and on my third trip the, uhm, I was back in the navigator’s seat, while he was in the bomb aimers position in the front and uhm, we were coned in searchlights and everything in the district opened up on us and I got a, a lump of shrapnel, straight through my left ankle. Uhm, anyway, we got through, we got back and uhm, I was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, where they tried to make my foot better, but there was a hole straight through the ankle and out the other side. Uhm, from there I went to RAF hospital at Ely and uhm, they managed to fix it and sent me to a rehabilitation unit at Hoylake, in Cheshire, but it wouldn’t work, I had so much pain. They said: ‘You will have to go back to hospital and we will fix it, so that it doesn’t move’. So, since the age of twenty-four my left foot has been glued to my left leg [laughs] uhm, and I’ve been lame. Well.
AS: Can you tell?
PW: So, my operational career was very limited, three trips, but uhm, I got back to flying eighteen months later at Driffield for towing targets for 4 Group Bomber Command [unclear] out over the North Sea, which was good, I enjoyed it. Then, an aircraft called the Martinet, there’s a photograph.
AS: So, uhm, how long were you actually, how long was it before you actually had to give up operations?
PW: Well.
AS: It’s in your logbook.
PW: [shuffling] Whitley, Whitley, Whitley, Whitley. June, June the 12th ’41 was the night I got wounded and then I was back on flying a Tiger Moth. [shuffling] December '42, so June ’41 to December ’42, I was eighteen months in hospital and rehabilitation unit, uhm, and then went back to towing targets, that’s the, some of our lot.
AS: And you were the pilot obviously.
PW: Yes.
AS: And, uhm, and did you do that then for the remainder of the war?
PW: No, I didn’t. Uhm, when Europe was invaded, we didn’t have to, we were moved about, and I was sent to Tempsford to fly Oxfords, which were used for training resistance workers who had been dropped over the other side. Uhm, secret R/T operators, I was just the pilot, uhm, involved a bit of night flying and after that.
AS: Was this part of the Special Operations Executive?
PW: Yes, yes.
AS: So, you, you didn’t know who you were carrying presumably and?
PW: I didn’t know their names or anything about them. I was carrying the instructors and the people, the resistance workers who were being taught to use certain, very secret R/T operators [unclear] ground to air communications. So, I didn’t really know anything about it, I was just the pilot and coupled with that I was also, did long cross countries, training bomb aimers to map read not to a town or a village but to the corner of a field, uhm, that was, I enjoyed that, yes. And then for the last months of the war, I was posted to Lyneham, Transport Command, operations room, I then held the rank of flying officer but to begin with I was a volunteer as a sergeant pilot. That’s a very brief history [laughs].
AS: Yes. When you, uhm, so, what happened when the war ended, what did, how, were you demobilised then?
PW: Yes, I was, uhm, demobilised, here we are, [shuffling] 20th of December 1945.
AS: And I mean the crew that you,
PW: And then, I was very glad to get back into the civil service. You see, I told you I’d think forth of resigning from the civil service and taking the short service commission, but that I wanted to see if I could fly first, and discovering that I could, but I’d no sooner discovered that I could then the war was on and I was in my uniform having to do as I was told [laughs].
AS: Uhm, when.
PW: When I came out, I was very glad that I hadn’t left the civil service. I was in what was then the board of education, which was a non-cabinet post, was ruled over by a president. And uhm, at that time, I was lucky because the 1944 Education Act had been passed, uhm, secondary education for all and of course the education department just blew up like a balloon. And I was lucky, I worked hard and went up with it, had my first, well after, when I was demobbed I went straight back to my old department, which was teachers’ pensions. Uhm, and I worked hard and got promoted and then I was moved to the main office and got a post as a higher executive officer in schools’ branch, which dealt with local authorities and schools. And then, I was posted to establishments branch which I hated and then a curious thing, uhm, a man at the V&A Museum had retired and they wanted somebody to fill his shoes. So, I applied for that, I thought this would be very interesting. So, I applied, and I succeeded in the competition and became deputy and museum superintendent. Uhm, after about a year, the superintendent moved on and there was a competition for his job, but of course I was sitting pretty. So, I became the museum superintendent of the V&A with a flat in the museum and I brought up my family there.
AS: Oh, marvellous.
PW: [laughs] And, well about 19 [pauses] ‘48, ‘45, yes, about 1945, the, uhm, Education Department took over responsibility for the staff in all the national museums and they wanted somebody who knew about staff in museums, which I did after thirteen years, uhm, to take charge of it, so I finished up as a senior principal, uhm, and retired at fifty-eight.
AS: What age did you leave school and join the civil service?
PW: Uhm, [pauses] sixteen, seventeen.
AS: When you, uhm, went out on your three missions, uhm, and you were injured, were any of the other crew injured or?
PW: No, no. But I met the man who was skipper that night, a chap called Oscar Rees, he’d done two Bomber Command tours, a tour on Pathfinders and he got a DSO for bringing back an aircraft with everybody dead or wounded except him and he got a DFC as well and a Pathfinder badge. I met him in the ops room at Lyneham, wonderful chap called Oscar Rees and I haven’t been able to get in touch with him. Amazing.
AS: Excellent. Let me just.
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
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Interview with Phillip Winter
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Andrew Sadler
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
2016-04-18
Type
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Sound
Identifier
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AWinterP160418
Conforms To
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Pending review
Pending revision of OH transcription
Rights
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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.
Language
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eng
Coverage
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Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Air Force. Transport Command
Format
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00:20:01 audio recording
Description
An account of the resource
Philip Winter worked in the civil service before he volunteered for the Air Force. He trained as a pilot and flew three operations with 102 Squadron before he was wounded in the ankle. After recuperating he flew towing targets for air gunnery practice and transport for RAF Tempsford. After the war he worked for the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Bedfordshire
England--Yorkshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941-06
1942-12
1945-12-20
102 Squadron
4 Group
aircrew
Anson
Battle
Martinet
Operational Training Unit
Oxford
pilot
RAF Abingdon
RAF Tempsford
RAF Topcliffe
Special Operations Executive
training
Whitley
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/84/9676/MCluettAV120946-150515-12.1.pdf
3c759028e0b0aec2c678b831f2bb9512
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
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Cluett, Albert Victor
Albert Victor Cluett
A V Cluett
Subject
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World War (1939-1945)
Great Britain. Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Description
An account of the resource
68 items. The collection concerns Leading Aircraftman Albert Victor Cluett (1209046, Royal Air Force). After training in 1941/42 as an armourer, he was posted to 50 Squadron at RAF Swinderby and then RAF Skellingthorpe. The collections consists his official Royal Air Force documents, armourer training notebooks, photographs of colleagues, aircraft and locations as well as propaganda items, books in German and Dutch and items of memorabilia.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Albert Victor Cluett's daughter Pat Brown and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-05-15
Rights
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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
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Cluett, AV
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Access Rights
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Permission granted for commercial projects
Transcribed document
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Transcription
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Start of transcription
The LAMBETH Exercise Book
DEC 3RD
Name 1209046. A.V. CLUETT.
Year [Indecipherable LY2903???] 15 [indecipherable] DEC 1943
School KIRKHAN
[Page break]
AP. 1242 SMLE No 1. MK III [symbol]
[Diagram Rifle, Bolt, Lever, Firing Pin, Extractor, Spring Remover]
1. REMOVE R.H. GUARD BEFORE PUTTING IN VICE.
A. NOSE CAP.
B. UPPER. SLING. SWIVEL.
C. OUTER
SPRINGS. WEIGHT
MAIN + EXTROR. 7-9
M COCKER 14-16
1ST TRIGGER PULL 3-4
2ND FIRING 5-6
BOLT HEAD 10-16
ERT??ING [Maybe Retaining]
BUT TRAP 2-3
WHEN UNLOCKING BOLT, GIVES 1/8” BACKWARD.
W/O P RAID 515 SQDN.
19.9.43 A/C P.
[Page break]
S.M.L.E.
STRIPPING SEQUENCE
1. SEE S.M.L.E. UNLOADED, THEN REMOVE R. HAND GUARD
[Underlined] POSITION I [/underlined] MUZZLE – RIGHT. UPSIDE-DOWN. OUTER BAND IN VICE.
1 NOSE CAP/ 2. OUTER BAND SCREW + SWIVEL./ 3 TAKE S.M.L.E. OUT VICE. REMOVE
[Underlined] OUTER BAND + FRONT H. GUARD. [/underlined]
POSTION. II MUZZLE – RIGHT. BUTT IN VICE.
1. MAG./ 2. TRIGGER + T. GUARD. / 3. UNDO INNER BAND. SCREW. LIFT OFF.
[Underlined] FORE END. (DON’T DROP F/END SPRING + SCREW.) [/underlined]
POSITION III 3 MUZZLE TO LEFT. UPSIDE DOWN. BUTT IN VICE.
1 SEAR SPRING / 2. SEAR + BOLT HEAD RETAINING SPRING. / 3 MAG. CATCH. 4 OPEN BUTT TRAP + REMOVE STOCK BOLT WAD. / 5 UNSCREW STOCK BOLT.
[Underlined] PART BARRLE FROM STOCK [/underlined]
POSITION IV MUZZLE TO LEFT. RIGHT SIDE UP.
1. LOCKING BOLT SPRING. – WASHER + LOCKING BOLT + SAFETY CATCH 2/ BOLTS.
([Underlined] ASSEMBLING. [/underlined] SCREW SAFETY CATCH BACK TO LOCKING BOLT AT 1/4 -12.
BOLT
1. EXTRACTOR SPRING. / 2 EXTRACTOR / 3 BOLT HEAD. / 4 STRIKER KEPPLER SCREW. /5 UNSCREW STRIKER. + REMOVE WITH MAIN SPRING.+ CORKING PEICE.
SPRINGS. WEIGHT. (2440FT PER SEC. M.V.)
[Page break]
[Underlined] S.M.L.E. [/underlined] MK III {symbol]
[Diagrams]
FIXED LIPS ON MAG.
[Underlined] REPAIRS + ADJUSTMENTS. [/underlined]
[Underlined] FORE SIGHT ADJUSTMENTS. [/underlined] BLADES 7 SIZES. 1.0 STANDARD.
1.03 = 03
1.015 = 015
1.0 = 1.0
.985 = -015
.970 = -03
.955 = -0.45
.940 = -0.5
ALL SIZES UP OR DOWN .15 / 2 UP 4 DOWN +SDN (7 IN ALL)
STANDARD RANGE 100YDS .15 = 2 1/2” UP OR DOWN.
100 YD RANGE MK I CRAMP WITHOUT GAUGE. 1 TURN ON SCREW GIVES 8” RIGHT OR L
100 YD RANGE MK II CRAMP WITH GAUGE. GAUGE 1” PER 25yd = 4” ON 100yds
1 MARK ON GAUGE = 1” PER 25 yds.
[Underlined] SAFTY [/underlined]
LOCKING BOLT
SAFTY CATCH
STUD ON THE BOLT.
WHEN USING CART. HEAD SPACING GUAGES [Underlined] ALWAYS TAKE OUT EXTRACTOR CLAW + SPRING [/underlined]
[Diagram of Cartridge]
WHEN FIXING NEW BOLT HEAD + TESTED FOR C. HEAD SPACE: NEXT TEST FOR STRIKER PROTUSION WITH SUPPLED GAUGE. GIVEING RADIUS AS WELL AS LENGTH.
[Diagrams]
BOLT
BODY
FORE END
NOSE CAP
BACK SIGHT
BARRLE.
[Deleted] CANNOT CHANGE [/deleted]
[Underlined] NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. [/underlined]
.002 2/1000TH RADIUS MUST BE PUT ON BOLT HEAD AFTER AJUSTING
DOWN FACE WITH OO
[Diagrams]
[Page break]
TOOLS. CLEARING PLUG
[Diagram]
[Page break]
[Underlined] (P.14) [/underlined]
[Diagrams of gun parts and firing mechanism]
LOCKING BOLT.
SAFETY CATCH.
SAFETY STUD.
[Underlined] 3 WAYS OF LOCKING [/underlined]
MILLS H.E. 36. DETS.
7 SECS. YELLOW. BY HAND.
4 SECS WHITE. RUBBER BAND FOR DARK.
FOR DISCHARGER. 80 – 200YDS.
MILLS CUP DISCHARGER
P.A.M. 2058A.
MILLS H.E.36
2 1/2 ozs H.E
ALL 1 1/4 lbs.
[Page break]
[Underlined] G.45 CINE CAMERA AP 1749. [/underlined]
[Deleted] RED [/deleted] 12 VOLTS SERIAL NoS. EVEN. 16MM. 25FT. PER SPOOL
[Deleted] GREEN [/deleted] 24 VOLTS SERIAL NoS. ODD. 40 PICTURS PER FT. 1,000 P.S
[Diagram of camera shutter]
AUXILORY SHUTTER WHEN ON CLOUDY GOES BEHIND MAIN SHUTTER.
CLOUDY 45° SHUTTER CONTROLED FROM
SUNNY 13 1/2° F.F.I. (FILM FOOTAGE INDICATOR)
CAMERA CONTROL SPEED SET @ 20 GIVES 1 PICTURE PER ROUND/
[Underlined] MOUNTINGS + ADAPTORS. [/underlined]
[Table of Mountings, Adaptor, Camera, F.F.I. and Where Used]
[Table of Turret Installations]
G.45 2 HEATERS 1 IN [underlined] LENS [/underlined]
OTHER [underlined] BODY. [/underlined] WORKING ON THERMASTATIC SWITCH GIVING HEATS @ 60 (START) -70F (STOP).
[Page break]
[Underlined] HARMONIZATION OF C. CAMERA WITH GUNS ECT. [/underlined]
[Diagram of Sighting Screen for 50 yds Method]
ST. ANDREWS CROSS (FIGHTER A/C)
ST GEORGE’S CROSS (BOBMER)
AFTER HARMONIZING CAMERA + GUNS, WHEN LOADING FILM FIRST NAME + DATE FILM IN + WITH [underlined] TITLING UNIT [/underlined].
[Underlined] TYPE OF LENS [/underlined] 3 IN ALL ([underlined] YELLOW RED GREEN [/underlined])
COLOURS DENOTE FOCAL LENGTH
[Diagram of Lens showing Plate, Focal Point, Focal Length and Light Rays]
[Page break]
[Underlined] GUNSIGHTS AP. 1730 B [/underlined]
[Diagram of Aircraft, Path of Bullets, angles and Path of Other Aircraft.]
[Underlined] RING + BEAD SIGHT [/underlined]
[Table with diagrams of sights and where used]
[Underlined] BULLET TRAIL [/underlined] ON BULLETT FIRED ONLY FROM BEAM @ 300 – 500 YDS IS ABOUT 11 FT; IF BOTH A/C ARE GOING FORWARD @ SAME SPEED, (300 M P.H).
[Diagram of Cone of Fire]
WHEN SHOOTING TO BEAM AIM 11TF IN FRONTOF SPOT WANTED. TRAIL COMES FROM AIR DRAG ON 2 SIDES OF BULLET.
[Diagram of Aircraft showing aiming point and Air Pressure on Bullet]
[Page break]
A.P. 1730. B.
[Underlined] REFLECTOR TYPE SIGHTS. [/underlined] G.J. III + (G.M. II)
G.J.III
MK IIIA 12 OR 24 CAN BE CHANGED} USED ON ALL MOVABLE GUNS. TURRETS ECT.
MK IIIA [symbol] 12 24 ON CHANGING.} ([underlined] NOT FIGHTER A/C [/underlined])
[Diagram of Reflector Sight]
(100 MPH) (FIGHTER A/C) [Underlined] G.M. II OR R. SIGHT MK. II [/underlined] (FIXED GUNS)
[Diagrams of Sights]
4 CHANGES IN G.M. II + G.M III
1 METAL BULB HOLDER
2 LEAVER TO MOVE DIMMING SCREEN
3 GRATICULE LINES
4 RANGE SETTING IN 50s (150-600)
ALL FOUND ON G.M. III.
[Page break]
[Underlined] REFLECTOR SIGHTS G.Js + GMs. + DIs. [/underlined]
[Table of Sights showing Marks, Type, Speed and Where Used]
[Underlined] D.Is R.S. [/underlined]
1 CONTINUITY OF CIRCUIT (NIGHT + DAY)
2 LENS (ECT). POLISH. SELVYT CLOTH.
3 ELECTRICAL LEADS NOT FRAYED OR U/S.
4 ATTACHED SECURELY (AFTER D.I ON PILOT’S R.SIGHT COVER UP WITH C.BAG.)
5 NEW LAMPS STOWED + O.K.
[Underlined] G.I PRISMATIC [/underlined]
[Diagrams of Lenses]
[Underlined] LEWIS ONLY [/underlined]
[Page break]
[Underlined] HARMONIZATION [/underlined] 1730(.B.) SECT 7. CH 2
[Underlined] FIGHTER A/C @ 50 YDS REDUCED DISTANCE. [/underlined]
[Diagram of Aircraft showing Master Guns]
INCLINOMETER
FIRST GET A/C 50 YDS FROM TARGET; ON TRESTLES, CLEAR OF THE DECK.
DROP 2 PLUMB LINES FROM A/C NOSE + TAIL. ALINEING WITH LINE ON WALL USE DATUM. LINES TO MAKE SURE A/C IS LEVEL, NEXT USE INCLINOMETER ON TOP PLATE OF MASTER GUN OR GUNS. {M. GUN MOST INBOARD). NEXT HARMONIZE ALL GUNS + CAMERA TO RIGHT MARKS ON WALL, USING [inserted] INSTMENT [/inserted] GUN-ALINNING UNIT. + PERICOPE GUN ALINNING.
[Page break]
[Underlined] AMMUNITION [/underlined] AP 2058(A) GROUP VI.
.303 [underlined] BALL PURPLE [/underlined] ANNULUS. MK. VII
.303 [underlined] ARMOUR PIERCING GREEN [/underlined] W.I.
.303 [underlined] TRACER RED [/underlined] G. IV G V G VI IV V GREY NOSE (NIGHT) VI GREY NOSE (DAY)
.303 [underlined] INCENDIARY BLUE [/underlined] B VII BLUE NOSE IV VI OBSOLESCENT.
Z AFTER LETTER + MK DENOTES FILLED WITH OTHER THAN CORDITE. [inserted] (NITRO CELLULOSE) [/inserted]
.303 [underlined] BLANK [/underlined] L) ON CLOUR ANNULUS. OLD CASES NOW USED. [Diagram]
.303 [underlined] BALLISTITE [/underlined] H (TOP HALF PAINTED BLACK) OLD CASES NOW USED [Diagram]
.303 [underlined] DUMMY [/underlined] D VI 3 FLUTES ON SIDE, PAINTED RED. OLD CASES NOW USED.
[Underlined] .300 [/underlined] BALL – NO TIP.
[In margin] .300 RIMLESS [/in margin]
A.P. MK I GREEN. MK II BLACK. [Underlined] STORAGE OF AMMO [/underlined]
INCENDIARY. BLUE TIP. [Underlined] ALL TYPES [/underlined] IN GROUP VI
TRACER RED TIP. INC. NO WITH PHROS. GROUP XI
[Underlined] GREEN LABLE FOR ALL SERVICES [/underlined] INC [underlined] CONTAINING [/underlined] PHROS. GROUP XII.
WHENUSED FOR SYNORONIZED GUNS [Inserted box] [Underlined] MAIN CHARGES [/underlined] CORDITE. NITRO-CELLULOUS. NEON-NITE. GUN POWDER [/inserted box]
1 MUST BE USED WITHIN 2 YEARS.
2 MUST BE USED WITHIN (DAYS) 14 OF OPENING BOX. (CAN BE 40 DAYS WITH A.O.P. SAY) AFTER THAT THE AMMO IS USED FOR GUNS OTHER THAN SY.
[Underlined] AMMO STORAGE [/underlined] INC. AMMO CAN BE STORED WITH REST IN GROUP VI BUT ONLY 20,000 ROUNDS. ([underlined] INSPECTION. [/underlined] B. ILES EVERY 14 DAYS SUMMER B. ILES EVERY 28 DAYS WINTER OVERSEAS EVERY 14 DAYS.
[Page break]
[Underlined] .5 BROWNING AMMO. [/underlined] (100 ROUNDS = 30 lbs.)
[In margin] RIMLESS [/in margin]
BALL. NO TIP
A.P. MK I BLACK MK II [[underlined] GREEN. [/underlined] MK II MORE POWER. (REINFORCED BARRLE.)
INC. BLUE TIP
TRACER. RED TIP.
[Underlined] REVOLVER ECT. AMMO [/underlined]
[Underlined] COLT. [/underlined] .455 MK I (LONGER)
[Underlined] COLT [/underlined] .45 [Underlined] AC. [/underlined]
[Underlined] THOMSON SUB G. AC. [/underlined]
.38 REVOLVER MK II (RIM)
.45 WEBLEY MK VI (RIM.)
.22 RIMFIRE
9M.M. RIMLESS
[Diagrams of 20mm Shells]
MK II A.P. SAME AS MK I ONLY [underlined] FLAT TIP [/underlined] BAKELITE NOSE CAP. FOR USE [underlined] BELT [/underlined] MECENIZEM. MK I MAGAZINE.
[Diagrams of Shells]
[Page break]
[Underlined] 20. MM SHELLS. [/underlined]
[Diagrams of Shells]
[Underlined] FUZES OF TWO TYPES [/underlined] (20MM.)
1) INCENDIARY CONTAINNIG PHOSPHORUS 252 [Underlined] INSENSITIVE. [/underlined]
2) INCENDIARY [underlined] NOT [/underlined] CONTAINNIG PHOSPHORUR 253 RED [underlined] VERY [/underlined] SENSITIVE. GREEN INSENSITIVE.
3) H.E. [Underlined] ALL FUZE BODY. BUFF [/underlined]
4) H.E + INC. CONTAINNING PHOSPHORUS [Underlined] TIPS RED OR GREEN [/underlined]
5). H.E. + INC. [underlined] NOT [/underlined] CONTAINNING PHOSPHORUS
GREEN = PHOSPHORUS.
[Page break]
[Underlined] A.P. 1242 [/underlined] VOL I CHAP 5
[Underlined] COLT AUTOMATIC PISTOL .455 [/underlined]
[Diagrams of Colt Pistol]
1 SAFTY LOCK
2 SAFTY GRIP
3 BARRLE LINK + LOCKING LANDS
4 HALF BENT
5 STRONG FIRING SPRING. SHORT PIN.
6 DISCONNECTOR. ALLOWS NOT MORE THAN 1 ROUND PER FINGER PRESURE. + PREVENTS YOU FIREING IF BREECH IS NOT LOCKED OR SLIP NOT RIGHT FORWARD.
2lbs. 7ozs (PISTOL) 8ozs FULL MAG.
[Page break]
[Underlined] MOUNTHLY [/underlined] INSPECTIONS CHECK ACTION. 1 MOUNTH IN STORE OR GOING +COMMING FROM LOAN.
[Underlined] 6 MOUNTH INSPECTION. STRIP. [/underlined] WHEN CLEANING IN A TYPE OIL ONLY DIP FOR 10 MINS.
WHEN CLEAN BARRLE USE FIRST A TYPE OIL. IF NO GOOD USE 112 STRANDS H BRASS WIRE 26 GAGE 3 INS LONG. FOR WIRE GET C/O CONSENT.
[Underlined] STRIPPING [/underlined]
REMOVE MAG SEE UNLOADED
REMOVE RECOIL SPRING + PLUG 16
BARRLE BUSHING 15
SLIDE STOP 14
SLIDE, BARRLE, RECOIL SPRING GUIDE 13
SAFTY LOCK (HAMMER COCKED) 12
HAMMER AXIS PIN (HAMMER FORWARD) 9
HAMMER + STRUT 8
MAIN SPRING HOUSING PIN 11
MAIN SPRING HOUSING 11
SAFTY CRIP 10
SEAR SPRING 6
SEAR AXIS PIN 5
SEAR + DISCONNECTOR 4
FIRING PIN STOP 3
FIRING PIN + SPRING 2
EXTRACTOR 1
(AXIS PINS IN FROM L – RIGHT.)
FIGS. THE WAY TO ASSEMBLE.
MAG. HOLDING 7/ (WILL HOLD 8)
[Diagrams of Safety Lock and Cocking Mechanism]
[Page break]
[Diagram of Cylinder]
MK I 7lbs. 14 ozs 8 1/2”
[Underlined] USING 4” CARTRIDGE. [/underlined]
MK II 9lbs. 5ozs. 10 1/2”
USING 4” + 6” CARTRIDGES.
[Diagrams of Revolving Mechanism]
1 INDEX CAM
2 INDEX PAWL
3 BOWDEN CABLE
4 PULLEY
5 INDEX PINION SHAFT
6} SAFTY DOOR + SHAFT
7}
8 HAMMER
9 HAMMER CAP-SPRING + PLUNGER
10 CAM LIFT
11 INDEX PINION
12 INDEX CROSS.
13 STOP PIN.
[Page break]
A.P. 1641 (H). VOL. I.
[Underlined] SIGNAL DISCHARGER 1 1/2” MKS I + II [/underlined]
[Underlined] STRIPPING [/underlined]
REMOVE 3 FLANG NUTS, TAKE OF MOUTING FLANGE, MUZZLE + COLLAR, NEXT BOTTON PLATE + SPACING WASHERS. REMOVE CHAMPER ASSMLY. FROM HEAD. NEXT REMOVE PULLY HEAD COVER + SPRING THEN INDEX CAM, INDEX PINION + LIFT-CAM; DUST COVER, REMOVE HAMMER CAP-PLUNGER + SPRING. HAMMER AXIS PIN THEN HAMMER IT-SELF. NEXT. SPRING + PLUNGER OF SAFTY DOOR, THEN REMOVE DOOR. (ASSEMBLING, REVERSE ACTIONS).
WHEN LOADING DISCHARGER ALWAYS KEEP DOOR OPEN; [Underlined] ORDER OF COLOURS; [/underlined] LAY OUT COLOURS IN LINE AS NEEDED [inserted] 1-6 [/inserted]. THEN LOAD IN [underlined] THIS [/underlined] ORDER 5-6-1-2-3-4 ONLY PULLING CABLE OR MOVING CHAMBES ROUND 5 TIMES. THE [UNDERLINED] 3RD [/underlined] CARTRIDGE LOADED IS THE [underlined] FIRST [/underlined] TO BE FIRED.
[Underlined] INSPECTIONS [/underlined] 4 IN ALL A.B.C.D.
A [Underlined] BEFORE FLIGHT. [/underlined] (OPEN DOOR) (LISEN FOR HAMMER. FEEL FOR PLUNGER. LOOK FOR DENTS ECT. SEE FIRM TO A/C ALWAYS DRY BARRLES.)
B [Underlined] BETWEEN FLIGHTS. [/underlined] (GIVE GOOD QUICK TEST)
C [Underlined] END OF DAYS FLIGHING [/underlined] (CLEAN BARRLE. + CHECK DISCHARGER. (50 PARFIN 50 G.S.OIL) ([Underlined] NOT A TYPE OIL[/underlined])
D [Underlined] END OF 180 FLIGHING. [/underlined] (REMOVE FROM A/C. CONTROL + DISCHARGER) STRIP + CHECK FOR BURRS, DENTS ECT. GIVE [underlined] FIRING [/underlined] TEST. PUT BACK IN A/C.)
[Page break]
[Diagram of Signal Pistol]
[Diagrams of Signal Pistol firing mechanism and parts]
WEIGHTS OF SPRINGS.
TRIGGER 14-18lbs.
MAIN SPRING} 3 1/2 – 4 1/2
LONG ARM ONLY}
(TRIGGER PRESSED, READING WHEN HAMMER IS HALF WAY BACK.)
MESURE OF MAIN SPRING IN WIDDEST PART. 1 1/8”
[Page break]
[Underlined] SIGNAL PISTOL No 4. MK I + I [symbol] AP. 1641(F) [/underlined]
[Underlined] STRIPPING [/underlined]
SEE UNLOADED.
JOINT PIN + SCREW.
EXTRACTOR.
MOUNTING CATCH + SPRING.
CARTRIDGE RETAINING SPRING.
STOCK PLATES.
STOCK CENTRE SCREWS + CENTRE.
MAINSPRING PIN.
MAINSPRING.
HAMMER.
BARRLE CATCH SPRING.
MAINSPRING LEAVER AVIS PIN.
MAINSPRING LEAVER.
TRIGGER.
[Underlined] ‘A’ INSPECTION [/underlined] BEFORE FLIGHING. CHECK PISTOL + MOUNTING + WORKING OF PISTOL.
[Underlined] ‘B’ [/underlined] BETWEEN FLIGHTS UNLOAD, CHECK + RELOAD.
[Underlined] ‘C’ [/underlined] SEE PISTOL IS UNLOAD, CLEAN WITH TYPE A OIL CHECK WORK, DRY, THEN THIN FILM OF A.F. OIL, CHECK MOUNTING; [underlined] REPLACE COVER. [/underlined]
[Underlined] ‘D’ [/underlined] END [underlined] 300 [/underlined] HRS FLYING. REMOVE PISTOL + MOUNTING FROM A/C STRIP + CLEAN BOTH. (TYPE A). CHECK SPRINGS WEAR ON PARTS ECT. REASSEMBLE; SMEAR OF OIL; PUT IN A/C FIRE.
[Underlined] REVERSE ACTION TO ASSEMBLE [/underlined]
[Page break]
[Diagram of a Pistol Revolver]
[Diagrams of Revolver firing mechanisms]
BULLET .38 – 1lb. 11 1/2ozs.
BARRLE CALIBRE .352 10 1/2” LONG OF PISTOL
RIFLING 7 GROVES RIGHT.
(1 TURN 15.) BARRLE 5” = 1/30.
1 EXTRACTION + REJECTION
2 COCKING BY HAND
3 ROTATION OF CYLINDER
4 FIRING FROM FULL COCK
5 RAPID FIRE.
6 REBOUND ACTION – FROM FACES OF HAMMER + M.S. LEAVER; M.SPRING FORCING BACK [underlined] HAMMER [/underlined] + TRIGGER, GIVING ((1/2 COCK) – STRIKER BACK FROM CART. CAP.)
No2 MK I [symbol] NO BENT OR COMB.
(ONLY No 2 MK I WITH SAFTY STOP) BENT IN NOSE OF HAMMER)
[Page break]
A.P. 1641 (P)
[Underlined] PISTOL REVOLVER .38 No 2 MK I . I [symbol] + I [symbols] [/underlined]
[Underlined] BARRLE GAUGES [/underlined] { .352 A.C.C. PASS FROM MAG. END
{ .358 REG NOT TO ENTER MAG. END.
[Underlined] CYLINDER GAUGES. [/underlined] .359 - .357 A.C.C. MUST ENTER
.364 - .392 REG NOT TO ENTER
[Underlined] CARTRIDGE. H. SPACE [/underlined] .067 REG NOT TO GO BETWEEN SHEILD + CYLINDER.
[Underlined] STRIKER PROTUSION [/underlined] .04 ROCKS. .05 PASSES OVER.
[Underlined] STRIKER RADIUS [/underlined] .038
[Underlined] HEIGHT OF CYLINDER STOP [/underlined] .05
[Underlined] CENCENTRICITY + HIGHT OF EXTRACTOR GAUGE [/underlined] (.73 MINIMUM.)
[Underlined] PULL OFF TRIGGER [/underlined] 13 – 15 lbs.
[Underlined] WEIGHT OF M. SPRING. [/underlined] 3-3 1/2 (TRIGGER PRESSED 1ST MOVEMENT OF HAMMER)
[Underlined] PULL OFF FROM FULL COCK. 5-6 [/underlined]
[Underlined] WEIGHT OF BARRLE CATCH SPRING [/underlined] (OPEN REVOLVER) 3-5
[Underlined] INSPECTION 1 MOUNTH = SAME AS COLT EXTRACTORS [/underlined]
[Underlined] 6 MOUNTHS SAME AS COLT. USE ALL GAUGES. [/underlined]
13 STRANDS 26 GAUGE M.D.W
TRIGGER. REBOUND FACES WORK (BACK) FORCING M.S. LEAVER – PAWL UP, PUSHING TRIGGER NOSE ON HAMMER CATCH
[Page break]
A.P. 1641 (P)
[Underlined] PISTOL REVOLVER .38 No 2 MK I . MK I [symbol] + I [symbols] [/underlined]
CAM LEAVER FIXING SCREW
REMOVE CHAMBERS OR CYLINDER. (6 CHAMBERS / CYLINDER RECESSES)
STOCK SIDES
BARRLE CATCH (USE CRAMP) SCREW + SPRING (+REAR SIGHT)
SCREWS FROM BODY PLATED + BODY PLATE
MAIN SPRING (LONG + SHORT ARM + CLAW)
PAWL. (NOSE + STEP.)
MAIN SPRING LEAVER + AXIS PIN (REBOUND FACE
HAMMER. (PEAK. CONE. SWIVLE. REBOUND FACE. FACE. HAMMER NOSE + W CATCH.
TRIGGER + SAFTY STOP {TRIGGER NOSE + CATCH + SPRING – GUAD LUG)
CAM LEAVER + SCREW.
JOINT PIN SCREW. + J. PIN [inserted] + LUG [/inserted] (PART PISTOL)
EXTRACTOR LEAVER (ARM – BENT. AUVLY + SPRING)
CAM.
[Underlined] STRIF CYLINDER [/underlined] REMOVE NUT + SPRING + EXTRACTOR.
[Underlined] SAFTY DEVICES [/underlined] SAFTY STOP (No 2 MK I) + LOCKING OF MECHANISM 2 ON BOTH PISTOLS.
SAFTY STOP No 2 MK I [symbol] + LOCKING OF MECHANISM 2 ON BOTH PISTOLS
SAFTY STOP No 2 MK I [symbols] LOCKING OF MECHANISM
SAFTY STOP No 2 MK I 2 STAR LOCKING OF MECHISM.
LOCKING OF MECHANISM BY HAMMER GOING FORWARD; HAMMER CATCH GOING DOWN ON TRIGGER. REBOUND FACES WORK (BACK) FORCING M.S. LEAVER - PAWL UP, PUSHING TRIGGER NOSE ON HAMMER CATCH
[Page break]
[Underlined] LEWIS GUN .303 [/underlined] A.P.1242. 1641. D.
[Underlined] MK I GROUND GUN [/underlined] RATE OF FIRE 500 R.P.M.
NO VOLUTE SPRING.
RETURN SPRING (IS MORE MK III) 11 – 14 lbs.
MK III RATE OF FIRE 700 R.P.M. [Underlined] AIR GUN [/underlined] (USED IN THE AIR.)
INCLINED PLATE IN GAS REGULATOR (REGULATOR ALWAY FULLY OPEN)
VOLUTE SPRING. RETURN SPRING 10 -12
[Underlined] RIFLING [/underlined] RIGHT HAND. 4 GROVES. BARRLE. 26 1/4”. (GUN 17 lbs.)
[Underlined] SIGHTS [/underlined] RING + BEAD OR G.J. I (PRISMATIC)
[Underlined] MAGAZINE FED [/underlined]
[Diagrams of Lewis Gun parts]
[Page break]
[Underlined] STRIPPING + ASSEMBLING [/underlined]
SEE GUN IS UNLOADED {TAKE OF MAG. TAKE ROUND FROM FEEDWAY.)
REMOVE SPADE.
TRIGGER GROUP.
PINION GROUP.
TOP PLATE.
FEED ARM.
PULL COKING TO REAR + REMOVE.
BOLT
PISTON ROD
BODY LOCKING PIN.
UNSCREW BODY FROM BARRLE.
GAS REGULATOR KEY, + REGULATOR
GAS CYLINDER SHEILD
REAR DISTANCE PEICE.
SWIVELLING BAND
GAS CYLINDER
GAS CHAMBER
MUZZLE NUT + FORE SIGHT BRACKET.
BARRLE BAND
FRONT DISTANCE PEICE
[Underlined] REASSEMBLE IN REVERSE ORDER. [/underlined]
[Underlined] SAFTY DEVICES [/underlined]
STRAIGHT PART OF CAM SLOT 1 1/8 “
CUT-AWAY PART ON BOLT FACE. F. PIN HOLE.
SAFTY SLIDE OR CATCH.
(LOCKING OF THE BOLT)
[Underlined] GAUGES. [/underlined]
.038 RADIUS [Diagram]
[Underlined] .045 - .037 STRIKER [/underlined] GAUGE.
[Underlined] 22.285 FROM STRIKER POST – PISTON HEAD. [/underlined] (MINIMUM 22.255”
[underlined] VOLUTE SPRING 1.072 IN LENGTH) OUT OF 5/16 – 7/16 END.
[Underlined] U. JOINT NOT [/underlined] EXCEED 3/8” IN PLAY [Diagram]
[Underlined] CART HEAD SPACE. [/underlined] .064 - .074 (SHOULD NOT LOCK ON .074)
[Underlined] RETURN SPRING [/underlined] 10 – 12 lbs. (SAME ON NEXT PAGE. P.T.O)
[Underlined] BODY COVER GAUGE [/underlined] SLID GAUGE UNDER TOUNGE. (REMOVE. FEED ARM + PART. GUIDE SPRING)
[Page break]
[Underlined] STOPPAGES LEWIS G.O. GUN MK III [/underlined] AP. 1242 – 1641.
1ST EMPTY MAGAZINE. – MISS.FIRE – GAS REGULATOR ([underlined] FAULTY [/underlined]) BROKEN STRIKER.
[Underlined] BROKEN FED PAWL OR SPRING. – DAMAGED MAGAZINE. [/underlined]
[In margin] 1ST [/In margin]
[Group] EMPTY MAG – CHANGE FOR FULL
MISS FIRE – RECOCK
GAS REGULATOR (DUF) – AJUST OR FIT NEW ONE.
BROKEN STRIKER – NEW PISTON
BROKEN FEED PAWL OR SPRING – REPLACE
DAMAGED MAG – REPLACE. [/group]
HARD EXTRACTION AID BY COCKING HANDLE
MIS SHAPEN ROUND. AID BY COCKING HANDLE
WEAK CHARGE, WITH 1/2 FEED. AID BY COCKING HANDLE
WEAK OR BROKEN CARTRIDGE GUIDE SPRING – RENEW.
TOO HEAVY RETURN SPRING OR GAS REG. TURNED – AJUST + REPLACE KEY.
BROKEN TIP EXTRACTOR – NEW BOLT
BROKEN EXTRACTORS 1 OR 2 – NEW BOLT
FULL DEFLECTOR BAG – EMPTY
BROKEN EJECTOR – NEW EJECTOR
BROKEN PISTON. NEW PISTON.
[Page break]
[Underlined] GAUGES LEWIS [/underlined] [Diagram]
[Underlined] STRIKER [/underlined] .043 TO .037 .043 SHOULD PASS OVER .038 RADIUS
[Underlined] PISTON [/underlined] MAX LENGTH 22.285 MIN 22.255. (FROM STRIKE POST.)
[Underlined] VOLUTE SPRING [/underlined] 1”.072 IN LENGTH. IN HOUSING 5/16 TO 7/16 OVER END.
[Underlined] UN. JOINT [/underlined] NOT TO EX 3/8” EITHER WAY.
[Underlined] CART. HEAD SPACE. [/underlined] .064 .074 BOLT SHOULD NOT LOCK ON .074.
[Underlined] RETURN SPRING [/underlined] 10-12 lbs (AIR) 11-14 (GROUND).
[Underlined] BODY COVER GAUGE [/underlined] UNDER TOUNGE. FIX GAUGE UNDER TOUNGE LINE UP HOLE.
[Underlined] INSPECTIONS LEWIS [/underlined] M.Gs.
‘A’ D.I. BEFORE DAYS FLYING + FIRING TAKES PLACE.
USE DRILL ROUNDS WORKING MECHANISM. DRY BARRLE. WIEGH MAIN SPRING. 10-12
‘B’ BETWEEN FLIGHTS (AFTER FIRING.) ASK FOR SNAGS – CHECK – REPLACE EMPTY MAG . IF TIME GIVE PULL THROUGH.
‘C’ AFTER FLYING + FIRING. TAKE OUT GUN + STRIP. ON GAS AFFTECTED PARTS USE TY. ‘A’ ASSEMBLE, LIGHT COAT OF OIL ON ALL PART.
‘D’ AFTER FLYING [underlined] BUT NO FIRING. [/underlined] CHECK.
‘E’ AFTER 120 HRS FLYING. NO FIRING. [symbol] N/A/NOW. CHECK.
[Boxed] ‘F’ [/boxed] EVERY INSPECTION ON KIT. {30X. 50X. 50XX. MAJ. ECT.) AFTER FIRING. REMOVE GUN. STRIP. [Underlined] USE GAUGES AFTER CLEANNING. [/underlined]
[Page break]
[Underlined] A.P. 1641. [/underlined] VOL. II
[Underlined] ALL TYPES CARE OF BARRLES RIFLE + M. GUN .303 [/underlined]
[Underlined] GAUGES [/underlined] .303 (acceptance) .307 (.307 MUST [underlined] NOT [/underlined] PASS RIGHT THROUGH (REJECT GAUGE)
[Underlined] .308 [/underlined] (TAKE NOTE OF MARK) [underlined] TEST [/underlined] FOR CORD WEAR; [inserted] (SHOULD NOT ENTER) [/inserted] (GAUGE IS ONLY ALLOW TO ENTER TO MARK.)
[Underlined] PLUG LEAD [/underlined] No 2. (M.G.s ONLY) MARK ON GAUGE = WEAR IN CHAMBER
[Diagram of Gauge]
WHEN BARRLE [underlined] TOUCHES MARK OR OVER [/underlined] ITS U/S FOR THAT JOB.
NO 2 PLUG LEAD WITH .310 (MUST BE BOTH) FOR [underlined] RIFLE ONLY [/underlined]
TO MAKE [underlined] RIFLE [/underlined] (ONLY) [underlined] BARRLE [/underlined] U/S GAUGE .310 + No 2 P.LEAD. MUST ENTER UNTIL [underlined] FLUSH [/underlined] OR [underlined] INSIDE [[/underlined] CHAMBER; IF ONLY 1 ENTERS + NOT THE OTHER, THE BARRLE IS O.K.
[Underlined] CLEANING RODS. [/underlined]
[Underlined] BRASS HANDLES [/underlined] PISTOL GRIP. MK IV
SPADE GRIP MK II
[Underlined] STEEL HANDLES [/underlined] LONG TYPE T HANDLE No 1.
SHORT TYPE T. HANDLE No 4.
[Underlined] NICKLE FOWLINGS. [/underlined]
20cc. DIST. WATER. 20cc AMONNA + 2 TABLES K.N.N.S. (KINGS NORTON NICKLE SOLVENT) FOR NICKLE COATED BARRLES. SOAK FOR 30 MINS. WASH OUT INTILL CLEAN. THEN TRY; CHECK WITH .037 (SEE IT CAN GO THROUGH.)
30-40 -/26 GAUGES /S.B.W.
[Grouped together] NOT
POWDER FOWLINGS
NICKLE FOWLINGS
CHEMICAL CORROSION
C. ROD. + [underlined] TYPE A. [/underlined]
20cc W. KM
20cc A 2 NS.
[Underlined] TYPE ‘A’ [/underlined]
+ GAUGE
[/Grouped together]
(MK .302) = [underlined] PLUG. [/underlined] FOR HAMMERING IN BROKEN PULL THROUGH. THEN USE BUSH + BIT.
[Page break]
[Underlined] A.P. 1641. [/underlined] (B) VOL I.
[Underlined] VICKERS GAS OPERATED M. GUN. [/underlined] .303 (CONTD)
[Underlined] 4 TYPES IN ALL. ALL MK I BUT Nos 1-4. [/underlined] ALL AIR COOLED.
No 1 MK I [Underlined] AIR [/underlined] FREE GUN.
No 2 MK I [underlined GROUND. [/underlined] (FIRED FROM HIP OR SHOULDER. (PISTOL GRIP) WOOD.
No 3 MK I USED IN [underlined] TURRETS. [/underlined]
No 4 MK I SAME TYPE AS GROUD. [Underlined] USED IN ARMOURER CARS [/underlined] (SHOULDER + PISTOL GRIPS ARE MAKE OF [underlined] RUBBER [/underlined]) (700 R.P.M.)
950 R.P.M. 2 TYPES MAGZS. 60 + 100. (5 LEFT. HAND BARRLE GROVES.
[Underlined] STRIPPING FOR CLEANNING. [/underlined]
1. SEE GUN IS UNLOADED.
2 REMOVE SIGHTS + DEFLECTOR BAG
3 BODY EXTENSION + SPADE GRIP.
4 RETURN SPRINGS + RODS.
5 BREECH BLOCK + PISTON
6 FLASH ELIMINATOR
7 BARRLE STRAP + YOKE
8 BARRLE + GAS CYLINDER – (PART FROM BODY.)
9 GAS PLUG.
[Underlined] SAFTY DEVICES [/underlined]
5/16” HORIZANTOL SURFACE.
GAS ESCAPE HOLE (WITH F. PIN HOLE)
UNLOCKING + LOCKING CAMS.
SAFTY CATCH.
[Page break]
[Underlined] V.G.O. [/underlined] (CONTD)
[Underlined] No I MK I. [/underlined]
[Diagrams of Vickers Gun identifying parts and different Marks]
[Page break]
[Underlined] GAUGES V.G.O. [/underlined] (CONTD)
.064 - .074 (REMOVE EXTRACTOR) CARTRIDGE HEAD SPACE.
IF TOO MUCH CART. HEAD SPACE CHANGE [underlined] BARRLE STRAP. [/underlined].
[Underlined] FIRING PIN PROTRUSION GAUGE [/underlined] [Diagram] FOR V.G.O.) (.038 RADIS)
TAKE OUT EXTRACTOR – REMOVE BARRLE + G. CYLINDER, PUT GAUGE IN REPLACE STRAP – DO UP LOCKING NUT – CLOSE B. BLOCK SLOWLEY. WHEN REPLACING NEW F. PIN MESURE 1ST WITH 2” MIC. TO 1.904 – 1.907.
.303 ENTERS. .307 (SHOULDN’T PASS RIGHT THROUGH) .308 (CORD WEAR)
No 2 PLUG LEAD. LINE ON GAUGE .6 – 1 1/2” – 2 1/2” – 4”.
[Underlined] MAGAZINES [/UNDERLINED] 2 TYPES.
No 1 MK I (60R) [inserted] 3 1/2 [underlined] TURNS [/underlined] [/inserted] No 2 MK I (100R)
[Diagram]
[Underlined] INSPECTIONS. [/underlined] SAME AS [underlined] LEWIS [/underlined]
‘A’ BEFORE FLYING – CLEAN OIL FROM ALL GAS AFFECTED PARTS.
‘B’ BETWEEN FLYING - ASK FOR SNAGS – REPLACE USED AMMO. CHECK GUN.
‘C’ AFTER FLYING + FIRING – STRIP GUN. CLEAN GAS A. PARTS IN TYPE A OIL. ASSEMBLE.
‘D’ AFTER FLYING NO FIRING. CHECK.
‘E’ AFTER 120 HRS FLYING. NO FIRING. CHECK.
[Boxed] ‘F’ [/boxed] EVERY INSPECTION ON KIT (30X. 50. 50X. 50XX. MAJ.) AFTER FIRING,
REMOVE GUN. – STRIP – USE. GAUGES ON BARRLE. CHECK TRIGGER MECHANISM.
[Page break]
[Underlined] STOPPAGES [/underlined] 1.2.3. [Underlined] V.G.O. [/underlined] (CONTD)
[In margin] No 1 STOPPAGE [/in margin]
MISSFIRE – RECOCK
SLUGGISH MAG. (WEAK SPRING.) – REPLACE.
EMPTY MAG. – REPLACE NEW ONE.
BROKEN FEED PEICE OR SPRING. – CHANGE BREACH BLOCK.
BROKEN FIRING PIN. – CHANGE BREACH BLOCK.
FAULTY GAS PLUG. – REPLACE FOR FRESH.
WEAK RETURN SPRING. – REPLACE FOR NEW.
[In margin] No 2 [/in margin]
SEPERATED CASE – REMOVE.
FULL DEFLECTOR BAG – EMPTY.
[In margin] No 3 [/in margin]
BROKEN EXTRACTOR OR SPRING. – REPLACE BREECH BLOCK
BROKEN EJECTOR – NEW ONE
MISS ALINED ROUND – CLEAR. TAKE OF MAG.
SEAR BUFFER SPRING SLEVE
SEAR BUFFER SPRING SLEVE PLUG
SEAR BUFFER SPRING
SEAR BUFFER PLUNGER.
SEAR AXIS IN (EARLONGATED SLOT)
SEAR (STEP + LUG.
SEAR STOP
AXIS PIN (FOR SEAR CATCH)
SEAR CATCH (FORKED)
TRIGGER AXIS PIN
TRIGGER + TRIGGER ROD.
(STRIP TRIGGER ROD)
TRIGGER ROD CAP
TRIGGER ROD SPRING.
TRIGGER ROD SPRING SLEVE
SEAR CATCH SPRING.
[Page break]
[Underlined] AP. 1641. (C) VOL 1-2. [/underlined]
[Underlined] .303 BROWNING. M.G. MK II [symbol] [/underlined]
[Underlined] GENERAL DISCRIPTION [/underlined]
RATE OF FIRE – 1150 R.P.M.
LENGTH OVERALL 3’ 7”
APPROX WEIGHT. 22 lbs.
BARRLE LENGTH 24”
GROVES 5
LEFT HAND TURN 1 IN 10”
TYPES OF MK II [symbol] WITH FLASH ELIMINATOR FOR OR AS TURRET GUNS.
WITH MUZZLE ATTACHMENTS FOR WING INSTALLATIONS
METHOD OF COOLING – BY AIR FLOW OVER BARRLE. THE GUN IS PURELY DESIGNED AS AN AIRCRAFT M/G. AND IS UNSUITABLE FOR GROUND USE.
METHODS OF FIRING, - HAND, - PNEUMATICALLY, - HYDROMATICALLY - + ELECTRICALLY.
[Underlined] AMMO [/underlined] OF ALL TYPES [underlined] .303 [/underlined] (S.A.A) CAN BE USED.
[Page break]
[Underlined] BROWNING .303 [/underlined] MK II [symbol]
THE SEAR – BENT – SEAR RETAINER – SEAR REATINER SPRING – SEAR SPRING RETAINER KEEPER + PIN.
STRIPPING.
1. FLASH ELIM.
2 BACK PLATE
3. RETURN SPRING + ROD
4. COCKING STUD.
5 BEECH BLOCK.
6 LOCK FRAME.
7 BARRLE EXT.
[Underlined] 8 BARRLE [/underlined]
[Underlined] BARRLE EXTENSION. [/underlined]
1. BARRLE LOCKING SPRING.
2. LOCKING PEICE.
B.BLOCK GUIDES.}
EXTRACTOR TOP + SIDE CLEARANCES} F.
T SHAPE PROJECTION}
[Underlined] BEECH BLOCK [/underlined]
1 TRANSPORTER.
-EJECTOR
- HORN + STEP
- CLAW
- PLUNGER + SPRING
2 SWITCH PLATE + STOP
3 COCKING LEAVER + PIN.
4 SEAR SPRING RETAINER KEEPER.
5 SEAR SPRING RETAINER
6 SEAR SPRING
7 SEAR RETAINER
8 SEAR
9. FIRING PIN.
- 2 BENTS
- STRIKER
- SLOT
- SPRING
FIXED
-CART. RIM GUIDES.
- TRANSPORTER STOP.
- BENT – (REAR SEAR)
- CAM GROVES.
- LOCKING RECESS. (LOCKING PEICE)
[Page break]
[Underlined] LOCK FRAME. BROWNING. 303. MK II [symbol] [/underlined]
1 ACCELERATOR.
2 BARRLE (RET.) SPRING + PLUNGER.
3 REAR SEAR LEAVER
4 REAR SEAR
5 BARRLE RET. SPRING SOCKET +
REAR SEAR BUFFER SPRING.
6 R.S BUFFER SP. WASHER
[Underlined] 7. R.S. CRADLE BREECHING UP [/underlined]
[Underlined] ADJUSTMENT OF CARTIDGE HEAD SPACE. [/underlined] (BREECHING UP.)
[Underlined] OVER BREECHED [/underlined] BARRLE SCREWED TOO TIGHTLY UP TO B.EXTENSION; RESULTING IN [underlined] NOT [/underlined] ENOUGH CART. H. SPACE. [Underlined] DETECTED [/underlined] BY BARRLE LOCKING NOTCHES BEING VISIBLE. [Underlined] RESULT [/underlined] GUN [underlined] WILL NOT FIRE. [/underlined]
[Underlined] UNDER BREECHER [/underlined] BARRLE [underlined] NOT SCREWED UP TIGHT ENOUGH [/underlined] TO BARRLE EXTENSION; GIVING TOO MUCH CART. H. SPACE.
[Underlined] DETECTED [/underlined] BY INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT OF BREECH BLOCK.
[Underlined] RESULT [/underlined] OF UNDER BREECHING. – SEPARATED CASE. ([underlined] STOPPAGE. [/underlined])
[Page break]
[Underlined] BROWNING. MK II [symbol] 303. [/underlined]
[Underlined] CHANGING FEED DIRECTION [/underlined]
[Underlined] BREECH BLOCK. [/underlined] CHANGE SWITCH PLATE TO L OR R
[Underlined] CHANGE EJECTOR [/underlined] LEFT OF TRANSPORTER FOR R.H. FEED
RIGHT OF TRANSPORTER FOR LEFT H FEED
[Underlined] BREECH COVER [/underlined]
CHANGE FEED LEAVER + P+S R.H. FEED BOTTOM HOLE
L.H. FEED TOP HOLE
CHANGE FEED PAWL + FEED PAWL LEG ON FEED SLIDE.
[Underlined] FEED WAY SIDE OF FEED [/underlined]
CHUTE LUGS (2)
BELT RETAINING PAWL + SPRING
[Underlined] OPPOSITE SIDE [/underlined] (FROM FEED)
CHUTE LUGS (2)
BULLET STOP.
CART. STOP.
FILLING PEICE.
[Underlined] BREECH COVER [/underlined] NAMES OF PARTS.
FEED LEAVER BUSH
FEED LEAVER S + PLUNGER
FEEDER SLIP
FEEDER PAWL + SPRING
FEEDER PAWL LEG
TRANSPORTER GUIDE SPRING
TRANSPORTER RAMP (F)
BREECH COVER CATCH + SPRING.
BARRLE CASING (F)
TRUNNION BLOCK (F)
BLAST TUBE ADAPTOR
BREECH CASING (F)
LOCKING PEICE CAM
LOCKING LEAVER BRACKET (F)
TRANSPORTER CAMS. REAR + FRONT (F)
[Page break]
[Underlined] FIRING MECHANISMS [/underlined]
[Underlined] R.S.R. [/underlined] – REAR SEAR RELEASE. 4 TYPES.
[Underlined] F + S. [/underlined] FIRE + SAFE UNIT. 2 TYPES (WORKS SEAR)
R.S.R. F+S UNIT WHERE USED. EXAMPLE.
1. MANUAL. MANUAL RANGE ONLY –
2. PNEUMATIC (120-) PNEUMATIC (80) ALL FIGHTER A/C. HURRICANE SPITFIRE.
3. HYDRAULIC (300) MANUAL ALL F/N TURRETS BOMBERS.
4 ELECTRIC MANUAL B.P. TURRETS. BOMBERS + FIGHTERS.
[Underlined] ALWAYS SET TO SAFE (LOADIING + UNLOADING.) [/underlined]
WHEN LOADING (BROWNING 303.) [Underlined] WITHOUT [/underlined] (PNEUMATIC ) OR WITH Nos 1 -3-4 OF ABOVE, FEED BELT OVER BELT RETAINING PAWL; (BREECH COVER CLOSED) COCK – FIRE – COCK – LEAVE COCKED FOR MANUAL F+S.
[Underlined] LOADING PNEUMATIC ONLY [/underlined] FEED BELT, COCK + FIRE [underlined] TWICE [/underlined] LEAVE [underlined] BREECH BLOCK FORWARD. [/underlined]
[Underlined] UNLOADING [/underlined] LIFT COVER REMOVE BELT, COCK + FIRE ONCE, [underlined] LOOK [/underlined] ON BREECH FACE FOR [underlined] LIVE ROUND. [/underlined].
[Page break]
[Underlined] MECHANISM BROWNING [/underlined] .303 MK IIx
[Underlined] BACKWARD MOVEMENT [/underlined]
1 ACTION OF RECOIL
2 ACTION OF THE GASSES IN THE MUZZLE CHOKE.
3 BACKWARD ROTATION OF THE ACCELERATOR
4 UNLOCKING OF THE BREECH BLOCK
5 BACKWARD MOVEMENT OF THE BREECH BLOCK (COMPRESSING RETURN SPRING).
(A) ACTION OF THE TRANSPORTER
(B) EXTRACTION + EJECTION
(C) THE COCKING ACTION
6 FIRST ACTION OF THE BELT FEED.
[Underlined] FORWARD MOVEMENT [/underlined]
ACTION OF THE RETURN SPRING + BARRLE RETURN SPRING.
LOCKING OF THE BREECH BLOCK
FORWARD ACTION + RAISING OF THE TRANSPORTER
RETURN OF THE COCKING LEVER.
SECOND ACTION OF THE BELT FEED
FIRING OF THE CARTRIDGE.
(ACTION OF THE REAR SEAR.)
[Page break]
[Underlined] SAFTY DEVICES BROWNING .303 [/underlined] MK II [symbol] A.P. 1641. (C)
1. LOCKING OF THE BREECH.
2 LOCKING OF BREECH 5/10” BEFORE COMPLETION OF FORWARD MOVEMENT (STRAIGHT FACE)
3 5/16 BREECH REMAINS LOCKED. ([underlined] BACKWARD MOVEMENT [/underlined].)
4 LOCKING LEVER BRACKET HOLDING COCKING LEVER FORWARD (SEAR WILL NOT WORK)
5 REAR SEAR (ALWAYS HOLDS B. BLOCK TO REAR WHEN FIRING IS FINNISHED. SAVES ([underlined] COCKED ROUND [/underlined]))
[Underlined] DUNLOP PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS [/underlined] A.P. 1641 (E)
[Underlined] HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM [/underlined] 1800 LBS □” AIR CONTAINER - A OR B TYPE REDUCING [inserted] (1800 TO 150) [/inserted] VALVE (HUDSON A/C).
[Underlined] LOW OR 200LBS □” [/underlined] PRESSURE SYSTEM. E.D.C ON A/C ENGINE. GIVES CONTINUOUS AIR PRESSURE WHEN IN FLIGHT. NO AIR CONTAINER OR REDUCER VALVE NEEDED
[Underlined] 350lbs □” PRESSURE SYSTEM [/underlined] AS PER DIAGRAM. GENARLY USED FIGHTER A/C FOR .303 BROWNINGS. WHEN TESTING SYSTEM MORE THAN 5lbs□” DROP MEANS LEAK.
[Diagram of [underlined] 350lbs LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS. [/underlined]]
350 TO 150 REDUCING VALVE WORKS WITH FLEXIBLE METALLIC BELLOWS.
[Page break]
[Underlined] COLT A/C M-G .5 (YANKY.) [/underlined]
[Underlined] .5 BROWNING GUN. A.P. 1641. (L) VOL I-II. [/underlined]
RATE OF FIRE – 800 R.P.M. (APPROX) ADJUSTABLE TO 400 R.P.M. THROUGH OIL BUFFERS AT REAR.
([Underlined] WEIGHT 64 lbs [/underlined])
AMMO .5 RIMLESS. MUZZLE VELOCITY 2530 F.P.S.
RIFLING R.H 8 GROVES 1-15”. No 1 FIXED No 2 FREE
[Underlined] DIFFERENCES BETWEEN .5 + .303. [/underlined]
RECOIL ACTION (NOT GAS ASSISTED) AS .303.
OIL BUFFER ASSEMBLY REPLACES REAR SEAR MECHANISAM
FIXED TRANSPORTER GUIDE DEPRESSES SPRING GRADED REAR TRANSPORTER CAM
EJECTOR IS NOT MOVED WHEN CHANGING FEED
TWO SPRINGS ON RETURN SPRING ROD.
[Underlined] BREECH BLOCK. [/underlined] FIXED TRANSPORTER GUIDE. (NOT PLUNGER + SPRING)
FIRING PIN SPRING + SEAR RETAINER
SEAR SLIDE [Diagram]
SEAR. BENT + CAM FOR SEAR SLIDE.
LUG – NOT ACCELERATOR FACE + BENT.
CUTAWAY PORTION TO BALANCE WEIGHT OF TRANSPORTER.
[Underlined] LOCK FRAME [/underlined] DETENT SPRING DEPRESSORS
LOCK FRAME RETAINING SPRING.
[Page break]
[Underlined] .5 BROWNING M.G. [/underlined] A.P. 1641(L)
[Underlined] BARRLE EXTEN. [/underlined] LOCKING PEICE HAS ON CLEARANCE FOR FIRING PIN
1 TOP + SIDE EJECTOR CLEARANCE. SHANK (NOT T SHAPE)
[Underlined] FEED WAY [/underlined] FRONT + REAR CART. STOPS. LINK RETAINER
FEED ADATOR WITH LEFT HAND FEED. ([Underlined] NOT USING R. CART. STOP)
[Underlined] TRIGGER MECHANISM .5 BROWNING M.G. [/underlined]
[Diagram]
No 1 – MK I GUNS ONLY (NO LEVERAGE)
No 2 - No 1 MK II GUNS SYNCHRONISED + WITHIN PILOTS REACH (CAM + ROLLER
No 3 ALL MK II GUNS OTHER THAN WHEN No 2 MECHANISM IS USED.
[Underlined] FEED. DOUBLE LINK IN ALWAYS. [/UNDERLINED]
[Underlined] LOCKING OF THE BREECH FIRE + SAFE UNIT. [/underlined]
[Underlined] COCKING LEVER 3/4“ BACKWARD MOVEMENT [/underlined] (DELAY FOR GASSES
[Page break]
.040 - .050 [Underlined] OIL BUFFER [/underlined] (.5 BROWNING M.G. AP
[Diagram]
[Underlined] BACKWARD MOVEMENT [/underlined] OF RECOILING PORTION
VALVE + PISTON ARE TOGETHER + OIL PASSES THROUGH PORTS ONLY
[Underlined] FORWARD MOVEMENT. [/underlined] PISTON + VALVE ARE APART + OIL PASSES THROUGH HOLES + PORTS OF PISTONS + PORTS + AXIS HOLE ON VALVE.
[Underlined] GAUGES [/underlined] [Diagram]
.498 THROUGH BARRLE. (USE GAUGE ON ROD)
CHAMBER END
.513 (CHAMBER REJECT GAUGE) IF ENTERS TO END NEAR HANDLE – BARRLE IS U/S.
.030 SHOULD NOT ENTER UNDER SWITCH PLATE.
.040 - .050 AJUST OIL BUFFER PISTON + VALVE (TO SAME)
[In Margin] ON COMBINATION TOOL [/in margin]
.074 + .082 STRIKE PROTRUSION
.090 DIAMETER OF STRIKER [Diagrams]
.868 + 7 [inserted] [Underlined] THOU [/underlined] [/inserted] FEELER = 875. (868 ENTERS ON FEEDWAY + WITH 7/1000 IS U/S)
.116 OF AN INCH} TIMIMG OF FIRE + SAFE.
.110 OF AN INCH + .080}
[Page break]
[Underlined] FIRING MECHANISMS .5 BROWNING M.G. [/underlined] A.P.1641. (L)
[Underlined] TWO TYPES G4 + G5 [/underlined] (G5 MOD TYPE WITH CLOSED TERMINALS) OTHER TYPES IN USE).
SCREW AJUSTING COLLAR [underlined] OUT [/underlined] TO INCREASE PROTRUSION OF PLUNGER
SCREW AJUSTING COLLAR [underlined] IN [/underlined] TO DECREASE PROTRUSION OF PLUNGER
[Underlined] TIMMING [/underlined] (USING .116) WITH GAUGE IN POSITION – PRESS PLUNGER GUN SHOULD NOT FIRE.
REMOVE GAUGE – PRESS PLUNGER – LET BREECH BLOCK FORWARD – GUN SHOULD FIRE.
[Underlined] TIMMING [/underlined] USING (110/.080)
WITH .110 GAUGE IN POSITION – PRESS PLUNGER – GUN SHOULD NOT FIRE.
WITH .080 GAUGE IN POSITION – PRESS PLUNGER – GUN SHOULD FIRE.
[Underlined] MK I [/underlined] M G 53.A. ON RIGHT SIDE OF PLATE. (UNDER FEEDWAY)
BREECH COVER CATCH ON TOP. BARRLE CASING CRIMPED TO RETAIN MUZZLE BEARING.
[Underlined] MK II [/underlined] MG. 53.2 OR M2 ON R.H. SIDE PLATE. TOP L H CORNER.
BREECH COVER PLATE CATCH ON SIDE. SAFTY CATCH FOR BACK PLATE CATCH.
SPECIAL TRUNNION BLOCK ADAPTOR.
[Underlined] INSPECTIONS. [/underlined] ‘A’ SAME AS .303 + 1. SEE OIL BURNERS FULL. 2. (A).
2A. TEST TIMMING OF FIRE + SAFE. 2(B) SYNCHONIZING MECHANISM TEST. (NOTE. WHEN GUNS ARE SYNED FEED ONLY 1 ROUND)
‘B’ SAME AS .303. ‘C’ SAME AS .303 CHECK OIL BUFFER FOR LEAKS
‘D’ + ‘F’ SAME AS .303.
[Page break]
MACHINE CARBINE STEN MK II + MK III [Underlined] P.A.P 35 [/underlined]
[Underlined] RANGE [/underlined] 10/100 YDS [Underlined] BARRLE [/underlined] 7.8” LONG
[Underlined] RATE OF FIRE. [/underlined] 550 R.P.M. (APROX) – SINGLE SHOTS. [Underlined] AMMO. [/underlined] 9MM. RIMLESS.
[Underlined] RIFLING. [/underlined] R.H 6 GROOVES. 1 TURN IN 260MM. [Underlined] MAGZ. [/underlined] BOX TYPE 32 ROUNDS.
[Underlined] STRIPPING SEQUENCE [/underlined] FIRST SEE GUN IS UNLOADED
1) BUTT
2) RETURN SPRING HOUSING [underlined] CAP. [/underlined] RETURN SPRING HOUSING. RETURN SPRING.
3) COCKING HANDLE.
4) BREECH BLOCK (FIRING PIN – EXTRACTOR - + SPRING – BENT – FEED RIBS – EJECTOR GROOVES – CLEARANCE
5) BARRLE GROUP (MK II.) BARRLE – BARRLE NUT – B. NUT CATCH RATCHET. – BARRLE SLEEVE.
6 TRIGGER MECHANISM COVER
7) TRIGGER SPRING.
8) TRIPPING LEVER PAWL.
9) SEAR + AXIS PIN.
10) CHANGE LEVER.
11) TRIGGER AXIS PIN
12) TRIGGER + TRIPPING LEVER.
13) MAG. HOUSING PLUNGER
14) MAG. HOUSING PLUNGER SPRING.
15) BARRLE NUT CATCH
16) MAG. CATCH RETAINER
17) MAG CATCH + SPRING.
[Underlined] REVEARSE TO REASSEMBLE. [/underlined]
MK III NO BARRLE GROUP OR STRIPPING OF MAG. HOUSING.
[Page break]
[Underlined] MACHINE CARBINE STEN [/underlined] MK II + MK III [Underlined] P.A.P 35. [/underlined]
1 TRIGGER
2 TRIPPING LEVER
3 CHANGE LEVER
4 SEAR
5 PAWL
6 TRIGGER SPRING
7 NOTCHES
[Diagram] [Underlined] STEN CARBIN TRIGGER MECHANISM. [/underlined]
[Underlined] STOPPAGES [/underlined] COCKING HANDLE [Underlined] FORWARD [/underlined] 1ST
[Underlined] IMMEDIATE ACTION [/underlined] COCK GUN
(1) MISS FIRE
(2) BROKEN OR DIRTY FIRING PIN
(3) EMPTY MAG
[Underlined] 2ND POSITION COCKING HANDLE NOT RIGHT FORWARD. [/underlined]
IMMEDIATE ACTION COCK + LEAVE COCKING HANDLE IN [underlined] SAFTY [/underlined] RESESS (EXAMINE EJECTION [underlined] OPENING. [/underlined]
(1) DAMAGED MAG OR MAG LIPS.
(2) FAULTY EXTRACTION
(3) FAULTY EJECTION
(4) SEPERATED CASE (NO TOOL MADE FOR SAME).
[Underlined] INSPECTIONS ‘A’ BEFORE FIRING
‘B’ AFTER FIRING
‘C’EVERY 6 MONTHS WHEN IN STORE
‘D’ AFTER 2,500 ROUNDS .
[Page break]
[Underlined] SHOT GUNS [/UNDERLINED]
[Underlined] VICKERS VANGUARD [/underlined] SINGLE BARRLE 12 bore – (1/12lb SHOT.)
3 PEICE TAKE DOWN – TO CLEAN BARRLE.
1) PRESS TOP LEVER TO R. + BREAK GUN TO SEE ITS UNLOADED.
2) TAKE OFF FORE END
3) PRESS TOP LEVER BRAKE GUN + REMOVE BARRLE FROM ACTION + BUTT GROUP.
[Underlined] ACTION OF TOP LEVER. [/underlined]
1) WITHDRAWS LOCKING BOLT
2) WITH LOCK BOLT WITHDRAWN, GUN CAN BE BROKEN + CART. INSERTED.
3) GUN IS AT SAFE IN HALF-COCKED POSITION.
[Underlined] SAFTY ARRANGEMENTS [/underlined]
IN THE HALF-COCK POSITION, TRIGGER BEING ENGAGED IN UNDERCUT HALF BENT OF HAMMER, CANNOT BE ROTATED.
[Diagram]
[Page break]
ACTION OF TOP LEVER [Underlined] WEBLY + SCOTT. [/underlined] DOUBLE BARRLE (12 bore) A.P. 1668 (B)
1) WITHDRAWS LOCKING BOLT.
2) WITH LOCKING LEVER WITHDRAWN GUN CAN BE BROKEN + 2 CART. CAN BE INSERTED.
3) [Underlined] GUN SET AT SAFE [/underlined] [Underlined] SAFTY ARRANGEMENT. [/underlined]
SAFTY ARM IS PUSH TO THE REAR BY THE LOCKING BOLT + STUD. SAFTY ARM IS POSITIONED OVER TRIGGER PREVENTING IT FROM ROTATING.
[Underlined] CLEANING FOR LEADENING [/underlined]
1) PHOSPHOR BROZNE BRUSH (USING YOUNGS CLEANER. (-NEAT).)
2 PLACE FLANNEL PATCH ON JAG. (USING 50% YOUNGS + 50% WATER)
3) DRY OUT WITH NEW FLANNEL.
4) POLISH WIGH LAMBS WOOL MOP.
5) IF GUN IS GOING TO BE STORED OR NOT USED FOR A TIME LEAVE THIN FILM OF YOUNGS CLEANING OIL (NEAT) ON INTERIOR OF BARRLE.
[Page break]
[Underlined] CLAY PIGEON TRAP [/underlined] AP. 1668 (B)
THROUGH A PIGEON 20/85 YDS.
[Underlined] BASE PLACE [/underlined] (BOSS) [Underlined] SWIVEL BLOCK [/underlined] (FORK + TRUNNONS + SWIVEL + FRAME)
[Underlined] ELEVATION CLAMP [/underlined] SCREW + WHEEL
[[Underlined] BODY /[underlined] COLLAR – QUADRANT.- QUADRANT STUD.- QUADRANT PAWL + SPRING. THOWER ARM + CARRIER.
RELEACE LEVER + SPRING.
[Underlined] INSIDE [/underlined] MAINSPRING – TENSIO ROD + WHEEL – FRONT + REAR BODY CAPS.
[Underlined] NOTE [/underlined] TO STRIP THE TRAP OR MAKE ANY AJUSTMENTS TO THE MAINSPRING IT IS NECESSARY TO PARTIALY COCK THE TRAP SO THAT THE REAR BODY CAP MAY BE REMOVED. RELAX THAT [inserted] SMALL [/inserted] TENSION BEFROE AJUSTING.
[Diagrams]
[Underlined] AFTER USE. [/underlined] 1) ENSURE TRAP IS UNCOCK
2) REMOVE THROWER ARM
3) WIPE TRAP WITH OILY RAG.
[Underlined] MAINTENANCE [/underlined]
[Underlined] BEFORE USING [/underlined] (1) INSPECT + TEST.
(2) REMOVE GREASE FROM HANDLES OF RELEASE ARM + THROWING ARM.
(3) OIL QUADRANT SHANK.
[Underlined] MONTHLY [/underlined]
1) INSPECT + TEST.
2) CLEAN WITH TYPE ‘A’ / RUST CAN BE REMOVED WITH SCRATCH CARD + EMMERY
3) LUBRICATE – GREESE.
4) TEST SECURITY ON FOUNDATION
[Page break]
(6 WEEK.)
[Underlined] 20 M/M HISPANO SUIZA GUN [/underlined] AP. 1641 (F).
20 M/M 0R .787” SHELL FIRING GUN (NOT A CANNON.) 650 R.P.M
WEIGHT 109lbs. – LENGTH 8”.2 1/2 – RIFLING 9 – R.H. GROOVES
M. VELOCITY. 2880 F.P.S – GAS ASSISTED WITH RECOIL.-
ONLY 2 FIXED PORTIONS FRONT MOUNTING UNIT + MAG. CARRIER
MK I GUN. WITH MK I BACK BLOCK. ROUND STUD; SQUARE GROVES [Diagram]
MK II GUN WITH RE ENFORCEMENTS, ON BODY; BACK BLOCK IS HELD ON IN AN INCLINE SLOT [Diagram] MK II BACK BLOCK HAS LONG FLAT CATCH + SLOT.
[Underlined] 20 M/M BARRLES [/underlined] 5PTS. AMMONIA .880 S.P.G (FOR REMOVING [underlined] COPPER [/underlined] FOULLINGS. 20 M/M ONLY
4 1/2 PTS DIST. WATER
MIX + ADD 1 1/4 lbs AMMONIA PURSULPHATE.
POUR INTO BARRLE FOR 3 HRS – DRY OUT – REGAUGE – REPEAT IF GAUGE WILL NOT PASS.
[Underlined] DIFFERANCE BETWEEN CANNON + MACHINE GUN. [/underlined]
M-GAS 20 M/M USES SHELLS – SHELL SMALLER THAN BORE, BEING DRIVEN BY [underlined] COPPER DRIIVING BAND. [/underlined] GIVING INGRAVING PROSESS AS .303 .300 .5
[Underlined] MACHINE [/underlined] GUN .303-.300-.5 BULLET SAME SIZE AS RIFLING; WHEN BULLET PASSES UP BARRLE INGRAVING PROSESS TAKES PLACE.
[Underlined} CANNON [/underlined] NO RIFLING, PROJECTILE ROUND + SMALLER THAN BARRLE.
[Page break]
[Underlined] HISPANO SUIZA [/underlined]
[Underlined] MAGS [/underlined] (3 TYPES) [Underlined] 20 M/M SHELL FIRING GUN. [/underlined] A.P 1641 (F).
(1) M.A.R.C.O (2) AUSTIN. (3) AUSTIN (WITH INPELLOR)
EACH MAG WILL HOLD 60 ROUNDS.
INPELLOR OR (BOOST) GIVES BOOST TO FIRST 40 ROUNDS.
TO LOAD MAG, OR TO PUT TENSION ON; WIND ANTI CLOCK WISE.
TO UNLOAD MAG, OR TO TAKE TENSION OFF; WIND CLOCK WISE.
TO [underlined] STORE [/underlined] MAGAZINES; PUT ON SIDE WITH MOUTH UP [Diagram]
[Underlined] TO STRIP [/underlined] TAKE TENSION OFF, SPRING (HOUSING) COVER [inserted] FRONT COVER [/inserted] (7 SCREWS)
REMOVE TENSIONING TUBE, CLOCK SPRING + HOUSING, GO TO THE REAR TAKE OF COLLAR HELD BY SCREW, NEXT COMES OUT FEED ARM AXIS TUBE, WITH FEED ARM, LINK + GUIDE.
[Underlined] INITIAL [/underlined} TENSION [underlined] 10-14 [underlined] lbs ON A [underlined} 12” [underlined} BAR. WITH 3/4 TURN WHEN LOADING TAKE SPRING CLIP OR PIN OUT OF INPELLOR SHAFT. THEN LOAD, WHEN FULL PUT 5-6 TURNS ON INPELLOR SPRING AND REPLACE PIN. (CLEAN MAG AFTER 6 FILLINGS (360 ROUNDS)
[Diagram] (A) [Underlined] BEFORE MAG IS LOADED [/underlined] CHECK INITIAL TENSION. CHECK MAG. 1 CHECK FOR DENTS. 2 EXAMINE TIE RODS. – ROLLERS.
‘B’ [Underlined] AFTER FIRING {/underlined] REMOVE + CHECK FOR DAMAGE REMOVE FOULING WITH TYPE ‘A’ 6TH FILLING WASH OUT 50/50 A.F. + PARPHINE ALLOW TO DRAIN.
IF STOPPAGES HAS ACORD PUT MAG ASIDE FOR INSPECTION
[Page break]
[Underlined] INSPECTIONS [/underlined] CONT.) 20 M/M [Underlined] HISPANO SUIZA SHELL FIRING M. GUN [/underlined]
‘C’ [Underlined] EACH MONTH WHEN MAG IS IN USE. [/underlined] REMOVE INITIAL TENSION, TO SRIP + CLEAN MAG (TYPE A OIL). INSPECT FOR DAMAGE. LUBRICATE MOVING PARTSWITH A.F OIL. ENSURE FEED ARM MOVES FREELY IN ITS BRACKET. EXAMINING HOLES IN SPRING FOR WEAR; + SPRING CATCH ON TUBE. PUT MAG TOGETHER + PUT ON INITIAL TENSION.
‘D’ EACH MONTH WHEN IN STORE. STRIP. CHECK FOR RUST - + REMOVE. OIL ALL MOVING PARTS WITH A.F OIL ASSEMBLE + TENSION.
INITIAL TENSION ON ALLWAYS. (IN USE + STORES)
NO [underlined] MAG [/underlined] MUST STAY LOADED FOR MORE THAN 48 HRS.
[Underlined] WORKING OF GUN [/underlined] (MECHANISM)
1. COCKING – FORWARD ACTOINS – A -D
(A) RELEASE OF THE SEAR
(B) FEEDING OF THE ROUND OR SHELL.
(C) LOCKING OF THE BREECH
(D) FIRING OF THE SHELL.
RECOIL. (A) RECOIL ASSEMBLY. –(B) FRONT MOUNTING UNIT.
BACKWARD ACTIONS A-D.
(A) UNLOCKING OF THE BREECH
(B) EXTRACTION + EJECTION
(C) RETURN + BUFFER SPRING.
(D) RE-ENGAGEMENT OF SEAR.
[Page break]
AP. 1641 (F).
[Underlined] 20 M/M HISPANO SUIZA SHELL FIRING M. GUN [/underlined]
[Underlined] MECHANISM [/underlined] (CONT) [Diagrams]
1 UNLOCKING PLATES
2 BREECH BLOCK
3 LOCKING PEICE
4 LOCKING SHOULDER
5 LOCKING RAMPS
6 STRIKER OR F PIN
1 LOCKING PEICE
2 SEAR
3 SEAR SLIDE
4 A FIBRE COUSHION
B PLATE
C STUDS
D SEAR STUD SPRING
5 SEAR SPRING + PLUNGER
6 RAMPS
7 F + SAFE PAWL
8 TRIGGER ROD + ROLLERS
9 SEAR CAM
10 BANJO CANNECTION + VALVE
[Underlined} SAFTY ARRANGEMENTS [/underlined]
1) LOCKING PEICE MUST DROP DOWN ONTO LOCKING SHOLDER . IF BREECH AS. IS NOT HOME ACTION WILL NOT HAPPEN
2) LOCKING PLATES CANNOT MOVE FORWARD ALONE [inserted] (FROM BREECH BLOCK) [/inserted] UNTILL LOCKING PEICE IS HOME ON [underlined] LOCKING SHOULDER [/underlined].
3) SURE ENGANGEMENT OF LOCK-PEICE WITH LOCK-SHOULDER IS MADE BY FLATS ON LOCKING PEICE + UN L. PLATES
4) FIRING PIN CANNOT GO FORWARD UNTILL [underlined] UNLOCK PLATES [/underlined] ARE RIGHT FORWARD.
IF GUN IS AT SAFE, IT CAN BE COCKED OWING TO THE CUT AWAY PORTION ON THE TRIGGER ROD. [Diagram]
[Page break]
[Underlined] AP. 1641. (F) [/underlined]
[Underlined] BELT FEED MECHANISM) 20 M/M HISPANO SUIZA SHELL FIRING MACHINE GUN [/underlined]
[Underlined] REQUIRED [/underlined] BEFORE BELT FEED MECHANISM CAN BE FITTED.
No 2 GAS PISTON GUIDE
MK II MOD. OR MK III MAGAZINE CARRIER
No 1 MK I MOD [underlined] RECOIL ASSEMBLIES [/underlined]
OR
No 2 MK II [underlined] RECOIL ASSEMBLIES [/underlined]
RACK OPERATING LEVER ([underlined] SHOULD BE PACKED WITH B.F.M) [inserted] FROM M/U [/inserted]
[Underlined] STRIPPING B.F.M. [/underlined]
1) ENSURE B.F.M. IS UNLOADED + NO TENSION ON SPRING.
2) REMOVE SPLIT PIN – PLUG – SPRING – PAWL
3) REMOVE RACK RETAINNING SCREW – RACK – SPRING – GUIDE.
4) REMOVE MOUTH SCREWS + TIE RODS
5) PLACE B.F.M ON REAR COVER + REMOVE FRONT COVER + MOUTH.
[Underlined]6) RELEASE 2 SPRINGS + REMOVE BODY ASSEMBLING [/underlined] (AFTER FINISHED – ALL TESTS)
1) PLACE SHAFT ON + SECURE (FEED LEVER FLATS ON CONTACT)
2) REPLACE REAR COVER. (WITH FEED LEVER ON TOP OF STOP.)
3) SET ON REAR COVER, REPLACE MOUTH, + SECURE LINK EJECTOR BRACKET ON SIDE OF MOUTH NEAREST BELT GUIDE.
4) REPLACE FRONT COVER – MOUTH SCREWS + TIERODS
5) REPLACE RACK – SPRING + GUIDE (3RD TOOTH JUST SHOWING.) [Diagram]
6) REPLACE PAWL – SPRING – PLUG + SPLIT PIN.
[Page break]
(CONT)
[Underlined] B.F.M MK I) 20 M/M HISPANO SUIZA SHELL FIRING MACHINE GUN. 1641.(F.) [/underlined]
[Underlined] MECHAICAL TEST [/underlined] B.F.M. MK I –(MK I MOD) EVERY TIME B.F.M IS USED.
1) TEST FREEDOM OF SHAFT; SHOULD HAVE FREE ROTATION IN DIRECTION OF FEED (NO COUNTER ROTATION)
2) DEPRESS RACK SEVERAL TIMES, FOR EACH DEPRESSION SPROCKETS SHOULD ROTATE ONE (1) TOOTH ONLY (NO COUNTER ROTATION)
[Underlined] FUNCTION TEST [/underlined]
MAKE UP BELT OF 16 DUMMY ROUNDS. ((USING 18; CHECK + GAUGE EACH ONE.
PICK UP BELT + SEE THAT EACH LINK + ROUND ROTATES – THEN TWIST AT 90%; TAKE 2 END ROUND, USING [underlined] CLOSED [/underlined] LINK AT END. FEED DOUBLE LINK IN, SMOOTH SIDE UP – (LINKS ON TOP))).
PUSH BELT IN B.F.M + FULLY TENSION, DRIVE OUT ROUNDS WITH WOOD, AT LEAST 10 ROUNDS SHOULD BE EJECTED BEFORE FURTHER TENSIONING
[Underlined] WEIGHTS. (B.F.M.) [/underlined]
WEIGHT OF DRIVING SPRING – NOT LESS THAN 14lbs @ 20 INCHES BAR.
SLIPPING LOAD OF SPRING BAND BRAKE - SHOULD SUPPORT 25lbs @ 20 BAR.
[Underlined] AJUST MAG. + CARRIER [/underlined] TO 10-16 THOU [inserted] .010 - .016 [/inserted] – FEELER GUAGE BETWEEN RACK OPERATING LEVER + RACK ROLLER.
[Page break]
[Underlined] 20 M/M B.F.M. [/underlined]
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MK I + MK II MOD – MK I MOD. 4 SPROCKETS. CHROME PLATED BULLET GUIDE.
(A) [Underlined] BEFORE LOADING. [/underlined] CHECK ALL PARTS FOR SECURITY.
MOUTH SHOULD BE CLEAN + FREE FROM BURRS.
CHECK B.F.M. FOR BURRS + DENTS
CHECK LINK SHOOT – RAMP + SPRING FOR DAMAGE
MECHANICAL TEST.
(B) [Underlined] BETWEEN FLIGHTS IF FIRED [/underlined]
UNLOAD + REMOVE, EXAMINE FOR DAMAGE.
WASH OUT WITH TYPE ‘A’ OIL
(‘C’) [Underlined] DAILY IF FIRED [/underlined] SAME AS GROUP ‘B’.
(D) [Underlined] MOUNTHLY [/underlined] SAME AS ‘B’ + CHECK FOR RUST.
(‘F’) [Underlined] AFTER FIRING 500 ROUNDS. [/underlined] STRIP + CLEAN WITH TYPE ‘A’
DRY + OIL ALL PARTS (A.F. OIL) EXAMINE ALL PARTS FOR DAMAGE. ASSEMBLE + APPLY ALL TESTS. – MECHANICAL - FUNCTION – WEIGH SPRINGS – GAUGE RACK OPERATING LEVER. [Underlined] 10-16 THOU [/underlined]
[Page break]
[Underlined] 20 M/M HISPANO SUIZA S.F.M.G. [/underlined] A.P. 1641. (F)
[Underlined] FRONT MOUNTING + ASSEMBLYS. [/underlined]
[Underlined] No 1 MK I [/underlined] FRONT MOUNTING ASSEMBLY: MAG. F.G. (2 [underlined] COIL REDUCERS [/underlined])
SHORT TUBE – No 1 – SPRING – LONG SLEEVE – RECOIL REDUCER 1 NEEDED TO WORK DFM)
[Underlined] No 1 MK I MOD [/underlined] FRONT M.A. [Underlined] BELT FEED GUNS. [/underlined]
SHORT TUBE – MK I SPRING – LONG SLEEVE – MUZZLE THREED (NO R. REDUCER
[Underlined] No 2 MK I [/underlined] F.M.A. ([underlined MAG [/underlined] FEED GUN) ([underlined] BEAUFIGHTER [/underlined])
LONG TUBE – LONG [Diagram] DISTANCE COLLAR – MK II SPRING. SHORT SLEEVE + MUZZLE THEED -PRO.
[Underlined] No 2 MK II F.A. MOUNTING. BELT FEED GUN.
LONG TUBE – [Diagram] [underlined] SHORT [/underlined] DISTANCE COLLAR – MK II SPRING – SHORT SLEEVE MUZ THEED PROTECTOR.
SHORTER DISTANCE COLLAR, RELAXING TENSION ON RECOIL SPRING, ALLOWING FOR EXTRA UNIT OF RECOIL ON RACK OPERATING LEVER.
DIFFERENCE 6 3/4” – 8” IN LONG + SHORT DISTANCE COLLARS.
[Page break]
[Underlined] 20 M/M HISPANO SUIZA S.F.M. GUN [/underlined] A.P. 1641 (F)
[Underlined] FIRST SEE BARRLE IS CLEAN. MAINTENANCE [/underlined]
[Underlined] BARRLE PLUG GAUGE [/underlined] ACCEPTANCE 20.01 M/M
[Underlined] BARRLE PLUG GAUGE [/underlined] REJECT 20.12 M/M
[Underlined] FIRING PIN PROTUSION [/underlined]
(BEFORE GAUGING REMOVE EXTRACTOR)
MK I – 1.52 M/M
MK II LOW (ROCKS) – 1.712 M/M
MK I + MK II HIGH (PASSES OVER) 2.018 M/M.
[Underlined] STRIKER DIAMETER [/underlined] [Diagram] FOR DEPTH OF 4 M/M 3.355
[Underlined] STRIKER RADIUS [/underlined] FOR DEPTH OF 4 M/M 1.675
[Underlined] LENGTH OF UNLOCKING PLATE RODS [/underlined] 98.45 M/M (MINIMUM) 1 CAN BE 98.45 THE OTHER 98.50 (.005) NO MORE.
[Underlined] VARIATION OF CLEARANCE [/underlined] PERMISSABLE BETWEEN U.P.R + TAPPETS .005 THOU.
[Underlined] CLEARANCE [/underlined] BETWEEN U.P. RODS + TAPPETS .050 THOU .005 - .050 (ONLY .005 IN 2 RODS)
[Underlined] GAS PLUG SCREW, [/underlined] (2 SMALL HOLES) TEST WITH No 51 [inserted] [underlined] SHANK OF METAL DRILL [/underlined] [/inserted] DRILL SHOULD PASS. (No 50 SHOULD NOT PASS.
[Underlined] EXTRACTOR SPRING [/underlined] WEIGHT 10 – 15lbs.
[Underlined] CART HEAD SPACE [/underlined] USE CHEESE HEADED DRIFT BETWEEN BARRLE FACE + B BLOCK
PUSH BACK B. BLOCK, TAPPING ON LOCKING PEICE TO ENSURE IT IS ENGAGEDWITH LOCKING SHOULDER, TRY TO ENTER FEELLER GAUGE BETWEEN BARRLE FACE + B. BLOCK FROM UNDER SIDE. MAX. .012” THOU.
[Page break]
[Underlined] 20 M/M HISPANO SUIZA S.F.M.G. [/underlined] (A.P. 1641)
[Underlined] INSPECTIONS [/underlined] ON GUN.
[Underlined] GROUP. A [/underlined] BEFORE FIRING (ENSURE GUN IS UNLOADED.
1). COCK + DRY OUT BARRLE (6 PEICES OF 4” X 2”) OR 5-7 PEICES.)
2) CHECK SECURY OF GUN + CHECK FUNCTIONING. (BY FIRING MECHANISM.)
3) LOAD, + SET TO FIRE JUST BEFORE TAKE OFF.
(B) BETWEEN FLIGHTS.
1) ENSURE GUN IS UNLOADING.
2) OBTAIN FIRING REPORT.
3) CLEAN BARRLE + GAS AFFECTED PARTS WITH TYPE ‘A’ OIL
‘C’ END OF DAY AFTER FIRING:
SAME AS GROUP (B)
‘D’ END OF DAY GUNS NOT FIRED.
ENSURE GUN ULOADED – SET TO SAFE – COCK – CLEAN 10” -12” BY 4”
CHECK FOR RUST. – CLEAN OUT WITH TYPE ‘A’. – DRY + OIL BARRLE WITH A.F.
MOVING PARTS
‘E’ AT MAJOR INSP. GUNS NOT FIRED.
REMOVE GUNS TO ARM. STRIP. – CLEAN ALL PARTS. TYPE A -AF.
[Inserted] DRY [/inserted] [underlined] CLEAN [/underlined] MOVING – OIL WITH A.F.
[Page break]
[Underlined] INSPECTION. [/underlined] (CONT.) [Underlined] 20 M/M HISPANO SUIZA SHELL FIRING M. GUN. [/underlined] (AP. 1641.)
‘F’ [Underlined] MAJOR INSP. WHEN GUNS HAVE BEEN FIRED. [/underlined]
1) REMOVE GUNS TO ARM. – STRIP. – CLEAN ALL PARTS (TYPE A) – EXAMINE FOR BURRS ECT RUST. WEAR.
[Underlined] NOTE [/underlined] GREAT CARE TO PARTS SUBJECT TO WEAR.
USE ALL GAUGES.
[Underlined] AJUSTING RECOIL FREE RECOIL 30 M/M. [/underlined]
FREE RECOIL [underlined] NO MAG. [/underlined] (ROUND IN BREECH.) 30 M/M [underlined] FOR MAGAZINE ONLY [/underlined]
{WITH BELT FEED MECHANISM [inserted] (FULL) [/inserted] RECOIL 21 -23 M/M
{WITH BELT FEED MECHANISM WITH ONLY 2 ROUNDS IN= (NO TENSION ON SPRING) UP TO 28 M/M
[In Margin] B.F.M. [/in margin]
[Underlined] TO DECREASE RECOIL [/underlined] INCREASE TENSION OF R. SPRING BY INSERTING TYPE A WASHER(S) BETWEEN RECOIL SPRING + BARRLE SLEVE.
[Underlined] TO INCREASE RECOIL [/underlined] TAKE OF TENSION OF SPRING BY INSERTING TYPE B WASHER(S) BETWEEN TUBE + BARRLE SLEVE.
BOTH TYPES OF WASHERS ‘A’ + B ARE MADE IN 3 SIZES.
2.5M/M (THIN) 5.00M/M (MED.) 7.5 M/M (THICK.)
[Underlined] ALL RECOIL – DECREASE OR INCREASE [/underlined] IS FOR BELT FEED MECHANISM.
TO MESURE RECOIL DISTANCE PLACE ROLL OF CLAY OR PLASTESN BETWEEN GAS PISTON GUIDE + FRONT OF MAG. CARRIER - PUT OIL ON SURFACE SO IT WILL SLIDE
PUSH MAG – CARRIER THEN MESURE DISTANCE BETWEEN PLASTIRESN + MAG CARRIER FACE.
[Page break]
[Underlined] 20 M/M HISPANO SUIZA S.F.M.G. [/underlined] A.P. 1641.
[Underlined] FRONT MOUNING ASSEMBLYS. (F.M.A) [/underlined]
[Diagrams]
TO CHECK MAG. CARRIER AND GUN – (ALINE UP DATUM LINES) LOOSING MAG CARRIER STAY + F.M.A. – ALINE UP LINE + DO UP STAY + F.M.A. WATCH HARMONIZATION. OF GUN.
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
Albert Cluett's weapons notebook
Description
An account of the resource
Covers all types of fire arms and machine guns including Lee Enfield rifle, Colt automatic pistols, revolvers and flare guns, machine guns including Lewis, Vickers and Browning .303 and 0,5 inch as well as a variety of shot guns. Covers stripping and maintenance of weapons.
Creator
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Albert Victor Cluett
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-12
Format
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One notebook
Language
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eng
Type
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Text
Text. Training material
Identifier
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MCluettAV120946-150515-12
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
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
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
Anne-Marie Watson
ground personnel
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/84/9865/MCluettAV120946-150515-22.2.pdf
c9e52d536a2d088284107ec577a2bf11
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
Cluett, Albert Victor
Albert Victor Cluett
A V Cluett
Subject
The topic of the resource
World War (1939-1945)
Great Britain. Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Description
An account of the resource
68 items. The collection concerns Leading Aircraftman Albert Victor Cluett (1209046, Royal Air Force). After training in 1941/42 as an armourer, he was posted to 50 Squadron at RAF Swinderby and then RAF Skellingthorpe. The collections consists his official Royal Air Force documents, armourer training notebooks, photographs of colleagues, aircraft and locations as well as propaganda items, books in German and Dutch and items of memorabilia.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Albert Victor Cluett's daughter Pat Brown and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-05-15
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
Cluett, AV
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Access Rights
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Permission granted for commercial projects
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
De Wervelwing
MAANDBLAD VOOR VRIJHEID, WAARHEID EN RECHT
No.8 DECEMBER 1942/JANUARE 1943
[photograph]
ST. PAUL’S – TWEE JAAR GELEDEN
Heden verkondigen de klokken er de dak voor de eerste overwinningen
[page break]
[photograph]
PRINSES MARGRIET FRANCISCA
Juist toen deze Wervelwind over Nederland zou gaan, bereikte ons de heugelijke tijding dat in den avond van 19 Januari een Oranje-prinsesje was geboren. Wij bieden onze innigste gelukwenschen aan voor de Ouders, de Koninklijke Grootmoeder en de Nederlandsche Koopvaardijvloot, die peet staat over de jonggeborene. Wij verheugen ons met U. landgenooten in bezet gebied, over dezen lichtstrael, die doordringt in de duisternis van Uw lijden. Tracht allen ons volgende nummer te bemachtigen en geeft het aan elkander door, want daarin zullen wij brengen, in word en beeld, wat thans nog slechts leeft in ons aller harten: de blijde gebeurtenis in Ottawa.
Lang leve Prinses Margriet!
[page break]
DE Wervelwind
MAANDBLAD VOOR VRIJHEID, WAARHEID EN RECHT
No.8 VERSPREID DOOR DE R.A.F. DECEMBER 1942/JANUARI 1943
DE MOREELE OMSINGELING
WE weten allen dat in tijd van oorlog, gelijk in alle tijden van tegenspoed en gevaar, slechts zij wijs en sterk zijn, die hun ruimen kijk op het wereldgeschieden niet laten beinvloeden door de toevallige wijzigingen op den onmiddellijken voorgrond, en nooit afwijken van de zekerheid, dat hun persoonlijke taak de moeite waard is.Kanonniers, gezagvoerders van schepen en vliegtuigen, en bedieners van radiospeurapparaten hebben een onwrikbaar vertrouwen inde wetenschappelijke betrouwbaarheid van hun instrumenten. Het komt nooit bij hen op eraan te twijfelen, dat ze een onzichtbaren an onhoorbaren vijand kuhhen opsporen en verneitigen. Zoo zijn er millioenen anderen wier uithoudingsvermogen, zij het in de oorlogvoerende landen of de bezette gebieden, een even belangrijk deel uitmaakt van de oorlogsinspanning als de daden van soldaten, zeelieden en vliegers; ze hebben iets waar ze zich met zekerheid naar kunnen richten alsof ze zich bedienden van de modernste wetenschappelijke instrumenten, namelijk de drang van het plichtsgevoel die hen den weg wijst naar vrijheid, waarheid en recht. Ze bewaren hun vertrouwen en worden niet uit hun evenwicht geslagen.” Tijd noch toeval doen hen ervan afwijken.
Weinigen zijn zoo sterk dat ze ongevoelig voor de aanmoediging van een schip den vijand boven den gezichtseinder ziet werschijnen, wanneer de kanonnier het doel met eigen oogen te zien krijgt, worden ze door nieuwe hoop en vastberadenheid aangespoord. Ditzelfde geld took voor ons; als we den oorlog in zijn geheel beschouwen, en de strategische vooren nadeelen op alle tooneelen van den strijd overwegen, dan zijn er oogenblikken, dat het striven van de krachten der gerechtigheid ons duidelijker voor oogen komt te staan, end at onze overtuiging – ofschoon onveranderd gebleven – ons zichtbaarder wordt. Er zal steeds een verschil bestaan tusschen de verrouwd zijn met krijgsverrichtingen, naast de weinigen, die het verband kunnen zien tusschen de beweging van troopen of schepen in verafgelegen havens, zijn er velen voor wie de reusachtige afstanden en de onbegrijpelijke uitgestrektheid waarover deze oorlog zich afspeelt, alles moeilijker te begrijpen maken. De oorlog heeft zich tot elk werelddeel uitgebreid, en wordt zoodoende door elk klimaat beinvloed. De winter, voor de Duitschers in Rusland het slechte seizoen, is voor het geode seizoen. Bij het vaststellen van de kracht van de tegenstanders kan geen enkel land buiten begedachte dat het t ever afligt om eenigen invloed uit te oefenen op het verloop van den strijd. Minder dan enn jaar na de eerste aanvai van de Japanners hebben de onuit-
[inserted] “Ik geloof, dat de naties van Europa een boodschap verwachten ten aanzien van onse houding na den oorlog. Ik zou ons antwoord als volgt willen formuleeren: , Wij zullen doen wat wij kunnen om Uw geruineerde economie op te helpen bouwen. Wat het eat noodig is in Europa is de opbouw van een duurzaam verdedigings-systeem tegen de mogelijkeid van een nieuwe Duitache agressie. Wij zijn erop voorbereid mede te werken ann dit system en wij hebben ons voorbereid dit te doen omdat wij ten volle begrijpen, dat de vrede en veiligheid in Europa deel uitmaken van onze eigen vrede en veiligheid; en nimmermeer zullen wij Europa den rug toekeeren’” (Mr. Eden 2.12.42.) [/inserted]
(3)
[page break]
EINDHOVEN: HIER MOEST VOOR DUITSCHLAND GEWERKT WORDEN
puttelijke hulpbronnen van de Vereenigde Staten zich in ons Westelijk halfrond doen voelen. De strategie van de Geallieerde Volken omstrengelt den heelen aardbol, en het ingrijpen van Amerika in Afrika is een van die lichtstralen waardoor een ieder plots te zien krijgt wat voorheen slechts door de deskundigen kon worden beseft. Egypte is nu van vijanden gezuiverd; we zijn de Duitschers en Italianen, die zich ongetwijfeld van Marokko en Algiers hadden willen meester maken, voor geweest. Op stelselmatige wijze vorderen de Geallieerde Volken van het eene punt naar het andere. Ze volgen hun plan. De oorlog is in het bevrijdingsstadium getreden. Stap voor stap zal deze bevrijding ten uitvoer worden gebracht.
Uit de gebeurtenissen van de afgeloopen weken komen twee onweerlegbare feiten naar voren. Het eerste is van strategischen aard: de Duitschers en Italianen zijn omsingeld. Te Stalingrad en in Libyë hebben ze gemerkt door wie ze omsingeld worden. In het Oosten zijn de Japanners eveneens omsingeld, en op Nieuw Guinea worden ze teruggedreven. De vrije volken daarentegen, kunnen steeds vrijelijker gebruik maken van het aardoppervlak, naarmate ze de omsingeling strakker aantrekken. En dit eerste feit van groot strategisch belang wordt door een tweede feit nog verre overtroffen: de werkelijke wilskracht en de samenwerking van de vrije wereld. In den modernen oorlog zijn afstand en klimaat niet zoozeer overwonnen door schepen, tanks en vliegtuigen, als door den menschelijken wil en het vernuft, dat deze strijdmiddelen geschapen heeft; maar nog grooter dan de overwinning die de menschelijke wil behaald heeft op stoffelijke hinderpalen, zijn de overwinningen die de mensch in zijn strijd op zuiver geesrelijk gebied behaald heeft. De moreele omsingeling van Hitler is volkomen. Het Nationaal-Socialisme bestaat weliswaar nog steeds, maar het kan niet langer een overwinning behalen met bedrog.
De Redactie
[photograph]
(4)
[page break]
[photograph continued]
De Philips Fabrieken te Eindhoven, waar Duitsche opdrachten uitgevoerd moisten worden, tijdens den aanval op Zondag, 6 December, door laagvliegende bommenwerpers der R.A.F.
(5)
[page break]
[photograph]
DE KONIN LIJKE KERSTBOODSCHAP
Uitgesproken do[missing letters] H.M. Koningin Wilhelmina, op 20 December 1942 [drawing]
[italics] Landgenooten in het Vaderland. [/italics]
BIJ de nadering van het Kerstfeest, dat ditmaal voor U, en daarom ook voor mij, zoo moeilijk en droevig zal zijn, wil ik niet nalaten een enkel word tot U te richten.
Als ik van hier uit tracht te peilen al hetgeen in dezen Kersttijd in U omgaat, dan zie ik voor mijn geest Uw nijpende zorgen om Uw stoffelijk bestaan. Uw velerlei kwellingen en ongerustheid, den doodsnood waarin velen Uwer verkeeren, Uw droefheid en den rouw in Uw hart over hen, die U wreedelijk werden ontrukt; doch daarnaast zie ik Uw groeiende hoop, Uw onbeschrijfelijke spanning omtrent wat de toekomst zal brengen.
Van de eindoverwinning zijn wij overtuigd, maar alleen God weet wanneer de ure onzer bevrijding zal slaan.
Het zal on ook dit jaar zeker niet mogelijk zijn, Kerstfeest te vieren op de wijze, waarop wij dit gewend waren; wij kunnen het niet zoo tegemoet gaan als ware er geen oorlog.
Doch dit is ook het eerste noodige.
Voor ons is het allesbeheerschende te allen tijde het heilsfeit zelf, dat het Kerstevangelie verkondigt.
Want onwankelbaar en getrouw verrijst Gods liefde, zooals deze zich openbaart in de komst van Christus op aarde, boven al het geweldige dat wij beleven uit, end us ook boven de duivelsche machten die over ons heerschen.
Dwars door deze donkere wereld heen aanschouwen wij in Bethlehem die andere wereld, al seen toevlucht en een hoog vertrek, al seen lafenis en een bron van kracht voor elken moeden strijder.
(6)
[pager break]
Want strijders zijn wij thans allen: mannen, vrouwen en kinderen.
De geheele Bijbel is een doorloopend getuigenis van de liefde van God.
“Alzoo life heeft God de wereld gehad, dat Hij Zijnen eeniggeboren Zoon gegeven heeft, opdat een iegelijk die in Hem gelooft niet verderve maar het aauwige leven hebbe” is wel de meest tot ons sprekende en aangrijpendste vertolking van de blijde Kerstboodschap.
Deze woorden heeft Christus door Zijn leven, met Zijn bloed en tranen, en bovenal, door Zijn opstanding bevestigd en gemaakt tot levende werkelijkheid voor ons.
Alleen bij Hem is een volmaakt samengaan van barmhartigheid en ontferming, van diepe bewogenheid en van zorgende liefde, met een machtig willen en kunnen, en sterk zijn.
Diep binnen ons verborgen “ik” hunkeren wij naar die volmaakt liefde.
Alleen zij kan ons staande houden in dezen verschrikkelijken tijd, omdat [italics] zij [/italics] ons alles toevoert wat ons innerlijk leven op peil moet houden.
Ja. Zij is de voortstuwende kracht en in de diepste beteekenis, het leven van ons leven.
Zij behoudt ons voor het gevaar van innerlijke verarming, voor dat van verharding, voor onverschilligheid, voor wanhoop, en nog zoo veel meer.
Zij stelt ons in staat mensch te zijn, in den volsten en besten zin van het word, ondanks alle aanslagen welke de macht der duisternis op ons richt.
Hiermede geeft zij ons die innerlijke sterkte, die wij voor elken strijd noodig hebben.
Niemand kan dit beter beseffen dan Gij, die zelf ondervindt wat het is overwinnaar te zijn, al schijnt Gij overwonnen.
Mogen wij dan allen, voor het eerst of bij vernieuwing, die volmaakte liefde grijpen, met ons heele wezen.
Thans richt ik mij in het bijzonder tot hen die worstelen om het behoud van hun geloof.
Ik weet, hoe zwaar de strijd op dit oogenblik is, en hoe moeilijk het thans is voor ons geloof om te volharden; ik ondervind ditz elf.
Indien wij, als wij ons moe of zwak gevoelen, ons blijven vasthouden aan die liefde als aan een zeer vaste rots, dan glijden wij niet af, dan zullen wij in onze donkerste uren de lotsgemeenschap ervaren van Hem, die zich voor ons liet nagelen aan een kruis, en Zich niet ontzien heeft in te dalen in onze grootste duisternis.
En deze verbondenheid geeft uitkomst en verlossing uit onzen nood.
Streven wij er dan naar, uit te wonen uit deze wereld, die de booze machten zoo droef en duister gemaakt hebben, en in te wonen in die wereld, die Bethlehem ontsluit.
Dat zij onze daad, het antwoord dat wij geven op de daad van God, ons verkondigd in het Kerstevangelie.
Wij zijn in verschillend opzicht andere menschen geworden, het leven stelt ook andere eischen dan voorheen.
Landgenooten! Gemeenschappelijk lijden heeft U hecht aaneengesmeed, als wart gij leden van één groot gezin.
Dit heeft U geleerd elkander vast te houden in onderlinge hulpvaardigheid en naastenliefde, welke het daadwerkelijk nakomen is van de liefde, door Christus ons geleerd.
Dat is schoon en veelbelovend voor de toekomst.
En thans richt ik mij tot de jongeren onder U.
Ik stel mij U voor gedurende de Kerstdagen, vereenigd in den huiselijken kring, elkaar onderling sterkend en opwekkend tot al het groote en geode dat in U en om U ontstaan is in deze zware verdrukking, end at het gereim is van Uw kracht.
Waakt erover als over enn kostbaar kleinood, dat gij bewaart voor het nieuwe tijdperk, dat beginnen zal met onze bevrijding.
Thans wend ik mijweder tot U allen.
Er is verdieping gekomen, en verbreeding van den horizon op godsdienstig gebied.
De werkelijheidd van God komt in dit tijdsgewricht zoo regelrecht op de geheele menschheid af, dat zij zich nier aan de keuze: voor – of tegen, kan onttrekken.
Het is of er vele kluisters afvallen en wij herboren worden in die hooge, onmetelijke vrijheld en heerlijkheid van Gods kindschap; of wij opvaren gelijk de arenden, tot dààr, waar wij zijn, boven het bereik onzer wederpartijders: daar, waar God alleen regeert, en het doen van Zijn wil ons steeds gelukkiger en vrijer doet zijn.
Ziet, dit is het wonder van Zijn liefde: dat Hij ons leven en sterven op Zich genomen heeft, van Zijn kribbe tot Zijn kruis, door het graf heen tot Zijn overwinning over doo den graf.
Zoo zullen ook wij door vernedering en tranen heen Hem eenmaal volgen in Zijn heerlijkheir.
Niets zal ons kunnen scheiden van de liefde Gods, welke is in Christus Jezus, onzen Heer.
Dat God U allen rijken Kerstzegen moge schenken.
(7)
[page break]
MIJN INSPECTIE – TOCHT OVERZEE
Verslag van zijn Amerikaanschen reis door Z.E. LUITENANT-ADMIRAAL J. TH. FURSTNER
HET is uiteraard niet mogelijk, in een kort verslag een volledigen indruk te geven van al hetgeen ik op mijn reis door de Vereenigde Staten van Amerika en in onze West Indische gebiedsdeelen heb gezien. Laat ons beginnen met een word van groote bewondering voor hetgeen de Amerikanen op het gebied van organisatie presteeren. Vooreerst al de reis op zichzelf: het zou een physieke onmogelijkheid geweest zijn in een tijdsvloop van twee maanden aft e doen wat ik nu heb kunnen afdoen, indien de Amerikaansche Marine mij jiet van het begin af ter wille geweest was met het beschikbaar stellen van Amerikaansche marinevliegtuigen e nook wanneer het luchtverkeer aan de overzijde van den grooten haringvijver niet zoo uitnemend georganiseerd ware geweest.
“Doe het nu!”
De United States Navy houdt ervan de zaken “gesmeerd” te laten loopen. Geen enkele maal – behalve eens op Portorico – behoefde op het verwisselen van onderdeelen van radio of motor te worden gewacht; de gewone gang van zaken was, dat ik op het vliegveld van vertrek komende, het vliegtuig aantrof met reeds draaiende motoren end at, op het vliegveld van aankomst, de marine-auto klaar stond om mij naar het doel van de reis te brengen. Neem daarbij in aanmerking, dat de ontvangende Amerikaansche vlagofficier reeds met een programma in de hand staat als men aankomt en men zal begrijpen, dat de slagzin: “Do it [italics] now [/italics]”. In den letterlijken zin van het word, tot leidend beginsel in de Amerikaansche organisatie is verheven.
Toch krijgt men heelemaal niet een gevoel van haast, van “gedreven” worden; het tempo is zoo vanzelf sprekend voor iedereen dat het niet meer opvalt en bovendien . . . iedereen is zoo uitermate vriendelijk! Nu komt dit natuurlijk ook wel omdat ik Nederlander ben. H.M. Koningin Wilhelmina was juist in Amerika geweest, toen ik er aankwam en de indruk, die Zij gemaakt heeft, is zoo overweldigend, dat Nederland wel uitzonderlijk goed aangeschreven staat bij de Amerikanen. Ik zeg met opzet “de” Amerikanen, want het zijn heelemaal niet alleen de ambtelijke instanties, die mij bijzonder vriendelijk ontvingen . . . het is ook de gewone man die eenvoudig, hartelijk en tegemoetkomend is. Een typisch voorbeeld beleefde ik onmiddelijk bij mijn aankomst te New York. De man van de immigratie-controle, die mijn paspoort het eerst zag, zeide dadelijk: “daar moet de inspector van de douane bijkomen”. Nu hadden ze mij altijd verteld, dat de douane en immigratie-ambtenaren in Amerika zoo lasting zijn, dus ik dacht: “wat nu?” en ik zocht al naar de sleutels van mijn koffers. Het pakte anders uit. De “inspector” kwan met zijn heele personeel en vroeg: “Bent U de Nederlandsche admiral?” “Inderdaad”, “Well brother” – een hartelijke klap op mijn schouder, “ik heb de grootste bewondering voor de Nederlandsche marine. Erg blij je hier in de States te zien”. Ik viel natuurlijk in de rol, klopte hem ook op zijn rug en zei: “Thank you so much!” Enfin, de eene ambtenaar was in Nederland geweest, de andere had “Uw Koningin” gezien, weer een andere zei, dat hij een “tulpenfeest” meegemaakt had, (vermoedelijk was dat in Michigan) maar iedereen zeide iets vriendelijks over Nederland of over Nederlandsch-Indië. Date r temidden van die breed-glimlachende ambtenaren geen oogenblik verloren ging met kofferinspectie behoef ik u niet te zeggen.
Hoeveel Amerikanen er zijn van Nederlandsch bloed – extraction noemen ze dat – is verbazend; onze voorouders, die naar Amerika emigreerden, moeten wel heel vruchtbaar geweest zijn, maar het begon ook al met Nieuw Amsterdam in 1625. Hoe het met die Nederlandsche afstamming van vele Amerikanen nu precies zit komt er niet zoo erg op aan: het symptom is veelbeteekenend, dat door de houding van de Nederlanders tijdens en na de rampspoedige oorlogsdagen in Nederland en in Nederlandsch-Indië vele Amerikanen het een groot voorrecht schijnen te achten. Nederlandsche mannen of vrouwen onder hun voorouders te tellen. Die neiging is altijd aanwezig geweest, getuige het oranje-blanje-bleu, dat van de openbare gebouwen in New York nog Nieuw Amsterdam heette. Die waardeering voor het oude Nederland is echter deze laatste Jaren nog belangrijk verstkt.
“Nederland in den West”
Van New York naar Suriname, il n’y a qu’un pas! In werkelijkheid is het natuurlijk een vliegtocht van enkele dagen, maar in figuurlijken zin vormen New York en Suriname tezamen voor ons Nederlanders een herinnering aan het feit, dat in 1667 de toenmalige Nederlandsche Regeering besloot het grondgebied, dat later New York zou worden, aan Engeland af te staan ten einde het grondgebied, dat than sons Suriname is weer Nederlandsch te doen worden. Onze voorouders zullen toen ongetwijfeld mede hebben laten wegen, dat over Suriname reeds eerder de Nederlandsche vlag had
(8)
[page break]
[photograph]
LUITENANT-ADMIRAAL J. TH. FURSTNER
Nederlandsch Minister van Marine
gewapperd dan over het eiland Manhattan. Wellicht ook stond toen Suriname al bekend als een begiedsdeel, waar de Nederlandsche geest diepe wortels had geslagen. In ieger geval is dat nu, bijna 300 jaar later, zeer sterk het geval! De bevolking van Suriname is pro-Nederlandsch en pro-Oranje, meer dan men zich kan voorstellen als men er niet geweest is. Nog steeds wordt de “geode Koning Willem” ere vereerd, die de slaven in Suriname heeft vrijverklaard. Op Koninginnedag, 31 Augustus, de datum die ook in de toekomst zal worden gevierd als “Neerlands Vrijheidsdag”, brengen de gekleurde Surinaamsche vrouwen prachtige Oranje-bloemstukken in het Gouvernementshuis, waarvan ik er èèn zelf heb kunnen bewonderen.
Met die bevolking en met de Nederlandsche civiele en militiare autoriteiten wordt thans op uitstekende wijze samengewerkt door een contingent Amerikaansche militairen, dat met de in aantal veel grooter Nederlandsche troepen zorgt voor de veiligheid van dit Nederlandsche gebiedsdeel. De Nederlandsche Gouverneur, die opperbevelhebber is over de gezamenlijke Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche strijdkrachten in zijn gebied, heeft de maatregelen doen treffen die noodig waren om te zorgen, dat de Nederlandsche vlag ook gedurende dezen oorlog blijft wapperen boven dit van oudsher Nederlandsche gebiedsdeel.
Een soortgelijke samenwerking met Amerikaansche vloot-en legeronderdeelen heeft op Curaçao plaats. De nieuwe Gouverneur, die in naam van Hare Majesteit Koningin Wilhelmina er het oppergezag uitoefent is door, niet allen ambtelijke maar ook persoonlijke, vriendschapshanden Schout-bij-Nacht, die toevalligerwijze ook in Nederlandsch Oost-Indie aan onze zijde gestreden heeft. Het was mij een voorrecht de niet onbelangrijke onderdeelen der Nederlandsche Marine aldaar te inspecteeren en met de verschillende gezagsdragers kennis te maken. Een bijzonder voorrecht acht ik het ook met den Nederlandschen bisschop van Curaçao kennis gemaakt te hebben, wiens invloed vèr uitgaat buiten het eiland, onder meer omdat in Curaçao het instituut gevestigd is waar van oudsher de Venezuelaansche Roomach-Katholieke intelligentsia haar dochters liet opvoeden en onderwijzen.
Zoo zijn de betrekkingen van onze gebiedsdeelen in West-Indie, behalve met de Noord-Amerikaansche, ook met de Zuid-Amerikaansche naburen alleszins bevredigend. In Suriname werd ik b.v. ook begroet door een Braziliaansche militaire missie, welke natie zich als groot land en bondgenoot, grenzende aan het Nederlandsche gebied, eveneens voor de territorial integriteit van het West-Indische deel van ons Koninkrijk interesseert. Toen ik later een andere Braziliaansche militaire missie in de Vereenigde Staten ontmoette, liet het hoofd dier missie zich op de meest vleiende wijze over de Nederlandsche Marine en over de koloniseerende eigenschappen van ons volk uit.
Er is nog één ervaring, die ik opdeed, welke ik u moet vertellen. Ik zag tienduizenden jonge Amerikanen in opleiding voor de modern oorlogvoering. Ik bezocht de Amerikaansche adelborstenopleiding, het vliegkamp waar onze Nederlandsche jongens, uit Indie gelvacueerd, worden geoefend, on een Amerikaansch vliegkamp, dat twee jaar geleden nog niet bestond en waar nu 1,400 piloten on 20,000 luchtschutters per jaar worden opgelied. Wat mij zoer sterk opviel was de grimmige Ernst en toewijding, waarmede al die jongelieden zich aan hun leertijd wijden. Er wordt niet veel gelachen, van speelsheid geen spoor, in elk geval veel minder dan in mijn eigen jeugd op 17, 18 jarige leeftijd, het geval was.
Voor de vrijheid!
Het is natuurlijk mogelijk, dat het de strikte discipline is, maar ik meen, dat het veel dieper zit. Deze jonge mannen hebben het gevoel, data an het opgreiende geslacht van dezen tijd een taak is toebedeeld, een harde maar ook verheffende taak. Zij gaan vechten voor een grootsche zaak, de zaak van de menschelijke vrijheid, die alleen gebonden wordt door een discipline, door een zelftucht van de enkeling ten bate van de eigen nationale gemeenschap, het Vaderland! En . . . het is niet alleen het eigen vaderland waar deze jeugd voor vechten wil, het is ook voor het vaderland van andere, naar den geest, vrije menschen. Het is werkelijk niet te sterk uitgedrukt; het is de geest der “kruisvaarders”, of als ge wilt, iets van het fanatisme voor vrijheid der “pimgrim-fathers”, dat de Amerikaanscke jeugd drijft om zich met hart en ziel te bekwamen in alles wat, in den modernen oorlog, de zekere eindoverwinning zal verhaasien.
Ik ben blij in de U.S.A. te zijn geweest, vlak voordat de landing van sterke Amerikaansche troepen in Noord-Afrika den wereld het bewijs gaf van hun organisatievermogen en geoefendheid. Dat ik ook in Canada ten geweest en bij Prinses Juliana mijn opwachting heb gemaakt, behoeft geen betoog. Het gaat alles naar wensch in het Koninklijk gezin, maar dat heeft Prins Bernhard U al per radio verteld.
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DE GEALLIEERDEN IN DEN AANVA – DE DUITSCHERS TREKKEN TERUG
[photograph]
1
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OP 8 November 1942 zei Hitler: “Alle wat ons in den vorigen winter overkomen is zal ons ditmaal niet meer overkomen.” Op 12 November openden de Russen hun offensief en sneden bij Stalingrad 200.000 man af, wier aantal in twee maanden tijd tot 40.000 verminderde. Tijdens de Kerstdagen werd een sterk ontzettingsleger tusschen Kotelnikovo en Stalingrad verpletterd. Ondertusschen hadden de Russen de Midden-Don overschreden en tot aan de Donetz het geheele gebied bevrijd ten Oosten van den spoorweg Voronesh-Rostov. Door een gelijktijdig offensief vanuit de Kalmukken-steppen, langs de Beneden-Don, dwongen zij de Duitschers tot een haastigen terugtocht in de richting Rostov. Op het Centrale Front veroverden zijj Veltki Luki; begin Januari brak het garnizoen van Leningrad uit en reikte de hand aan het Russische ontzettingsleger. Na een belegering van ruim 500 dagen, die in de stad een millioen slachtoffers geeischt had, was Leningradbevrijd. Van 19 November tot 19 Januari hebben de Duitschers verloren: 200.000 gevangenen, 500.000 dooden, 6.000 tanks, 3.500 vliegtuigen, 12.000 kanonnen en nog steeds wint het Russische offensief aan kracht.
Fig. 1. toont de Russen in hun sneeuwmantels tijdens een kracht.
Fig. 4. toont de Russische positie op 26 Januari.
Na een tocht door de Noord-Afrikaansche woesrijn van 2.000 kilometer, die de hoogste eischen stelde aan het uithoudingsvermogen en bevoorradingssysteem van Montgomery’s Achtste Leger, rukten de Britten op 23 Januari Tripolis. binnen en zetten zonder onderbreken de jacht op Rommel voort in de richting van de Tunesische grens. Fig. 3. Zoodoende komt de As in Tunis tusschen twee vuren. Op Fig. 2 ziet U eenige van de 200.000 krijgsgevangenen der As, die tijdens den woestijnveldtocht gemaakt werden.
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4
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DE NIEUWE FRONTSOLDATEN
(Uitgesproken door den “Rotterdammer” voor Radio Oragje.)
ER zit in deze heele Mussert-en NS Bgeschiedenis van Zondag 13 December iets belachelijks. Er zit iets erbarmelijks in dezen hansworst met zijn dwergpartij; een erbarmelijkheid die je zou kunnen doen grijnzen van leedvermaak, als landverrader vergeten kon.
Maar er is werkelijk niet de minste aanleiding om te lachen: Hitler heeft niets van een humourist. Hij heeftdeze z.g. benoeming van Mussert tot “leider” van het Nederlandsche volk bedoeld al seen kaakslag in het gezicht van ons volk: een gebaar van machtelooze woede, omdat dit volk, waarschijnlijk als geen ander, onkwetsbaar gebleken is voor de nationaal-socialistische propaganda; omdat het zich, koppig en hardnekkig, tegen Moffen en landverraders tegelijk heeft verzet en blijft verzetten. Daarom wilde Hitler dat volk den smaad aandoen, aan een van de verachtelijkste individuen den naam van “leider” te geven en ann de verzameling tuig, die NSB heet, z.g. medezeggenschap in binnenlandsche aangelegenheden te verleenen. Dat is een reden.
De tweede e nook de ernstigste reden is, dat Hitler Nederland nog meer dienstbaar wil make naan zijn verloren oorlog. Daarbij zal de NSB nog meer moeten helpen dan tot dusverre en tevens een deel van de verantwoordelijkheid op zich nemen.
Meer dan twee jaar lang heeft het Nederlandsche volk den wereldstrijd zeer zeker met aandacht en spanning gevalgd, maar dan toch van zekeren afstand. Thans schijnt de tijd aan te breken dat wij er wederom direet in betrokken worden. Begrijp mij goed, ik wil niet zeggen dat spoedig op Nederlandschen bodem gevechtshandelingen bodem gevechtshandelingen zullen plaats grijpen. Maar ook zonder date r met wapens in de vuist gevochten wordt kan er oorlog zijn in een bepaald gebied. In die omstandigheden zal Nederland waarschijnlijk komen te verkeeren, Hitler weet den oorlog verloren, maar wil het niet opgeven. Hij zal niet terugschrikken voor een oorlog in de bezette gebieden om den oorlog naar buiten langer te kunnen volhouden. Hij heeft materialen noodig en mannen, mannen als arbeiders, en mannen als soldaten, tot iederen prijs. Hij zal voor niets terugdeinzen.
Daarvan dient iedere vaderlander zich, nu al, ter dege rekenschap te geven. Velen, zeer velen Uwer zullen dit reeds lang gedaan hebben. Maar hun, die nog in een zekere rust hadden voortgeleefd, zou ik willen vragen, met den meesten aandrang: “Bezint U en maakt U gereed. De oorlog zal aan U niet voorbijgaan. Bezint U op hetwereldgebeuren. Bezint U op de positie van Duitschland en bovenal op de positie van ons land. Bezint U op de taak, die U mogelijk wachten kan. Het Vaderland kan al zijn zonen noodig hebben, geen uitgezonderd.”
Gij, ambtenaren van Nederland, zijt een schild voor de bevolking, gelijk de Minister-President U dat onlangs vroeg. Het Vaderland rekent op U, op Uwe liefde, op Uwe toewijding. Gij kunt menig kwaad voorkomen, menigen maatregel. Gij hebt het reeds gedaan en wij weten het. Doe het nog meer.
Gij allen, geestelijke herders, doktoren, boeren, leeraren, onderwijzers, advocaten, kunstenaars, Gij allen, zonder uitzondering, landgenooten, mannen en vrouwen, Gij hebt een taak te vervullen. Gij kunt, ieder op Uw eigen terrain, wankelmoedigen sterken en den vijand demoralizeeren. Er is geen grens voor deze waakzaamheid. Zij kan gebeuren, iederen dag, ieder uur, op iedere plaats, bij iedere gelegenheid. Gij ziet en Gij hoort, hoe de vijand zelf zijn zaak verloren weet; hij wil alleen den dag des oordeels nog wat uitstellen. Het is aan U dien dag te verhaasten. Nu is dé tijd gekomen voor iederen vaderlander om to toonen, dat hij dankbaar is voor het erfgoed onzer vaderen.
En nu een bijzender word tot de arbeiders.
De slavenjacht op arbeiders zal, nog afgezien van andere dingen, waarschijnijk steeds scherpere vormen aannemen.
Ieder zal goed doen zich vooraf ernstig te beraden wat zijn houding zijn zal, als ook hem de hand van onzen vijand treft. Daarom zou ik uw aandacht even willen vestige op een paar punten. Zij kunnen U wellicht van nut zijn. De Moffen zullen trachten, uw arbeid tot het uiterste te benutten. Het is de Moffen volmaakt onverschillig, of U er over een paar jaar afgebeuld bij neer valt of niet. Dat is hun laatste zorg. Wat zij willen is een maximum prestatie, om hun verloren oorlog zoo lang mogelijk volt e kunnen houden. Vandaar da nook, dat zij op groote schaal het stukloon hebben ingevoerd. Dr. Ley, de Duitsche opperslavendrijver, heeft het in de Duitsche krant Der Angriff van 27 November j.l. openlijk gezegd: “De invoering van het stukloon moet zoodanig geschieden, dat iedere arbeider een maximum productie levert”. De zaak is eenvoudig: eerst wordt de bekwame arbeider lekker gemaakt met het vooruitzicht op hooger loon, en wanneer hij dan eenmaal bewezen heeft, meer dan het normale kwantum te kunnen afleveren, wordt het stukloon gewijzigd, zoodat hij weer op zijn oorspronkelijke verdiensten terugvalt. Iedere arbeider, die in dezen Duitschen val loopt, benadeelt
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al zijn arbeidskameraden, zonder dat hij er zeft ten slotte eenig voordeel van heeft.
Hier past maar een houding, nl. deze: werk zoodanig, dat de vijand, in ieder opzicht, zoo weinig mogelijk van U profiteert. Hoe Gij dit kunt bereiken, kan en moet natuurlijk aan U zelf worden overgelaten, al naar de omstandigheden zijn: laat U echter nooit verleiden, althans niet tot nader order, tot eenige daad van gemakkelijk te ontdekken sabotage of van openlijk verzet. Gij zoudt onmiddellijk onschadelijk worden gemaakt en we hebben op het geode oogenblik ook U noodig.
Gij dient U ook voor te bereiden op den vloed van propaganda, die over U zal worden uitgestort, door de radio, door kranten, lezingen, avondjes en weet ik wat nog meer. De zedelijke steun, dien Gij thans in Uw omgeving in Nederland vindt, zal U dan ontbreken. Ik ben er niet bang voor, dat die propaganda vat op U zal krijgen, maar het is beter vooref gewaarschuwd te zijn. De Moffen zullen tevens ongetwijfeld trachten, op allerlei manieren verdeeldheid te zaaien tusschen U en Uw lotgenooten, vooral die van andere nationaliteit.
Aan den anderen kant zullen de heeren van de Gestapo en van de SS een menigte “agents provocateurs” op U afsturen. Die spionnen en agenten zullen beweren net zoo den dood aan de Moffen en de nazikliek te hebben als U zelf. Maar als Gij er op in gaat, zijt Gij er bij voorbaat van verzekerd, het bitter te zullen berouwen. Weest voorzichtig in den omgang met wien dan ooki; wordt niet vertrouwelijk voor Gij positief weet dat Gij den ander ook ten volle vertrouwen kunt. Zoekt Uw vrienden met de noodige voorzichtigheid onder de arbeiders “uit de verdrukte landen en onze landgenooten.
Laat U door geen Mof en geen Moffin uit Uw tent lokken, maar toont hun een fiere, en voor zoover in de omstandigheden mogelijk, een opgewekte houding. Toont hun Uw zekerheid dat dit alles maar tijdelijk is end at de Duitsche nederlaag, als in 1918, onherroepelijk nadert. Zij voelen het zeft al in hun onderbewustzijn; als Gij hun Uw zekerheid toont, zal het hen bang en razend tegelijk maken. Dat is vast Uw zoete wraak, een voorproefje van wat nog komt.
Bedenkt ook bij voorbaat, wat Gij zult doen, als de Duitsche nederlaag eenmaal daar is, als het Duitsche volk gelijk in 1918, zich tegen zijn slechte meesters keeren zal en als het transportwezen gelijk in 1918, volkomen ontwicht zal zijn. Het is goed, hierover thans reeds Uw hersens aan het werk te zetten, nu Ge nog in betrekkelijke rust left en Gij de mogelijkheid hebt, die zaken met anderen te bespreken en hen om raad te vragen.
En bovendien, bezint U op Uw houding, wanneer van hier uit de roep tot actie tot U zal komen. Wie nu naar Duitschland trekt, gaat niet als slaaf, niet als beklagenswaardig man in het legioen der verdoemden, neen, hij gaat als frontsoldaat, hij gaat om mede te helpen strijden, hij gaat om vesting van binnen uit te verzwakken als zij van buiten af zal worden bestormd.
We hebben reeds, uit onverdachte bron, vernomen, dat de Moffen over de Nederlandsche arbeiders heelemaal niet te spreken zijn, dat zelfs onze landgenooten de slechtste reputatie hebben van alle nationaliteiten. Wel we zijn er trotsch op, dat onze vijanden dat zeggen. Maar dat is nog niet voldoende. Meer dan ooit moeten de Nederlandsche arbeiders in Duitschland zijn als de vooruitgeschoven post van het bevrijdingsleger, rustig, zelfbewust en vastberagen, gereed om toe te slaan op het goede oogenblik. De Moffen zullen merken, uit wat voor hout “die verdammten Holländer” gesneden zijn.
Iedereen kan thans dienst nemen in het leger der bevrijding. Het Vaderland heeft niet alleen soldaten noodig, maar ook burgers, die op hun eigen terrain den grooten strijd medestrijden. Er valt voor een ieder wat te doen; naar geen rang of stand, naar geen leeftijd of geloof wordt gevraagd.
Uw eerste daad moet zijn: bezinning op Uw plaats in de maatschappij en op Uw verantwoordelijkheid; bezinning op wat Gij kunt doen om den vijand te weerstaan eerst, en om den genadeslag toe te brengen daarna.
De vijand zal stormloopen; het zal zijn loop naar den ondergang zijn. De bevrijdingsstrijd is begonnen; hij kan lang duren, maar wij zullen hem winnen.
Leve onze Vorstin, leve het Vaderland, leve de Victorie.
[inserted] RADIO UIT LONDEN
7.40-7.50 UUR: 6.40-6.50 UUR: 11.45-12.00 UUR: Nieuwsberichten op 1500, 373, 49.59, 48.43, 41.96, 51.49 m.
12.45-13.00 uur:
Ochtenduitzending Radio Oranje op 1500, 373, 49.59, 24.8 m.
13.45-14.00 19.45-20.00 uur.
Nieuwsberichten op 1500, 373, 49.59, 48.43, 41.96, 41.49 m.
20.45-21.00 uur:
Avonduitzending Radio Oranje op 1500, 373, 49.59, 24.8 m.
23.50-24.00 uur:
Nieuwsberichten op 373, 285.5, 49.59, 49.10, 48.54, 41.49 m.
De zendtijden van Radio België zijn dus voortaan:
8.40-8.50 uur: (behalve Zondags).
17.30-17.45 uur: (op even dagen).
21.00-21.15 uur: (op oneven dagen).
(Alle op 373.1 meter). [/inserted]
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DE DUITSCHE PROVISIEKAST
(Hoofdartikel uit The Times, 20.10.42)
HOEWEL de juiste eijfers over de voedselbronnen, die dezen winter voor Duitschland beschikbaar zijn, niet bekend zijn, lijdt het geen twijfel, dat Duitschland dit jaar aanzienlijk meer voedsel noodig zal hebben dan in de voorafgaande oorlogswinters; en de eenige manier waarop het kan trachten, de huidige voorraden op peil te houden, is door te speculeeren op de toekomstige verwachtingen in de Oekraine.
De nieuwe voedselbonnen, die sinds 19 October geldig zijn, geven den normalen verbruiker recht op iets meer brood en vleesch, doch desondanks zijn de rantsoenen nog steeds lager dan vòòr de laatste vermindering op 6 April van dit jaar. Enkele producten – voornamelijk aardappelen – zullen waarschijnlijk in grootere hoeveelheden voorradig zijn, maar zelfs deze toename zal de vermindering van andere producten niet kunnen vergoeden. Het Julinummer van het officieele blad “Vierjaresplan” voorspelde een tijdelijke verbetering van de vleeschvoorraad naar aanleiding van meer slachtingen, maar daarna zou er weer een vermindering komen “in verband met de uitputting van de voorraden wintervoer.” Plantaardige oliën waren “zeer belangrijk beneden de verwachtingen”; de melkprouctie “beneden normal”; vruchten en groenten “beneden het gemiddelde”; klaver en klavergras “belangrijk beneden het gemiddelde”; eieren “ongeveer normal”; aardappelen “gunstig genoeg om de overgangsperiode door te komen.”
Doch zelfs wanneer het mogelijk zou blijken de huidige rantsoenen te handhaven, dan nog blijft het feit, dat de rantsoenbasis sinds 6 April van dit jaar belangrijk verminderd is vergeleken bij de rantsoenen, zooals die bij het begin van den oorlog werden vastgesteld en die, volgens de meening van experts, in dien tijd al seen minimum voor levensonderhoud werden beschouwd om in oorlogstijd het gezondheidspeil in stand te kunnen houden. Daar komt nog bij, dat, behalve de vermindering in kwantiteit er tevens een aanzienlijke achteruitgang in kwaliteit valt waar te nemen. Brood, dat dezen zomer nog smakelijk en voedzaam was, en zonder eenige twijfel beter dan voor den oorlog, is nu veel slechter. Het wordt gemaakt van ongebuild meel en bestaat uit 45 procent rogge, 35 procent tarwe en 20 procent gerst, en wordt daarom “Ddrittelsbrot” genoemd, oftewel “Brood-uit-drie-deelen.” Er zal nu zelfs nog 3 procent aardappelmeel in verwerkt worden. De hoeveelheden vetten, suiker, specerijen, eieren en gevogelte voor de restaurants zijn aanzienlijk verminderd. Waarnemers van betrouwbare neutral zijde zijn het er allen over eens, dat de voedseltoestand voor de groote massa in Duitschland een peil heeft bereikt, dat niet zonder gevaren verlaagd kan worden. In de eerste week van Augustus werd te Berlijn een conferentie belegd ondervoorzitterschap van Goering en bijgewoond door Backe, Bormann, Daluege, Frick, Funk, Goebbels, Lamers, Ley, Rosenberg, Speer, de meeste gouwleiders, en alle leiders van den Duitschen landbouw, teneinde de plannen te bespreken om Duitschland door den komenden winter heen te brengen.
Op het eerste gezicht lijkt het missehien vreemd, date r sprake is van een verscherping der voedselsituatie. Immers, sinds het uitbreken vanden oorlog heeft Duitschland de beschikking gekregen over een uitgebreid gebied, dat voedsel voortbrengt en het heeft alle mogelijke moeite gedaan in alle richtingen om die voortbrenging te verhoogen. Voor den oorlog exporteerden vele landen – Frankrijk, Holland, Denemarken – groote hoeveelheden voedsel naar Engeland. Dit overschot zou nu dus Duitschland ten geode moeten komen.
In 1939 exporteerde Holland 170.000 ton groenten; in 1041 exporteerde het 340.000 ton naar Duitschland. De export of liever roof voor 1942 wordt op 400.000 ton geschat. Bovendien is de oppervlakte voor tuinderij in Duitschland, volgens de Frankfurter Zeitung met één vierde uitgebreid.
Desniettegenstaande was het tekort aan groenten in Duitschland dit jaar zoo ernstig, dat de rantsoenen werden vastgesteld, en het was verboden om direct van de verbouwers te koopen, aangezien hierdoor de bevoorrading gevaar liep. Vruchten waren bijna niet te krijgen. Frankrijk moest, behalve een gedeelte van zijn eigen productie, eveneens een gedeelte van het geimporteerde voedsel uit Noord-Afrika afgeven. Het aardappelrantsoen in Noorwegen bedraagt 1 1/2 kilo per week, terwijl het in Duitschland dezen winter waarschijnlijk 4 1/2 kilo per week zal bedragen. Bulgarije en Roemenië hebben broodlooze dagen moeten instellen, om den slokop Duitschland met hun graan te voeden. Maar hoewel Europa wordt uitgehongerd om het Rijk te kunnen voorzien, is de voedseltoestand in Duitschland ergen dan ooit tevoren sedert het begin van den oorlog.
Het is zeer eenvoudig dit kritieke tekort aan voedsel te verklaren. In Juni van dit jaar deelde Backe zelf mede, dat de vorst zoo hevig was geweest, dat 2 1/2 millioen hectare winterkoren in de lente opnieuw gezaaid moisten worden. De bierbrouwerijen in Duitschland moisten zelfs hun voorranden gerst af geven teneinde ze als zaaizaad te kunnen gebruiken. In vele streken met vruchtboomen werd 40 tot 80 procent van de boomen en struiken door de hevige vorst der twee laatste winters gedood. Van het overblijvende aantal kwam slechts een klein gedeelte fruit op de markt, aangezien
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OUDE ORDE
– overvloed
Voor den Duitschen inval
MARKT IN OSLO
Na den Duitschen inval
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NIEUWE ORDE
– honger-queues
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de vruchten gekneusd waren en daarom naar de jamfabieken werden gezonden. Het tekort aan groenten schreef Backe toe aan het “koude, natte weer van den afgeloopen zomer en herfst.” Enorme voorraden aardappelen waren door de vorst bedorven.
Voor het grootste deel is het tekort te wijten aan de verminderde productie in de Balkan-landen. De voortbrenging van deze landen bedraagt ongeveer een vijfde van die van voor den oorlog. Dit is te opmerketelijker wanneer men bedenkt, dat de Duitsche autoriteiten voor den oorlog vol vertrouwen voorspelden, dat, door de toepassing van de geintensiveerde Duitsche landbouwmethoden, de oogsten in de Balkanlanden verdubbeld konden worden. Aangezien het plaatselijke verbruik niet zou toenemen, zou het overschot, bested voor export naar Duitschland, minstens verdrievoudigd worden.
Na het Duitsch-Roemeensch Economisch Verdrag van Maart 1939 werden stappen ondernomen om deze plannen onmiddellijk uit te voeren. Het resultaat was echter een volkomen mislukking. Het voedseloverschot, bestemd voor den uitvoer, daalde tot bijna niets, inplaats van te stijgen. Deze daling was o.a. te wijten aan het feit, dat de twee voornaamste Zuid-Europeesche landen – Hongarije en Roemenie – gedwongen werden soldaten naar het Oostelijk front te zenden in veel grootere hoeveelheden dan, naar verhouding. Duitschland zeft, Daar deze soldaten voor het grootste deel uit den landbouw werden gehaald, daalde de voedselproductie, terwijl de consumptive steeg door het voeden van de eigen legers.
Duitsche fouten
De Duitschers hebben vele grove psychologische fouten began. De volken van de Balkan – en vooral de zeer nationalistische Hongaren en de rasbewuste Roemeniers – zijn zeer verbitterd over hun behandeling als waren zij minderwaardige rassen. Derhalve weigeren de landeigenaars hun velden te bebouwen. De boeren probeeren hun overschotten zoo lag mogelijk te houden, end it vooral, omdat Duitschland geweigerd heeft de prijsverhoogingen in aanmerking te nemen. Door de oorlogsonkosten, de geldschommelingen, en de schaarschte van de eerste levensbehoeften, zijn de prijzen in Roemenië sinds het uitbreken van den oorlog verschillende malen verdubbeld. Een ton olie kost op het oogenblik 34.000. lei. Gedurende langen tijd weigerden de Duitschers een verhooging van 12.000. lei op de oorspronkelijke prijs toe te staan. Eindelijk stemden zij er echter met tegenzin in toe, 23.000. lei te betalen. Dit had tot gevolg, dat de olieproducenten onwillig zijn olie aan Duitschland aft e staan, zoolang de binnenlandsche markt nog niet verzadigd is. Dezelfde toestand bestaat op de voedselmarkt, en dan nog zijn de Duitsche betalingen enkel schijn.
Terwijl de Duitsche voedsel-voorraden verminderen, stijgt het verbruik met elk oorlogsjaar meer. Door het Plan-Speer is elke beschikbare person, zonder aanzien van leeftijd of geslacht, zooveel mogelijk in het actieve oorlogswerk ingeschakeld, hetzij in het leger, de hulp-politie, arbeidsdienst, of Todt-organisatie. Al deze personen krijgen extra rantsoenen. Dat wil dus zeggen brood, melk, kaas en aardappelen is toegenomen. Ledere Duitsche soldaat krijgt 3 1/2 maal zooveel vleesch en tweemaal zooveel brood als de normale rantsoenen. Elke uitbreiding van de strijdmacht en hulpdiensten verhoogt tegelijkertijd het voedselverbruik.
Arbeiders in de zware bedrijven en nachtarbeiders krijgen voedzame extra rantsoenen. Tijdens het begin van den oorlog is het aantal arbeiders in de zware industrie gestegen met meer dan 1.000.000. Daarbij komt nog, dat het aantal buienlandsche arbeiders, afgezien van de krijgsgevangenen, dit jaar tot over de 3 millioen is gestegen, en voor het eind van het jaar zal dit waarschijnlijk stijgen tot ongeveer 5 millioen. Al deze monden moeten gevoed worden.
Dr. Clauss schatte in het officieele blad “NS-Landpost,” dat Duitschland sinds het begin van den oorlog te zorgen had voor 7 à 8 millioen extra eters. Clause rekende uit, dat, deze beide factoren inbegrepen, Duitschland op het oogenblik de verantwoording draagt voor het voeden van 17 à 18 millioen menschen meer dan bij het uitbreken van den oorlog. Duitschland leefde in de hoop, dat de besetting van de Oekraine het voedselprobleem zou verlichten. Inderdaad is er veel voedsel verbouwd voor het onderhoud van de bezettingstroepen. Doch het zal niet mogelijk zijn om, ondanks een verhoogde productiviteit in de Oekraine, de Duitsche burgerbevolking vóór 1944 extra voedsel uit dit gebied te verschaffen.
En nu nog Noord-Afrika!
De Geallieerde besetting van Fransch-Noord-Afrika beteekent echter een nieuwe slag voor de Duitsche voedselpositie. Duitschland legde (in theorie dan) beslag op een vierde van de groote hoeveelheden oliehoudende zaden en plantaardige oliën, die uit Noord-Afrika naar Frankrijk werden uitgevoerd. Voor de 500.000 ton vruchten en groenten uit Marokko, Algiers en Tunis gold hetzelfde. Duitschland eischte van Frankrijk levering van 800.000 ton graan voor de periode ’42-43, en hierin moest Noord-Afrika voor een kwart bijdragen. Ook zal Frankrijk (d.w.z. Duitschland) de Noort-Afrikaansche kunstmest (vnl. Phosphate) moeten missen. Tien groote vischrookerijen, die sinds den wapenstilstand in Marokko werden opgezet ten behoeve van het Duitsche bezettingsleger in Frankrijk, zullen hun sardientjes voortaan een betere bestemming kunnen geven. Ook in dit opzicht dus is het Geallieerd offensief in Noord-Afrika voor Duitschland uiterst onvoordeelig.
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Fransche arbeiders verslaan Laval !
DOOR A. DEN DOOLAARD
LAVAL is Hitler’s gouwleider Nummer Twee. Number één kan hij tot zijn spijt niet worden, want die plaats is reeds door Mussolini ingenomen. Maar toch is Laval een belangrijk man; hij is de ijverigste vennoot van de Groothandel in Slaven: Hitler, Sauckel, Laval, Rost van Tonningen en Co. Deze “Co” is de Duivel van het landverraad, die de verachting des menschen als de hoogste deugd beschouwt.
Hitler had de bekwame Fransche vakarbeiders noodig. Hij probeerde ze allereerst te krijgen onder valsche voorwendsels. Op 12 Juli verkon digde de Duitsche radio, dat elke Fransche arbeider, die naar Duitschland vertrok, één Fransschen krijgsgevangene zou bevrijden. Maar, zooals onze vriend Jan Moedwil zei, staatmaken op het word der Duitschers is gelijk leunen op een gebroken stok. Want op 21 Juli volgde de bekendmaking, dat enkel geschoolde metaalbewerkers als arbeiders beschouwd zouden worden. In het prettige ruilspelletje, opgezet door Hitler en Laval, met menschenvleesch als inzet, was dus eerst een gelijk aan een, en reeds negen dagen later was een niet meer een, maar het kwam te zweven tusschen een en nul.
Nazi-rekenkunde
Op 29 Juli kwam de mededeeling, dat de Franschen zich vooral niet moisten verbeelden, dat elke Fransche arbeider zoo maar een krijgevangene zou kunnen devrijden. De verhouding, waarin dit geschieden zou, bleek namelijk nog niet vastgesteld te zijn . . . Een was dus, ditmaal gelijk aan het algebraische X. – Maar op 11 Augustus kregen de slaven eindelijk vastigheid, afgezien van hun boeien dan. Het Duitsche Agentschap Trans-ocean vertelde, dat Laval goedgevonden had, 50.000 Fransche krijgsgevangenen te ruilen voor 150.000 geschoolde vakarbeiders. Een was dus voorlopig niet meer een, niet meer iets tusschen een en nul, niet meer X – maar een was drie.
Onmiddellijk na deze gelijktijdige verkrachting van eerewoord en rekenkunde stortte Laval zich op den microfoon. Smeekbeden en driegementen dienden als gardeering voor manhaftige beroepen op het geweten der Fransche arbeiders. Op het station Compiègne, waar uitgaande treinen met arbeiders en binnenkomende treinen met krijgsgevangenen elkaar kruisten, stind Laval met eerbiedig ontbloot hoofd, de lof der collaboratie te zingen, omringd door een eerewacht van verwaten Moffen, die tegelijk de lijfwacht vormden en de censuur uitoefenden. De arbeiders hingen uit de raampjes en uitten hun bijval door op het perron te spuwen.
In alle fabrieken werden de arbeiders opgeschreven, die zich gereed moisten maken voor het vertrek naar de Slavenburcht Moffrika. Maar Laval’s beroep op het geweten der Fransche arbeiders was niet vergeefs geweest. In de Gnòme en Rhône Motorenfabriek te Lyon waren 3000 slaven met zwart krijt opgeschreven; 700 moesten zich onmiddellijk melden. Vijftien man gehoorzaamden; de overigen weigerden. Laval gaf bevel hen te onslaan. De fabriek ging in staking. De kopstukken der ondergrondsch voortlevende vakbonden kwamen in ‘t geheim bijeen en zonden Laval de boodschap, dat de algemeene werkstaking in alle bedrijven voor hem en de Moffen klaar lag, tenzij de arbeidsconscriptie voor 17 October werd opgeheven. De Moffen dreigden de stakingsleiders voor den krijgsraad te brengen, maar het antwoord deed hen terugdeinzen. “Er zijn al zooveel krijgsraden, doodvonnissen en vuurpeletons geweest, dat dergelijke driegementen op onze menschen geen indruk meer maken.” De arbeiders voegden de gloeiende daad bij dit ijskoude word. in Lyon en Amberieu hadden groote straatgevechten plaats; St. Etienne, Annecy en Chamberieu vormden verdure kernen van verzet. Fransche vrouwen beletten de Duitsche dokters de lokalen te bereiken, waar de Fransche arbeiders zouden worden gekeurd. Terwijl de Gestapo voor bloedige onderdrukking van het oproer bleef, waren de Duitsche militaire autoriteiten, wien een eventueele staking in het verkeerswezen hoogst onwelkom was, voor verzoening, die ook inderdaad plaatsvond.
Overwinning van ‘t verzet
Zoo versloegen de ongewapende, slechts ondergroundsch georganiseerde arbeiders door hun solidair verzet den vuigen Quisling Laval. Dat heel Frankrijk nu bezet is, doet aan deze overwinning van strijdbare organisatie op brute tyrannie geen tittel of jota af, terwijl de moral van het geval van groote beteekenis blijft voor elken arbeider en werkgever in alle bezette gebieden. Want waarom verzetten de Fransche arbeiders zich zoo hardnekkig? Omdat zij beseften, dat het om meer ging dan om hun eigen slavernij en ballingschap. Want iedere geschoolde arbeider, die naar Duitschland gaat, bedenke dit: wegens den aard van het modern industrieproces geeft hij in Duitschland werk aan vijf ongeschoolde of halfgeschoolde arbeiders en arbeidsters. Indien acht geschoolde arbeiders er in slagen aan de Duitsche slavernij te ontsnappen, dan berooven zij de Duitsche oorlogsindustrie van vijftig arbeidskrachten. Nu het getij begint te keeren, is het meer dan ooit van belang de oorlogsindustrie de Moffen met alle middelen te verzwakken, teneinde de bevrijding van alle geknechten te verhaasten!
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ENGELAND IN OORLOG BOUWT AAN DEN VREDE VAN MORGEN
HET PLAN-BEVERIDGE EN ZIJN ONTWERPER
[italics] SIR WILLIAM BEVERIDGE is een Schot, die in Britsch-Indië geboren is. Hij is 63 jaar oud, maar is al meer dan 30 jaar lang een van de krachtigste persoonlijkheden, die in Engeland gewerkt hebben voor sociale wetgeving. Als student te Oxford gaf hij al blijk van buitengewone geestesgaven en veelzijdigheid. Reeds op jeugdigen leeftijd heeft hij zich gewijd ann sociale vraagstukken, en hij heeft de gelegenheid benut die zich voordeed ten tijde van de groote hervormingsbeweging op maatschappelijk gebied vòòr den vorigen oodlog, toen Lloyd George Kanselier van de Schatkist en Chirchill Minister van Handel en Nijverheid was. Als theoreticus verwierf hij zich onmiddellijk bekendheid door zijn baanbrekend werk tegen de werkloosheid, e nook in de praktijk werd zijn werk zeer gewaardeerd, toen hij de administratie regelde van het nieuwe system van arbeidsbeurzen in Endeland. Gedurende den vorigen oorlog heeft hij een groote rol gespeelld bij het organiseeren van de Engelsche voedselvoorziening. Tusschen den eersten en den tweeden wereldoorlog heeft hij in de Universiteitswereld hooge ambten bekleed, maar steeds heeft hij zich met onuitputtelijke energie gewijd aan sociale wetgeving en maatschappelijk werk. In den loop van den tegenwoordigen oorlog heeft hij onschatbare diensten bewezen inzake het onderzoek naar het problem van de erbeidskrachten en andere economische vraagstukken. Nu is hij weer teruggekeerd tot zijn taak van 30 jaar geleden. Het Britsche volk is bereid tot een nieuwen, grooten stap voorwaarts op den weg naar sociale gerechtigheid en bestaanszekerheid, en Beveridge heeft in zijn groot rapport – het resultaat van geconcentreerden geestesarbeid – een volledig, gedetailleerd plan voorgesteld om een typisch Britsche oplossing te vinden voor dit problem, waardoor, zonder afbreuk te doe naan de personlijke vrijheid, betere resultaten kunnen worden bereikt, dan eenig autoritair regime ooit tot stand zou kunnen brengen. [italics]
BEGIN 1941 kreeg Sir William Beveridge, een bekend econoom, opdrachtvan de Engelsche regeering het stelsel van Sociale Verzekeringen te bezien en vvorstellen in te dienen voor verbetering. Beveridge werd voorzitter van een Commissie van hooge ambtenaren. Voor deze Commissie haar voorstellen indiende, werd uitvoerig met de vertegenwoordigers van meer dan 100 organisaties en instellingen overlegd.
Het advise van Engelsche mannen van wetenschap werd ingewonnen. Het Interationale Arbeidsbureau verschafte waardevolle inlichtingen. En op grond van al dat material, verzameld, geschift en besproken door de Commissie, werd door den Voorzitter. Sir William Beveridge, een plan opgesteld, een plan tot bestaanzekerheid voor allen.
Dit plan is nu gepubliceerd. Op de dag van verschijning reeds werden 70.000 exemplaren van het lijvige rapport verkocht. De vrije radio spreekt er over. De vrije pers schrijft er over. Het vrije parlement zal er over beraadslagen en besluiten.
Beveridge’s Voerstellen:
Ten Eerste: een system van gedwongen sociale verzekering voor alle burgers.
Ten tweede: een ondersteuning van minstens 56 shilling per week voor iederen werklooze of invalide met vrouw en twee kinderen (volgens den officieelen wisselkoers is 56 shilling ongeveer 20 gulden).
Ten vrerde: kindertoeslag voor alle kinderen tot 16 jaar. Deze toeslag bedraagt ongeveer 3 gulden per week, behalve voor het eerste kind.
Ten vijfde: Speciale toeslagen voor vrouwen. Ongeveer 75 gulden bij huwelijk. Bij bevalling 30
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[photograph]
gulden plus 15 gulden per week voor de eerste dertien weken na de bevalling voor alle vrouwen, die voor hun onderhoud werken.
Ten zesde: Ouderdomspensioen voor alle mannen vanaf hun 65ste, voor alle vrouwen vanaf hun 60ste jaar, tot een bedrag van fl. 15.60 per echtpaar.
Ten zevende: uitkeering van fl. 150 aan de nabestaanden voor begrafeniskosten.
Ten achtste: de kosten van dit plan te dekken door de werkgevers, de werknemers en den Staat. De gemiddelde werkende man zou fl. 1.50 bijdragen en de gemiddelde werkende vrouw fl. 1.25.
De extra uitgaven, die van de gemeenschap gevergd worden voor de uitvoering van dit plan, zijn per jaar even groot als de huidige Engelsche oorlogsuitgaven voor drie weken.
Wij moeten hierbij opmerken, dat alle getallen in Nederlandsche munt slechts bij benadering gegeven konden worden. De officeele wisselkoers bidet slechte een zeer onvolmaakte maatstaf, om de eenvoudige reden, dat het prijspeil in Nederland veel sterker is gestegen dan in Engeland. Het voornaamste is echter dit:
De toeslagen die in het Beveridgeplan worden voorgesteld, zijn voldoende om gebrek te bannen uit ieder Britsch gezin. De sterk-Britsche trek van het plan is, dat, evenals in Nederland het geval was, bijdragen der werknemers als vanzelfsprekend worden beschouwd. De individueele trots der Britten schreef dit voor. Er is dus Britten schreef dit voor. Er is dus geen sprake van Staatsbedeeling.
De kern van hot plan ligt elders en wij willen haar weergeven in Sir William Beveridge’s eigen woorden, waar hij schrijft:
“Sommige achten het striven naar bestaanszekerheid onjuist. Zij achten deze zekerheid in strijd met het persoonlijk initiatief en de per-
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Neem het voorbeeld van Coventry. In deze stad hadden de gemeentearchitect en zijn assistenten in hun vrijen tijd plannen gemaakt voor den herbouw van het centrum. Dat was in 1939. Modellen werden gebouwd en tentoongesteld. Maar het waren slechts modellen – een concept voor een onbekende toekomst. Toen kwamen in 1941 de hevige luchtaanvallen op Coventry, en werd de binnenstad gedeeltelijk vernietigd. Nu zijn de denkbeelden, die orrspronkelijk op een zuiver hypothetischen grondslag berustten, bij de werkelijkheid aangepast, teneinde het plan te maken volgens hetwelk oventry na den oorlog zal worden herbouwd en uitgebreid.
Dit is slechts een enkel voorbeeld van de wijze waarop de jongeren zich in Engeland voorbereidden op het oplossen van na-oorlogsche problemen, terwijl de komende oorlog zelf reeds zijn schaduw op hun leven wierp. De jonge mannen van Coventry, en velen zooals zij, zijn nu onder dienst. Maar zoodra de gelegenheid zich voordoet zullen ze hun levenstaak weer opvatten in een atmosfeer die heel anders zal zijn dan voor 1939.
Engeland kwam, wat betreft architectuur en stedenbouw, tot een jaar of vijf geleden achteraan. Hiervoor bestaan redenen van historischen aard, die ook gelden voor Amerika, waar de oplossing van het huisvestings-probleem ver ten achter stond bij de normen, die door steden zooals Amsterdam, Kopenhagen, Weenen of Stockholm in het leven waren geroepen. Maar deze bekentenis kan blijmoedig worden afgelegd, omdat er zelfs voor den oorlog een aantal teekenen waren, die wezen op een geweldigen vooruitgang in de opeiding der architecten en op een nieuwen geest van onderzoek en avontuur, die in de jongeren was gevaren.
Op het oogenblik zijn er te Londen tentoonstellingen van voorgestelde bouwplannen voor het na-oorlodsche Londen. Eén van die tentoonstellingen is door de Royal Academy georganiseerd, en is van alle zijden aan felle critiek onderworpen vanwege het feit, dat ze zich aan deftig vertoon en praalzucht heeft schuldig, gemaakt. De critiek op de tentoonstelling schijnt zefts meer belangstelling te hebben gewekt dan de tentoonstelling zeft. Een andere tentoonstelling zal binnenkort in de National Gallery worden geopend; hier zal een heel ander beeld worden voorgelegd, dat vooral beoogt het aanbrengen van ingrijpende verbeteringen in de volkshuisvesting, den bouw van scholen en ziekenhuizen, en het aanleggen van industriewijken, en minder aandacht schenkt aan het scheppen van grootsche vergezichten en indrukwekkende boulevards. Geen van beide tentoonstellingen kan natuurlijk plannen aanbieden, die den eindvorm ook maar eenigszins benaderen, maar ze zijn niettemin het rechtstreeksch gevolg van de nieuwe, levendige en in elk geval algemeene belangstelling voor het maken van plannen, een uitmaakt van het modern Engelsche leven.
Het maken van plannen, d.w.z. ordening op materiel gebied, is een van de Engelsche oorlogsdoeleinden. Vasten vorm hebben deze plannen nog niet. Maar nog veel belangrijker dan het al dan niet bestaan van een vaststaand planis het feit, date r voorwaarden zijn ontstaan, die het vormen van plannen in de hand werken. De wil tot het opstellen en gebruik maken van stadsontwerpen is er – eveneens de hiertoe benoodigde bekwaamheid.
[inserted] NEDERLANDSCHE SPOORWEGARBEIDERS!
COLLEGA’S IN NEDERLAND!
UW land heb ik vaak bereisd. Uw spoorwegbedrijf heb ik dus van nabij leeren kennen, vele persoonlijke vrienden heb ik in Nederland verworven. Ik hoop hen spoedig weer te zien.
Ik begrijp, hoe het U te moede is. Geen volk was afkeeriger van machtsmisbruik, militarisme en onderdrukking dan het Nederlandsche. Die afkeer kan slechts zijn toegenomen: die afschuw drijft U tot verzet tegen de aanranders van Uw vrijheid en welvaart.
Wij, spoorwegmannen, weten maar al te goed, dat het transportwezen de kwetsbaarste plek is in Hitlers verfoeilijke en duizend maal vervloekte oorlogsmachin.
Ik zend U de groeten van het Engelsche spoorwegpersoneel, dat reeds groote offers gebracht heeft en zich belangrijke opofferingen getroost onr tot de overwinning bij te dragen. Dat deden wij, toen wij alleen stonden; hoeveel gemakkelijker wordt de last gedragen, nu wij machtige bondgenooten hebben. Tot de bondgenooten rekenen wij ook U, collega’s in Nederland.
Houdt goeden moed. Ik bedrieg mijzelf niet, als ik de verwachting koester, dat de Nederlandsche spoormannen het geloof in de internationale solidariteit hebben bewaard. Ik ben er rotsvast van overtuigd, dat van hen later gewaagd zal worden; zij deden hut plicht, zij bleven trouw in de moeilijkste omstandigheden.
JOHN MARCHBANK.
Algemeen Secretaris van den Engelschen Bond van Spoorwegpersoneel en Tweede Voorzitter van de Internationale Transportarbeiders-Federatie.
J.H. OLDENBROEK.
Adjunct Algemeen Secretaris van de I.T.F. [/inserted]
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EUROPA TEGEN DE MOFFEN: DOOR A. DEN DOOLAARD
Het verzet in Tsjechoslowakije
NEDERLAND left op het oogenblik in lotsgemeenschap met verschillende andere kleine volkeren; en landen, wier lot ons vroeger nauwelijks raakte, liggen ons nu nader aan het hart, juist omdat de harten hier en ginds benauwd worden door dezelfder tyrannie en zuchten naar dezelfde vrijheid. Indien een land onze broederlijke aandacht verdient, dan wel Tsjecho-Slowakije; want elke, waarachtige democrat heeft speciaal tegenover de Tsjechen veel goed te maken. Toen de groote democrat Thomas Masaryk in September ’37 stierf, gaf hij het volk, dat hij bevrijd had, het diepe word mee: “Niet Cæsar, maar Christus”. Een jaar later vielen de groote democratieen bijna zonder protest in de valkuil der beide Cæsaren Hitler en Mussolini; en onder het beleefd prevelen van een haastig: “Ben ik mijns broeders hoeder?” leverden zij Tsjechoslowakije aan handen en voeten gebonden aan den tyran Hitler uit, volkomen Bismarch’s diepe word vergetend: “Wie Bohemen beheerscht, die beheerscht Europa”. Ook uit onnadenkenden Nederlandschen kring steeg toen een kort en zwak gejuich op, vanwege den zoogenaamd geredden vrede. In Maart ’39 vertoonde Hitler zijn afstootelijk aanschijn voor een venster van het Hradschin, het Praagsche kasteel der Boheemsche koningen. De annexatie van Bohemen bezegelde het lot van Europa: dit was het eind van alle veiligheid. Zes maanden later begon de oorlog.
Hitler triomfeerde, toen hij de trappen van het Hradschin beklom. Het eerste volk der gehate Slaven lag vertrapt aan zijn voeten; met de sleutels van het kasteel Bohemen in handen was de rest kinderspel. Nu kon hij zich wreken op “deze dwergen van onbekenden oorsprong”, zooals de blonde, uiterlijk zoo zuiver Arische reus Goebbels in een onvoorzichtig oogenblik de Tsjechen noemde. Sinds bijna drie Jaren wordt het volk der Tsjechen gemarteld; en Hitler heeft sindsdien één ding geleerd: dat dezelijke kracht van reuzen hebben. Want hij vergat één ding: dat dit volk, precies gelijk het Nederlandsche, in langvervlogen maar niet vergeten eeuwen een vrijheidsstrijd had doorleefd, die het voorgoed mondig had gemaakt: een vrijheidsstrijd, waaraan de Duitsche barbaren nooit waren toegekomen; een vrijheidsstrijd, waardoor voor elken Tsjech de naam van Johan Husz dezelfde diepe beteekenis heeft gekregen als Oranje voor ons. Ook bij de Tsjechen groeit de sterke boom van den weerstand uit het jaloers bewaarde zaad der volkshistorie.
De Gestapo vierde Hitler’s blijde binnenkomst in Praag met het verrichten van duizenden arrestaties. Wij willen hier niet de systematische plundering van den Tsjechischen nationalen rijkdom beschrijven: Nederland kent dit uit ervaring maar al te goed. Later wij ons bepalen tot den Duitschen terreur en den Tsjechischen weerstand. Ondanks de martelingen, die dag en nacht doorgaan in Bubenec, het Praagsche Oranjehotel, blijft het verzet ongebroken. Dit wordt reeds bewezen door den jongsten Duitschen maatregel: In Praag is een special “Ueberfallkommando” ingesteld, dat niet tot taak heeft Tsjechen te overvallen, want dit is de praktijk van elken dag, maar om Duitschers te beschermen tegen de overvallen door Tsjechen. Zoo krachtig is het verzet na het fusilleeren van duizenden Tsjechen, terwijl er bovendien naar ruwe schatting 150.000 in concentratie-kampen zitten opgesloten.
Deze slachtoffers achter prikkeldraad zijn voornamelijk intellectueelen. Tijdens den zomer van ’39 verklaarde Himmler: “Ik ben 37 jaar, en ik heb betere zenuwen dan alle Tsjechen tezamen. Niets zal mij tegenhouden. Ik zal, zoonoodig, honderdduizenden Tsjechen doodschieten. Helpt dat niet, dan roei ik de geheele Tsjechische natie uit.” Hij is in de uitvoering dezer beestachtige bedreigingen slechts geremd door de dringende behoefte, welke zijn collega Sauckel aan slaenarbeid heeft. Maar-dit is tevens de reden, dat de intellectueelen aanvankelijk zonder genade werden uitgeroeid. In November ’39 werden de Universiteiten overvallen. 8.000 studenten werden gearresteerd; 124 van hen, waaronder drie meisjes, werden voor voor de oogen der anderen doodgeschoten. Na vrijlating pleegden vele vrouwelijke studenten uit schaamte zelfmoord. De universiteiten zijn alle voor Tsjechen gesloten, en blijven na drie jaar, nog steeds gesloten. De laboratoria en bibliotheken, zoover voor barbaren begrijpelijk en bruikbaar, werden naar Moffrika vervoerd; onvervangbare manuscripten, zooals Professor Janko’s groot woordenboek der Tsjechoslowaaksche dialecten, de vrucht van 30 jaar werk, werden als brandstof gebruikt in de veldkeukens der S.S. 60% der middelbare scholen zijn gesloten. 3 millioen boeken van Tsjechische schrijvers gelijk Masaryk, Benesj en Capek zijn verbrand of vedrpulpt. Kinderboeken gelijk de “Rattenvanger van Hameln” zijn verboden, “daar het onmogelijk is, da teen Duitsche stad gelijk Hameln aan de ratten ten prooi zou vallen”. De nationale opera’s van Smetana: verboden. Dvorak’s opera “De Jacobijn”, 50 jaar geleden geschreven, werd verboden, omdat de profetische componist een der
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liederen de beginregel gaf: “Adolf, gij zijt waanzinnig.”
Maar het verzet duurt voort. De profetische woorden uit Smetana’s opera “Libuse”, dat de Tsjechische natie niet ten onder kan gaan, branden in alle harten; en zefts het dagelijksche schrikbewind na Heydrich’s dood kan het verzet niet breken. Onmiddellijk na de gelukte aanslag op den beul Heydrich haalde de Gestapo uit de belendende buurt 800 jonge vrouwer en meisjes weg, ter “ondervraging”. Den dag daarop bestormde het volk van deze voorstad de Gestapobarakken; de verschrikte beulen lieten alle vrouwen, op twee na, vrij. Sinsdien regent het echter in heel Bohemen elken dag doodsoordeelen, waarvan vele de zwakke omschrijving dragen “diefstal wegens verduistering”. Deze zoogenaamde dieven zijn echter doorgaans dappere saboteurs.
Volgens bekentenis der Moffen zeft workt het verzet duchtig aangewakkerd door de radiostem der vrije Tsjechen in Londen. Deze sterke bijstand was den Moffen een doorn in het dierlijk oog; en zij zochten in de lafheid huns harten naar een dwangmiddel, om deze stem te wurgen met de strop van den angst. Zij maakten bekend, dat de familieleden in Tsjechoslowakije van alle hun bekende Vrije Tsjechen gevangen waren gezet; zweeg de stem niet, dan zouden de families het moeten ontgelden.
De Tsjechische minister, Jan Masaryk, zoon van den grooten Masaryk, gaf op deze laffe en vergeefsche bedreiging een edel antwoord:
“De Duitschers hebben onze families gearresteerd. Maar allen, die reeds gemarteld en vermoord zijn – ook zij zijn onze familie. Zij zijn de kinderen van ons volk; en hun dood dwingt ons tot verbitterd doorvechten! Indien wij weken voor dreigementen, dan zouden wij deze dooden verraden. Maar het is beter te sterven dan in den greep te geraken van Hitler’s bestialiteit, en Aldus slaven van slaven te worden.
“De Moffen vergissen zich, indien zij denken, dat wij zullen wijken voor vreesaanjaging. Met Gods hulp zullen wij voortschrijden, wij met ons werk, en Gij met Uw worsteling; er is geen andere keuze! Gedurende den vorigen oorlog zei mijn vader, die als banneling in den vreemde leefde, en zijn vrouw had moeten achterlaten: ‘Indien zij mij alles afnemen; indien zij mij van mijn vrouw berooven; indien zij mij naar het leven staan – dit alles kan mij geen haar breed doen afwijken van den eens gekozen weg. Het is even noodig door te gaan met worstelen als het noodig is door te gaan met ademen.’”
Zoo sprak Jan Masaryk, de zoon van den stichter der Tsjechoslowaaksche republiek tot alle strijdende Tsjechen. Elken dag weer leest men doodsoordeelen in de Tsjechische kranten, vijf, zeven, twaalf, zestien, tien . . . dag in, dag uit. Maar de Tsjechen wijken niet voor vreesaanjaging. Zij kennen de leemen voeten van den kolos, en zij strijden verder in onwrikbaar geloof aan de herleving van hun volk.
[inserted] LIDICE zal leven, ondanks den moord op iederen man, en het wegvoeren van alle vrouwen en kinderen naar concentratie-kampen. Nadat Heydrich zijn verdiende einde gevonden had, beschuldigden de Duitschers het Tsjechische stadje Lidice er van, de moordenaars van Heydrich verborgen te hebben. De beschaafde wereld was diep geschokt over deze nieuwe Duitsche barbarij. Protestvergaderingen werden gehouden. De foto toon teen bijeenkomst in Londen. [inserted]
[photograph]
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HET KOMENDE NEDERLANDSCHE RIJKSVERBAND
De baanbrekende redevoering van H.M. de Koningin
OP 6 December 1942, op den eersten verjaardag van het begin der Japansche oorlogsactie, hield Koningin Wilhelmina via Radio-Oranje te Londen een rede, die veel méér was dan een herdenking van Pearl Harbour. Zij was ook en vooral een staatkundige beschouwing over het Nederlandsche Rijk, over Nederland en Nederlandsch-Indië in het bijzonder, over de verhouding dezer gebiedsdeelen in het verleden en in de toekomst. Het was een rede, welke tegelijk in enkele geconcentreerde stralen een helder licht wierp op den bereikten status van vòòr den oorlog, en den weg toonde naar de voltooiing eener eeuwenoude verhouding na den oorlog.
Na een inleidend overzicht van de gebeurtenissen in het Verre Oosten welke onze Regeering aanleiding gaven, den staat van oorlog met Japan te werklagen, sprak Hare Majesteit Aldus:
“Meer dan ooit gaan op dit oogenblik mijn gedachten uit naar mijn land- en rijksgenooten in Nederland en Nederlandsch-Indië.
Na een historische verbondenheid van eeuwen, waarin het tijdperk van koloniale verhouding reeds lang tot het verleden behoorde, stonden wij aan den vooravond van een samengaan op voet van gelijkheid, toen wij plotseling voor de huidige harde beproeving warden geplaatst.
De verraderlijke overval op Nederland van 1940 was de eerste onderbreking in het ontwikkelingsproces; de heldhalfig gevoerde strijd van Nederlandsch-Indië, gevolgd door de besetting van het overgroote deel van het gebied in 1942, was de tweede. Reeds in den tijd, toen Indië nog vrij was en alleen Nederland was bezet, bleek de kracht van deze verbondenheid en leefde aan beide zijden een gevoel van sterker saamhoorigheid, dan in vredige dagen zoo snel kon zijn gegroeid.
Nu echter is dit wederzijdsch begrijpen nog verdiept, doordat dezelfde strijd in vollen omvang is gevoerd en hetzelfde leed in volle zwaarte wordt ondergaan.
Zoowel in Nederland als in Nederlandsch-Indië hebben de vijanden met hun propaganda voor de zoogenaamde nieuwe orde niets onbeproefd gelaten om de geesten te verleiden en hun dwingelandij en onderdrukking met de leugens hunner toekomstbeloften te omkleeden.
Maar deze leugens end it bedrog hebben niet gebaat, want schier allen hebben het doorzien en begrepen, dat onze vijanden slechts slavernij en uitbuiting beoogen, end at er, zoolang zij niet verdreven en verslagen zijn, van vrijheid geen sprake kan wezen.”
Van bijzonder belang is de tweede alinea van dit deel der redevoering. Daarin wordt bondig vastgelegd, dat niet deze oorlog pas het uitzicht geopend heeft op de beëindiging voor Indië van den kolonialen status maar dat – reeds lang tevoren – het stadium van koloniale verhouding gepasseerd was; dat Indië geen “bezitting” van Nederland meer heette, doch op den drempel stond van de ruime hal der rechtsgelijkheid. De volgende alinea zegt het nog eens; de oorlog leidde dit process van gelijkmaking niet in, doch onderbrak het tweemaal; den eersten keer op 10 Mei 1940, den tweeden keer op 7 Maart 1942.
Na de bovenaangehaalde passage herinnerde de Koningin vervolgens aan de vroegere redevoeringen, waarin Zij reeds “rondetafel-conferenties” tusschen vertegenwoordigers der rijksdeelen had aangekondigd, zoomed aan de belangrijke voorbereiding, welke met name in Indië in vollen gang, was maar door de besetting verstoord werd. Hare Majesteit vervolgde:
“Wij kunnen haar eefst weder hervatten, zoodra een ieder zijn overtuiging vrijuit zal kunnen uitspreken.
Staat het dus vast, dat vernieuwing noodig is in den staatkundigen bouw van het Rijk en in dien van Nederland en de overzeesche gebieden, het zou daarom niet juist e nook niet mogelijk zijn daarvan nu reeds den vorm te willen bepalen.
Ik weet, hoeveel groots en goeds in Nederland, onder den druk der besetting aan het groeien is; ik weet, dat zulks ook in Indië het geval is waar de saamhoorigheid door het ondervonden leed wordt versterkt.
Dit kan slechts worden uitgewerkt in vrij overleg, waarbij de beide gebiedsdeelen van elkanders denkbeelden zullen willen kennisnemen.
Bovendien heeft de bevolking van Nederland en van Nederlandsch-Indië, door haar lijden en haar verzet, haar recht bevestigd om mede te beslissen over den vorm, die zal worden gegeven aan die verantwoordelijkheid van het geheele volk tegenover de wereld van de verschillende bevolkingsgroepen tegenover elkander en tegenover zichzelf.
Door daarop nu vooruit te loopen zou dat recht worden miskend en het door bittere ervaring verwrven inzicht van mijn volk worden terzijde geschoven.”
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NEDERLANDSCH-INDISCHE GUERILLA-STRIJDERS
MAANDENLANG hebben zij op Java gevochten, tegen de Japanners. In de bergen, in het oerwoud hebben zij zich schuil gehouden, om den bezetter gevoelige slagen te kunnen toebrengen. En toen eindelijk hun positie onhoudbaar dreigde te worden, ontsnapten zij naar Australië. Deze foto van de Nederlandsch-Indische guerrilla-strijders en hun leider bereikte ons van daar.
In dit deel der Koninklijke rede wordt nogmaals vastgelegd, dat de vorm van het nieuwe Rijksverband thans nog niet kan worden bepaald. Daarover moeten de onderdanen der nu onder verdrukking zuchtende gebieden in vrijheid kunnen medespreken, op grond van alle ervaringen en inzichten, die zij juist tijdens de besetting in lijden en saamhoorigheid verworven hebben. Daarop vooruit to willen loopen, zou waarlijk van gebrek aan wijsheid getuigen.
“ik ben overtuigd”, zegt de Koningin, “en de geschiedenis en de berichten uit de bezette gebieden bevestigen mij daarin, dat het Rijk na den oorlog zal kunnen worden opgebouwd op den hechten grondslag van volledige deelgenootschap, die de voltooiing zal beteekenen reeds heeft ontwikkeld.
Ik weet, dat geen politieke eenheid en verbondenheid op den duur kunnen blijven bestaan, die niet gedragen worden door de vrijwillige aanvaarding en de trouw van de overgroote meerderheid der burgerij”.
Geen betere proef op de som van eeuwenlang bestuursbeleid dan het vertrouwen, hetwelk uit de laatste zinsnede spreekt: Ik wil geenerlei dwang opleggen, zegt de Koningin, Ik wil niet regeeren door vreesaanjaging en terreur. Neen, zonder “vrijwillige aanvaarding” en zonder “vrijwillige trouw van de overgroote meerderheid der burgerij” bestaat er geen duurzame politieke eenheid en verbondenheid.
Maar wel staat Harer Majesteit een beeld voor oogen van het te bereiken Rijksverband. Het werd in groote lijnen Aldus geschetst: “Ik stel mij voor, zonder vooruit te loopen op de adviezen der Rijksconferentie, dat zij zich richten zullen op een Rijksverband, waarin Nederland, Indonesië, Suriname en Curaçao tezamen deel zullen hebben, terwijl zij ieder op zichzelf de eigen, inwendige aangelegenheben en zelfstandigheden en steunend op eigen kracht, doch met den wil elkander bij te staan, zullen behartigen.
Ik meen, dat zulk een zelfstandigheid en samenwerking aan het Rijk en zijn leden de kracht zullen geven om hun verantwoordelijkheid naar binnen en naar buiten ten volle te dragen.
Daarbij zal voor verschil van behandeling op grond van ras of standard geen plaats zijn, doch zullen slechts de persoonlijke bekwaamheid der burgers en de behoeften van de verschillende bevolkingsgroepen den doorslag geven voor het beleid der Regeering”.
Het is geen wonder, dat de wereldpers met den hhogsten lof over deze baanbrekende rede van Koningin Wilhelmina gesproken heeft en haar de eerste daadwerkelijke verwezenlijking van het Atlantic Charter heeft genoemd: volledig deelgenootschap in de staatkundige praktijk; ieder behartigt in eigen sfeer de eigen zaken, steunend op eigen kracht. Maar tegelijk staan zij elkander bij voor het algemeene welzijn. Geen bevoorrechting naar ras of standard, doch enkel persoonlijke bekwaamheid der burgers en de objectieve behoefte der onderscheidene bevolkingsgroepen maatstaf voor het Regeeringsbeleid.
Een indrukwekkend program!
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“INGELOOF HEB IK’U NIET TE LICHT BEVONDEN”
HET VERZET DER KERKEN IN FRANKRIJK
door Prof. M. Bokhorst
ZOOALS in bezet Nederland en in vrij Engeland staan than ook in alle deelen van Frankrijk Roomsch en Protestant als één man op tegen geestelijke onderdrukking en tegen godenhaat.
Wat den Katholieken aangaat: Maarschalk Pétain had de woorden “Terug tot het geloof” in zijn vaan geschreven, en terugkeer van zekere kloosterorden, vrijheid voor het bijzonder onderwijs en invoering van catechisatie-onderwijs op de openbare scholen beloofd. Het leek.een oogenblik alsof Vichy werkelijk een “christelijke renaissance” wilde brengen. Het Vaticaan onderhield hartelijke betrekkingen met Pétain. Een deel van de hooge geestelijkheid, dat niet voelde wat er in het volk omging, werd door den schoonen schijn verblind.
Maar de dorpspastoors en de lagere geestelijkheid in ‘t algemeen, die de vinger hielden op de pols van de in groeiende opstandigheid levende volksmassa, zij namen geen blad voor den mond, en zij preekten den weerstand van den kansel.
Inmiddels had – zooals een Fransch blad het uitdrukte – “Vichy in plaats van christianisatie slechts nazificatie gebracht.” De Katholieke jeugdbeweging werd verboden, de Katholieke vakbeweging onder controle van de Nazis gebracht. In onbezet Frankrijk werd de verspreiding van de Encycliek “Mit brennender Sorge” en van toespraken van den Paus belet, en de uitzendingen van Radio Vaticana warden opzettelijk gestoord.
Midden 1941 begon de hooge geestelijkheid reeds ongerust te worden. Het Vaticaan begon te waarschuwen tegen de Nieuwe Orde in Frankrijk.
De doorslag werd echter eerst in 1942 gegeven door de afgrijselijke Joden-deportaties uit Frankrijk.
Daartegen in opstand e naan dien storm van verzet wilde de Katholieke Kerk leiding geven. Op 7 Augustus j.l. protesteerden de kardinalen en bisschoppen van bezet Frankrijk bij Maarschalk Pétain. Hun brief bleef onbeantwoord.
In onbezet Frankrijk verschenen Herderlijke Brieven van Mgr. Soliège, aartsbisschop van Toulouse en van Mgr. Théas bisschop van Montauban, die het beschermen van Joodsche volksgenooten al seen Christenplicht stelden. Mgr. Gerlier, aartsbisschop van Lyon, nam 120 Joodsche kinderen, die aan hun ouders ontroofd waren, in zijn paleis op en weigerde ze uit te leveren. Vijftig priesters warden om dezelfde reden gevangen gezet, maar niet nadat ze de betrokken kinderen in kloosters in veiligheid hadden gebracht. Een herderlijk schrijven van Mgr. Gerlier van 6 Sept. wordt door Vichy verboden en desondanks van alle kansels gelezen. Hij was het ook, die overleg pleegde met Dr. Boegner, den leider van de Fransche Protestanten.
Mgr. Chaptal, suffragaan-bisschop van Parijs, draagt een Davidster op zijn soutane, terwijl Mgr. Roeder, bisschop van Beauvais, die een Jood onder zijn voorouders heeft, zich in vol ornaat, voorafgegaan door een acolythe, die het Kruis droeg, naar het registratiekantoor begaf, waar de Joden van Beauvais zich bij de Duitsche authoriteiten moisten laten registreeren.
Aartsbisschop Gerlier is de groote beschermer van het verbond van jonge Katholieke arbeiders, dat in het voorste gelid staat in den strijd tegen de deportatie van Fransche arbeiders naar Duitschland. Zijn stichter, kanunnik Cardijn is kort geleden in België gearresteerd evenals Jet Deschuiffeleer en Jacques Meert, de algemeen-voorzitter van de Vlaamsche vertakking van dit verbond.
Uitstekend werk wordt eveneens gedaan door het ondergrondsche maanblad “Cahiers du Témoignage Chrétien”. Uitspraken van Fransche bisschoppen staan hierin afgedrukt naast de rede van Kardinaal Faulhaber “Zullen wij de Kerk verlaten?” en naast den Herderlijken Brief van de Duitsche bisschoppen, die in het voorjaar van 1942 is gepubliceerd. Zoo goed en inspireerend zijn deze bladen van het Christelijk getuigenis, dat de Fransche Protestanten zelfs besloten hebben, hun eigen ondergrondsche blad “Feuille” op te heffen, om aan de “Cahiers” mede te werken die thans onder Christenen ongeacht geloofsbelijdenis worden verspreid.
In de “Cahiers” wordt veel geciteerd van den innig vroomen, mystiek geëxalteerden schrijver Charles Péguy, die reeds in het begin van den vorigen oorlog als jong Fransch luitenant het leven liet voor zijn land. Is het verwonderlijk, dat Katholiek Frankrijk, dat zijn kracht weer in het Geloof zoekt, zich terugwendt tot een schrijver, die met zijn innerlijke bewogenheid een groote invloed op de Fransche jeugd van voor den vorigen oorlog heeft gehad?
De “Volontaire”, het blad van de Fransche Katholieke strijders in Londen, gaf onlangs een foto van een engel op het dak van de Kathedraal van Chartres, gezien tegen den achtergrond van het Fransche landschap. Het bijschrift was aan Péguy ontleend. Het luidde:
“O, volk dat de Kathedraal heeft uitgedacht, in geloof heb ik U niet te licht bevonden.”
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TWINTIG JAAR MARSCH NAAR ROME
Door A. Den Doolaard
OP 28 October j.l. herdachten de Italiaansche fascisten den 20en verjaardag van den zoogenaamden marsch naar Rome, waarmee het fascime de macht aanvaardde. Dat Mussolini zelf dezen marsch in een slaapwagen maakte, is slechts een picante bijzonderheid, volkomen passend bij deze over ‘t paard getilde figuur. De Wervelwind herdenkt dezen verjaardag opzettelijk iets later dan de fascisten; wij hebben nl. rustig afgewacht, welke gaten de geallieerde Novemberstorm in het kartonnen kaartenhuis van het imitatie-Cæsarendom zou blazen. – Laten wij het fascism eerst even bekijken in theorie, om daarna te zien, welke zegeningen twintig jaar regeering van de brute onderkaak het Italiaansche volk hebben gebracht.
Het Italiaansch fascism is een uniek verschijnsel in de politieke sfeer. Als politieke partij, die zichzeft later als eenig toegelaten partij doorzette, legde het zijn wil op aan het Italiaansche volk, nog voor het een partijprogramma bezat. Het programme “La Dottrina del Fascismo” kwam pas uit in 1931. Het fascism kon het volk aanvanklijk geen partijprogramma voorleggen ‘omdat het in oorsprong niets anders was dan een synthese van negaties. Allereerst een negatie van het communisme: tegenover het communistisch internationalisme stelde het fascism het “heilig egoism van de natie”; tegenover de communistische vrijdenkerij stelde het den godsdienst, ook uit opportunistische redenen, daar het spoedig zag, dat het de Kerk niet te veel tegen zich in kon nemen. Tegenover openbaar eigendom stelde het privébezit, waardoor het een basis en bondgenoot vond in het kapitalisme. Daarnaast was het fascism echter ook een negatie van liberalisme en democratie. Tegenover het liberale “laissez-faire” stelde het sterke regulatie; tegenover wat het de democratische vereering van het kiezerscorps noemde, stelde het een “waarachtige volksvertegenwoordiging” door de corporaties. Deze corporaties echter warden niets anders dan getemde en machtelooze vakbonden, negaties dus van het syndicalisme. Inplaats van volksvertegenwoordiging te zijn warden zij organen van den Staat, en hulpelooze belichamingen van den heftig ontkenden klassestrijd. Spiritueel gesproken, ontstond het Italiaansch fascism uit twee andere negaties, n.l. uit ontevredenheid en schrik. Italië stond politiek eigenlijk nog in de kinderschoenen; de nationale Vereeniging was eerst tot stand gekomen tusschen 1815 en 1870: het in dien tijd ontsproten jonge nationalisme verlangde onstuimig naar machtsuitbreiding in het kader van een Imperium. Uit den vorigen wereldoorlog met zijn vele nederlagen hielden de Italiaansche nationalisten en imperialisten een gevoel van schaamte over, dat zij op de toekomst wilden wreken. De ontevredenheid wegens gebrek aan gebiedsuitbreiding moest verhaald worden op zwakkere volkeren. Naast ontevredheid baseerde het fascism zich ook op den doodelijken schrik van een beangst burgerdom tegenover het communisme met zijn dreigende aanranding van privébezit. Zelf zonder levensbeginsel en kracht zijnde, stortte het zich in de armen van het fascism. Het fascism gaf de Italiaansche bourgeoisie het troostend slaapmiddel van een super-partij, die ondanks haar inmenging het beginsel van privéeigendom trouw zou bewaken.
Deze super-partij zorgde voor de politieke eenheid in een almachtigen Staat. De beginselverlaring van 1931 (zeer waarschijnlijk niet door Mussolini geschreven, maar door den filosoof Gentile) zegt: “De natie sterke wordt geschapen door den Staat. De Staat geeft het volk, dat zich bewust is van zijn moreele eenheid, een wil, en daardoor een daadwerkelijk bestaan.” De praktijk heeft het failliet dezer valsche leer bewezen. Een Staat kan slechts nummers en automaten voortbrengen, tenzij deze Staat gedragen worde door een zelfbewuste natie, bestaande uit menschen met persoonlijk verantwoordelijkheidsbesef. Typisch is alweer, dat het fascism, ontstaan als het is uit negaties, slechts een zoogenaamde eigen leer kon voortbrengen, door algemeen aangenomen grondslagen binnenste buiten te draaien. Het vermenigvuldigen van minus met minus geeft echter slechts een plus tot resultaat in de algebra: in de politiek is en blijft minus maal minus: minus-kwadraat.
Vandaar de komende ineenstorting van het fascistisch kasteel, waarvan de muren nu reeds door de Moffen moeten worden geschoord. Het fascism heeft altijd een dubbel gezicht gehad. Naar binnen gericht op vrede en sociale rechtvaardigheid, in theorie ten minste, loerde het naar buiten op oorlog en gebiedsuitbreiding. Het doel van het fascism werd uiteindelijk slechts versterking van de kracht der natie terwille van imperialistische doeleinden: de schaduw van het Romeinsche Rijk liet Mussolini geen rust. Pijnlijk is, dat, waar oorlog te riskant leek, allereerst sluipmoord te baat werd genomen, terwijl de techniek van de verraderlijken overval, waarvan sluipmoord een detail vormt, en gros werd toegepast om het risico te verminderen. Zoo is het regime van den krachtigen onderkaak verworden tot een opeenvolging van sluipmoorden en verraderlijke aanrandingen. Sluipmoord op Mateotti, om de partij te doen zegevieren; sluipmoord op Alexander van Yougoslavië, in de valsche hoop, dat de Zuidslavische Staat na diens dood
(28)
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uiteen zou vallen, zoodat Italië met Kroatië en Dalmatië zou kunnen gaan strijken: onteerende gifgasoorlog tegen de Libysche Senoussi; verraderlijke overval op Abessynië, op Frankrijk inhet uur der Fransche machteloosheid; op Griekenland, waar de blikken blaaskaak zijn bitterste nederlaag leed. En het einde is dat de namaak-Caesar, die op een korten, voordeeligen oorlog speculeerde, thans zijn volk op verloren fronten moet laten bloeden, terwijl Italië van twee kanten tegelijk in puin wordt gelegd. Nu geeft de Staat het volk inderdaad een wil: de wil tot vluchten, in paniek, onverschilling waarheen. Het fascism, belust op gemakkelijke buit, sleepte dit volk in een oorlog, die de Teutoonsche broer wel zou uitvechten. Het einde is, dat de Teutoon in Italië de krijgswet afkondigt over de Italiaansche arbeiders, die in paniek wegvluchten uit de ineenstortende oorlogsindustrie.
Mussolini de Machtelooze is nog slechts een hyena, huilend in den woestijn der vergetelheid om zijn verloren legioenen. Deze vervaarlijke baby met het bedorven pruilmondje slaapt nog slechts veilig in de wieg der Gestapo onder Himmler’s hoede. De fascistische staat heeft nog slechts een daadwerkelijk bestaan bij de gratie van het Derde Rijk, dat dit vooruitgeschoven bolwerk van de zoogenaamde vesting Europa zal opofferen tot de laatste splinter. Ziedaar het resultaat van 20 jaar fascisme; de eerstvolgende marsch op Rome zal niet uitgevoerd worden per Italiaansche slaapwagen, maar per geallieerde tank, door een land, dat verwoest wordt, omdat het de noodlottige machtswaan zijner corrupte heerschers niet tijdig vermocht te stuiten.
DE DROEVE GESCHIEDENIS VAN “IL DUCE”
Of “Van kopstuk tot stukke kop!”
[photograph] [photograph]
Op deze foto ziet U enkele Amerikanendie een borstbeeld van Mussolini naar den oudroesthoop brengen.
[photograph] [photograph]
(29)
[page break]
Enkele types geallieerde vliegtuigen d[missing letter] men in Nederland dikwijls te zien krijgt
(1) DE HALIFAX . . . Een viermotorige zware bommenwerper, die met een lading van duizenden KG bommen een bijna even groote snelheid ontwikkelt als de modern jagers. De spanwijdte bedraagt 30 M. Rostock heeft met de Halifax;al kennis gemaakt.
(2) DE STIRLING . . . Een ander type viermotorige reus met een nog grooter laadvermorgen aan bommen. Dit type heeft deelgenomen aan aanvallen op de Roer, op de Duitsche-Oostzeehavens, Italië en de beroemde Skodafabrieken in Tsjechoslowakije.
(3) DE LANCASTER . . . De nieuwste Geallieerde bommenwerper, het beste zware type ter wereld. Honderden en nogmaals honderden Lancasters zullen het vijandelijk grondgebied aanvallen, naarmate de Britsche fabrieken ze afleveren. Genua heeft hier al een staaltje van te zien gekregen.
(4) DE MANCHESTER . . . Een geduchte tweemotorige snelle bommenwerper. Al heeft de Manchester maar twee motoren, toch is de bommenlast buiten verhouding groot, terwijl het toestel tot boven verafgelegen vijandelijke industriegebieden doordringt.
(5) HET VLIEGEND FORT . . . Vliegt hoog, buitengewoon snel en is zwaar bewapend. Deze Amerikaansche viermotorige bommenwerper heeft een groote rol gespeeld bij het keeren van de Japansche aanvallen in het Verre Oosten, en heeft vooral bij Nieuw Guinea merkwaardige successen behaald. Ook heeft het Vliegend Fort goed werk verricht bij aanvallen van geringe hoogte opdoelen ter zee.
(6) DE SPITFIRE . . . Het beste gevechtsvliegtuig ter wereld; is voorzien van twee kanonnen en vier mitrailleurs. Waar de Spitfire ook vliegt, is dit toestel de baas. Boven Malta herhaalt dit vliegtuig dagelijks de roemruchte daden van den Slag boven Engeland.
(7) DE HURRICANE . . . Deze oude vechtjas heeft al aan 17 verschillende fronten dienst gedaan, van Ijsland tot Oost-Indië. Het toestel opereert ‘s nachts boven vijandelijke vliegvelden, terwijl de vijandelijke bommenwerpers opsstijgen; het heeft een grootere vuurkracht dan elke andere eenmansjager.
(8) DE BEAUFIGHTER . . . Deze tweemotorige jager is de vijand de baas gebleven sedert het najaar van 1940 toen het de nachtelijke aanvallen van de Luftwaffe, krachtig bestreed. Het type wordt nu gebruikt voor escortedienst en nachtaanvallen.
(9) DE WELLINGTON . . . Dit type is al drie jaar lang het voornaamste Engelsche aanvalswapen, dat bij het personeel van de R.A.F. buitengewoon populair is. Honderden Wellingtons hebben deelgenomen aan den nacht van 30 op 31 Mei op Keulen hebben gedaan.
(10) DE HAMPDEN . . . Dit tweemotorige toestel is al lang in dienst, en wordt nu als torpedovliegtuig gebruikt. Toen de R.A.F. met de eerste nachtelijke bomaanvallen begon, gingen vooral de Hampden erop uit.
(11) DE SUNDERLAND . . . 18 dagen na het uitbreken van den oorlog hebben twee vliegbooten van dit viermotorig type 34 leden van de bemanning van het zinkende schip de Kensington Court gered. De Duitschers noemen dit zeemonster de Vliegende Egel. Het patrouilleert boven de Noordzee, den Atlantischen Oceaan en de Middellandsche Zee. Het brengt duikbooten tot zinken en beveiligt de belangrijke zeeroutes.
(12) DE BOSTON . . . Dit tweemotorige type opereert overdag als bommenwerper. Het heeft groote verwoestingen aangericht op vliegvelden, in havens, spoorwegeentra en industriegebieden. Het is heel snel, is bewapend met zes gevaarlijke kanonnen, en heeft een bemanning van drie personen. De Boston is al een oude bekende in Zeebrugge, Rouen, Le Havre en Poissy, en liet zich bij de Geallieerde overwinningen in Egypte niet onbetuigd.
(13) DE BLENHEIM . . . Deze jager was een van de twee eenige types die de R.A.F. bij het uitbreken van den oorlog bezat. Het nu gewijzigde type behaalt steeds nieuwe successen bij dag aanvallen van geringe hoogte, bij het leggen van rookgordijnen, bij het verrichten van verkenningswerk, enz.
(14) DE BEAUFORT . . . Een tweemotorige, zwaar bewapende torpedobommenwerper, die ook als bommenwerper en als verkenningsvliegtuig dienst doet. Een groot aantal havens in de bezette gebieden weten heirvan meet e spreken.
(30)
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[picture]
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[page break]
KANTTEEKENINGEN BIJ ENKELE BELANGRIJKE REGEERINGS-MAATREGELEN
[crest]
I
TELEGRAM van H.M. Koningin Wilhelmina aan den heer Kalinin, President van de U.S.S.R.:
“Op dezen verjaardag bied ik U, Mijnheer de President, mijn hartelijkste gelukwenschen en de beste wenschen voor de toekomstige welvaart en het geluk der U.S.S.R. aan en ik betuig daarbij tevens mijn groote bewondering voor de energie en vastbeslotenheid der Sowjet-volkeren en voor het heldhaftig verweer van hun onweerstaanbare legers.”
Boodschap van den Minister van Buitenlandsche Zaken ter gelegenheid van den 25sten verjaardag van de November-Revolutie tot het volk der Sowjet-Unie:
“Over de geheele wereld, op welk front zij ook hun aandeel bijdragen tot de overwinning, worden de mannen en vrouwen van Nederland gesterkt door het onwrikbaar besef dat de macht van de As vernietigd zal worden door de gemeenschappelijke inspanning der Vereenigde Volkeren. Zij weten dat de heroische verdedigers van de Sowjet-Unie onder het bezielend leiderschap van Stalin, machtige slagen toebrengen aan den vijand, end at anderzijds iedere slag die zij zelven den vijand toedienen, bijdraagt tot den succesvollen afloop van de titanische worsteling in de Sowjet-Unie.
De wapenbroederschap der Vereenigde Volkeren, order wie de volkeren der Sowjet-Unie zulk een belangrijke plaats innemen, gaat vooraf aan hun samenwerking, die na de overwinning en in overeenstemming met de beginselen van het Handvest van den Atlantischen Oceaan, een nieuw hoofdstuk zal openen in de wereldgeschiedenis.
Dwars door den rook en de vlammen van het strijdgewoel beginnen wij reeds de vormen te onderscheiden van een nieuwe volkerengemeenschap, waarin de volkeren van de Sowjet-Unie, dank zij hun ongeschokt vertrouwen in- en hun ontzaglijke offers voor de gemeenschappelijke zaak, een eervolle plaats zullen innemen.”
II
NEDERLANDSCHE SCHEEPVAARTINSPECTIE.
Ten behoeve van de Nederlandsche Koopvaardijvloot is de Minister van Waterstaat overgegaan tot de vestiging van posten van de Nederlandsche Scheepvaartinspectie in verscheidene werelddeelen.
De Nederlandsche Scheepvaartinspectie heeft dientengevolge vertegwoordigers gekregen in Curaçao, te New York, te San Francisco, te Durban en te Sydney.
Op voordracht van den Minister van Waterstaat zijn bij Koninklijk Besluit van 8 October 1942 (Staatablad No. C 61) de bevoegdheden geregeld van de Inspecteurs van Buitengewonen dienst, die voor die posten zijn aangewezen.
De inspecteurs in buitengewonen dienst staan voor hun werkzaamheden als zoodanig, ingevolge het artikel 10 van de Schepenwet, onder de bevelen van den Minister van Waterstaat.
Bij Koninklijke Besluiten van 1 October en 8 October 1942 zijn benoemd tot inspecteurs in buitengewonen dienst: Kapitein-Luitenant ter zee K.M.R. W. van Hemert, Kapitein-Luitenant ter zee K.M.R. Mr. A. Boosman, Kapitein-Luitenant ter zee K.M.R. B.J. Knollema, W. van der Giessen, Kapitein-Luitenant ter zee K.M.R. b.d. N.S. Hartog, T. Veerman, inspecteur van de Ned. Indische Scheepvaartinspectie. Tot adjunct-inspecteurs in buitengewonen dienst: G.J.A. Wedel, S.L. Vellinga, A. Kokke; tot experts in buitengewonen dienst: W. Tuinebreyer, J.J. Pol, J.A. Toter, S. de Haan.
De Regeering verwacht, dat door deze uitbreiding van de Nederlandsche Scheepvaart-inspectie het toezicht op de veiligheid van de Nederlandsche scheepvaart zeer belangrijk zal zijn verbeterd end at bovendien veel oponthoud zal worden vermeden, dat tot dusver in verscheidene gevallen, door de moeilijkheid om certificaten en dispensaties te verkrijgen, werd veroorzaakt.
III
VOOR DE INDONESISCHE ZEELIEDEN.
De Nederlandsche Regeering blijt bij voortduring haar aandacht wijden ann de mogelijkheden tot uitbreiding van de sociale maatregelen ten behoeve van onze zeevarenden. Onze zeelieden hebben in dezen oorlog geen gemakkelijke taak. Dit geldt niet slechtsvoor de Hollanders, maar in nog veel sterker mate eigenlijk, voor de vele Indonesiers, die onze koopvaardijschepen bevolken. Zij toch voelen zeer sterk het gemis aan een pied-á-terre, gelijk zij dat in normale tijden plachtten te vinden in Indië en Holland. Vooral het wegvallen van Indië, hun “negri”, het land, waar zij dag en nacht van droomen, maakt voor hen het leven aan boord nog zwaarder. Zij missen thans de gelegenheid om, zooals vroeger, in hun eigen land eens “lost e komen” en zich in hun eigen sfeer te bewegen.
Teneinde dit gemis eenigermate te verzachten, heeft de Regeering derhalve besloten, zoo mogelijk nog voor het einde van dit jaar, twee clubhuizen voor Indonesische zeelieden te openen te Liverpool en Glasgow. Overleg is thans gaande met de bevoegde Britsche instanties om het clubhuis te Liverpool tevens te voorzien van slap- en eetgelegenheden, resp. voor 60 en 40 man. Te Glasgow zal, in tegenstelling tot Liverpool, een clubgebouw worden ingericht zoowel voor Nederlandsche als voor Indonsische zeelieden.
LEZEN EN DOORGEVEN!
Verspreiding van deze artikelen dient de nationale zaak
(32)
H.I.
Dublin Core
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Title
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De Wervelwind
Description
An account of the resource
Contents include Dutch royal birth, bombing of the Philips factory in Eindhoven, messages from royal family and commanders, and an overview of the war situation in Europe.
Date
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1942-12
1943-01
Format
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One magazine
Language
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nld
eng
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Text
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MCluettAV120946-150515-22
Coverage
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Royal Air Force
Civilian
Temporal Coverage
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1942-12
1943-01
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
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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.
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David Bloomfield
Steve Baldwin
bombing
propaganda
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/777/10684/PFalgateD16030087.2.jpg
5150845c1a9aed70e3eee5ddd8b7923b
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/777/10684/PFalgateD16030088.2.jpg
3290412a18003b3852fca1416bdf71f6
Dublin Core
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Title
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Falgate, Donald
D Falgate
Description
An account of the resource
69 items. The collection concerns Squadron Leader Don Falgate (136896 Royal Air Force) and consists of 68 pre-war, wartime, and post-war photographs and a handwritten detailed account of his tour. Don Falgate trained in Canada and flew operations as a bomb aimer with 463 Squadron from RAF Waddington.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Paul Falgate and catalogued by Trevor Hardcastle.
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
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2016-04-07
Rights
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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.
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Falgate, D
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Permission granted for commercial projects
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Title
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Empress of Scotland at Gourock
Description
An account of the resource
Empress of Scotland at anchor, taken from from a tender on the way to shore. Captioned 'Being taken ashore by tender to Gourock, Scotland on safely completed crossing of Atlantic (6 days). December 1942. Our transport Empress of Scotland in background.'
Date
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1942-12
Format
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One b/w photograph
Language
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eng
Type
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Photograph
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PFalgateD16030087, PFalgateD16030088
Coverage
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Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
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Great Britain
Scotland--Gourock
Temporal Coverage
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1942-12
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
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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.
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/875/11115/PHollisAN1801.2.jpg
7fea6f1398cdeabc26833d102de46378
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/875/11115/AHollisRE180111.1.mp3
e3e523e3265c6984d2c2ca159745a801
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
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Hollis, Arthur
Arthur Norman Hollis
A N Hollis
Description
An account of the resource
56 items. The collection concerns Arthur Hollis (b. 1922) who joined the RAF in 1940 and after training completed a tour on 50 Squadron before becoming an instructor. At the end of the war he was deployed as part of Tiger Force. Collection contains a biography and memoir, his logbook, correspondence, training records, photographs of people, aircraft and places, his medals and flying jacket. It includes an oral history interview with his son, Richard Hollis.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Richard Hollis and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
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2017-11-07
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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
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Hollis, AN
Transcribed audio recording
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Transcription
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CB: My name is Chris Brockbank and today is Thursday the 11th of January 2018 and I’m in Cowes with Richard Hollis to talk about his father Arthur Hollis. What were the earliest information you’ve got about your father, Richard?
RH: Well, right from his, from his childhood through schooling. We know quite a lot. Quite a lot about the family. I’ve got lots of photographs and, up until when he was in the Home Guard and then joined up and joined the RAF.
CB: So if we start with early on. Where his parents were. What his father did. And then take it from there.
RH: His father got completely decimated in the First World War and was an office manager in an insurance company. He went into insurance really because it was about the only thing that he could do and my father’s mother was at home bringing up children. My father was the eldest. The eldest child.
CB: His schooling?
RH: And his schooling. He went to, he said not very satisfactory prep schools. And then my grandparents were left some money by an uncle who deceased and enabled them to send both my father and his brother to Dulwych College as day boys where my father said he rapidly learned how to work and the advantages of working and he, he did very well academically. He was also a keen sportsman. He played rugby. He was a very keen swimmer and he was an extremely fine amateur boxer. He then, well after he came out of school at sixteen after he matriculated and I think that was school certificate or, anyway and he then, my grandfather was very anxious, his father was very anxious that he’d, with the war coming that he’d have some sort of grounding for a profession which my poor late grandfather had not had and so he was articled to a firm of chartered accountants or accountants in the City called [Legge] and Company. I think Phillip, I think it was Phillip [Legge], I’m not sure. The, he, [Legge] had been a contemporary of my late grandfather in the First World War. He was there for a good couple of years and, and, but he wanted to join up. He was not, he couldn’t join the Army or the Navy for some reason but he went then, he opted for the RAF and but apparently at that time there was a bit of a blockage of new people wanting to be pilots. They obviously couldn’t process them fast enough so he was sent off to Manchester University to do higher maths and flying related subjects I think for about six months before he went off to learn to fly in Florida. In his memoirs he comments that the ship that they went out on which was to Nova Scotia had been used for, as a meat ship. I doubt if it was cleaned out very well. They just strung a row of hammocks across and people were very sick apart from him. And so he landed in winter time in Nova Scotia. They saw good food for the first time. In his memoirs he tells us that. And then they worked, went by train down through the United States into, into Florida which of course was beautifully warm. He went to an airfield called Clewiston and quite early on he was selected to be a corporal, acting corporal and to, one of the jobs was to maintain discipline. He was quite a disciplinarian anyway and so he seemed to be rather suited. His commanding officer was Wing Commander Kenneth Rampling and he got on extremely well with Kenneth Rampling and had a huge amount of respect for him. He finished his training there. He said when he was training the flying instruction in the air was excellent. On the ground it was very poor so they had to work extremely hard to, to make sure that they didn’t lag behind or or fail. When they had finished there he went back up to Canada and I think he received his commission on [pause] up in Canada. They then joined other people on a, on a ship, troop ship crossing the Atlantic and in, he said in his memoirs later on he didn’t realise at the time, he wouldn’t have known but it was actually at the height of the U-boat, U-boat war but they were all very jolly and he said, but it wasn’t always pleasant going. He said, ‘If the sea was rough,’ he said, ‘You imagine shaving with a cutthroat,’ which he did, ‘A cutthroat razer in a rough sea.’ He said, ‘I didn’t worry about it.’ He just got on. But anyway, he landed in, he landed in [pause] I think Liverpool but I’m not sure. That would have to be checked out. And then went down to, in his memoirs I think he said he goes down to the south coast to be kitted out. After that, we’ll check up in his logbook, he went to Little Rissington to start learning to fly twin engine aircraft. It would have been Oxfords. He then went, he then went on to, where did he go after that Chris?
CB: Right. We’ll pause there for a mo.
RH: Yeah.
[recording paused]
CB: The question [pause] Of course, when he was an articled clerk it’s the early days of the war and everybody was pressed into something. He’d had training, officer type training when he was at school.
RH: Yes. He was —
CB: So what did he do when he left?
RH: He joined the Home Guard. He had a lot of respect for the other, his colleagues in the Home Guard. He pointed out to us as a family, he said, ‘Dad’s Army is not really a true picture of what it was like.’ He said, ‘These were people who had been a part of a, at the end of the First World War, if they’d survived the First World War, a fine Army and they could certainly shoot fast and straight. And in his memoirs he says that there would have been a lot of dead Germans. Anyway, he enjoyed himself in the Home Guard and thought it was very worthwhile.
CB: Good. Thank you very much. And so that set him in good stead anyway when he joined the RAF because he already had —
RH: Yes.
CB: Military training.
RH: Yes.
CB: Now, in his logbook we have talked about him returning to Little Rissington.
RH: Yes.
CB: Returning to England and doing his twin engine flying.
RH: Yes.
CB: So that was to get him accomplished with A - twin engine and B - the British weather.
RH: Yes. He does say in his memoirs that navigation was considerably harder in in the UK than it was in the, in the States.
CB: Did he ever explain why? Why that was so much more difficult.
RH: I don’t think so. Just that the terrain, in the States you could follow a railway line or something and there was very little. And the weather of course. So after Little Rissington —
CB: He then went on to the Operational Training Unit.
RH: Yes.
CB: That was at —
RH: He then went to Number 29 OTU at North Luffenham on Wellington Mark 3s. By this stage he had done two hundred and ninety five hours of flying and and it was during this period that he had an unfortunate incident. It was in December just before Christmas. December 1942. He had to bale out at two and a half thousand feet on the orders of the captain from the Wellington and he did not have his parachute done up correctly and it started to go over his, over his body. It caught on his flying jacket. It tore his flying jacket and he came down holding on to the, holding on to his parachute with his arms. He flatly refused all through his flying life to get the flying jacket repaired where it tore because he said, ‘That tear saved my life.’ He says in his memoirs that when he landed on the ground that he was met by some farmers, or farm labourers approached him and questioned where he was from. Was he one of theirs or one of ours and he said very strongly he was one of ours. He said they then plied him with tea in a farmhouse. He said he would like to have had something slightly stronger. Anyway, he continued his training there, then went to a short course, advanced flying, again on Wellington Mark 1s. And then in February, the beginning of February 1943 he joined 1660 Conversion Course at Swinderby. Swinderby, and was flying Manchesters, Mark 1s and he then and that’s where he picked up the rest of his crew. He had picked, when he was flying Wellingtons he had pilot officer then, Palmer as navigator, Sergeant Kemp as an air bomber, Cheshire, Sergeant Cheshire as a wireless operator/air gunner and Sergeant Jock Walker his rear gunner. And he was very very fond of Jock Walker.
CB: What did he tell you about the crewing up process at the OTU on the Wellingtons?
RH: He said that you just stand. There wasn’t any, he said you chose. I don’t know how it worked but you just chose your, I think he said that he chose. You chose your own crew and how you would know if they were good. I suppose if you got on reasonably well or you talked to them and you found out a little bit about them but those were the people that he had, I believe he had chosen. Later on in the Conversion Unit at Swinderby he was joined by Sergeant Bob Yates and sergeant [pause] who would that have been? Sergeant [Adsed], Don Adsed who was a flight engineer. Bob Yates was the mid-upper, upper gunner. So that made up the crew of seven. He did say, he told me that when he was doing his Conversion Unit converting to heavy bombers of all the people on the course he was the only one to have survived the Second World War. And that was born out by when the Memorial at Skellingthorpe was unveiled in the 80s. nineteen eighty —
CB: Six.
RH: 1986. A very old man came up to him and said, ‘Are you Arthur Hollis?’ And he said yes and he said and he was with my mother at the time who also witnessed this and this dear old man said to him, ‘Oh, I know one, I knew one survived. I’m so pleased to meet you.’ Which was very touching. Anyway, then in 1943 in March, March the 11th 1943 he started flying operationally at Skellingthorpe on 50 Squadron and straightaway we’ve got the first operation to Stuttgart. According to his logbook he flew a variety of Lancasters. They were Lancaster Mark 3s but his favourite, their favourite one appeared in March, at the end of March 1943 and that was D for Dog, ED475 which took them to Berlin and then on to St Nazaire the next night. Working through his logbook they did, they were flying some part sometimes to France. I know he planted, he did some mining in the Gironde on one occasion but then it was off to Kiel, [unclear] Stettin, Duisburg and Essen. On May the 12th 1943 they were setting off to go to Duisburg. He told me that quite often to gain height they would take off, fly over and go and fly over to Manchester to gain height and then, and then cross the North Sea with some decent height. But off the Dutch coast he was with, in collision with a Halifax. What had happened was that the Halifax apparently had been early and contrary to the strict instruction not to do a dog leg and join in with the main bomber stream the pilot of the Halifax had decided to turn back in to the main stream. Go head on into the main bomber stream. They collided. The Halifax with one of its propellers cut through and cut off six feet and damaged six feet of the starboard wing and put an engine out of action. The engine must have been on the starboard wing as well. Probably the outer. They both returned to, to England and he my father told me, I had asked him at one stage why he had not been recognised for, for bringing a damaged aircraft back with seven valuable men in it and he said because he wasn’t riddled with German bullets. But he was always extremely angry that the collision seemed to have been hushed up. There is correspondence about the collision from other members of his crew that looked at it, looked at it in 1979 and some photographs of the damage to the wing. But [pause] could we just stop there?
CB: We’ll pause just for a mo.
RH: Yeah.
[recording paused]
CB: So after the mid-air collision.
RH: Well, he —
CB: He got no recognition.
RH: He got no recognition. In fact, it was, it was all hushed up which made him very angry because it was, he said it was two valuable aircraft and fourteen valuable men. Coming back they jettisoned the bombs. He managed to fly the aircraft he said. He told me he could just about keep it in a straight line and they jettisoned the bombs and I don’t know where he landed but he obviously did. So that was that. Then he continued on with operations. That was with ED475. Their favourite aircraft. In an article written by, or written in 1979 one of his crew which was [pause] who was that? Cheshire, his wireless operator praised my father for flying the aircraft back. But it was established that it was a Halifax because there were bits of the Halifaxes propeller wrapped around the wing of the aircraft and it contained wood and only the Halifax propeller I believe had, did contain wood. So, we then move on to [pause –pages turning], I think we’ve missed something here. We need to stop I think.
CB: Ok. We’ll stop for a mo.
[recording paused]
CB: Ok. Restarting now.
RH: There is another photograph of, a colour photograph of a Lancaster. It’s actually a flight of Lancasters and my father told me that he was asked to take up a flight, a flight of Lancasters with a photographer on another aeroplane. They were to do formation flying. In his logbook he says on the 23rd of July a formation flying nine aircraft. He did say that they weren’t trained to do formation flying and basically most of the aircraft the pilots couldn’t get near this photographer so most of the photographs were taken of my dear late father in his Lancaster and his crew and the photographs are there. That has been established that it was JA899, again D for Dog and photographs have been taken up by Lincoln, copied by Lincoln University. Shortly after that, that was on July the 23rd, on July the 24th he went to Hamburg and on July the 25th in the same aircraft JA899 they went to Essen. It was on this trip to Essen that he, they were caught in searchlights and I think my father said at that stage they now had radar controlled searchlights and they were damaged by flak. It said hydraulics were u/s in his logbook. Tyres burst. They didn’t know that until they landed. Following the attack they were attacked by a fighter whilst held in searchlights in the target area and Jock Walker the tail gunner was wounded by a cannon shell and one of his other crew, the mid-upper gunner was also slightly wounded. He managed to lose the, or get out of the searchlights and, and fly the plane home and there was also, it says in his memoirs there was no, they lost their intercom as well. So it must have been a pretty unhappy time. For that he was awarded later on the DFC. Then after another trip to Hamburg they were coming towards the end of their tour. By this stage he told me that his crew, he said he didn’t believe in luck. He wanted, he purposely throughout his tour never had a girlfriend and he was a very strict disciplinarian in the aircraft. He said that there were, there were good skippers of aircraft and there were popular ones but he did not believe that the popular ones were necessarily good and he maintained this discipline. By this stage the crew had definitely established that they wanted to be flying with him and were most grateful for that which they wrote to him in a letter in 1968. And in the letter, this was written by Tom Cheshire who had visited, who had made contact with Don Adsed and it said, “We had a nostalgic hour.” This was in 1968 when they met up, “We had a nostalgic hour during which time we came to the conclusion from our total flying times that you were about the best pilot and aircraft captain we’d, either of us had flown with. I will spare your blushes but I really mean that. I afterwards flew with a motley load of crews and missed the crew discipline which you always maintained. I’m sure this was a considerable factor in allowing us to take advantage of an average share of luck.” Can we pause there?
CB: Yeah.
[recording paused]
RH: There is a photograph of, I would imagine it’s the entire squadron in front of a Lancaster. I know that my father is not in this one. I believe it was taken when he was on leave and that was at about the time of the, I think the Peenemunde operations. And he said that when he was on leave he came back and there had been such losses he arrived late in the evening and it was dark and he didn’t recognise anyone in the officer’s mess. He didn’t see anyone he knew and he said he seriously thought that he’d been dropped at the wrong airfield. And then he met someone and he said, ‘No, Arthur. I’m afraid we’ve had some, we’ve had some very bad losses.’ Moving on as they get towards the end of their, oh when Jock Walker was wounded so he didn’t do the last three operations but they were ending their, ending their tour and the last two operations were to Milan. My father told me that they were chosen, Milan was chosen because it was really getting to the stage where Italy had was on the point of, of getting close to giving up and Milan was perhaps a softer target, an easier target. They flew across France, over the Alps to bomb the marshalling yards in Milan. Unfortunately, my father told me that there had been a lot of instances where bombing raids tended to creep back from the target area as people pressed the button just a little bit early to, to get out and he wanted to demonstrate how not to bomb short. So he said to his bomb aimer, ‘You tell me when you’re ready and I’ll tell you when to press the button.’ He unfortunately got it slightly wrong and counted all the way to ten by which stage he’d completely missed the target they were shooting at, destroying the chapel where Leonardo da Vinci’s, “The Last Supper,” was on the wall in this chapel and Leonardo da Vinci’s, “The Last Supper,” was damaged but the wall stayed there. The rest of the chapel was completely destroyed and online you can, if you go online and look at the Leonardi da Vinci’s the “The Last Supper - war damage,” you can see some of my father’s handiwork. Later on, some years, some twenty seven odd years, thirty years later in his memoirs he tells us that he had, as a chartered accountant some Italian clients. He had quite a number of Italian clients. He never let on that it was he that had damaged that chapel or blown it to bits. But he was taken to see it and he quietly told my mother, ‘And guess whose handiwork this was?’ And he did also say later that he felt gratified, the fact that he had a whole lot of artisans work for the last thirty years. So that was his last operation to Milan and that was the end of his time at Skellingthorpe.
CB: Right so we’ve ended operations.
RH: Yeah.
CB: How many operations did he do?
RH: He, he did thirty. He did his full thirty.
CB: And how many hours was his total by then?
RH: And that, and that total by then was just under, was about six hundred and ninety.
CB: Ok. We’ll pause there. Have you got some more?
RH: Yes.
CB: He, he just about when he was finishing at Skellingthorpe in his logbook he says a voluntary attachment to 1485 Gunnery Flight, Skellingthorpe and it was then that his dear rear gunner Jock Walker came back on to the squadron and he, he took Jock Walker up in a Tiger Moth because he thought it would just be fun and good for Jock to get back into flying again. Very sadly Jock Walker lost his life doing his last three trips with another aircraft and in his logbook he says he was a very experienced pilot but sadly they lost their lives.
RH: Stopping there.
CB: Yeah.
[recording paused]
CB: What was your —
RH: With the situation with Jock Walker my father was asked by the station commander or senior officer whether he thought it would be a good idea if Jock Walker went back on to operations just to finish his tour because he only had three, three to do to complete his thirty trips and my father said that he thought that Jock would like that because he would be happy with that. My father later on a night explained that, he said it was one of the worst things he ever said in his life because as I’ve said poor Jock Walker went off to, to lose his life on one of those last three trips and Jock was the only child of, my father said, a very nice Scottish couple and to lose their only child was absolutely tragic.
CB: The history of these sorts of things is that, seems that captains and others sometimes feel a sense of guilt when something’s happened to their crew that was actually beyond their control but nevertheless within their realm of concern and command.
RH: Yes. So that was the end of his flying operationally. That. His tour of operations.
CB: We’ll just stop there a mo.
RH: Right.
[recording paused]
CB: So in training and during operations people formed all sorts of alliances, experiences and admirations and some of the senior people were very encouraging to the more junior ones. What experience did he have in that?
RH: When he was, when he was, going back to Florida he had a great admiration for, for his Wing Commander Kenneth Rampling. And as I say he appointed him, he says in his memoirs course commander. “I was made an acting corporal unpaid and held general responsibility for the behaviour of the Flight. About fifty cadets.” He, he then went on to say that, at the end of his course, “We took the wings exam and qualified. On the evening before the Wings Parade together I, together with my two section leaders invited by three officers to a celebration at the Clewiston Inn where they stayed. What a night. I arrived back at camp wearing the CO’s trousers, mine having got wet in a rainstorm. The next morning the Flight was drawn up on parade and I marched up to Kenneth Rampling to report, ‘All present and correct, sir.’ He said, ‘Christ you look horrible.’ To which I replied, ‘Not half as horrible as I feel.’” Just as well the doting onlookers could not hear these remarks. Dear Kenneth Rampling, he was killed two years later as Group Captain DSO DFC CO of a Pathfinder Squadron.
CB: Clearly made a really big impact.
RH: Yes.
CB: On him and an inspiration in his life.
RH: Yes.
CB: I’m stopping.
[recording paused]
RH: If I just refer back to his last trip, tour. His last trip of the tour was to Milan. His he said his usual aircraft was pronounced unserviceable rather late in the day. Group Captain Elworthy, later Marshal of the RAF, Lord Elworthy the then base commander was very anxious that I should finish on this trip. He therefore arranged for an aircraft from another station be made available and took me personally in his staff car to that station. My crew were taken there by bus. And he then goes on to talk about the bombing short.
CB: So, when, when he went to Milan then he didn’t come straight back did he? He went on to North Africa.
RH: No. They came straight back.
CB: That was a different one.
RH: That was a different one.
CB: Right.
RH: The North African was when he was bombing, a trip to Friedrichshafen. He says in his, in his memoirs if I can find it. [pause] I think we’d better just stop now.
CB: Yeah.
[recording paused]
RH: Was when they, when they carried out raids on the U-boat pens at St Nazaire it was rather useless as the concrete was too strong for the bombs then carried. He also went to Berlin, Pilsen and Hamburg. An interesting trip was as a special force chosen to bomb Friedrichshafen where special radar spare parts were stored. “As it was then midsummer there was not enough darkness to return to the UK. We therefore went over the Med to North Africa. The personal map which I marked up and tucked in to my boots is in my logbook."
CB: Stop there.
[recording paused]
RH: After his trip to Milan he used to dine out on the story but he maintained that he had taken Italy out of the war because they were so disgusted that a religious artifact was too much for them to cope with that and he recently, he said he recently told the story to an artist friend who remarked drily that the bomb damage was not half as serious as the damage inflicted by the subsequent garish and overdone restoration.
[recording paused]
CB: What other stories have you got that ties in with —
RH: Well, my father, my father had a very [pause] he was quite careful what he would say to, to some people. Particularly, he had German and Italian clients but I remember on one occasion in the 1980s at a lunch party my father was sitting next to a very charming German lady and she asked the question, ‘Have you ever been to Hamburg?’ And, because she was from Hamburg and he said, ‘No.’ And she, this lady had to leave the lunch party early so she went and one of his other, one of the other people sitting beside him said to, said to him, ‘I thought you said you had gone to Hamburg.’ He said, ‘Well, I did go but I didn’t stop.’ He was very, he used to give talks on, about his experiences and he was very adamant that people should understand that, you know people said, ‘Oh well, you know the poor Germans,’ etcetera. He said, ‘Do understand this? That whilst Germany was completely obliterating Europe the —' perhaps we ought to be recording this actually.
CB: We are.
RH: Yes. We are. Good. That it, it turned people, some people said, ‘Oh the bomber, the bombing campaign didn’t do much.’ He said, ‘Just look at it this way. It tied up, it tied up about a million people. Manufacturing had to be geared for defending the German Reich not manufacturing shells for, for the Russian Front or tanks for the Russian Front. It tied up a huge number people as Speer said in his book.’ My father also used to refer to Speer and said that had there been nine other raids like Hamburg the Germans would have probably thought about giving up. But everything was, everything, the vast amount of armaments and work and planning was geared to the defence of Germany not the offensive. And he said, ‘If you look back in history no one has ever won a war on the defensive and we put the Germans on the defensive. That they were not going to win.’ So, and he was, people used to bring up, he’d give talks about, about the Second World War and he would, he would definitely make this point that, and he also talked about the, after the war he said, ‘I can understand the crooked thinking that the appalling and harsh lessons during the war our former enemies quickly became model citizens. I’d been delighted to share friendships with some admirable Germans and even one or two Japanese. But naturally there has always been during the war there were good Germans but the nation as a whole followed, took a disastrous turning during the 1930s and set about ruthlessly establishing itself as the master race and one must not forget that.’
[recording paused]
CB: How many aircraft did he fly on ops?
RH: In total he flew twenty different Lancasters and after the, after the war my mother did the research when it became available and found that only one of them survived the Second World War. All the others were either crashed or went missing which means they were crashed. Incidentally the Lancaster JA899 which was the Lancaster where he got shot up over Essen that was repaired. That was repaired three times. Damaged three times and eventually it was lost on the 22nd of June 1944. So it was quite clearly not a throwaway society. Right.
CB: So after ops then.
RH: After ops he went on to number 11 OTU at Westcott in Buckinghamshire and was flying, became an instructor and was flying Wellington Mark 1Cs. He used to tell us that they were grossly underpowered and quite honestly he thought at times that it was far more dangerous training people than it was flying over Germany which he absolutely hated by the way. Flying over the Ruhr. He then said, he says in his memoirs he was posted instructor’s duties to OTU Westcott. “I felt it was rather like leaving the Brigade of Guards for the Ordnance Corps but there was no choice.” Most of the instructions, instructors were New Zealanders. A very jolly bunch of chaps. His immediate senior and flight commander was one Squadron Leader Fraser Barron. DSO DFC DCM. A New Zealander who ranked at the age of twenty one as a Pathfinder ace and was killed the next year as a group captain. The immediate successor to Kenneth Rampling mentioned earlier in the narrative in my father’s memoirs. He told one amusing story about one New Zealander who said he was, father became what he termed as a shepherd. People who really couldn’t get something right and eventually were going to be, you know sent back to be an air gunner or something instead of a pilot they were given to him and, and he, he did his absolute utmost to make sure that they were, they, you know, passed. He said, but it was sometimes it was very sad because he said generally people who were poor pilots tended to get the chop first. He had one. One New Zealander. He said he just couldn’t believe how this man actually got his wings but he did. He disappeared and some months later he turned up back on the station and said, ‘Oh, hello sir.’ He said, he said, ‘Good God, what are you doing here?’ And he said, ‘I’ve come here as an instructor.’ He couldn’t believe it [laughs] He’d survived his tour. Anyway, he was also at Westcott. He was, spent a lot of time at the satellite station of Oakley which also had 1Cs. He said one night he was sitting next door in the instructor’s seat next to an Australian pupil pilot who was doing a cross country practice. On returning he made a rather mess of the landing approach and I said, my father said, ‘Go around again.’ Immediately ahead of the main runway was at Oakley was Brill Hill. He said, ‘Good pilots could clear it easily but my pupil was not in that category. After looking up at the trees as we went over Brill Hill I let him have another attempt at landing. He did the same thing again after which I said, ‘Up to three thousand feet and we’ll change seats.’ The aircraft cross country flying at Oakley had no dual controls. He said at one stage he did, I think on that occasion he did come back with some, a bit of branch or twigs or something in the tail wheel. When he was at Oakley he said in the late spring of that year he had the good fortune to meet one Betty Edmunds, one of the staff in the watch tower at Oakley. He was officer commanding night flying at the time. “We soon discovered that we both came from Carshalton and had many mutual friends. Our friendship developed. We used to play tennis together. She always won partly because she was a much better player than I but also because whenever she bent over to pick up the ball I was completely unnerved and my mind was not on the tennis.” They did eventually get married and my father said he thought they would wait until the end of the war and my mother said, ‘Oh, do you? I was thinking about the coming 2nd of December.’ They got married on the 2nd of December and, and they went away for a honeymoon in Torquay and there is a photograph of my father on honeymoon wearing, wearing a greatcoat and out of uniform. That hasn’t gone to the Lincolnshire. That’s a new one I found. But anyway, continuing on with my parents because it was a very important part of his life. He said they both wanted children. My mother wanted four but my father thought that would be rather too many to educate properly. He was particularly keen in his life that people should be educated properly thinking back of his own, of his own education. He said, “Thinking about things over the years and knowing my darling Betty’s quiet way of getting what she wanted I think she made up her mind to start our family on our honeymoon. I had no hesitation in helping.” And I think, I know life was very difficult for them there. My mother was, was still in the WAAF but, and found certain petty rules very very irksome and there was one time she was married, then married to my father said at a New Year, at New Year there was an officer’s dance at Oakley and Betty was only a sergeant. She had to get her COs permission to attend and this was refused. “My fellow officers were most indignant that the Oxford tarts were likely to be there but an officer’s wife was refused.” I didn’t particularly mind the signs that Betty was pregnant but there you are. I don’t know how he told that within a month but still [laughs] they then, they then got some accommodation, very difficult but later on they managed to get a council house or part of a council house. Two rooms in a council house at Brackley but more of that in a while. So he continued his, back to the flying he continued with his training as an instructor and there was one stage where someone started to write him down and when he went for tests in flying saying that he wasn’t very good. Fortunately, his commanding officer picked this up and realised that the man, the same man actually wanted to go out with my mother. He thought that he would be taking my mother out. So, but that was, that was picked up and he did finish up and he says in his memoirs that he finished up with a category, “After New Year I was telephoned, this was a year and a half on, “I was telephoned by Group and I was promoted to squadron leader and was to Command Instructors Flight, Turweston. A satellite of Silverstone. I had two months earlier been categorised A2 by a visiting examiner from Central Flying School. An A2 instructor’s category was rare and the highest one could obtain in wartime.” I didn’t know that. But there we are. So, after, after Westcott he then went to [pause – pages turning] Ludgate, Lulsgate Bottom. Number 3 FI [pause] FI5 or FIS?
CB: FIS.
RH: FIS. And I don’t know whether that, I think that must have been further, that must have been further training.
CB: Let’s just stop there a mo.
RH: Shall we stop?
[recording paused]
CB: Right.
RH: Right. So after further training, advanced training as an instructor his European war ended on the 1st of May leaving Westcott.
CB: No. Turweston.
RH: Sorry. Leaving Turweston and he says in his memoirs when everyone else was celebrating VE Day he was with my mother and he had a miserable time because he’d just been told that he was going off to be an advanced party of Tiger Force then being formed to set up Bomber Command on Okinawa. But he was not allowed to tell my mother where he was going and he may or may not be coming back. So, he refers to that as, ‘The saddest day of my life.’ Do you want to know about Sue the dog?
CB: Yes.
RH: When he was, when he reached his twenty first birthday, as a little anecdote he, he was given an English bull terrier called, which he called Sue which he obviously loved. And when he got married to my mother they went to [pause] they found the two rooms in a council house in Brackley which was owned for the sake of it by a Mr and Mrs Blackwell. They didn’t, when father was posted away my mother who was heavily pregnant at the time went to live with, back to live with her parents in Carshalton Beeches and they didn’t know what to do with Sue. So they gave Sue the dog to Mrs Blackwell and my father used to say that every, every Christmas there and after they always had received a photograph of Sue the dog with Mrs Blackwell. He said they looked rather similar which looking at the photograph they did but Mrs Blackwell was always the one wearing the hat. He boarded a, he boarded a troop ship which had been formerly the Kaiser’s yacht and they were, they went through the Panama Canal. He found that fascinating. And they ended up they were in Hawaii when the bomb was dropped. The Americans, he said, didn’t really want us to, didn’t really want the British contingent which I think was about seven squadrons. They didn’t want them to be part of Tiger Force. The bomb was dropped and he said he and his fellow officers were horrified. Had mixed feelings. He discussed the situation with his fellow officers in his memoirs, “We were horrified that science had reached this far but grateful that our lives and probably about two million others had been saved.” They didn’t know what to do with them. They had a ship full of craftsmen, builders, and medical units, air sea rescue units etcetera. So after a certain amount of cruising around the Pacific they went to Hong Kong. He, they landed, they got to Hong Kong and it was about two days or so after, a day or so after the British Pacific Fleet. Before the Army had arrived and my father told me a story that it was after he arrived he said the crew on the Empress of Australia, the former Kaiser’s yacht, he said they were about, he said about the fourth rate scum that they’d dug out of the, out of somewhere in, somewhere in England. I think he said Liverpool. They had been cheating the, the servicemen on board by turning up heating and then serving them some sort of orange drink to which they would add a touch of salt so they wanted to you know, sell more. And he said they really were, they were very badly done by this group. When they arrived in Hong Kong he went ashore for twenty minutes and he came back and was speaking to a very worried sergeant, RAF sergeant who told him that the crew were mustering over there and, and they wanted, they were planning to loop the medical supplies that had just been unloaded from the ship on to the dock and what should he do? And he said it was the only time he took out his service revolver in anger. He said to the sergeant, ‘Sergeant, there’s a line there. Any man that crosses that line shoot him dead and I’ll show you how to do it.’ And he would have done too. But anyway, he, they had to keep the Japanese officers as fully armed because otherwise, he said the Chinese, the Hong Kong Chinese would have ripped the place apart and looted it but he said they gave, they gave away their food, their rations because there were other people who definitely needed it more. He said, ‘I scarcely slept for several days and was somewhat hungry as we had given up our rations to the ex-occupants of the internment camps. The Japanese were later used for hard work in repairing the colony. They lived in POW camps and were not overfed. And then after about a fortnight the Marine Commandos arrived and he did have, apart from the fact he was away from my mother and he did have a grand time, or a good time in Hong Kong. Although he’d never learned to drive he was given a jeep and he said that you had to guard it all times. If you left it for five minutes when you came back the engine would have been taken out. He said the Chinese, the Hong Kong Chinese were so resourceful he said they would, they used the engines for their, to power their junks. He was initially put in as supplies officer for the officer’s mess and he had an office in the Peninsula Hotel. He said that when you went into the Peninsula Hotel you turned right into a large room. In the middle of the room the room was completely bare apart from a desk, a chair and a filing cabinet and that was his office. He was supplies officer for the officer’s mess and he said he used to go out to the Navy ships to collect the gin. He said, ‘I always remembered going out.’ He always remembered going out but he never remembered coming back. He then, also in Hong Kong went on to do the rather unpleasant job of commandeering people’s houses for accommodation and he made some good friends from the Hong Kong Chinese for that. He said it was the most distasteful job. He also would do tribunals. Criminal tribunals. He said it was very difficult because the Hong Kong Chinese at that time would make things up and tell you what they thought you wanted to hear not what had actually happened. But I don’t know whether we can put that in. Anyway, he, my mother sent him some books to study, to carry on studying accountancy but he said that the social life was, it was difficult to study because the social life was rather too good. Anyway, back, then later on in it must have been I think it was May. In May 1946 he [pause] I’ll just get, we need to stop really.
CB: Yes.
[recording paused]
CB: In July.
RH: In July 1946 it was his turn to be demobilised and he set course for home by taking a passage in one of her, his majesty’s ships to Singapore and then got a place on, believe it or not the Empress of Australia again. He arrived at Liverpool one wet afternoon and the ship’s tannoy went, ‘Requiring the presence of Squadron Leader Hollis in Cabin —’ X. He proceeded there and was greeted by an air marshal who was there for the purpose of offering him a permanent commission. He said, ‘I’ve always been pleased that I didn’t accept. There were severe Service cuts a few years later and he has had a very interesting life.’ He went on to qualify as a chartered accountant. When he came back to England — do you want this? When he came back to England of course he then had to study. He had a young child. They had nowhere to live. They managed to find two rooms in the attic of a house in Dover belonging to a relative and he only spent the weekends there because he was studying during the week time in London living with his father which was, he said since his father liked to sit in silence it was the appropriate atmosphere but very poor for my mother. They literally had no money at all. Any money that they did, he got a small grant and any money they did have was spent on, on suits so that he was well dressed when he went to work. They then moved to a house of another, some cousins in Westcliffe on Sea in Essex but they were not, that did not go down. It did not work very well. But then in 1948 they found a flat to rent at the Paragon in Blackheath where they spent fifteen happy years and he passed the final exam and became a charted accountant. And my late sister Sylvia was born in 1949. Things got a bit better for him and eventually he was offered a partnership in a firm called Hugh [unclear]. A joint [unclear] with an assistant partnership prospects and he, in 1950 — do you want to continue in this? In 1950 he went out to Jeddah and he had some work in Jeddah to do and he said Jeddah at that stage was absolutely medieval. He said he felt that he was going back to the Old Testament. He did tell me one story that he was very keen on walking and one evening he walked out of the town and on to the outskirts of the town and got surrounded by a pack of dogs, wild dogs and he really did think that he was, that he was going to be attacked and killed. But he managed to find some sticks and stones and threw them at the dogs and he walked back into the town. But he said that was a very close shave. Unfortunately, my sister Sylvia when she was born was born very prematurely and was blinded by an oxygen, use of an oxygen tent. This was when he returned from Jeddah. He said it was very difficult. My other sister was doing well at school but he said, ‘How can you tell a child who says, ‘Will I be able to see next year? Or when I’m ten?’ ‘No. You won’t.’ In 1953 I was born. Unfortunately, my mother contracted polio whilst she was carrying me and it was another great burden on the family. My father and his career he worked hard and progressed well becoming a partner in [unclear] and company. He also took on the work from a small practice where the sole practitioner had died and the sole practitioner specialised in theatrical, in the theatrical and musical world and, and he met, and Yehudi Menuhin became a client amongst others. And Diana Sheridan, the late actress. He struck a great, had a great rapport with Yehudi Menuhin. Saved him from being clobbered by vast taxation and, and he was instrumental with others in setting up the Yehudi Menuhin School. He provided for us admirably. The family. We then in the early ‘60s moved down to a beautiful house down in Kent where he lived with my mother for fifty years and was very very happy there. He was highly respected and it was the house, he was highly respected in the village and became the sort of the elder statesman in the village. And he, my mother died in 2010 and in 2013 my father didn’t become ill he just one day went to bed and never woke up. And he was terrified of ever having to go into a home but he had his wish, he died as I say in his own bed in his own house and having lived an extremely full life.
CB: What a fascinating story.
RH: There we are.
CB: Thank you very much.
RH: Sorry, I’ve gone —
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
Interview with Richard Hollis
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Chris Brockbank
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
2018-01-11
Rights
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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.
Type
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Sound
Identifier
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AHollisRE180111, PHollisAN1801
Format
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01:06:22 audio recording
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Coverage
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Civilian
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Second generation
Civilian
Description
An account of the resource
Richard’s father, Arthur Hollis, went to Dulwich College as a day boy. He left at sixteen to join the Home Guard , then worked for a firm of accountants for a couple of years before joining the Royal Air Force. He was sent to Manchester University for about six months and then to Florida to learn to fly. He went to Nova Scotia and then travelled by train to Florida. Arthur was posted to Clewiston airfield and was soon selected for acting corporal. After finishing his training, he was posted to Canada where he received a commission. His next posting was to RAF Little Rissington to learn to fly twin-engine aircraft and then to the Operational Training Unit at RAF North Luffenham working on Wellingtons. He also went on a course for advanced flying and then joined the conversion course at RAF Swinderby with Manchesters, where he picked up the rest of his crew. Arthur recalled December 1942 when he had to bale out at thousand five hundred feet on the orders of the captain. His parachute, not being fastened properly, tore his flying jacket and he came down holding the parachute with his arms. In March 1943 he started flying operationally at RAF Skellingthorpe with 50 Squadron. Off the Dutch coast he was in collision with a Halifax which had been early. It cut off and damaged the starboard wing and put an engine out of action. Arthur had brought his crew back safely. The crew continued operations flying to Hamburg and Essen. On one occasion they were caught in searchlights, attacked by a fighter, and damaged by anti-aircraft fire. They managed to get home and Arthur was later awarded the DFC. The last two operations were to Milan to bomb the marshalling yards. Arthur completed thirty operations and had flown 20 different Lancasters, of which only one survived the war. Upon completion of his tour, to No. 11 OTU at RAF Westcott and RAF Oakley, where he met Betty who became his wife.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Sue Smith
Julie Williams
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Buckinghamshire
England--Gloucestershire
England--Lincolnshire
England--Manchester
Canada
Nova Scotia
United States
Florida
Germany
Germany--Hamburg
Italy
Italy--Milan
Netherlands
England--Rutland
Germany--Hesse
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
England--Lancashire
China--Hong Kong
Germany--Duisburg
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
1943-02
1943-03-11
1943-05-12
1944-06-22
Conforms To
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Pending revision of OH transcription
11 OTU
1660 HCU
29 OTU
5 BFTS
50 Squadron
anti-aircraft fire
bale out
bombing
British Flying Training School Program
civil defence
crewing up
Distinguished Flying Cross
Halifax
Heavy Conversion Unit
Home Guard
Lancaster
Manchester
mid-air collision
Operational Training Unit
RAF Little Rissington
RAF North Luffenham
RAF Skellingthorpe
RAF Swinderby
RAF Westcott
searchlight
training
Wellington
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/727/11318/EDoris[Recipient]421231-010001.jpg
f9b0bdf6dd20f7a6906ff580f2d27673
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/727/11318/EDoris[Recipient]421231-010002.jpg
c192520d38d97b1952103675b2b85aef
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
Brooks, Harry
Brooks, C H S
Brooks, Charles Harry Sidney
Description
An account of the resource
Collection contains 18 items concerning Sergeant Harry Sidney Brooks (1915 - 1942, 1357673, Royal Air Force) who was killed in an aircraft accident 20 December 1942 while serving as a wireless operator with 9 Squadron at RAF Waddington. Collection consists of pages from logbook, letters and telegrams to his wife from Harry Brooks, Brooks' father, official sources and others of condolence as well as photographs of him and family. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Pamela Tickner and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. <br /><br />Additional information on Harry Sidney Brooks is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/102784/">IBCC Losses Database</a>.
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
2015-10-02
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.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Brooks, HS
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
341 High St.,
Lincoln
Lincs. 31.12.42.
Dear Mr. Moth,
I hardly know how to begin this letter, but first of all, let me thank you for writing. I cant [sic] express my feelings in words at this moment, I am so terribly sorry for poor Winnie, and all dear Harry’s relations. What an awful shock it was, I cant [sic] get over it, really. Will you please convey my deepest sympathy to Winnie, may God bless her & help her to bear her sorrow. Tell her not to worry about thanking me for anything, I was only too pleased to help, it was so nice of her to even think of me when she was in so much trouble. I only wish I could do something now, I would spare nothing, but I am afraid it must be left to time, which heals all wounds. She wont [sic] be able to realise
[page break]
[underlined] 2 [/underlined].
that at the moment, we know, no-one would, but I pray that she will be given strength to carry on bravely for darling Pamela’s sake.
I should very much have liked to have sent a token of remembrance to dear Harry, but I didn’t have time to wire a wreath as your letter didn’t reach me until Wednesday morning. However, my thoughts were with you all. Well, I dont [sic] think I can say any more just now, if Winnie feels like writing later on I shall be pleased. I dont [sic] expect it now. I know you will look after her, & I will never forget her in my prayers. Giver her my love, all my best wishes to you,
Yours very sincerely,
[underlined] Doris. [/underlined]
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
Letter of condolence from Doris to Mr Moth
Description
An account of the resource
Letter to Mr Moth from Doris explaining how sorry she feels for Winnie and all of Harry Brooks' relations and asks recipient to convey her sympathy to Winnie. Apologises that she had insufficient time to wire a wreath for Harry's funeral.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-12-31
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EDoris[Recipient]421231-01
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
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Robin Christian
faith
grief
killed in action
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1119/11610/ASelwoodFN180113.1.mp3
07968231c4eb928c7fc6e934518e3a15
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
Selwood, Francis Neville
F N Selwood
Description
An account of the resource
An oral history interview with Neville Selwwod (1924 - 2018, 4215756 Royal New Zealand Air Force). He flew operations as a navigator with 75 Squadron.
The collection was catalogued by IBCC Digital Archive staff.
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
2018-01-13
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.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Selwood, FN
Transcribed audio recording
A resource consisting primarily of recorded human voice.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
GT: This is Saturday the 13th of January 2018 and I’m in the home of Mr Francis Neville Selwood, known as Neville, NZ 4215756 of Dunedin, New Zealand. Neville was born 12 June 1924 in Invercargill, New Zealand. Neville joined the RNZAF in 1942, trained as a navigator in Canada and joined 75 New Zealand Squadron at RAF Station Mepal 31st December 1944 completing twenty four war ops, two Manna drops and numerous Exodus flights in Lancaster Marks 1 and 3. Neville’s crew were stood down in late June and he arrived back in to New Zealand October 1945. Neville, thank you for allowing me to interview you. Please begin by telling us your story. Where you were born, grew up and went to school.
NT: Ok, Glen. I was born in Invercargill. I went to Middle School. When I was about five or six Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm flew over Invercargill and landed and my dad took me along to see the plane coming in and saw it on the ground. Having seen it in the air I thought my gosh I’d love to be able to do that. Well, in 1931 the Depression came along. My dad had to change what he was doing and bought a little farm out of Invercargill at Myross Bush. And we lived on the same road as the Southland Aero Club operated from three miles further along the road and I became a school mate of the boy that lived on the farm so I spent a lot of time there and watching the little planes from the Club take off and fly around. And a few others went with me but we were never offered a flight or anything. I always longed that someone would take pity on us and say, ‘Jump in.’ It never happened. There was an Air Pageant I do remember. It would be a bit after 1931 and bit before the Second World War. I’m not sure which year but planes flew in from all over New Zealand including the RNZAF planes. There was a Bristol fighter and there was a big Wildebeest, and had the roundels on them and that and these airmen there in their kit and that further reinforced my idea that this was where my future should be. Anyway, I went to Southland Boy’s High School and one day I got laid out in a rugby match and had to retire from the field and was sent home. I had to ride seven miles on a bike and I found I couldn’t manage it at all and I ended up walking bit by bit all the way home taking frequent rests on the way. My mother put me to bed for about a week and I went back to school and they decided I couldn’t play rugby any longer and told me to join the Harriers which I did. I eventually turned eighteen and as everybody had to register at the age of eighteen I registered of course and I had already spent about two year in the Air Training Corps. Number 12 Group in Invercargill. So I put down a preference for the Air Force and a few months later I joined a boy from, another boy from Invercargill. We travelled on the train, picked up another young fellow at Mosgiel and ended up in Christchurch for a medical exam which we all passed. Then we went home and waited to be called up, which happened to be December 1942. So I was really eighteen and a half when I officially joined the RNZAF as a prospective for air crew. Had a bit of difficulty getting my mother’s signature to the forms that you had to get parent’s permission to get in to aircrew. My dad wasn’t too difficult to get because he had medically been unfit for the First World War and his brothers in law had great war histories and what not, and my brother was already away in the Army. So dad signed the papers alright but mum, I just couldn’t crack her into doing it but I nagged and nagged at her and one night in a moment she decided to sign the papers. Well, that was great and we had a rural delivery box outside the house and the envelope to the right place with my enlistment papers was posted in the mailbox and we all went off to bed. I didn’t go to sleep. I had a sneaking suspicion mum would change her mind overnight. So I got up and in my pyjamas, rode my bike about a mile up the road and put the envelope in another farmer’s letterbox. And sure I enough I had to face up to a very angry mother in the morning. She had done exactly what I had thought she would do. She’d changed her mind and decided she wasn’t going to send those papers forth. But they were on their way and I duly got called up and was up in Levin in December before Christmas and got my first leave home at Christmas after just getting all the inoculations and injections. And I was at Levin in the Aerodrome Defence Unit, the ADU. Went back there for a while and ended up at Taieri near Dunedin in the Aerodrome Defence Unit again. A lot of military drill and so on. The first station I went to of course was Levin, near Wellington and we did the bayonet course and yelled out all sorts of profanities at the hay-made bodies that were supposed to be Japanese that we were bayoneting and climbing over these things. So that’s how that all began. And when we got to Taieri it was more route marching and drill with the rifle and so on and keeping our huts clean and tidy. And eventually, early in the 1943 was off to Rotorua for Initial Training School there and I already knew a bit about aircraft recognition and oh quite a few little things about navigating and airmanship and so forth, and eventually went before a selection board and was apparently found to have the right aptitude to be a pilot. And to my great relief and surprise I ended up down at down at Taieri training on Tiger Moths. Well, that soon turned out to be a disaster. I was quite hopeless in the air. Disorientated, giddy, got a supreme headache and when I’d get out of the Tiger Moth I couldn’t sort of balance right. Staggered around. After about three sessions they had very little time at all. Possibly up one and a half to two hours. The instructor said, ‘There’s something not quite right about your health situation,’ and he said, ‘I’m going to recommend that you go and see the medical officer.’ Which I did and he duly put me in the base hospital. I was there for two or three nights and he managed to wheedle out of me that I had had rather bad knock at rugby and he said I was suffering still from concussion and that Tiger Moths weren’t doing me much good with their propellers whizzing around and the noise and what not. So he, he grounded me and put a medical certificate on the top of my file so I had to remuster to ground crew. So very shortly after that I found myself being taken into Dunedin to catch a train to Lyttelton and I met a fella who was also a grounded trainee pilot by the name of Jim Freestone who hadn’t managed to go solo in the allotted time and we ended up at Rongotai. And there were quite a lot of fellas there called Grey Wolves who had failed in their initial pilot training and were being held until some other aircrew occupation came up for them. It was mainly dependant on what shipping there was to Canada. But anyway I had to go before a selection board to decide what ground crew trade I had taken on. Fortunately, I ended up with a one man selection board and he was a flight lieutenant who had done either one or two tours of duty in England in Bomber Command early on and was back working in Air Ministry in Wellington. He had a look at my file and said, ‘Now, what are you going to do in ground crew?’ I said, ‘Well, I’m not interested in ground crew.’ ‘Well,’ he said, ‘You’re in the Air Force now and you can’t get out of it so I’m afraid you’ve got to choose something. So tell me what you’d prefer to do.’ He said, ‘I see you’ve had a bit of office background here.’ So he said, ‘You could probably get into the accounting section.’ And I said I wasn’t interested in that. So he said, ‘What would you be interested in?’ I said the only thing that would interest me would be crewing on an air sea rescue craft up in the Pacific. I’d read about them in the Air Training Corps Magazine, “Contact.” And he said, ‘Oh, you like a bit of speed and whatnot. Why did you actually join the Air Force anyway?’ I said, ‘Well, it was to fly a Spitfire.’ Which he laughed and said, ‘And so did I,’ and he said, ‘And I ended up in a slow old — ’ I’m not sure if it was a Whitley or Hampden to start off. So he said, ‘You don’t always get what you want.’ So he said, ‘But you sound a keen type.’ And he had a look at my file and said, ‘Amazing how many papers mount up on your file once you join the services. One here for this and that. Every inoculation you get and everything that shifts around,’ he said, ‘Here it is on your file.’ He said, ‘On the top of it is this medical report saying that you’re not fit for aircrew.’ He said, ‘I think maybe there’s still a place for you on aircrew. I’ll just take this medical report off the top of your file. I’ll put it about third from the bottom and,’ he said, ‘I guess it’ll never be noticed again. Stay with the aircrew boys and we’ll see what happens.’ Well, we all got sent off to Rukuhia near Hamilton on the North Island by the river there in the winter. And we weren’t there very long before quite an influx of fellas came down from Roturua that had been selected to go to Canada for training other than as pilots. They lorded it over us because they regarded us as utter failures and we should be sweeping hangars and so on. That made us pretty keen I think to show that we still had some use and the commanding officer there anyway there sort of knew there was disruption. We were all waiting for shipping and word came through that an American ship was coming in to Auckland and could take I think it was a hundred and twenty of us and he decided to hold an examination and I did pretty well in it. And because I did pretty well in it they decided I should be a navigator. My friend Jim Freestone didn’t do quite so well. They decided he should be a bomb aimer and so on. The next group of marks went to wireless operator/air gunners. And that’s how it came about that I was selected to be a navigator. And in August ’43 we joined this little freighter from the President Line having been told we’d have a very comfortable journey on a ship of the President Line. And my mate Jim Freestone said, ‘That’s wonderful. The President Coolidge is a great ship.’ And we eventually got a great meal in a restaurant and taken down to the docks on a Saturday night and duly formed up and of course I was in the S to Z flight and he was in the first flight being a Freestone. And we had a bit of free time in between and he came along and said to me, ‘It might take a while to find each other on the, on this big President ship,’ he said, ‘The first time we get any free time,’ he said, ‘Make, make your way to the Purser’s Office and I’ll do the same and we’ll meet there.’ They got marched off into the gloomy night. There were just little lights here, there and everywhere illuminating things. And eventually the S to Zs were called to attention and we marched by several outlines of big ships and then we were halted outside a thing that looked about a quarter of the size of the ones we’d walked by. There was a little gangway and there was a Yank with this little doughboy cap on, as grubby as anything with a fag hanging out of his mouth alight and he just sort of grunted and moved his arm to climb up the stairway. And I had these two kitbags. I understood one was to go in the hold and the other one went with you in the cabin because a couple of years earlier my school mate from the one teacher school had gone away and in his letter home to his mother he’d told her about the wonderful journey he’d had to Canada and how a steward took one kit bag from him when he boarded and another one took him to a cabin and another one told him when his bath was drawn and they had a menu to eat from. It was on a ship that was on its last trip before it was converted to a full trooper. So I very naively expected someone was going to take one of my kit bags. One had a blue band around it and one had two. But nobody did. And I could hardly see the fellow in front of me but we went down another gangway. Another fella sort of beckoned us on and I went down another one. And I thought ah well the war has gone on a bit obviously you take your kit bag down to the hold yourself. Then we wandered through. We went through a smelly big room with a lot of fellas moaning and groaning and they were being attended to by orderlies and they were marines being invalided home from the Islands. And we went through them in to the very bow of the ship. The fo’c’sle. And there’s my mate Jim Freestone standing there looking aghast and said, ‘It didn’t take long to find each other did it?’ There were six bunks. I think there was six along the side of these steel plates straight up in the bow of the ship down the bottom of it and that’s where we were. And every time we came out we had to go through this sick room. Some fellas were more or less in cages. Others were dying, and as they died their bodies were put in a cover and put in the freezer room. Well, we stayed tied up in Auckland all Sunday morning. We went for our first meal. Queued up and we had the steel plate given to us with the divisions in it and then some pretty scruffy fellas. One ladled come cold beans in one part and someone ladled a bit of bread in another part and another friend of mine three in front of us suddenly put his hand over his mouth and disappeared. Later on we found him standing and leaning over the railing vomiting into Auckland harbour. The smell and the sight of what we were going to eat had been so dreadful I think. So we took our plate in the afternoon about 3.30 and I never thought I’d made such a bigger mistake in my life. I thought my gosh I wish I was home with you. I just saw the coast line of New Zealand gradually getting harder and harder to see and eventually it disappeared and we were on this boat. Had two so called meals a day which most of us just couldn’t stomach. And it was a ship of the President Line but it was built to carry coal down to South America. We didn’t find out for many, many months that the President Coolidge had been torpedoed or something and run aground on the islands out in the Pacific. So, we were on our way to San Francisco. It had a canteen on board. It had taken no fresh milk or vegetables or anything like that on in Auckland. It was under charter. And the canteen had liver salts and cool cigarettes, mentholated ones. And the only other thing it had was salt water soap. They had showers up on a sort of temporary arrangement up on deck and the salt water soap was supposed to lather but it didn’t. And so we set off. Took us about fourteen days to get to San Francisco. We encountered intense fog as we went into the harbour and all we could hear was the sort of fog horns tooting off, coming from all directions. Eventually saw about three foot of the Golden Gate Bridge and we eventually docked. Got loaded on to tracks and went over the bridge. And we got some wonderful food from the Red Cross, American Red Cross ladies there. And these older ladies looked like really princesses when we saw them [laughs] I think we’d all fallen in love with them on sight but they came out with what they called cookies and whatnot and fresh milk and we, we got a lovely feed and we were soon on our way up to the coast through Oregon. A beautiful train trip with, supremely comfortable. Went up through, eventually got to Vancouver. And then we went across Canada and we had a, a sleeper type accommodation on that with dark stewards that turned your seats into bunks and that. Were extremely good and wonderful food. And eventually got as far as Edmonton where we got off the train and we stayed in what had been sort of a race course place and the grandstand as far as I can remember had been converted into accommodation. There were quite a lot of Australians there who were real hard cases and we were there about a month and then we were moved on to a place out of Winnipeg. What’s the name of it? It’s there in my logbook. In Canada. Number 7 AOS. Just shows you your memory lets you down. 7 AOS. Air Observer School. Portage la Prairie and, that’s right it was right in the middle of the Prairies but it was wonderful train trip over there. We were just late Autumn when we got there and the winter soon came and we began training in the SDRs, the little things that they set up. And they set up the whole trip and they had a clock that ran fast and you had to try and keep up with it and sort out wind changes and things that they put up in front of you. Eventually they let us into Anson aircraft. They were run by civilian pilots who flew from one town to the other. There was no black out and we usually seemed to fly along the border with the USA from one town to the other. Eventually we did a lot of star shots from the ground. Got to use sextants, and we went out on our first training on the navigating by the stars which we could identify. They were all these northern hemisphere stars. We came back over triangles. They called them cocked hats. They were huge. Just about put about half of Canada in most of them and your plane was supposed to be in the middle of that triangle. Well, the instructor, an Australian by the name of Flying Officer Sheridan, he was a very good fella. He said, ‘Well, that’s not too bad for your first effort but,’ he said, ‘I think I’ll have to try and do a bit better than that.’ And then there was a chap by the name of Glen Garry who’d been held back from an earlier course because of illness and he’d joined our course. And he said, ‘Oh,’ he said, ‘You idiots. You don’t need to stand out there with your shoulders and neck and head out of there in icy weather and these big gloves on trying to handle a sextant.’ He said, ‘You know exactly where you are. The pilots just fly from one border town to another,’ he said, ‘You can soon identify where you are. So,’ he said, ‘You just work backwards through your star tables. You know where you are on the ground. Now, you just find the right stars to get star tables and you’ll end up with a much smaller triangle.’ But he didn’t tell us to make them as small as, you know your thumbnail or anything like that but that’s about what we did. And Sheridan came around after a first effort at this. He gave a little grunt at each little disc he went by. Then he went up front and said, ‘I want to congratulate you fellas,’ he said. ‘I think this must be the best navigation course I’ve lectured to,’ he said. ‘When I went out,’ he said, ‘You could put the whole of Manitoba in the best cocked hat I ever got my sextant shots.’ And he said, ‘You’ve remarkably got very small cocked hats here and,’ he said, ‘The other interesting thing is they always seem to be over a little town.’ So we sort of all got our heads together and the next night we went out we decided well we’ll take them somewhere between towns. Some will do them about a quarter of a way around, some of them half way and some three quarters and we’ll make the cocked hats much bigger. I’m sure he knew what we were doing. I suspect he’d done the same thing himself because he did say when we finished, ‘You certainly know how to use your star table book.’ I eventually graduated as a navigator. We had one interesting trip one day. We were sent out to do a square search and we were quite a long way from Portage la Prairie and we lost an engine on the old Anson and the instructor decided that we would make for the nearest field he could find. I think it was Brandon. And you had to wind the undercart down on it and if you put the undercart down on an Anson with only one engine she didn’t seem to behave very well. So as my part of the journey was the homeward journey it was my turn to wind the undercart down. So he said, ‘I’ll tell you when to start underwinding. Winding it as we are approaching our landing place.’ He said, ‘Don’t start any sooner ‘til I give you the signal,’ and he said, ‘Wind like hell and get it down in time for me to touch down.’ And we did. And there we were, it was about tea time and the fella who was flying, I think it was Derek de [Journay] he had had infantile paralysis and he dragged both legs along behind him. And neither of us had caps on or anything and a smartly dressed Canadian officer came out and remanded us and he said to this fella, ‘Who do you think you are? Do you think you’re Billy Bishop? Scruffing along our base like you are,’ he said, ‘You’re a disgrace.’ And I said, ‘Wait on a minute,’ I said, ‘This young man’s suffered from poliomyelitis but,’ I said, ‘He’s been passed medically fit to, for aircrew.’ But anyway we were told that they would quickly fly us back to our own station. Leave our Anson where it was. And they wanted rid of two unruly rough looking fellas as quick as they could and we flew back to Portage la Prairie and left our old Anson behind us. That was just one of the little incidents at Portage la Prairie. Eventually we got some leave over Christmas, New Year and I had relatives in Toronto and Ottawa. And we arrived there, four of us on leave, and on New Year’s Eve and we weren’t allowed in until they answered the door and saw what colour our hair was. There was some tradition about the first footer into the house on New Year’s Day had to have dark hair I think it was. And anyway one of us passed the test and we were all allowed in and we were made very welcome. We actually, two of us, Claude Greenhowe and I, we crossed over into the United States to, we wanted to have a look at the waterfall, Niagara. And we found ourselves just out of Buffalo. We tried to cross over and we needed a permit. They gave us, I think told us to get it signed by some superior officer. So we took the permit back and one of us signed the two forms and put a rank beside it and took it back and that was ok. We were allowed over in to Buffalo and so we could get into the United States. I also had a pen pal who lived in Lancaster County, not all that far from New York and we got, eventually our final leave in Canada we all ended up in New York and we went to the Stage Door Canteen. Went to see Sonja Henie in an ice skating review at a wonderful stadium there and I thought I’d better go and, I’d been in touched by letter with this girl and she said, “You’re getting closer and closer as you move across Canada.” And I thought well I’d better go down so I said to my mates, ‘I’d better go down and say hello and I’ll be right back,’ because New York was so attractive. But anyway when I got down there and was met they’d never seen a bloke with a, “New Zealand,” on his arm before and I was absolutely overwhelmed by hospitality and she was a beautiful young girl too, and so I spent the rest of my leave down there. She lived at home with her, with her widowed mother and auntie and there was snow. Snow time. Snow falls predicted. And her mother said, ‘Maybe Nev would like to go to an ice hockey match. There’s one on at Hershey Park tomorrow night.’ So they asked me had I been to ice hockey. I said, ‘Yes.’ I’d been to one in Toronto and I had enjoyed it very much. So her mother said, ‘Well, take Neville over to Hershey tomorrow night Evelyn,’ which was her name and she had her own Plymouth car. Her father had died some years before when she was twelve years old. I’d been writing to her since she’d been eleven. That was the thing that schools did. Mainly for stamps and whatnot. And anyway her mother said, ‘You might get held up in the snow. You mightn’t get back tonight so put some blankets in the car. You can always sleep in the car.’ Well, they didn’t even know me. Only through the letters that I’d written. And I was a naïve, innocent young man anyway, brought up in a strict Presbyterian way. And we went off and had, saw a great match of ice hockey at Hershey. The snow wasn’t too bad and we drove straight home. So I’ve often thought we were, really we were innocent young people. And this young American girl was just as innocent as I was. And I remember I didn’t even give her a hug or a kiss when we finally said goodbye. But we kept writing to each other for quite some time after that. Eventually we left from Halifax on the Nieuw Amsterdam, a big Dutch ship and I’d got commissioned of course in Canada with a few others and had a cabin which was meant for two but had six in it so there was very little room in it. And it was very, very crowded with loads of people going back to the UK plus a lot of airmen. And, but we commissioned fellas did eat in the main dining room and we met an interesting fella there who was a passenger. An Englishman going back and this Nieuw Amsterdam changed course every four minutes. It did a zigzag course. It had no escort because it was quite a fast ship. And he’d suddenly pause with his fork and said, ‘It’s about to turn to starboard,’ and then four minutes later he’d say, ‘It’s about to turn to port.’ And this was the conversation right through the meal really. It sort of happened in four minute sections when the Nieuw Amsterdam changed course. We eventually docked at Gourock up in Scotland and went straight on a train down in Brighton where we, I was billeted in a small hotel with another small hotel nearby. One was the Albion. I can’t remember the name of the other. And we were there about a month. Given one or two duties to man a machine gun, sandbag things on the foreshore because there were a few sneak raids by German planes just coming in and shooting the place up now and then. And little by little one or two would be called away to go away to some training camp. And eventually it came my turn and Randall Hewitt, Derek de [Journay], the fella who had the polio and the chap, Hills from Marlborough, the four of us were posted over to Anglesey. To Mona. M O N A. And we did a flying course there on the sturdy old Ansons without the astrodome on them. We were flying across well away from the operational side of things. Our main flights were around the Irish Sea. We’d fly over to Ireland and then up to a point in Scotland and back again. We learned how to use the astrocompass mainly and we eventually were passed on from there to go and learn on how to work on a Wellington.
GT: Now, from there Neville then if I can, I’m just looking at your logbook. So just to, just to put the perspective of your, the time that you spent training and the first entry in your logbook is the 12th of October 1943 in an Anson in Canada.
NT: Yeah.
GT: So October ’43.
NT: It was Autumn. Yeah.
GT: And you flew and trained right through until February 1944. February 25th navigation course for air navigators and air bomb aimers. Number 7 AOS, Royal Canadian Air Force, Portage la Prairie. So you finished your training there February ’44. And your next entry goes through to Anglesey Number 80 AFU and that was during the month of May 1944. And then your next entries list you at RAF Westcott in July ’44. So please tell us about your time with RAF Westcott onwards.
NT: Well, we arrived at Westcott and we had to crew up as, with a crew of six. We were put in a huge hangar and they were a certain number of probably about a hundred or so navigators, pilots, wireless operators, bomb aimers and gunners and we were told to find ourselves a crew. Victor Hendry from Wellington, and I found each other. He was a bomb aimer. He was commissioned as I was. We looked around for a New Zealand pilot. There seemed to be only two there and the first one, a commissioned officer with the name of Hanna, he already had a navigator and the only other pilot we found a New Zealand flash on was Wyn Russell from Wellington and he was a flight sergeant. He said, ‘Would you fellas fly with me?’ And we rather liked the look of him. He was a bit older than us. We thought he’d probably be a sensible sort of pilot so we said we would. And then an Englishman from the north of England came up and said he was rear gunner. Did we have one? We said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Well, I’ve got a mate who’s a mid-upper gunner. I’ll go and find him.’ And so we had two gunners. And then a smallish fella turned up from Kent and said he was a wireless operator could he join us? And that’s how we became a crew of six.
GT: So, so that was why did you specifically ask for a New Zealand pilot? Or look for them.
NT: Well, I think we just felt we would be more at home with another Kiwi. And I think in the back of our minds was we hoped we would eventually end up with a New Zealand squadron. So —
GT: And which New Zealand squadrons were an option?
NT: Well, the only one was 75.
GT: My leading question. Ok. So, so our discussion today has been that 75 New Zealand squadron was known as the chop squadron by many because of the mass of losses. So you’d heard that there were several people that had deliberately tried not to have a Kiwi pilot because they hadn’t wanted to go to 75. Can you remember anything of that?
NT: I I heard, heard a bit about it but we didn’t sort of take much heed of it and thought that was probably a sort of a fairy tale. It didn’t put us off anyway. But the commanding officer at Westcott wasn’t very happy about us having a sergeant, a flight sergeant as our pilot. He was an Englishman and he wasn’t used to that sort of thing and he said, ‘I think you’d better find someone of the same rank or higher rank.’ But we said, ‘No. No. We want to stick together.’ And I seem to remember him muttering something like, ‘You’re a stubborn lot you colonials. Oh well. I suppose it will work out. But you remember the pilot’s always going to be the boss of the outfit.’
GT: So you were a pilot officer at the time.
NT: Yes. I was a pilot officer then.
GT: And the rest of your crew? What ranks were they?
NT: Sergeants. Apart the pilot who was a flight sergeant. And of course the bomb aimer was a pilot officer. Shortly to become a flying officer.
GT: So they would prefer to have all the pilots to have been officers even at that time.
NT: No. They were quite happy with sergeant pilots, and flight sergeant pilots. But they weren’t happy with two commissioned fellas having to submit to someone of lower rank.
GT: But the ultimate was skippers were always the man in charge. No matter what rank on the aircraft.
NT: Yeah.
GT: It didn’t matter. Right.
NT: Yeah. Absolutely. We were prepared to accept that but the English didn’t think that was the proper way for things to be. But that’s how we went anyway.
GT: So, you had your crew of six.
NT: Yeah.
GT: You still had to find a flight engineer. Was that right?
NT: That didn’t happen until we got posted on from Westcott. Oakley to Wratting Common and went on to Stirlings and had to have a seventh man. A flight engineer.
GT: So, so we’ll just go back to finish Westcott please Neville. What did you fly at Westcott and how long did you spend there?
NT: We weren’t there very long. I’d have to get you to look at my logbook there. We flew mainly from Oakley. The satellite station from Westcott.
GT: All Wellingtons.
NT: We did one.
GT: Twelve hours. Eighteen hours.
NT: One trip Windowing in August. We flew over to Caen and Bayeaux and when the German night fighters came up we high tailed it back to, to England. They were sort of little feint attacks while the main Bomber Command crossed the coast at some further point. The effort was partly to block out the radar and partly to try to draw up the German night fighters.
GT: You have one entry here on the 18th of August. Diversion crew Bayeaux. Night bombing. Three hours forty. So —
NT: Oh yeah.
GT: So effectively you went on an op that wasn’t an op.
NT: That’s right.
GT: [unclear] those on ops.
NT: Yeah. Well, a lot of OTU people went on the thousand bomber raid actually. Bomber Harris was determined to try and get a thousand bombers so he had to resort to taking a lot of crews from OTUs. So you actually did some early flights from an OTU.
GT: But they never credited you even with a third.
NT: No.
GT: For that particular trip.
NT: No. No.
GT: All right. So your logbook says 11 OTU Westcott July 27th to August 21st. And then you moved to 1651 Conversion Unit at Wratting Common. And what did you work on there?
NT: Stirlings. Mainly the pilot getting used to four engines and us getting used to having a flight engineer. From memory he was just allotted to us. We didn’t choose him. Turned out to be a good fella and a good flight engineer and fitted in well. And we did a lot of circuits and bumps there. And one the thing about landing in a Stirling was the, you had to, every time you landed someone had to go out and chalk the wheel to show the creep from the valve. And if it got to a certain stage too far you had to stop flying circuits and bumps for that period ‘til they corrected things again. We managed to ground loop a Stirling early on and it was rather scary. Turning around a great big circle and managing to avoid hitting anything. But —
GT: Wow. Well, you, you 1651 arrived October 30 and finished 29 December 1944.
NT: Yes. And then we —
GT: And that was a bunch of hours. Daylight hours are twenty three forty and night time hours seventeen and ten. And then you moved to?
NT: Woolfox Lodge in the tiny county of Rutland as it was. A few miles from Stamford. And Vic and I and the pilot had each in the meantime bought a little car each. He had a little baby Austin. We had a little Austin too. A little two seater. It turned out to be a disaster. It kept running down the batteries and needed rewiring. But eventually [unclear] bought it off us and he got it fixed up and he drove it around Mepal eventually in it quite a bit. I can’t remember what happened with Russell’s little Austin but by the time we got to the squadron we didn’t have a car anyway. It was a job getting petrol anyway. So —
GT: Best to have a bicycle right.
NT: Yeah. Went back to bicycles [laughs]
GT: So did you take your bicycle when you moved next to 75 squadron?
NT: No. No. You just picked up another bicycle. There just seemed to be an abundance.
GT: Did you have to sign a chit for one?
NT: I don’t remember ever signing for one.
GT: Fabulous. Ok. Well, your logbook says that you arrived on the 31st of December.
NT: Late on the 31st.
GT: 1944.
NT: And I had been invited to the Duke of Rutland’s New Year’s Eve Ball by a little girl I’d met in Stamford. Her father was a doctor and he was the lieutenant to the Duke of Rutland. His wife was, according to one of the English magazines considered the most beautiful woman in Britain and the [unclear] were sort of a posh family and I didn’t quite fit in but they seemed to want me to take their daughter out and about. And I remember going to, with her mother and herself to watch her young brother playing rugby one day I had some leave. A Saturday. And I’d had four lovely Nestles chocolate bars sent from home by my mum and I remember taking a couple of them to the rugby match intending them to be eaten at the rugby match and intending to eat a fair bit of it myself. So I duly handed them over and her mother thanked me gratefully for these chocolates and put them in her handbag and they went home. So I didn’t get my chocolate that day. But she was a lovely girl. She had an Australian boyfriend too and just another girl like the American. She was nothing forward about her at that but a very lovely girl and I was rather sad. I was on a train going down to 75 Squadron when I could have been at the Duke of Rutland’s Ball. Although I wasn’t much of a dancer so it was probably just as well I wasn’t at it.
GT: She liked the ANZACs [laughs] Very good. So your logbook then shows your first operation on 75 was January the 5th but you you had a bit of an introduction to 75 which, which was rather sad.
NT: That was our second trip but our first night trip. Yes.
GT: But when you arrived though.
NT: Oh yes.
GT: Yes.
NT: Yes. Wing Commander Newton who had done a tour much earlier on 75 had just replaced Wing Commander Leslie about a week before we arrived. And they were having a big party on the night of our arrival, a New Year’s Eve party and apparently he was accused of shooting a line from his earlier days at Mepal and all we were told by the orderly officer was that we would meet up Wing Commander Newton in a couple of days time. Unfortunately, he flew off with a new crew, I think it was on the 1st of January and they just didn’t return. We later learned they’d been shot down and they were [pause] the navigator was said to have been a long way off track and they were all killed. So we lost our wing commander, yes. Before we’d met him and before we’d flown at 75.
GT: His replacement was?
NT: Well, took a wee while to get a replacement. The officer in charge of B Flight, I think his name was Rogers, he was acting wing commander. We did a day and our pilot of course did a second pilot, a second dickie course. A night trip with another crew so he’d been on an op before any of the rest of us. Our first op was a daylight. I think it was probably Saarbücken was it? I remember the flak was rather heavy.
GT: January the 5th Flight Sergeant Russell at that time. War ops — Ludwigshaven.
NT: Ludwigshaven. Yeah. It was said to be very heavy flak. We thought it was anyway. I do remember when we came back Jim Freestone caught up with me when we were, you know getting out of all our gear and whatnot and he said, ‘What did you think of that?’ I said, ‘I think we’re in a job with no future, Jim.’ And he said, ‘I think you’re right.’
GT: That’s a very good impression after your first flight wasn’t it? Wow. So now you were mentioning as to one of your earlier flights that you had problems and you had to jettison. Can you explain about that flight?
NT: Yes. Well, our next flight was, what date was it? It was. The target was Neuss, which was an inlet port on the Rhine.
GT: January the 6th.
NT: That was said to be probably an easy, easy trip but there was icing about and we, all the squadrons were having to climb to height, mainly over Reading. And we were orbiting around there getting up to twelve thousand or fourteen thousand feet and a pretty thick concentration, just a few squadrons there and I just said to the pilot, getting ready to set course and suddenly the plane lurched away to port and all my navigation stuff shot to the floor. And when I bent down to pick it up I found flames leaping up from the bottom of the [unclear] wall of communication gear between me and the wireless operator, and I shouted out, ‘We’re on fire.’ And immediately of course went to get an extinguisher from the wall behind me. That took me off intercom. As far as I remember the pilot switched off the oxygen and took the plane down a bit and the flight engineer joined me. He got another extinguisher. He was off intercom too and there was smoke everywhere. All I remember is that we were spraying all around the wireless operator who was sitting there frozen white, unable to move, just as though he was a dead man. And we eventually got the fire out and got back on the intercom and just in time because the pilot had just told them to get ready to bale out and the bomb aimer had already lifted the front hatch out. Another moment they would have been gone. The outfit was full of smoke and with no connection with the engineer and myself and the radio operator not responding he thought the three of us must have succumbed. By the time I got this sorted out all the flames had disappeared and we’d not long come down from Lancaster Finishing School up there at Woolfox Lodge and we were filled up with information from there. What you did and what you didn’t do on the squadron. And one of the things was if you lost all your communication gear you shouldn’t proceed with your operation because you might muck it up because of some directions being sent out and you didn’t pick them up, and I’d lost my Gee connection as well. And so the pilot said, ‘Well, we’re not allowed, as a new crew we’re not allowed to land back at base with the bombs on board. So find me the jettison area, Nev.’ And I did that by DR, direct, [pause] DR. Using winds anyway. It took quite a wee while to get to the area in the North Sea where we jettisoned these bombs which were an the area free from shipping. And we eventually found our way back to base by dead reckoning which was what DR was. Using Met information that we’d been given we found our base and got permission to join the circuit and land and the undercarriage wouldn’t come down. So they told us to orbit around for a while they saw if they could direct us how. There was some way, some manual operation from memory that you could use and they ended up having to get the engineer officer out and he was in bed and he wasn’t very happy. And eventually he gave our flight engineer some instructions and the undercart did come down. We came in and landed to find that we were being followed by a fire engine and an ambulance and a little Humber car. And as we eventually got out of the Lancaster all these various ones turned out and of course our Acting Wing Commander Rogers was there in the little Humber car and our rear gunner, a bit of a wag from the north of England got out and said, ‘Well, that’s a jolly good way to do ops. Just fly out over the sea and jettison your bombs and come back again.’ It wasn’t very well received and we were told, ‘You be in my office at eight in the morning and I’ll deal with you then.’ So we turned up at eight in the morning and found two other crews had turned up as well. The whole three crews were in trouble. One had come back because the hydraulics had failed and they couldn’t operate their turrets. I forget what the trouble was with the third one. Something to do with the engines. So they had two early returns on his first night as acting wing commander and they hadn’t had any early returns for a wee while and he wasn’t very happy. So he said, ‘The first city trip that comes up you three crews will be top of the Battle Order.’ That very night we went in and saw a Battle Order up with just eight crews on it. We were just making up the numbers for other squadrons and sure enough ours was the first one on the list and the other two were there and the other five crews were sort of miscreants in lesser ways too. So we set off for Munich. The Met officer said, ‘I don’t think you can rely on anything I give you tonight. All we know is that there are three fronts coming in at varying time. You’ll meet them going and coming back and I don’t think you’ll find my predictions would be much use to you. I can’t tell you just where you’ll meet them.’ So anyway we set off and by the time we reached the French coast the Gee had packed up and we didn’t have a clue how to get it going again. And I reported to the pilot that I’d lost my Gee and he said, ‘Well, we’ll just have to press on with DR,’ he said, ‘We certainly can’t go back to base.’ [laughs] So we pressed on and I flew all the way there by dead reckoning and there was cloud everywhere up quite high. Eighteen thousand feet and still in cloud and eventually I said to the pilot, ‘Target coming up in a few minutes,’ and a while later he said, ‘You’d better come and have a look around Nev.’ He said, ‘I don’t think we’re anywhere near a target.’ There was supposed to be some marking done by Pathfinders and we couldn’t see a thing. The rear gunner said, ‘I think I see a glow away over to starboard there.’ So I said, ‘Well, we may as well go over there.’ So we flew in that direction but it had disappeared so we decided to let our bombs go anyway and of course they automatically take a photo and the blooming thing was developed the next day and it showed that we’d bombed an area which had bush around a bit of water and no one could work out quite what it was except that it looked like the edge of a lake. But they were trying to work out just exactly where it was. Took some days on it. I think it was Air Ministry that finally plotted out what it was. We’d apparently flown about forty miles past Munich and if we’d just gone a little further we’d have taken out a lakeside retreat for the SS. People used to go for rest periods. But we flew all the way back still on dead reckoning. I hadn’t long set course for home and we got the call to, ‘Starboard go, skip.’ And we were attacked by two night fighters. The rear gunner had reported seeing a light and the skipper said, ‘Keep an eye on it,’ and this one was following us but then the mid-upper gunner saw this other plane coming in firing at us from our starboard side. So, anyway we flung ourselves on this corkscrew. The gunners reckoned the one attacking from the starboard side and he withdrew but the other one tried to follow us but we, he must have given it up because we didn’t hear any more fire from him. And we stayed in that cloud for quite some time before we dared come out of it. I was getting a bit jittery because I wasn’t, didn’t really have any idea just where we were. So I gave the pilot a course for 275 to fly to and we shared the coffee flasks around, relaxed a bit and then I had a look at my repeater for the compass course and find it’s showing 075 instead of 275. So I quickly got the skipper to correct things. I said, ‘We’re going to take us back to the Ruhr or somewhere like that,’ so I said, ‘Get back to 275. We’ll head in the general direction of the UK.’ And eventually as night began to give way to an early dawn I said to the bomber, ‘Now, I’m going to rely on you to tell me what’s coming up.’ And he eventually said, ‘There’s a river coming up,’ and I said, ‘Well, we should find another river. I think that’s where we are within so many minutes.’ And sure enough another river came up and we found we were way down the south of France. And so we kept on this heading of 275 and eventually found the English coast, fired off the colours of the day. Found the Wash and then there was a bit of a canal that down towards Mepal and we found my way home there. And of course the Cathedral was a great sighting point too and landed and, but they were but we didn’t actually land at Mepal. We were told to divert to Waterbeach because one of the eight planes had run off the runway with its bomb load on and had blocked the runway and they weren’t able to shift it before we’d got back. So we, the seven crews that had taken off for Munich all went to Waterbeach and we ended up in a couple of trucks and were taken back to Mepal, and we realised that the attack had been pretty hopeless. Nobody was enthusiastic about what had happened at all and we didn’t feel too bad. Nobody seemed to have found Munich that night and we were just unlucky enough to find a wee hole through the cloud that showed this bit of lake and bush. But in a way it served us well because we felt that we were not very highly thought of for that early return. Anyway, the nav officer congratulated us on a pretty good effort on DR navigation and doing what we had done and from then on we were, we thought we were ok as a crew.
GT: Was that the only time you were attacked by aircraft?
NT: Yes. It was actually. Mainly flak was our biggest problem.
GT: And for any of the two gunners and then, did you ever have the aircraft fire the front guns?
NT: No. Never.
GT: No. Ok. Did you have any German aircraft come up underneath you to try and fire?
NT: No. We managed to miss out on that fortunately. We were briefed about these Scarecrows that the Germans were sending up. Great pyrotechnic displays and they were to knock our morale and make us think they were part of the aircraft exploding. As it turned out they were Lancasters just blowing up in flames. Shot down by these schrage musik upper firing guns. They used to come in underneath you where we had no vision and fire into the petrol tanks in the wing and dive away to get out of the way of the resulting explosion. But we were told they were simply German fireworks made to appear like aircraft exploding. It wasn’t until very close to the end of the war that we actually found out what they really were but we managed to escape those.
GT: Did you know of any aircraft that had any eventual belly guns on 75 squadron?
NT: Yeah. Well, we were given an old aircraft one time when ours was in for some maintenance and we had an extra man on board. And this aircraft was equipped with as far as I can remember a .5 gun that fired underneath. And as far as I can remember his name was Yates. Must look through those Battle Orders and see if you can find the name of Yates there. And we only flew the once. I think it was on a daylight actually and that’s all I can tell you. There was one Lanc that we knew.
GT: So you were never briefed. You were never briefed to say you were going to have an eighth man on board.
NT: No. No.
GT: Yeah. Well, I’ve met an under gunner and he said only three aircraft. And he was assigned. Went away, trained for a week, came back and they flew for a while towards the end of the war. So —
NT: Well, we picked one of those three obviously.
GT: Yeah. Yeah. Really awesome there. I can see from your logbook you did a mixture of days and nights.
NT: Yes.
GT: War operations. Which did you prefer?
NT: Well, I preferred the daylights actually. I think the whole crew preferred daylights.
GT: You were saying that as a navigator though your job was rather easier during the day.
NT: Well it was. In a way you wondered why you needed a navigator because you could, there were several planes you could follow. But on the other hand you could get lost or lose an engine, [unclear] it kept us up to speed anyway. We were expected to do the same sort of navigation on a daylight as you would on a night trip and take your position at the same frequencies and change courses and that lot. It seemed to work out that everything you did everybody else was doing exactly the same thing. So in a way it was just keeping on our training for night trips I guess.
GT: But, but all aircraft didn’t, were not equipped with the same equipment like Oboe and Gee.
NT: No.
GT: And H2S. So you found that a little bit of a problem?
NT: Yes. Well, quite a few aircraft when we joined 75 didn’t have H2S. Probably the majority did, but our plane didn’t get H2S until probably, probably about March or something.
GT: March 1945. And H2S, and yet every other squadron pretty much had an aircraft with H2S.
NT: Yeah. Yeah.
GT: Boy, boy. Ok. And what other equipment were you lacking on our Lancasters?
NT: Well, I took a funeral for a friend a while back and he flew with an English squadron. They had .5 guns and a new turret back in 1944 and he found it hard to believe we were still firing 303s with these old turrets.
GT: 75 Squadron didn’t change from Stirlings in to Lancasters until mid-‘44 so —
NT: Yeah. That was awfully late, wasn’t it?
GT: Very late compared to other operational squadrons. Yeah. Yeah. I understand the New Zealand person from London intervened.
NT: The High Commissioner.
GT: High Commissioner.
NT: Jordon.
GT: Jordon. Yeah. So from that equipment then and of course entering into doing Operation Manna food drops. So, so please tell us about your experience with those.
NT: I probably should mention that I was one of those fellas accused of being a terrorist for navigating a Lancaster to Dresden on the 2nd raid of the night.
GT: Now, that particular, if we can just avoid the Operation Manna for a moment but your raid on, what particular night was that?
NT: That’s February. About the 13th of February I think.
GT: Dresden definitely is the 13th of February 1945, and you did nine hours ten as a night operation for that. Four thousand pound Cookie and incendiaries. And the target was Dresden.
NT: Yes.
GT: And, and its well documented that Dresden was a huge question mark as to ethics and to why and how. So could you talk about what your feelings were for that raid? Personally being on it and then all the controversy afterwards perhaps.
NT: Well, at briefing we were told we were assisting the Russians who had requested the bombing of Dresden because their lines of provisions had got too long and their troops were advancing fast to the Eastern Front and they couldn’t get the supplies up to them and Dresden was getting fresh troops brought in by frequent trains running in there. They withdrew a lot of divisions from Italy and from Norway and they were taking them through to Dresden. That was the drop off point and a lot of armaments and, and men going up and being dropped off at Dresden to go up to try and quell the Russian advance.
GT: So the main push was because of the German troops going in. Not civilians.
NT: No.
GT: This was what you were told.
NT: That’s what we were told and in subsequent reading I’ve discovered that Dresden was not full of refugees. They found them just too much trouble. They shoved them straight on the trains returning from Dresden to get them away from the area. And the trains that brought troops up took refugees back out. So where the truth lies is hard to say but I was greatly helped eventually by reading Frederick Taylor’s book just simply called, “Dresden.” And that’s written with, after he managed to get hold of the German archives from the Russians after the breakdown of the Russian states and they make, his book makes very interesting reading and did me a lot of good to read it. Because I had written, I had read those earlier books about the destruction of Dresden and the devils inferno and I was made to feel like an absolute terrorist. And it stayed with me for years actually and all the publicity we got. The House of Lords didn’t help us much in allowing, and I know I’m still a licenced Anglican priest I look back and think some of those Anglican bishops in the House of Lords didn’t really quite understand what war is all about and they created a bit of havoc there. And Winston Churchill seemed to just want to back off and leave Sir Arthur Harris to take the blame. Now, all he was doing was carrying out orders from War Command Headquarters and that Yalta Conference with Roosevelt and Stalin was held over that same period of time as we attacked Dresden. And I think it’s rather tragic that Sir Arthur Harris has been left with a tarnished record over Dresden and in many ways Dresden suffered as much as quite a lot of the other cities that were bombed in Germany and had quite a larger percentage of losses. And I’d recommend that book, “Dresden,” by Frederick Taylor to anybody to read who has troubles over Dresden.
GT: So you were on the second raid of that night.
NT: That’s right.
GT: And did you notice any difference? Was there fires burning already? Or —
NT: Yeah well, I think we’d be about a hundred and fifty miles away from Dresden and the pilot said to me, ‘I don’t think you’re going to need to do much navigation, Nev. Come up here and have a look.’ And you could see fire from a long, long way back. Well over a hundred miles. And according to the book, “Dresden”’ quite a few crews deliberately didn’t drop their bombs in to the flames. We did. But the book also says that the Jewish slave population that worked in Dresden had to walk in several miles every day to go to work and they, they saw it all from a safe distance and they rejoiced to see it happening. And it also turns out there were about a hundred and fifty war production factories in Dresden. They were told there were no, nothing like that. You know the people that grumbled about what we did to Dresden. And it had been a city of clockmakers and they were famous for this. Dresden China wasn’t made in Dresden. It was made further out in another town but sold under the name of Dresden and these clockmaking factories became the main source of the instruments, that tanks and naval ships and aircraft used. Instrument makers. So it really was quite a war target really. But it had never been one before because it was so far out of range. It was only after we advanced into Europe after D-Day that we could get. Take on those further targets really.
GT: But you were still flying operations from England though so it didn’t —
NT: Pardon?
GT: You were still fling operations from England.
NT: Yeah.
GT: In the same Lancasters that were dropping —
NT: Yeah.
GT: Earlier.
NT: The next night we went to Chemnitz. It turned out it wasn’t a very successful raid. Mainly through weather and bad marking. And we were told we had to do three in a row but the weather broke. Bad weather came. The upper and the House of Lords the third attack never took place. I’ve heard since that the third one was to be Potsdam and the thought was that Dresden, Chemnitz and Potsdam taken out in three nights immediately there was the possibility of the war finishing at that stage in early February. But as it turned out it didn’t.
GT: Right. So, you mentioned also the Americans did a raid on Dresden at the same time.
NT: Well, I learned from this book that it was agreed that the Americans would be the first to attack Dresden. They were to attack it in the morning and of course they prepared very early in the morning, from about 4 o’clock when they were going on a long inland raid. And the weather was terrible so they cancelled it so the RAF were called to make the first attack which was what half past tennish or something and ours was more like after midnight. So the American attack took place next morning and the book tells us that the weather was bad. There was a big front of weather and there were two groups of American bombers took off to bomb Dresden unaware that just how much damage had already been done. And one group contacted the other and said, ‘We’re going to fly to the north of this front and the other one said, we’ll get around south and we’ll end up over Dresden.’ Apparently the, one of the groups flew out of clouds, saw a big city on a river, dropped their bombs and it turned out to be Prague not Dresden. That’s according to the book called, “Dresden.” And I’ve never seen it denied but I don’t think they did a hell of lot of damage to Prague all the same.
GT: Now, you also, one target. Was it Wesel?
NT: Yes. We attacked Wesel twice and we attacked it late in the afternoon of the eve of Montgomery crossing the Rhine there. My understanding is that a force of eighty of which 75 were the leading group with a group of eight. GH equipped, two GH equipped planes of which I was one. I’d been trained in GH. This was accurate bombing through cloud when you couldn’t see the target, and the aircraft sent out signals which were received back to England. Sort of the reverse of Oboe and very accurate. And the navigator actually did the lead in, you know, ‘Left. Left. Steady. Hold it, skipper,’ and what not and actually pressed the button that released the bombs. And we, we led a group of three. That was the normal way. One GH leader, two, one on each side and one coming up from the back in a little diamond and according to that first history book of 75 Squadron we were at the last attack on Wesel and got congratulations from Montgomery for the accuracy of our bombing. But then I’ve read another book since that said at midnight there was a Pathfinder force of seventy nine planes that bombed Wesel. And I do know that our group was one of eighty and 75 had eight planes leading it and it was a very successful raid so whether that other story about it a midnight attack on Wesel is right or not, I don’t know.
GT: Ok. So if we move to the Manna ops. Once you’d completed war ops and you were detailed to drop food parcels how did that prepare for you guys and what were told? Were you told to remove guns? What was the [unclear]
NT: No. We weren’t told to remove guns but we were told in no way to start firing. We didn’t go on the first day. I think the 29th was the first day I went. The first drop was the 28th from memory.
GT: 30th there was Rotterdam.
NT: Yes.
GT: The 7th of May was the Hague.
NT: Yes. So, yes we went to Rotterdam I remember them loading the food and they had a lot of men from the base down below. Some of them on steps and pushing food up into the bomb bays which just were slightly open and they were pushing food up in there. And we just flew over, went in very low, told to be no higher than five hundred feet but most went in much lower than that. We were told to be careful not to be the first to fire a gun. We didn’t know whether the Germans would fire on us or not. We had seen plenty of anti-aircraft guns around and some of them deliberately being sort of aimed at you but apparently a local German commander was a compassionate man and he’d given orders in no way were these food planes to be fired on. One or two planes, oh I don’t know how many but some did report being fired on but not over the drop zones. They were fired on I think by ordinary soldiers away from the area where the food drops were. They just saw these planes flying low and took pot shots at them. My friend Bill Hall tells me they came back with one of the turrets on fire and the rear gunner a bit the worse for wear but it didn’t happen to us. We didn’t fire anything. Didn’t remove our guns. We were ready to fire back if they fired at us but they didn’t. And they were, some days later we did get an assurance from German High Command that we wouldn’t be fired on provided we flew in these narrow —
GT: Flying corridors. Yeah.
NT: Yeah. And specified drop zones. And it all went pretty well according to plan. Incidentally, I just met a Dutchman. We were both in hospital recently getting some radiotherapy treatment for skin cancers and he, I happened to say to him, ‘Do you mind me asking where your home town really was.’ I knew he wasn’t a Kiwi. He said, ‘Yes. I’m from the Netherlands.’ And I said, ‘I flew over there a few times.’ ‘Oh, did you? What did you fly?’ ‘Lancasters.’ ‘Oh,’ he said, ‘We knew when it was Lancasters. We could tell the different engine sound to those other four engine ones.’ I think he was referring to Stirlings. He said, ‘We used to hear them going over and we were pleased to hear them. I was just a young boy but,’ he said, ‘I remember I hadn’t seen bread for long enough and,’ he said, ‘Mother got some flour and some other stuff and she made some bread.’ And he said, ‘It was just wonderful.’ And he said, ‘I want to give you a gift.’ I said, ‘I don’t want any gifts.’ ‘Oh, no. No.’ he said, ‘I can’t forget what you fellas did for us.’ He said, ‘I want to give you a gift but,’ he said, ‘I don’t know if you really want it or not.’ I said, ‘You’ll have to tell me what it is.’ I said, ‘I don’t want any gifts but if you insist I have one and you don’t know whether I’d like it or not you’d better tell me what it is.’ So he said, ‘Well, I’ve got a lot of half [unclear] timber at home from the old Burnside freezing works and,’ he said, ‘I like doing a bit of woodwork,’ and he said, ‘I make little Dutch milking stools,’ he said, ‘Would you like one?’ I said, ‘Well, yes. That would be rather wonderful.’ I said, ‘I milked cows by hand. We didn’t get the machines until shortly before I went into the Air Force,’ and I said, ‘Well, our family had to do the hand milking,’ I said, ‘So I had a little stool to do my four cows that I milked night and morning.’ And so I said, ‘I know what a milking stool is like.’ He said, ‘Now, I can make a round one, a square one or an oblong one.’ I said, ‘Oh, well, how about a round one?’ He said, ‘Right.’ A few days later he phoned me up and said, ‘I’ve made you a stool,’ he said ‘I hope you like it,’ he said, ‘It’s not round, it’s not square, it’s not oblong.’ He said, ‘I’ve decided on a different shape.’ So he said, ‘When can I bring it and deliver it?’ So we made a date and he brought it around and I’ve just shown it to you over there. It’s quite a delightful little thing with, what has it got? Six sides to it and joined and beautifully made and also he and his son made a doorstop out of this [unclear] timber too. This is a thank you for what we did for dropping food so long ago. I had met other Dutchmen who knew about it and a Dutch woman years ago but this, I was the first fella that had dropped food that this man had met me and he, he was so emotional.
GT: It was in a Lancaster, wasn’t it?
NT: And thankful.
GT: Yeah. Yeah, I too have met many and they are very thankful of what you did for them then, for that. Phenomenal. And of course there was Chowhound as well as Manna.
NT: Yeah.
GT: So there were numerous RAF Squadrons as well as Americans as well.
NT: That’s right.
GT: B17s as well. So that’s fabulous. So besides the Manna trips your Manna trip shows that you obviously worked at Juvencourt repatriation flights.
NT: Yes.
GT: Exodus.
NT: Before that we actually did a trip to Brussels. We took some Dutch civilians who had been sort of in civic government. Had taken refuge in England during the war. And they were being taken back to Brussels to try and get some form of you know, local government going again. So we had wives and some babies, we had a pram and a perambulator in the bomb bay and landed in Brussels on a very large airstrip that the Germans had been operating from for years. And these Belgians were absolutely overwhelmed at getting home again, and it was rather lovely seeing prams and perambulators and suitcases now in the bomb bay and these civilians and young children including babies on board. But there was a slight mishap on that trip. It was a beautiful day and the bomb aimer and I sort of changed occupations and we found Brussels fine, got the call sign right and got permission to land. The pilot said, ‘Oh yes. I can see,’ and we put down on a very short air, air strip and had to brake heavily to avoid running into a blooming fence at the end of it and a fella came out and looked at us in amazement and said, What the hell are you doing here? He said we’ve never had a four engine plane down here before.’ And we’d been talking to the right place but landed at the wrong one [laughs] Failed to identify it. And we didn’t tell the Dutch we’d made a hash of things. They just thought this was part of what we had to do. And —
GT: That was the Belgian.
NT: Yeah. The Belgian. That’s right.
GT: Yeah.
NT: And the trick was to take off again from it. So they got a tractor out and helped tow us right to the very end of this little short runway, and of course you didn’t have much of a load on it at all. It took off alright and we found this other place on the other side of Brussels which is quite a huge city actually, and we landed there and these people embraced us and thanked us and we didn’t tell them we’d given them an extra little landing and take-off. It didn’t seem to upset them anyway. They were so glad to be home. We thought we’d stay the night in Brussels and, but we had trouble with our plane and I think it was magneto trouble and our wing commander decided it wasn’t a good idea to leave this crew in Brussels overnight just after VE Day and he sent a plane out to pick us up and leave our plane there to be attended to and eventually another crew was flown out to bring it home again from my memory. But we did go and have a beer at a sort of a tavern place. We traded some cigarettes for some rather watery beer and that’s all we knew about Brussels.
GT: Fabulous.
NT: These people had been refugees to England.
GT: Ok.
NT: They got away before the German occupation. Now we’d taken them home. But it was quite wonderful to bring the prisoners of war home from Juvencourt. On our first trip there from, if my memory is right and I’m pretty sure it is we also took some French civilians over to Juvencourt and brought prisoners of war returning home back. Some were in pretty pitiful conditions. They’d been force marched for many, many miles over a long period of time. Footwear worn out. A lot had died on the way and a lot were in pretty poor condition. We, I think we put twenty four on board and brought them back to Ford. And I remember the first thing they did was come down and kiss the ground and then they marched them off to the delousing tents. But they were extremely grateful to, to us for bringing them back.
GT: Your logbook describes further that you completed your last flying on the 29th of June 1945, and if I can just finish your little story here of your wartime operations stuff off the summary and you’ve got completed in your logbook that you, with your crew day ops war fifteen, night ops war seven. Abortive op, the one you had to jettison times one. Manna Operation flying times two. Exodus four. And Baedekers two. Night operational hours fifty two hours and day operational hours one hundred and ten. And you’ve also here a total weight of bombs dropped twenty two four one thousand three hundred and eighty four bombs. Pounds. Two four one thousand three hundred and eighty four pounds. So your crew phenomenally did a wonderful job that you were called upon to do and one last couple of mentions there of your Manna ops you’ve listed the 30th of April three thousand six hundred pounds of food. And the trip you did to the Hague on the 7th of May ’45 six thousand two hundred and seventy pounds of food.
NT: Yeah. We’d learned how to load a bit more in.
GT: Yeah.
NT: As time went on.
GT: Yeah. That was fascinating. So, so during that earlier time of 1945 there, 75 New Zealand Squadron RAF, I’ve got to mention it wasn’t a Royal New Zealand Air Force Squadron.
NT: That’s right.
GT: It was an RAF squadron with a whole bunch of Kiwis. But during that time and the loss of Wing Commander Newton the replacement CO was Wing Commander Cyril Baigent.
NT: That’s right.
GT: How did you get on with him and how did you find him as a CO?
NT: Oh, very, very good. Yeah. He was very young. Very pleasant. Quite boyish features but a real leader. My pilot and him didn’t get along very well. That was through an unfortunate incident, it wasn’t anything to do with the wing commander but my pilot’s best friend Mel Thorpe on a daylight trip which we were on they got home just minutes ahead of us and were in the circuit waiting to land and they lost an engine. And apparently the last order picked up given was to feather the, feather the engine and anyway they, they crashed and they were all killed. And we don’t really know what happened. It was very close to Mepal. They’d done the trip and there they were back over the Mepal really in the circuit and it crashed and burned. Our engineer thinks that their engineer feathered another engine and they had two dud engines then on one side and just lost control. Whether that’s true or not I don’t know but our pilot, we, we were told to go and fly around and see what was happening. They knew it had crashed and knew it was burning. Our pilot was so upset when we landed he personally sort of accused our wing commander of pushing this fella too hard which probably was quite untrue but it was an emotional outburst and our pilot didn’t like Wing Commander Baigent very much. And probably Wing Commander Baigent didn’t like him very much. But actually as a crew we found him a very good wing commander.
GT: Well, he finished with 75 New Zealand Squadron and then went on up to Spilsby after the war had completely finished and they started training for Tiger Force. Now, were you asked to stay on for Tiger Force?
NT: No. The wing commander had a look at our record and said, ‘You’ve done over twenty. There’s a huge influx of fellas here that have hardly had hardly any flying operational time at all. We’re going to have stacks of men to train for Tiger Force. Consider yourselves as tour expired although you haven’t officially done your thirty ops.’
GT: So you weren’t given an option.
NT: Not really.
GT: Ok. So you were allowed to go.
NT: I guess we could have overridden and said, ‘No. We want to go to Tiger Force,’ but we decided we were happy to let it go.
GT: What were you told about what Tiger Force was about?
NT: Well, we weren’t really told anything as our crew. Possibly those who were going to Spilsby were. I don’t know. All we knew was that we were supposed to be going out to help in the war in the east with Japan. That’s about all I knew about it.
GT: And you were told it was going to be Lancasters or Lincolns. They didn’t mention anything to you?
NT: Yeah. I think we were told it would be Lincolns.
GT: Because by, by the end of in this case VJ Day 75 New Zealand Squadron at Spilsby only received three Lincolns so they certainly took a while to dial up. So that’s when they kind of finished. So when you finished with 75 New Zealand Squadron it was at Mepal. Did, what were the pubs that you guys used to, used to frequent? Can you remember which ones around the Mepal area? Or —
NT: I’ve got a vague, I think it was called the Chequers down in Sutton.
GT: Yeah. They’ve, they’ve got a lot of photographs around the wall of the, of the squadron [unclear] but Ely on the other side. There were several around that area.
NT: Yes. There were. Chequers seemed to be the favoured one.
GT: Yeah. What flight did you fly on 75 Squadron?
NT: A flight. And our flight commander was Squadron Leader Jack Wright who came to a rather tragic end later on.
GT: Yes. I visited Jack Wright’s grave in Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Yes. It was very unfortunate.
NT: We like him as a flight commander but he did look to have done too much. His eyes were sort of, something strange about his eyes. He just looked over, over worked I think. But he was a hell of a nice fella and a very good flight commander and that’s —
GT: Yeah. I think he only lasted until the early 70s when he got back home. He suffered a lot obviously.
NT: Yeah.
GT: From traumas of the war. So now. When you came back to New Zealand what ship did you come back on?
NT: Andes.
GT: Andes. I think that was the one they used the most I think to, to bring back a lot of them.
NT: Yeah.
GT: The New Zealanders. So I understand you met your then to become wife. How did that work?
NT: Well, my wife was a WAAF at Mepal and she and I shouldn’t have been consorting at all because she was just an ACW and I was by now a flying officer. But she was sort of in charge of the mess. Well, not really in charge. There was real officer above her but she was very senior and she had a beautiful smile and a lovely little lass and I thought I’d like to get to know her. And my friend Ray Tait knew a friend of hers and he told her that I would like to say hello to Betty Box. And it was arranged that if I turned up at, I think it was 8.30 one night I could be smuggled into their rest room behind the kitchen and, and meet Betty Box. And we did. And we met surreptitiously when off and on when I wasn’t flying and she was off duty. Used to manage to use the orderly officers, no the intelligence officer’s phone. He had a room to himself next to the place I was assigned to sleep in which was next to Ray Tait in what seemed to have been a billiard room. Looked as though there had been a double up of buildings at Mepal and one set that looked very much like our mess and the billiard room was used for accommodation. The intelligence officer had a telephone and I’m sure he knew we used it and we used to communicate by telephone to find out when she might be off shift. Sometimes we would meet, arrange to meet in Sutton or catch the bus into Ely and go and have French Rarebit. Cheese on toast or Smith’s potato chips and lemonade and get to know each other that way. And sometimes we would eat our potato chips and drink our lemonade in the grounds of Ely Cathedral. Never ventured into it but knew it’s grounds pretty well.
GT: So you arrived back in New Zealand October ’45.
NT: Yeah.
GT: And when did Bett come out from England?
NT: She came out in January ’46. Pregnant.
GT: And the war, the war brides, that was pretty much the war brides ship was it? They had a lot of —
NT: She came out on a troop ship. Mainly with soldiers on it. The Otranto. But there were a lot of war brides on it. And a fella, Ivan Elder, who never got to the squadron was an instructor on, a pilot he went up to Lyttelton to meet his wife off the ship as I did, Bett. We didn’t know each other and didn’t meet each other. A photographer from the Weekly News saw the two of us. We weren’t even together. The four of us. He said, ‘Oh, you four get together. I want to take your photo.’ And it got in that publication. The Weekly News that came out in 1946.
GT: Yeah.
NT: And we’ve still got the book there with the photo and I think you’ve still got the photo ourself.
GT: So how many children then did you have throughout your time?
NT: Eventually five. Yeah.
GT: And you lived here in Dunedin, New Zealand all the time.
NT: No. We went back and lived with my parents Myross Bush farms about seven miles out of Invercargill. She was greatly received by my family and the neighbourhood actually. It was just wonderful really. We got our, the master bedroom was given to us and eventually when the baby was born he would be a honeymoon baby because he arrived nine months after our marriage and we were given the main bedroom in the house that mum and dad had occupied for years and life was good.
GT: Nice.
NT: But we eventually, they sold the farm and moved in to a smaller house in Invercargill. We still lived with them. We were rather overcrowded with my brother and sister there too in a two bedroom house. Used the lounge as a bedroom too. It was pretty, pretty overcrowded but we eventually got a state rental house and after about two years we bought our first house.
GT: Life still was pretty difficult after the war wasn’t it then?
NT: It was. Yeah.
GT: And how did you find it when you came back from the war? Did people want to know what happened? Did they discuss with you?
NT: No.
GT: Or was it just got on with life.
NT: Just got on with life. I worked in the Public Trust Office. I was a junior clerk when I went away and I was, the district public trustee wasn’t pleased at me being married because he had to pay me a bit more because I was married and he wasn’t a happy man [laughs]
GT: So, so —
NT: Nobody wanted to know what you’d done. No. You just had to get down to the work you’d been doing.
GT: Because many New Zealanders not that remained in this country and whilst you guys went away to Europe and the UK for the war they, they seemed not to understand or appreciate what Britain and you guys had gone through.
NT: That’s true.
GT: And therefore when you came back here in your thousands, obviously thousands didn’t come back but the thousands that did, they didn’t want to know. They didn’t want them to tell them what was going on. They clammed up and did you find that many of the airmen that came back who did that suffered in the ongoing years after that?
NT: Oh yes. Well, very much so. It affected me I’m quite sure. I think it had a lot to do with me deciding to give up the accountancy side of life. I was a qualified registered accountant and I ended up training for the Anglican ministry at age of thirty seven with five kids. Which wasn’t really fair on them when I think about it. We moved from Invercargill to Dunedin and I think in many ways you know cause a guy to strange sort of things. Looking back now it was maybe an act of atonement on my part.
GT: And you took on the title of, was it reverend?
NT: Yeah.
GT: For you.
NT: And I eventually became Archdeacon of Dunedin. Vicar General for ten years. That’s the next rank to the Bishop in charge of administration when he’s out of the diocese. And I was made an Archdeacon Emeritus which still held the title. There’s only two of us in the diocese, Archdeacon Emeritus. I’m still a licensed as a officiating priest in the church but I don’t do very much but I do for family marriages. Married two granddaughters earlier this year. I’m marrying one in February up in Arrowtown too so —
GT: Nice. Yeah.
NT: In recent years I’ve taken several funerals for airmen but our Brevet Club which had a hundred and fifty members in it after the war which was formed actually to try and help fellas in difficulties just develop a fellowship and mutual help for one another. We had a hundred and fifty. I’m the only one left now. Two died just last month. And I’m the last survivor of the Otago Brevet Club.
GT: So, the calling and your eventual reverend and then for the church there.
NT: Yeah. I become a venerable from reverend. Ven Nev.
GT: A good play on words there. So but, but what happened in the ensuing years that may have changed your mind as to, as to whether that was the right calling for you and what you’ve seen and decided on?
NT: Oh. Well, the disasters in the world. We used to be able to say man causes all these things. Well, he does cause a lot of the evil things, but you know plates that move under creation and earthquakes and tsunamis and that. I don’t think man causes them. There’s something wrong about the creation system somehow, and the creator doesn’t seem to intervene in any way. Well, of course —
GT: Still be [unclear] yeah.
NT: The stock answer I give is of course God only works through people. He’s got no hands but our hands and no feet but our feet and no hearts but ours. But it doesn’t seem to satisfy me quite. I’m struggling a bit.
GT: You’ve for a long time been the representative for the New Zealand Bomber Command Association and taken many services for them and I’ve been secretary for ten years but I know before I joined the 75 Squadron Association you were also known as the Association’s Reverend. So you did spend a lot of time working back not only in the community but with your fellow airmen.
NT: That’s right.
GT: Yeah.
NT: I wrote a little song about it. I’ve called it, “Man of Air,” that’s based on a title from one of the books I’ve read, “Men of Air,” which was a wonderful book really. So I’ve written this little song called “Men of Air,” and it touches upon the things that men went through that flew, and those that come home came home with a few wounds unhealed and wounds and griefs. Griefs and that. And it’s set to the metre that can by sung to the tune Melita, which is so well known. JB Dykes, wrote the tune way back in the 1700s to 1800s. It’s the one that the Naval men sing, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save.” So I’ve usurped it and got an airmen’s song to it now. And I don’t even mention God in it and that probably upset some people. But I’ve come to realise that a lot of men lost what faith they had in God through war. Some discovered it. I discovered it I suppose but I’m not sure that I discovered it properly.
GT: Yeah.
NT: Although people tell me that I had a great ministry I think my family suffered a bit through it. I was awfully busy looking after everybody else but my own. They don’t blame me but I sometimes —
GT: On reflection.
NT: Have regrets about it.
GT: You can see that, yeah.
NT: I’m still a chartered accountant by the way.
GT: Well, I’m sure you’d be able to take the books up. You’ve welcomed me in to your home this weekend so I certainly thank you for that. We’ve known each other for quite some time but it’s been fascinating listening to your story. I know the International Bomber Command Centre will relish your views, your experience and what the sacrifices you went through for king and country at the time. One of the last things recently is from your medals group. You have been awarded the Legion of Honour from the French and that was a bit of a surprise to you was it not?
NT: Yes. Very much of a surprise and I just, I’ve got mixed feelings about it. It seems rather an undeserved thing. Unearned in a way but anyway it’s been given to me and I suppose I should accept it and wear it with pride.
GT: The, the irony for many of us, and I know yourself has been very strong is the non-issue of a Bomber Command campaign medal and, and yet the English didn’t bestow that upon you, or for you guys and yet the French are willing to acknowledge that you guys helped to liberate France for their freedom.
NT: Yes. It is ironic, isn’t it? Yes. So, you know in a way got to say thank you France.
GT: But perhaps with the EU situation and the Brexit thing now perhaps they’re not being very thankful. So that’s a shame for, for what the Commonwealth did for Europe to make sure they were saved from the Nazi regime that was —
NT: Yeah.
GT: Sweeping through there. So how about yourself though? Is there one last thing you’d like you’d like to, like to mention for us on recording here?
NT: Well, I would just like to say it was wonderful to know so many men in 75 Squadron. I’m very proud to have belonged to it and I’m mindful that I through age only was there in the latter months of its operations from the beginning of January to VE day really and conscious of the huge loss that that squadron suffered so much earlier. And other squadrons too. You think of that night on Nuremberg when ninety eight planes were, were lost to German flak and fighters and then a few more crashed returning to the UK and more crews wiped out. And it’s always been sad for me that Bomber Command was never acknowledged so much and Fighter Command was. I know it did a wonderful job in the Battle of Britain but Bomber Command was pretty active in the Battle of Britain too and had pretty huge losses at the time and every time a bomber went down seven men that got killed. That night in Nuremberg there were more airmen lost than were lost in the whole total Battle of Britain. Those are just some of the misgivings but I’ve got great honour for those men who did fly fighters in the Battle of Britain. And you know you get mixed feelings about a lot of things. So, yeah. It’s an honour to have served and I don’t regret having been part of Bomber Command.
GT: Fascinating. Thank you, Neville. Well, we’ve spoken nearly two hours and it’s nearly 1am and it’s, it’s been fascinating as we’ve talked a lot today on our trip through to Alexandra to, to be at the committal of another famous 75 squadron pilot. An aircrewman named Artie Ashworth. So it’s been, it’s been awesome having the day with you. I’m going to submit this to the IBCC Archives very soon and this will be put in there with your record of your service. So I thank you for your service and sacrifice for King and Queen and Country and I know there are a lot of people out there that will say thank you too. So —
NT: Thank you, Glen it’s been a wonderful day. You’ve taken me to Alexandra to share in that wonderful service for a great airman with a tremendous record of bravery and sacrifice and I’ve enjoyed having you here. I wonder if I can ask you if you might send my little effort on, “Men of Air,’ over to the International Bomber Command. They can do what they like with it. Whatever they want to do with it.
GT: It will be on their Facebook page. I promise you that.
NT: Thank you.
GT: Ok, Neville. We’ll sign off now. So, thank you very much, sir. And this is Glen Turner signing off from Mr Neville Selwood’s house in Dunedin, New Zealand. Thank you. And this was Neville Selwood’s story.
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
Interview with Francis Neville Selwood
Creator
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Glen Turner
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2018-01-13
Rights
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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.
Type
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Sound
Identifier
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ASelwoodFN180113
Conforms To
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Pending review
Pending revision of OH transcription
Format
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01:53:56 audio recording
Language
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eng
Coverage
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Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal New Zealand Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Belgium
Germany
Great Britain
New Zealand
Belgium--Brussels
England--Cambridgeshire
Germany--Dresden
Germany--Wesel (North Rhine-Westphalia)
New Zealand--Dunedin
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Description
An account of the resource
Francis Neville Selwood of Invercargill, New Zealand was fascinated with aeroplanes in his youth and lived near an airfield where he could go and watch the aircraft. He was keen to volunteer as a pilot but an early rugby injury made that impossible. He trained as a navigator and was posted to 75 Squadron in RAF Mepal. On one flight he and the flight engineer put out a fire on their aircraft with fire extinguishers. On their next flight the Gee broke down and he had to navigate to/from Munich by dead reckoning. On the way back they were attacked by two night fighters. Neville and his crew took part in Operation Manna. They also brought civilians home to their countries after spending the war as refugees in England and so had the experience of seeing prams and suitcases in the bomb bay. In later years Neville was inspired to write a song in memory of the crews of Bomber Command which he named, “Men of Air” and set to the tune of Melita.
Contributor
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Julie Williams
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
1943-10-12
1944-12-29
1944-12-31
1945-02-13
1945-02-14
1945-05
1945-06-29
1945-10
11 OTU
1651 HCU
75 Squadron
aircrew
bombing
bombing of Dresden (13 - 15 February 1945)
Gee
Heavy Conversion Unit
Lancaster
navigator
Operation Manna (29 Apr – 8 May 1945)
Operational Training Unit
RAF Mepal
Scarecrow
Tiger force
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1190/11763/AWebsterJK161004.2.mp3
f9224f5c0c2f75e44c5edc90e00ebe87
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
Webster, Jack
Jack K Webster
J K Webster
Description
An account of the resource
An oral history interview with Jack Webster (Royal Air Force). He flew operations as a wireless operator with 514 and 138 Squadrons.
The collection was catalogued by IBCC Digital Archive staff.
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-10-04
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
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Webster, JK
Transcribed audio recording
A resource consisting primarily of recorded human voice.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
DK: Right. It’s David Kavanagh on the, I think it’s the 4th of October 2016, interviewing Jack Webster at his home. If I just put that there we’ll try and ignore it. If I keep looking down I’m just making sure it’s still going.
JW: That’s right.
DK: I’m not being rude. That’s looks ok. Ok. Could I just sort of ask first of all what you were doing immediately before the war?
JW: I was working in the Public Analyst’s Office.
DK: Right.
JW: Clerical more than anything. And it was a reserved, or it got known as a Reserved Occupation and did I want to join up or not and of course, I said no. Anyway, suddenly, when I was eighteen I suddenly changed my mind.
DK: So, what year would that have been? You were eighteen?
JW: ’25. ’42.
DK: 1942.
JW: December ’42.
DK: So, was it the immediate choice to join the Air Force then? Or —
JW: Oh yes. Yeah. I suddenly decided. The idea of flying suddenly appealed to me.
DK: Right. So, what, what did you, where did you start your training then at with the RAF?
JW: Well, I went to a selection board first.
DK: Right.
JW: At Cardington, and they offered me wireless operator air gunner. They said they’d got too many pilots. And, and they sent me to sort of deferred. Sent me back home and told me to hang on. And then in June ’43 I finally joined up.
DK: So that was a letter through the post was it that you got?
JW: Yes.
DK: From the joining office.
JW: And went to Viceroy Court, in St John’s Wood. Was there about three weeks I suppose and that was the start of the career so to speak. But I mean from there I went to ITW, Initial Training Wing at Bridlington and I can’t remember how long we were there but —
DK: What would you have been doing at the ITW?
JW: It was drill mostly. Drill and admin lessons. And then from there went on to Number 4 Radio School at RAF Madley in Herefordshire where it was more or less all day long Morse more than anything because they suddenly had done away with the air gunnery part because the Lancaster didn’t need the, they had the separate gunners so they just had a straight signaller or wireless op.
DK: Yeah.
JW: And any road I don’t know how long I was at the Radio School but I finally managed to pass out at eighteen words per minute Morse.
DK: Did you enjoy Morse code? Was it something you could do easily?
JW: I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it or it wasn’t easy. We got fed up with it in the end. I mean, I think some of them almost went crazy with it. I mean all day long the instructor would set up a creed machine and he’d sit back and read his paper while we sort of sent messages and things to each other. But anyway, I finally passed out there and got the brevet S and then I was sent to Dumfries Advanced Radio School, Advanced Flying Unit and we, that was on Ansons. They were just the pilot, navigator and the bomb, and the wireless op.
DK: Was that, would that have been the first time you had flown then?
JW: Oh no. I did flew, we flew at Radio School.
DK: Right. Ok.
JW: In, first of all in the old Dominie and I was sick the first time. And then after that we went on to Proctors. They were just the pilot and the wireless op and we had the pilots who were on, had sort of completed their tour. They were on rest period really but they were just flying I suppose and they were fed up with flying anyway. And of course, we had the trailing aerial which used to allow, there was a case of one of them tried to shoot up a plane in the led weights that went through the windows of the trains. They had a strict instruction. No shooting up the planes. But anyway, going back to, I went to Dumfries and, on Ansons and it was the wireless ops job there to reel the undercarriage up which —
DK: Oh right.
JW: By hand which was quite a job. And we flew up and down sort of the Irish Sea, over the Isle of Man and all this sort of thing. More or less more for the navigator than the wireless op because the wireless op was the same as what we were doing all the time really.
DK: Yeah.
JW: And, and then from the, we went to OTU at Chipping Warden.
DK: Can you remember which OTU it was? The number?
JW: I can’t. I don’t know if I’ve got it down in here.
DK: I can check later.
JW: I can’t think where I would have it. Oh, yeah. I have it.
[pause]
DK: That’s ok.
JW: Number 12 OTU.
DK: Number 12 OTU. Ok.
JW: At Chipping Warden. That’s it. And then from there —
DK: What type of aircraft were at the OTUs?
JW: Wellingtons. And that’s where we crewed up and I finished up with a, at the time all the rest of them were all Canadians.
DK: Right.
JW: Until we got to Heavy Conversion Unit when we picked up the pilot engineer.
DK: So how was the crewing done at the OTU? How did you meet your pilot?
JW: We just sort of walked around and I think somebody came up to me and said, ‘Have you got a crew?’ I said, ‘No.’ That was the pilot and he said, ‘Well, you know do, do you fancy joining me?’ So, I mean one was as good as another as far as I was concerned. That turned out he’d already had the two gunners, the navigator and bomb aimer. All Canadian. So, he said, ‘If you don’t mind Canadians.’ So, no. I didn’t. That didn’t worry me.
DK: Can you remember his name? Your pilot’s name.
JW: Yeah. Flight Lieutenant Elwood. Keith Elwood.
DK: And he was Canadian.
JW: Canadian. Yeah.
DK: So what did you think of the Canadians then? As you met them there.
JW: Oh, I got on alright with them there. Yeah. We always went around as a crew. Yeah. Yeah. We picked up the engineer at Heavy Conversion Unit.
DK: Right. Can you remember where the Heavy Conversion Unit was?
JW: 1668 at Bottesford. Between Grantham and Nottingham. Yeah. And —
DK: He was English, was he? The flight engineer.
JW: Yeah. He was English.
DK: So you were the two English and the rest —
JW: Two English.
DK: Were Canadian.
JW: Five were Canadians. Yeah. And, and then, and then from there we were posted to Feltwell. Yeah. RAF Feltwell which was the 514 Squadron at Cambridge.
DK: 514.
JW: And we were, we were only there for one operation and then we got posted to Tuddenham with 138 Squadron.
DK: So where, where was your first operation to with 514?
JW: That was to a synthetic oil works in the Ruhr at a place, I don’t know how you pronounce Hüls and I always remember that some of the plane, it was bombed up and had a four thousand pound cookie and fifteen five hundred pounders and it was a disappointment really. It was a GH bombing through cloud and where the pilot sort of, you fly in a rough formation and the pilot had the equipment or that, the leader had the equipment to determine when to drop that and when he opened his bomb doors you all opened yours. When he dropped his bombs you dropped yours. It was all very well until we nearly over the target then all the planes suddenly made contrails and it was like flying through cloud and after a touch you couldn’t see a thing. The navigator, I said, ‘I think they must have dropped them by now.’ So the pilot went up above the contrails and you could see and they were there. They’d turned off. So we circled around and the navigator, he said, ‘Well, we’re roughly over the target.’ So he just let them all go.
DK: So you never bombed with a GH leader then.
JW: No.
DK: You just —
JW: No. It was —
DK: And this was in daylight presumably.
JW: This was in daylight.
DK: Yeah.
JW: How I don’t know what. When we got back obviously they got interrogated. They didn’t interrogate the wireless op because there’s nothing we could see anyway, really. But what happened with them I don’t know what they, whether they said anything. Whether that was why we suddenly got posted I don’t know [laughs] but 138 Squadron had then converted from special duties. They were at Tempsford. They’d converted the special duties on to heavy bombing.
DK: So just going back a bit presumably it was at the Heavy Conversion Unit that you saw, first flew on the Lancaster was it?
JW: That was when we first flew it. Yes.
DK: So, what were your feelings about flying on that compared to the Wellington and —
JW: Well, that was, that was quite an upgrading so to speak. I mean that was a heavy bomber compared to the Wellington. And you know, everything. It seemed more spacious and yeah —
DK: So, then you’ve got on to 138 Squadron. That’s Lancasters again presumably.
JW: That was Lancasters again. Yes.
DK: And where were they based? 138.
JW: At Tuddenham. Just, we were settled at Mildenhall. In fact, I think we did have one pilot that came back with a bomb load and landed at Mildenhall by mistake instead of Tuddenham. In the night time I suppose that was easy because the two dromes, the drem lighting you know it sort of entwined one another.
DK: So when you were flying out on an operation then what, what’s your role as the wireless operator? What? What do you do when you’re —
JW: Well, the main thing is you just listen. The main thing was you had to listen in every half an hour to base and if they hadn’t got any message they would transmit a number and you had to record that number to prove that you’d heard the —
DK: Transmission.
JW: The transmission. But apart from that it was possibly the navigator might need a loop aerial bearing. Or the Group might transmit a wind, a different wind speed and if there was any recall or cancellation they would, that would come through them.
DK: So, once you got a message you would immediately tell both the pilot and navigator.
JW: If there was, yes.
DK: Yeah.
JW: Yeah. It, it was very rare to get a message. Obviously, there was no verbal messages. They were —
DK: What about your Morse Code training? Did that come in useful when you were once on operations?
JW: I didn’t really use it a lot. It’s funny that all these things you learn, you are taught, they don’t come in to use. I mean, I suppose had we got in to trouble Morse would have been handy then.
DK: What would have been your role as wireless operator then if the aircraft was in trouble?
JW: Well, to send any emergency position that we were at.
DK: Right.
JW: Or if we were coming down in the sea. But other than that there was not much you had to do.
DK: So how many operations did you fly?
JW: I only did five.
DK: Five. So, one with 514 and three with —
JW: Four with —
DK: Four with. So, five altogether.
JW: Yeah.
DK: Yeah.
JW: But the, I suppose the, the one I remember most is a daylight on Bremen. The allies were waiting. We were going to go in to Bremen and we were supposed to go and soften them up and they routed us over Wilhelmshaven. And the Met man said before, and when we took off, before we took off he said, ‘There will be ten tenths cloud so you should be alright.’ Of course, when we got over there it was clear. It was. And we were then sort of getting near the target and the rear gunner suddenly, the light came on on the intercom and the rear gunner came on. He said, ‘Oh skipper, the kite behind has been hit.’ So, I got a bit, in the astrodome to have a look just in time to see two of them baling out. I thought well this is, this is getting too close. And we’d hardly got clear of them and suddenly we got hit. Not a, it was just a thump more than anything and the pilot called up he said, ‘Everybody alright?’ Everyone was alright. He said, ‘Can anybody see anything?’ And nobody could see anything. No damage and it wasn’t until we landed that we saw the, there was a hole in the fuselage just near the elsan and the trimmer tab on the rear elevator had been got. It was gone. Of course, he knew there was something wrong because it didn’t fly quite right and there were holes under the, in the wings. Under the wings. But apart from that just after that the master bomber cancelled the operation anyway because the target was obscured with smoke and cloud so —
DK: So you never bombed then.
JW: We bombed.
DK: Oh, you had.
JW: We had bombed.
DK: Oh right. Right.
JW: Yeah. But they stopped it after. I got a, I got a report on the one there somewhere [pause – pages turning] Yeah. The raid [pause] Yeah, the raid was hampered by cloud and by smoke and dust from bombing as the raid progressed. The master bomber ordered the raid to stop after a hundred and ninety five Lancasters had bombed. The whole of numbers 1 and 4 Groups returned home without attacking. So, I found out. I got the result off the internet. That was the, oh we went to Kiel. That’s when we capsized the Admiral Scheer and the Admiral Hipper and the Emden were badly damaged.
DK: Did you manage to see the battleships down there? Or —
JW: No. It was dark. It was night.
DK: It was dark.
JW: Night. There was five hundred and ninety one Lancasters and eight Mosquitoes. There was only three Lancasters lost. And at Bremen there were six hundred and fifty one Lancasters, a hundred Halifaxes, seven hundred and sixty seven aircraft altogether.
DK: Have you got the dates of those? Can I —
JW: Yeah.
DK: So, it’s the 9th 10th of April 1945 was Kiel. And then 14th 15th of April Cuxhaven.
JW: No. That was —
DK: Oh, Potsdam. Sorry.
JW: Potsdam. Yeah.
DK: So, 14th 15th of April 1945 Potsdam.
JW: Yeah.
DK: And then 22nd April 1945 Bremen where your aircraft was damaged.
JW: Yeah.
DK: Do you remember the Potsdam raid at all?
JW: That was night time. That was very [pause] We expected it to be a lot worse than it was. But —
DK: Just outside Berlin isn’t it? Potsdam.
JW: That’s a, that’s the suburb of Berlin.
DK: Yeah. Yeah.
JW: That said that was, that was the first time Bomber Command four engine aircraft had entered the Berlin defence since March 1944. But there was only one Lancaster shot got down by a night fighter.
DK: Were you ever attacked by any —
JW: No.
DK: Aircraft.
JW: No.
DK: So just that one incident of damage. Yeah.
JW: One damage. That was the only time we, yeah.
DK: So, moving on then. Presumably you were then involved in Operation Manna.
JW: Manna. Yes.
DK: And how many operations?
JW: I only did, we only did one Manna drop because it was a job to get on. Everybody wanted to do it and some of them were lucky. Some did quite a few. But we only got the one.
DK: Can you remember whereabouts in the Netherlands you dropped the food?
JW: The Hague.
DK: It was at the Hague.
JW: At the Hague. But I think it was probably the race track. They had a big cross out on the ground. And I can always remember as we got there I sort of looked out and you could see a German soldier standing there with a rifle and people were waving sheets and things. The words of my navigator, ‘Gosh,’ he said, ‘Look at those poor bastards.’ Yeah.
DK: So how did that make you feel dropping the food to the —
JW: Oh, that was, that was good. And I mean after that we, I only did the one but in 1983 there was, in the little booklet we used to get every sort of I can’t think what it was called now. I’ve got loads of them. Oh, “Intercom.” That’s right.
DK: Right.
JW: That’s, we used to get that every so often and there was a piece in there about anybody who took part in Operation Manna, if they were interested in having a reunion to contact this chap. So, I thought, I said to my wife, ‘Oh I don’t know. I’m not going to bother.’ ‘Go on. She said, ‘You don’t, you never know.’ So anyway, I contacted him and we had a smashing time in Holland for the weekend. I got a huge piece. I know I typed it all out and on the way back we decided we would meet the following year at Droitwich and we had quite a good weekend there. And then we got invited back to Holland by the Dutch people and we went back there in ’85. Sorry, in ’83. ’85. ’89 and 2000 and gosh they wouldn’t let you pay for anything.
DK: They, they were pleased to see you were they?
JW: Oh, they were. And the first time when we went there we went in to the sort of hotel they’d booked for us and the room was full of sort of chocolates and sweets, drinks and a little thing you know, ‘Thank you for what you did.’ I mean we got more thanks from the Dutch people than we ever did from Bomber Command. It was, yeah and they had one, they actually had a reunion last year but unfortunately I wasn’t in, couldn’t go anyway. But I don’t think there were many of them left.
DK: So, were, were you involved in Exodus as well then?
JW: Yes.
DK: The picking up of the POWs.
JW: The POWs. Yeah.
DK: So, what, can you remember where you landed to pick them up?
JW: Yes. At Juvencourt. There was, we did six I think. Five or six. And brought them back twenty four at a time. And it was there that one of them from 514 Squadron crashed on take-off and they, they lost the whole lot.
DK: Oh dear.
JW: They never did know what happened. They wondered whether the prisoners moved about and upset the balance of the aircraft. They don’t know.
DK: Did you actually see the aircraft crash?
JW: No. No.
DK: Ok. Just —
JW: No.
DK: So, what was the, what was the prisoner’s reaction when they saw you and they were, you were flying them home?
JW: Oh, they were quite pleased to see, I mean it’s funny we, we had, we had to hand them out five cigarettes, a little packet of boiled sweets and a sick bag. And we, we didn’t have any parachutes then. They said it would look bad to have parachutes on when the prisoners didn’t have so we flew without parachutes.
DK: And were they mostly Army POWs?
JW: They were Army POWs. Yeah.
DK: Yeah.
JW: And some of the them were, I can remember one chap when, as we saw the cliffs at you know, the white cliffs come in to sight tears came in to his eyes. He was, he’d been away quite a while I think. But oh, they all had trophies. Helmets and bayonets and things. But —
DK: So, what, after the war is finished then what, what —
JW: The war was over. Yeah.
DK: So, what were you. What did you do immediately after that? Did you stay in the RAF for very long?
JW: Oh, they kept us on because they kept us on for what they called the Tiger Force for Japan. And it wasn’t until, well then after that we then did what they called Operation Review which was flying over different parts of the country, and different flying up and down taking photographs. It was as boring as anything. I mean, I think one of them was nine hours we had.
DK: What, what was the point of that then? Just —
JW: They were make, forming new maps I think.
DK: Oh, for map reading.
JW: I think it was. We never did really know why but that’s all we could assume. That they were making some new, new maps.
DK: So that was Operation Review.
JW: Review. Yeah.
DK: The only reason I asked you that is just literally yesterday somebody was asking me what Operation Revue was and nobody knew.
JW: Oh.
DK: You’ve answered the question.
JW: Yeah.
DK: Thank you. So you never really found out what it was for.
JW: Not what it was for. No. We saw a lot —
DK: Were all the squadrons doing this or just yourselves?
JW: No. I don’t, I honestly couldn’t say.
DK: Yeah. So, you were just flying up and down the country taking photos.
JW: Yeah. I mean it was hard on the navigator. He had to work out exactly when to turn and of course they all had to, the photographs all had to overlap.
DK: Right. I’d better tell. I’m going to tell them now what it is. Oh right. Thanks. So, so when did you actually leave the RAF then?
JW: 1947.
DK: Right. If I could just go back a stage you said that you were earmarked for Tiger Force.
JW: Yes.
DK: Going off to the Far East.
JW: Yeah.
DK: What was your feelings when the war, the war suddenly ended?
JW: Well, I suppose we, you know I think we knew. Or you could see it was going to end I think. But they wouldn’t let us go until I don’t know when. That must have been [pause] No. I can’t think. I mean, suddenly they just said, oh you’re redundant and they posted us. They posted. I got posted to [pause] God, I can never remember numbers. My memory for names now. It was RAF Molesworth. That’s it. And there was only, there was nobody in charge there. A, I think a flight sergeant. The bar was open all night. You know. It was, the Americans had left a radiogram there with one record and this one record was, “Off We Go in to The Bright Blue Yonder.” Gosh. And, and that record went and in the end somebody smashed it. But I was, I don’t know what. I was put in charge or asked to look after the cycle store. And that was a huge Nissen hut full of bicycles. And nobody wanted a bike anyway so I [laughs] —
DK: So really the, the war has ended and they really didn’t know what to do with you.
JW: They didn’t know what to do with us.
DK: So, after you’ve left the RAF what did you do then? What was your career?
JW: I went back to the Public Analyst for a very short time. I mean, the thing that, I think when I finished in the Air Force I was earning fifteen and thruppence a day which was pocket money because clothes and food was all found. And when I went back to the work I was earning five pound a week which was nothing really. But —
DK: Was your job left open for you then?
JW: Oh, yes.
DK: So, they —
JW: Yeah
DK: They had to take you back.
JW: They didn’t have to. No.
DK: Right.
JW: Because I left on my own.
DK: Oh ok.
JW: But I wasn’t there that long when I then got a job with the Norwich City Council as a rent collector. And from a rent collector I got to a housing inspector and that’s when I finished.
DK: So, looking back now, seventy odd years later how do you feel about your time in the RAF?
JW: Well. I must say I enjoyed it but when I, it’s funny at the time you don’t think about it but when I look back and I think of the times we took off. Look, every time we had a Cookie on board and a load of bombs and a full load of petrol and you then realise if anything had gone wrong on take-off that would have been the end anyway and —
DK: Did, did you think about those dangers at the time then?
JW: No. That’s what I’m saying. I didn’t.
DK: Yeah.
JW: At the time.
DK: It was full of petrol and high explosives.
JW: Yeah. I didn’t think about it at the time.
DK: Yeah.
JW: But it’s looking back now and —
DK: Do you think that’s because you obviously were a lot younger then? And —
JW: This is it. It was. Yes. Definitely.
DK: Don’t feel the dangers.
JW: And it’s the same I suppose over the target. You think it isn’t going to happen to us you know.
DK: It’s always going to happen to somebody else.
JW: Somebody else. Yeah.
DK: So how, did you stay in touch with your crew then afterwards?
JW: Well, it’s funny. I tried. I tried to contact them and I couldn’t and I, it all happened. I got, this is a long story really but I got an email from a girl whose father was at Waterbeach.
DK: Yeah.
JW: Oh, I said Feltwell. I meant Waterbeach.
DK: Ok.
JW: And she came over here with her mother. Her father had died. She came over here with her mother. Oh no. Her father hadn’t died then. She came over with her father and her mother to visit old places where he’d been and while they were here, her mother they were waiting for a train and her mother had a heart attack and died. And anyway, she then told me that she’d been in touch with several people at Waterbeach and as she heard that we’d been there did I remember her dad who had since died? But I said no. I pointed out that we were only there a short time. And anyway, she suddenly contacted me and said she had heard from a chap who was stationed at Waterbeach and he was trying to contact me. And she gave me his email address and I, I got in touch with him and he had moved from Canada to New Zealand. He’d married and moved over to New Zealand and he gave me an address, email address of someone. A museum in Canada where I might be able to contact the rest of the crew. So, I went on to this email and I couldn’t. There were pages and pages of people wanting to contact. And so I left a message. You know, “Anybody in Flight Lieutenant Elwood’s crew of 138 Squadron —” And I forgot all about it and suddenly I got an email, “I’m Flight Lieutenant Elwood’s son. Unfortunately, my dad has died.”
DK: Oh.
JW: And so —
DK: Do, do you know when he passed away? Your pilot.
JW: I don’t. No.
DK: No. No.
JW: No.
DK: Right.
JW: And at first, the pilot. The engineer had also died. I don’t know how I got in touch with his wife but no, I tried no end of times to try and get in. Even when I met Canadians over in Holland. So I left messages with them to, they were going to try and contact.
DK: You never got in contact with any of the crew then.
JW: No.
DK: No. That’s a shame.
JW: Only the navigator who —
DK: Oh right.
JW: He then, he couldn’t remember a thing about what we’d done.
DK: Oh right.
JW: He’d, he’d shut everything out.
DK: Can you remember the navigator’s name?
JW: Yes. Keith Evans.
DK: And was it Keith Evans who had gone to New Zealand then?
JW: Yes.
DK: Oh, right. Ok.
DK: Yes.
JW: And then he, it was Keith Evans who got you in touch with the Canadians.
JW: No, not Keith. Johnnie. John Evans.
DK: John Evans. So, it was John Evans who went to New Zealand.
JW: Yeah.
DK: He was the navigator.
JW: He was the navigator.
DK: It was he who put you in touch with the Canadian Museum.
JW: Yes.
DK: Yeah.
DK: Yeah.
JW: So, did he, is he still alive or —
JW: No. He’s dead.
DK: Right.
JW: He died of cancer.
DK: Right. And, and he totally blocked out everything.
JW: He blocked out everything.
DK: So you never actually met him then.
JW: No.
DK: Just emailed communications.
JW: Emailed. He couldn’t remember. He couldn’t even remember us getting hit. He’d shut out, he said right from the start he had, he was seeing a psychiatrist or something. He’d shut everything out. All he could think of was the people he might have killed.
DK: Right.
JW: And he shut everything. In fact, he said, ‘Can you tell me about the hit? When we got hit.’ So I tried to tell him on an email as best I could but he couldn’t remember anything.
DK: Did you hear from him again after that? Once you two had —
JW: Oh, we corresponded.
DK: Right.
JW: Backwards, and you know quite regularly.
DK: And did any of it come back to him do you know?
JW: No. No. It’s funny. Operation Manna did.
DK: Right.
JW: He remembered that.
DK: But the, but the actual operations over Germany he’d blocked out.
JW: He couldn’t. No. Or he didn’t know. Whether he didn’t want to I don’t but —
DK: But you say he’s since passed away.
JW: He’s, he’s since died. Yeah.
DK: Ok. I think that’s probably enough. If I stop this now. Well, thanks for that anyway.
JW: Yeah.
DK: That’s really interesting. Thanks for your time.
[recording paused]
DK: So, your crew then. Left to right. So that’s you.
JW: That’s me. He, we called him Sealevel he was so short. He was Clark. L Clark.
DK: Al Clark. Yeah. So what, what he was then?
JW: He was the bomb aimer.
DK: Bomb aimer, so and —
JW: Curly Watson. He was the engineer.
DK: So, he was the other English.
JW: Pilot. The other English chap. Yeah.
DK: Yeah. So you’ve got sergeant.
JW: The first names I don’t. Bulward. his name was Bulward, definitely.
DK: Bill Ward.
JW: Bul, Bulward.
DK: Bulward. Right.
JW: They called him Bull, I think.
DK: Right. Bulward.
JW: That’s Keith Elwood.
DK: That’s, that’s the pilot.
JW: Pilot.
DK: Yeah. And then —
JW: That’s John Evans, the navigator.
DK: Yeah.
JW: And there’s Dave Richardson the rear gunner.
DK: Right. Ok. I notice on here. You mentioned a couple of the Cook’s Tours.
JW: Oh, yes. Yes.
DK: So, what did they involve then?
JW: That was, that’s funny. I had a, I don’t know whether I’ve still got the letter. I had a letter from, oh here it is, from a woman at Downham Market. It was in the book. Have you seen the book, “Yours.” There was a letter in there from this woman that when she was in the WAAFs she flew on a, what they called a Cook’s Tour. She said, “But nobody will believe me.” So I wrote back. Wrote and told her and said that was quite right and and I got a letter to thank me.
DK: So, did you do a number of the Cook’s Tour’s?
JW: Only two.
DK: And did, was there WAAFs on board yours?
JW: No. I can’t. In fact, one of them, one of them had ATC boys.
DK: Oh right. So, and can you remember whereabouts in Germany you went to see the damage?
JW: Oh, we went to Cologne. I can’t really remember now. Actually, it didn’t sort of —
DK: Right.
JW: I I can’t remember other than Cologne. Obviously, we went. What I can remember is coming back we flew, we circled around the Eiffel tower. I said, ‘Well that’s something nobody else had done.’
DK: So, what was people, what was the, the people on board, what was the reaction when you saw the damage on the cities down there?
JW: Well, I honestly, I can’t say what they because I suppose most of them were in the, they weren’t where I was because I was sitting at the, at my place and there’s no room for anybody else there but, so they were either in the cockpit standing where the pilot, behind the pilot or in the bomb bay or even some of them had a ride in the upper turret.
DK: And were they mostly ground crew then on the Cook’s Tours?
JW: Most of them. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I can’t remember any WAAFs.
DK: Right. But you were able to confirm this WAAF that written it in. She’d written a letter then.
JW: Yes.
DK: Yeah.
JW: I’ve got the, if I can find it here. That’s such a —
DK: Right.
JW: Picture. [pause] Oh you never, I don’t think you’d ever read it now. Oh, I must have thrown it away, I think. She put, “Dear Mr Webster, thank you for writing to the editors of, “Yours,” regarding the Cook’s Tours. I’ve received thirty letters from people who either went on one on the trip or verified they did take place. It brought back a lot of memories. One lady wrote to me from — ” I can’t see what it is, it’s gone. And told me there is a table in the Crown Hotel there with names of crews carved on it. I’d love to go back. I wish I had written down the names of the crew I flew with and the WAAF corporal. She passed out going over the Channel. It was quite [pause] especially when —”
[pause]
DK: Right.
JW: “When the pilot dived down at a ship. I’ve often wondered what the message was in code. I could see flashing. I also remember seeing Cologne Cathedral and Essex.”
DK: Essen.
JW: Essen. Oh yeah. Essen. I thought it was Essex. Essen. “I was posted to Bletchley Park after the trip and I was demobbed on the 11th of April ’46. I said I would never volunteer for anything again.” [laughs] Oh it goes on. It’s torn out.
DK: Does it have her name there? The lady’s name.
JW: Yours sincerely, Mrs K Dorrington.
DK: Dorrington.
JW: Queens Road, twenty. That’s from Epping in Essex.
DK: And what’s the date of the letter?
JW: 9.9.’95.
DK: Right. So, a while ago.
JW: Yeah. She was probably in a worst state than this letter you know.
DK: So you mention here Operation [Sun Bombs]. A trip to Castel Benito.
JW: Oh yes. I think that was to give us a holiday more than anything. We were there about three days. All we did was sit around the swimming pool and, well, and went swimming. And it’s funny there was a Flight Lieutenant Banbury who was in 138 Squadron and I’ll always remember he stood on the diving board and he did a dead man, you know where they [pause] I’d never seen it done before. But the funny thing is after I was demobbed I happened to see in one of the local papers that a Flight Lieutenant Banbury had been killed at Watton flying an Anson with some ground staff on board and he hit the caravan coming in to land.
DK: Oh right.
JW: To think he’d flown a Lanc and all that and got crashed off in an Anson.
DK: There’s two more operations here. You’ve got Operation Sinkum.
JW: Oh yeah. That that was just flying out over the Wash dropping a lot of the spare bombs. Old bombs.
DK: And then Operation Spasm.
JW: Yeah. That was a trip to Berlin.
DK: Oh right.
JW: The first ones that went they were lucky. They took cigarettes and bought them for marks and they came back and they could change as many marks as they liked. When we went we could only change back to marks what we’d changed. Took out.
DK: Right.
JW: Yeah.
DK: Can you remember where you landed in Berlin?
JW: Yeah. What was the name of it?
DK: Was it Templehof, was it?
JW: Temple. I think it was.
DK: Yeah.
JW: Yeah. That’s the only one I can —
DK: So, you flew to Templehof and landed.
JW: Landed.
DK: In a Lancaster.
JW: In Lancs. Yeah.
DK: Oh right. And so what, what did you think of Berlin now the war’s ended and you’ve landed there in the centre of the city?
JW: I can’t remember much. We saw the Reichstag. We went to the Olympic Stadium. But apart from that I, I know I went in somebody’s bedroom. The chap, I was after stockings and he took me in to this, his wife was still in bed and he fished under the pillow and came out with these nylons for cigarettes. But —
DK: Was Berlin damaged? Was it?
JW: Well, it was what we saw of it. Yeah.
DK: And you didn’t see any Russians there or anyone or anybody else.
JW: No.
DK: So you were just in the British Sector.
JW: Just in the British Sector. Yeah.
DK: And was there many Lancasters on this trip to Berlin then to land there or, can you remember?
JW: Well, not from my squadron there wasn’t.
DK: No.
JW: I don’t know whether. I suppose other people, I don’t know if other people went there.
DK: Ok. Well, I’ll stop that. Thanks again. I’ll stop and turn it off.
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
Interview with Jack Webster
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
David Kavanagh
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
2016-10-04
Rights
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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.
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Sound
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
AWebsterJK161004
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending review
Pending revision of OH transcription
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
00:48:28 audio recording
Language
A language of the resource
eng
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
Description
An account of the resource
Jack Webster applied to join the RAF in December 1942 and attended a selection board at RAF Cardington, and was eventually called up in June 1943. After initial training he went to 4 Radio School at RAF Madley passing out from there with eighteen words per minute on Morse Code. From RAF Dumfries Advanced Flying Unit flying in Dominies and Proctors he was posted to 12 OTU Chipping Warden where he crewed up with a Canadian crew, his pilot Flt Lt. Keith Elwood. After completing their heavy conversion on to Lancasters at RAF Bottesford, they were posted to 514 Sqn at RAF Feltwell where they completed one sortie to a synthetic oil installation at Huls. He and his crew were then posted to 138 Squadron at RAF Tuddenham and carried out a further four sorties with them. He and his crew also took part in Operation Manna and Operation Exodus. He left the RAF in 1947.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
1944
1945
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Germany
Great Britain
Netherlands
England--Herefordshire
England--Lincolnshire
England--Norfolk
England--Northamptonshire
England--Suffolk
Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Julie Williams
12 OTU
138 Squadron
1668 HCU
514 Squadron
Advanced Flying Unit
aircrew
bombing
Cook’s tour
Dominie
Heavy Conversion Unit
Initial Training Wing
Lancaster
Operation Exodus (1945)
Operation Manna (29 Apr – 8 May 1945)
Operational Training Unit
Proctor
RAF Bottesford
RAF Chipping Warden
RAF Dumfries
RAF Feltwell
RAF Madley
RAF Tuddenham
training
wireless operator
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1234/15829/MWrightJA563242-180130-050002.1.jpg
32da8f2944c4dbba6ff12c96058e6600
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
Wright, John Alfred
J A Wright
Description
An account of the resource
21 items. The collection concerns John Alfred Wright (1913 - 1986, 563242 Royal Air Force). It contains items associated with his marriage to Kathleen Burchell (Kay) several photographs, and notes about his service at RAF Graveley.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by John M Wright and catalogued by Trevor Hardcastle.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2018-01-30
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.
Identifier
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Wright, JA
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IBCC Digital Archive
Transcribed document
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Transcription
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[RAF Crest]
Christmas Dinner,
[Underlined] 1942 [/Underlined]
Officers and Senior N.C.O’s
Royal Air force Station,
Graveley.
Officer Commanding:
Wing Commander B.V. Robinson,
D.S.O., D.F.C.
35 Squadron
[Page Break]
B. Fletcher
[Signature] with love.
Thelma Gregory
[Indecipherable] Of luck [Indecipherable]
Bags of love Lilah
T.S. [Signature] (Theo)
D. Wright
Affectionately yours, George [Signature]
“May every day be a Great Day in 1943”
Pat. N. [signature]
Blondie
Happy Days! “Graveley” Audrey xx
[Page Break]
[Underlined] Menu [/Underlined]
Soup Creme de Tomato.
Dindon farci des Sausages.
L’Oie Gros.
Canard garni.
Poulet en Casserole.
Boeuf rot. Porc.
Farcies boulette de viande hachee.
Sauge et d’oignon. Sauce de pain.
Pommes de terre rotis.
Puree de Pomme de terre.
Choix de Brusselles, des Carottes.
des legumes assortis.
Sauce des pommes brunes.
Sauce aux oignons
Xmas Pudding and Whisky Sauce.
White Sauce.
Cheese, Biscuits, and Coffee.
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
Christmas dinner menu RAF Graveley 1942
Description
An account of the resource
Served to the officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers of RAF Graveley, some signatures on inside.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-12
Format
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One printed menu
Language
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eng
Type
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Text
Identifier
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MWrightJA563242-180130-050001, MWrightJA563242-180130-050002
Coverage
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Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Air Force
Temporal Coverage
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1942-12
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Cambridgeshire
Publisher
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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
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Bradley Froggatt
35 Squadron
RAF Graveley
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1235/16320/MReynoldsWT[Ser -DoB]-150731-01.pdf
13f8e971970b8a4db295b8beb9da82ad
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
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Reynolds, William
W T Reynolds
Bill Reynolds
Description
An account of the resource
Seven items. The collection concerns William Reynolds who was stationed at Branston Mere Y Station, a wireless intercept and direction finding station. the collection consists of three photographs and four copies of 'Mere Gen', the stations unofficial newsletter.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Linda Smith and catalogued by Trevor Hardcastle.
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-07-31
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.
Identifier
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Reynolds, WT
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Christmas Number
MERE GEN
1942
[underlined] Good Wishes [/underlined]
[page break]
[underlined] MERE GEN [/underlined]
[underlined] EDITORIAL [/underlined]
“By virtue of having assisted the somewhat troubled passage of Mere Gen over the vagaries of 1942 I am now allotted some 60 odd words in which to extend, in the approved Xmassy Editorial fashion, the usual Seasonal Greetings to each and every one of you. As I am normally accused of being unnecessarily verbose, I will condense my good wishes and say that such a grand crowd of people as yourselves deserves the Happy Christmas I personally intend to have, and may 1943 look after its self, and ourselves.” Ted Liddell.
“I also would like to take this opportunity of wishing all readers of our Mere Gen a very Happy and Convivial Christmas, and a Prosperous and Peaceful New Year. Chances of conviviality on our watered beer, and peace for the New Year would seem rather remote, but never mind – just get your feet up and enjoy this super edition. It’ll shake you.” Gordon Batley.
“Gone for a while are the piping days of Roast Turkey Mince Pies and Johnny Walker. Luckily Christmas isn’t dependent on these things, but on something that Lord Woolton can’t ration – Goodwill, Mind you, a ‘wee drappie’ oils the wheels of fellowship quite nicely. This year Best Mild is the fashion, so here’s your health: Good Luck, a Happy Christmas, and a jolly New Year. Cheerio Folks.” Harold Speak.
“The trouble of asking my Editorial Board to wish you the Season’s greetings is that it leaves me with very little to say for myself; but those of you who know me will rightly whisper ‘impossible’ – so I’ll take that as licence to repeat their good wishes. I give you a toast: ‘Confusion To All Our Enemies.’ And if that doesn’t bring you a Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year, nothing will.” Stanley Lott.
[page break]
[underlined] RADICAL RESOLUTIONS FOR 1943 [/underlined]
While I am old fashioned enough to respect the thoughts that gave birth to the usual crop of New Year Resolutions, I am Service minded enough to realise that they are but figments of overtaxed imaginations! However here are several of our better known contemporaries revealed in a rare resolute mood for 1943:
Sgt. Tweedie has promised to learn to speak English and never again to employ that belligerent word “Quiet”. F/Sgt. Alcorn intends to dispense with all notice boards; and Sgt. Parsons will never again resort to profanity following a windy cycle ride from Lincoln! L.A.C. Speak refuses to discuss insurance; and W.O. Noble promises to memorise all Christian names with the praiseworthy object of fostering Service goodwill! Kasher Langley and Cpl. Waights are going on a rigorous diet; Harry Maher talks of cleaning his buttons and Stan Lott is giving up his drums! (What more can we ask of 1943?)
Cpl. Jack Tones is shaving off his moustache for the duration; A.C.W. Cole is ceasing to write scurrilous verse; and Sheila Edwards will control her temperament! Cpl. Johnson promises to wear his respirator occasionally; Audrey Weston is learning to Tango; and Eric Brame is giving up binding as a hobby. Cliff Norton is sending that curly chibouque (so similar to a pipe) for salvage; Playboy Howard is taking up “sugar beeting” and Johnny Gorman is renouncing his views on propagation!
Phyl Carr is no longer to use “Stablonde” – Jack Bellerby is changing his dancing partner (incidentally so is Phyllis Goddard) and Geoff Price is learning to play Table Tennis. Austerity Allman is taking up Waafing! Sgt. Unsworth is out to regain that figure he had in pre-Skegness days. Mesdames Bass, Burton, Beard and Gledhill are never again to apply for a late pass. Bill Adams is giving up his pipe smoking (with a view to growing up.). Cpl. Ripley is taking up permanent residence at the Oxford Hotel! And so the wishful thinkers resolve…what’s that? “How about myself?”. Well I could refrain from writing ‘bilge’ like this. But that is not a promise.
T.L.
[page break]
[sketch cartoon of car with caption]
HD
[page break]
[sketch cartoon of female in bed]
The Optimist
GRB
[page break]
[underlined] WITHERNOAK [/underlined]
When my American aunt died and left me all her property I at last saw my way clear to the realization of my ambition. Because of the unlikelihood of my ever seeing her in the flesh I used to tell her pretty freely of my ambitions. In her will she said “This is your chance, John.” I took it.
There was an old Georgian house tucked away at Borridge handy to Birmingham by car, but remote enough from its dirt, smoke and bustle. I lost no time in buying it, and within two months of my aunt’s sudden demise, Mary, I, and the five children were installed.
Aunt Polly’s chunk of the City of Albany brought me £100,000 when I sold it to an American housing syndicate. So I didn’t have to count the number of Woodbines I smoked, nor did Mary and the Gang (as we called the youngsters) need to deny themselves. Prosperity was here for us, and we meant to enjoy it. Also I intended to become the world famous writer I secretly believed myself to be.
By paying decent wages, we soon enticed a staff of servants from their situations in the locality. The house had been remarkably cheap to buy - £5000 - and with most of the £100,000 carefully invested we found we could afford a cook, two maids, a butler and a boot-boy, as well as a full time gardener.
Mary, my wife, said that the house had a chilly atmosphere, but that, of course, was because it had been empty so long. Its previous tenants were a maiden lady and her brother. They were both eccentric, their chief peculiarity being their fondness for disappearing during the night and staying at Torquay or the South of France for months on end. Finally they had gone to Nice, and from there the brother had written instructing the solicitor to sell the place, as he and his sister intended spending the remainder of their lives in the more equable clime of the Riviera. That was twenty years ago. The house, owing to its size, had stood empty ever since.
[page break]
We moved in during the summer, and the months went by like a dream. Julia, our six year old little girl, told me once that “the pretty lady with the bad throat” had been in her room during the night. This puzzled me until I remembered that Agnes, the maid, used to wear a lace neck-band to show Jane, the other maid, just who was the senior servant. So I forgot the incident, and went back to work. Being relieved of the more pressing cares of family life, I was doing well as a writer. My articles and stories were being accepted, mainly perhaps, because I used to suggest to the Editors of the more hard-up publications that payment was superfluous.
One night I was working in my study when I saw a faint light in the garden. It appeared to come from somewhere by the enormous dying oak that gave the house its name of “Withernoak”. I was just about to go out to investigate, when the thought that that was the Butler’s job, caused me to ring for him. Percival entered with the impassive air that had so awed me before we had discovered a mutual fondness for Ansell’s beer. “Perce.” I said, “Just slip out and see who is in the garden by the oak. Probably some lout pinching our flowers. If so, warm the seat of his dignity and threaten to hand him over to the Bobby”. Percival departed. He was soon back. “Hafter a most hexhausting search sir, I find that there hisn’t nobody in the garding. Will that be all now sir?” I intimated that he had earned “half a snifter” and when he had poured out, we drank to each other’s health and blessed Mr. Ansell. He retired and I went on with my work.
November with its dead sodden leaves, its mists, rains and frosts came and went. December gave every prospect of being Christmassy. Snow fell and blanketed the countryside to a depth of several inches. We lit fires in every room, and the local coalman sent us a calendar.
Mary intended giving the Christmas party we had always dreamed about. An enormous Christmas tree had arrived, cases of wine, boxes of cigars and cigarettes, barrels of good old beer, and food and sweets of all kinds. A Father Christmas outfit came for me to wear. Father Christmas was going to arrive on Christmas morn, after we had all been to Mass, and
[page break]
Mary and I were as thrilled as the Gang were at the approach of the Festival.
Orders were given to keep the children out of the drawing room, and Mary and I spent hours in fixing the presents and ornaments on the tree. My study was above this room, and I was in there working on a ghost story that would ‘shake’ them, one night about a week before Christmas, when I was astounded to hear crashes and thumps from the room below. I dashed downstairs to the drawing room, and flung open the door. The tree was lying on its side, the presents and broken ornaments were scattered over the floor. The room was empty. I dashed to the window. It was fastened. I pulled the bell rope, and the portly butler appeared as if by magic.
“Who’s been in here Perce?” I demanded. “Hi was just coming to hinvestigate, sir”. “Is the Gang in bed?” “Of course sir.” “That’s darned funny, Percival, how that tree came to fall like that.”
A most peculiar thing happened then, a picture fell with a resounding crash.
“Strike me pink!” ejaculated the butler. I thought rapidly. “Listen Perce. Keep your mouth shut in the servants’ hall about this. If Agnes and Jane get scared, they will leave, and we shall be in the soup over Christmas. I’ll find the cause of this little lot.”
I told Mary an accident had occurred to the Christmas tree, letting her think it was some clumsiness on my part. Then I went back to my study. There I had another shock. My books and papers were scattered all over the floor.
The window was fastened on the inside. The wind could not have caused the damage, because the weather, as often after snow, was still and frosty. I would not admit the suggestion clamouring to enter my mind. Then I dashed to see the Gang’s rooms. If anything had happened to them! Thank Goodness! All five were sound asleep. I rang for Agnes, and when she arrived I told her she must make her bed in Julia’s room until further notice. She was curious but I ignored her questioning looks. I decided to tell Mary and trust her natural courage.
[page break]
She was in the sitting room, her pet “Blue Room”. She looked lovely since she had had the bulk of her domestic worries eased by our inherited money. I told her all about the night’s happenings. “The children often tell me about the poor pretty lady with the bad throat who stands by their bed at night” she said. I was staggered.
“Isn’t it Agnes seeing that they are alright?”
“No, love, and you and I know it isn’t.”
“Who do you think it is?” I asked, knowing her answer.
“The same person you think it is” she smiled.
I kissed her and told her not to worry as we should solve the problem somehow. She smiled and said that so long as the ghost refrained from annoying our Christmas guests, she could stick it out. “It will look bad if your guests are hit by bottles thrown by spirits” she added.
Well, I thought it over for a couple of days, meanwhile all sorts of things happened. Pictures fell off the wall, bells were rung, ornaments were smashed, soot fell down the chimneys, and screams were heard in the drawing room, followed by a loud thump. That decided me. I have read too many true stories of these happenings to disbelieve in ghosts.
I went to see Father Murphy at his presbytery, and told him what was happening. He told me that local gossip always alleged that the sister had been murdered by her brother. He also told me that the eccentric couple were Catholics. I asked him what he thought of the business at Withernoak. He replied that while we must be very cautious over accepting the truth of ‘Ghost Stories’ there were undeniable and fully authenticated cases of haunted houses and similar phenomena. The majority were clearly cases of evil spirits at work, but cases had been known of human souls which had met untimely ends, haunting the place of their deaths until Absolution and Christian Burial had been given to their remains. I hazarded that this at Withernoak was a similar case. He said he would come along the following day and see what he could do. I thanked him and went home.
Jane and Agnes were in the hall, trunks packed.
“Too early for summar [sic] holidays isn’t it?” I grinned.
“We’re leaving sir.” said Agnes uncomfortably.
“Over the happenings?”
“If you can stand old ladies with their throats cut, wandering
[page break]
Mere Recruiting
[sketch cartoon]
[page break]
“From This And Other Operations, One Of Our Hoppers Failed To Return.”
[sketch cartoon]
GRB
[page break]
about, we can’t”, said Jane, in a manner that indicated her belief that I was to blame. I managed to persuade them to stay until after the visit of Father Murphy on the morrow, on the understanding that if he couldn’t cure the trouble, they could go.
That night was a repetition of the others. Chairs flew across rooms, ornaments smashed, soot fell down chimneys, doors slammed, the bells rang, windows rattled, pictures crashed to the floor. Then the familiar but none-the-less dreadful screams, followed by the inevitable thump in the drawing room. I also noticed the faint light by the withered oak, and then the solution dawned on me. What we were hearing was a re-enactment of the sister’s death struggle, the cutting of her throat, and her burial at the foot of the tree.
The priest arrived next day, but we had been up early through being too scared to sleep. Percival, the boot-boy and I, had been digging at the foot of the oak. We had found fragments of clothing and a decomposed female body. The butler had gone off to notify the local police. I greeted Father Murphy, and told him that it was Absolution and the Burial Service that he would have to say. After the ceremony was over the policeman arrived, and made arrangements to remove the body.
Well, we had a grand Christmas party, Mary says I was drunk, but I wasn’t - merely excited. Percival however allowed his fondness for Ansells to overcome his devotion to duty. We found him sound asleep in the beer cellar. Agnes and Jane stayed on and helped to make the party a success. The Gang had a perfectly marvellous time, and the guests were loud in their appreciations. One of them sent me a lovely silver cigarette case. Glancing idly through some of the newspaper he had used to pack it I saw the following:
“English Resident of Nice Dies Suddenly”
The death took place on the same day and at the same time as the Burial Service at Withernoak. Of course it was the brother of the murdered woman.
J.G.
[page break]
[underlined] MEMORIES OF AN AIRMAN IN SEARCH OF A BILLET [/underlined]
“I’m sorry but my husband is on nights and people might talk.”
“I’m afraid not. You see my wife’s expecting a happy event soon.”
“Well if you can make your own bed, wash up, chop sticks, queue for rations, and dig the garden, we might consider it.”
“We thoroughly disapprove of the war, and can’t be associated with an airman.”
“Are you a wee slee’un?” (Usual spelling Wesleyan)
“We are reserved for officers!”
“I should say not, we’ve got a daughter 19.”
“My husband has a much better scheme, he keeps writing to the papers about it.”
“Certainly not, my home is nicely furnished!”
“I’ll take you, but it must be clearly understood, my dogs come first.”
“The doctor says my nerves won’t stand it!”
“Why don’t you try Mrs. So-and-so?”
“Why doesn’t your officer put you in a tent or something?”
“Certainly, I know how my boy in the Army feels about being away from home.”
T.L.
[underlined] SAYING OF THE WEEK [/underlined]
“Sometimes people commit bigamy to please the landlady.”
Said by Sir Gerald Dodson. (Recorder of London)
At a recent dance the local Home Guard band played Strauss. Need we add that Strauss lost?
[page break]
“Into Battle”
[sketch cartoon]
GRB
or “COME WITH THE WIND”
[page break]
[sketch cartoon]
GREETINGS TO OUR N.C.O.S
GRB
[page break]
[sketch cartoon of arm-in-arm couple]
GRB.
[page break]
[sketch cartoon of three Father Christmases]
FOILED!
GRB
[page break]
[underlined] GEN [/underlined]
Any casual reader glancing at the cover of this magazine would form the impression that ‘gen’ was being referred to in the same disparaging manner as Captain Fotheringale Smythe used when he beat the Major at 101 up: “A mere bagatelle my dear fellah!”
This would be an entirely erroneous conclusion to take, and I have it with good authority that the Editorial Board will prosecute through their lawyers (Messrs. Speak, Speak, Speak and Silence.) any persons communicating or alleging any misconception of this magazine’s title. Gen, and the peculiarly exciting interest that surrounds it, are too deeply rooted in the everyday life of the Service to be dismissed at a single stroke of the pen; and Mere gen is our local variety.
There are three forms of Gen which the personnel of this station are likely to come into contact with, they are, in order of importance, pukka gen, duff gen, and landlady gen. The last named is, I believe, peculiar to this area. The amount of traffic passed in the above categories is in direct contrast to their importance. I will deal with them in increasing order.
First, pukka gen, or reliable information. This is so scarce, that, on second thoughts, it may be dismissed as negligible. Indeed some old sweats are firm in their belief that it is of an entirely mythical origin, or ceased to exist about the time F/Sgt. Thompson joined up.
Second, duff gen, or unreliable information. Even the greenest sprog cannot fail to recognise it when he, or she, comes into contact with it, because of its recurring characteristics, viz:-
(a) It is information that is alleged to have come from the orderly room.
(b) It is information that has supposedly been picked up by an eavesdropper listening to the W/O or the F/Sgt.
(c) The information is never first hand, but has been passed on from somebody ‘in the know’.
[page break]
(d) It is always profuse and sweeping in its statements.
Apart from the Service, the spreading of duff gen has captured the imagination of the outside world. A learned doctor in Germany has brought this occupation to a fine art. And I cannot see him being surpassed, unless he is challenged by the bloke who keeps on telling me that credits are due to be paid next week.
Lastly, Landlady Gen. This is by far the most prolific, but its field of activity is usually confined to the social life of we immoral airmen. This type of information does not appear to have any material use, but appears to give the purveyor unlimited pleasure. If possible, this gen should be avoided, but I am afraid that it is, like Shakespeare said of greatness, “thrust upon us”. The centre of this illicit traffic is, I understand, the local out post of the C.W.S. In conclusion I might say that Landlady Gen is generally irritant, and always persistent.
N.L.
There was a young lady of Malacca,
Who smoked all the Sergeants tabacca,
As she took his last fag,
He longed for a gag,
Or a slipper with which he could smacca.
Is it true that a certain W.A.A.F. at Mere House is so dumb that the others noticed it?
FROM THE LINCOLN ECHO…….
‘The Waafs he says, are mostly “small rounded unaffected and friendly, and clump busily around in flat shoes, hideous grey cotton stockings and broad smiles” ‘
He was lucky – even on nights ours do wear overalls.
[page break]
[sketch cartoon of three Waafs smoking]
The Shape of Things to Come
GRB.
[inserted] NOW SHOWING [/inserted]
[page break]
“Hopalong Wilkie”-
[sketch cartoon]
GRB
- Loses His Man!
[page break]
[underlined] “LOVE COMES IN THE NEW YEAR” [/underlined]
Alf was bartender and Alf knows me, so I didn’t have to ask, he had it waiting for me. Three more, and the garish room seemed to mellow. The bright green of the murals swelled and swam, twining in the darks and lights into patterns that left the balloons and streamers aloof and detached. Tobacco smoke wreathed the shining lights, and the blackout curtains were sombre panels in the shifting colours on the walls. I peered through the throng, there were too many people I thought, too many ruddy people, how was I going to find ‘Beth with all these people in the way? I’d come to see the wife I hadn’t seen in nine months, and I would. I shifted a Jockey’s Cap and a Harlequin and peered again. A girl dressed in some sort of Toga pushed up against me. The Toga was loose, she smelt nice. “Take me to the baths” she giggled, she was cockeyed, she left me cold. I caught the top of her Toga and pulled, she spun away leaving the thin silk in my hand. There was a scream from a couple of other girls who’d’ve liked to have thought up the idea themselves, and she revolved away in pinkness to the arms of some protecting male. Perhaps he protected her in the baths. I don’t know, for there was ‘Beth, gently serene, standing by my side, damn her, she must have seen. I took a deep breath and stood up.
“Don’t bother old man” she has a voice that smooths your hair down. “sit where you are, and tell me why” “Why?”,. I was a little tired maybe, or it wasn’t under-proof as I thought. “….oh you mean the Toga woman?”
“No dear, she deserved that; why have you been drinking?”
“I always drink”.
“No New Year’s Resolution?”
“No.”
There was a pause, perhaps she sighed, I don’t know.
“Arthur wants me to marry him.”
“Arthur can go to hell.”
“With you?”
“Yeah yeah, with me …I’ll take him there.”
I did stand up, I was going to look dignified, I was dignified.
“Arthur” I was addressing a meeting, “Arthur is the cause of all this, and he shall be the end of it.”
I left her.
[page break]
There was something more than smoke and colour in the ballroom to tie me down, after a while I got what it was; noise. A band was tearing its guts out, though I guess it stopped every so often to pour them back again. I needed something to help me with mine. I called a waiter.
“Something” I said, “to make me forget I’m drinking to be independent. Something” I said, “to drown a rat.”
He brought it.
The noise was louder now, fiercer, I went nearer. A clarinet stood up in front of the pounding rhythm, quiet sobbing notes that hung there and were shattered like flying glass before the exultant surge of the trumpet, a trumpet that lifted you up with it and flung you, higher and faster, higher and faster, until it left you to the merciless whiplash of a drumbreak.
‘Beth and Arthur were dancing. Arthur was smug, greasy. He’d have laughed at you if you had called him what he was; home truths don’t kill, and he’d got what he wanted, so why should he worry. Money gets most things, and Arthur had money. I felt in my pocket for mine; a bunch of keys, a pocket knife, it was Jimmy’s – he dropped things – two half crowns, a shilling two sixpences and four pennies. I was rich. Maybe I could write another article when I sobered up; that’s what ‘Beth didn’t like about me, why she left me; I’d earn what I had to enjoy the rest. The drinks were free, I chalked up another and looked around. It was nearly midnight, they were getting excited, forming a ring, tight packed humanity, too many ruddy people. I watched Arthur, he was pulled apart from ‘Beth in the sway, he was caught in the ring, ‘way down on the left. “Should auld Acquaintance be Forgot…..” The lights swung round, I swayed a little, and held a table hard against my side to support me. The corner was jabbing into my thigh, hurting me, no, it was the knife in my pocket, I put my hand in to move it. They were swinging round now, opening the circle I was pushed back to the wall. ‘Beth was out of it, I couldn’t see her, but Arthur was being dragged towards me, I could have touched him with my hand, Twopence for a rat’s tail.
“…..For The Sake Of Auld Lang Syne”. I was sick of it. I got out into the other room. I was looking for people I knew. Jimmy wouldn’t be there, he’d gone an hour ago, he worked on a paper. Alf was still sitting behind the bar. Alf is a friend of mine. I sat down. It was 1943.
[page break]
“I think I’ll let the New Year in here, Alf.
“Yes, sir, A Happy New Year sir.”
“Not yet Alf, not yet.” I was grinning. “you’re too early yet.”
The noise in the end room was terrific, they were enjoying themselves. All of a sudden there was a hush, then a scream, then pandemonium. I drank up. The walls were steady now, though the air was still thick. Alf and I were alone in a dissipated wilderness, I told him so, I felt good I could say it.
They were rushing in from the ballroom. ‘Beth was there she saw me.
“Oh Gem, it’s Arthur. He’s….he’s dead….stabbed.” I pushed a drink across as she collapsed into a seat. She looked ill.
“They carried him round in the crush….thought he was tight….but he was dead….Gem don’t sit there….”
A new fear crept into her voice.
“Where were you Gem?” She whispered.
“Here having my last drink….I made my Resolution….after just one to let the New Year in….Alf’ll tell you.”
“Yes, sir.”
It was too soon for her to understand.
“Oh thank God….Take me away Gem.”
I got up and took her by the arm.
“Fetch me a taxi Alf. My wife and I are going home.”
“Yes sir.”
“Oh, and Alf….”
“Sir?”
“A Happy New Year to you.”
S.M.L.
The Editorial Board wishes to thank A.C. Freddie Veal for printing the covers of this magazine: A.C.’s Bolt and Buckhill for their work on the cartoons: and Messrs. Walkers of Lincoln for the duplication. The Editorial Board will then turn round and congratulate itself on the work entailed in bringing you this special number. We sincerely hope you like it.
[page break]
[underlined] WE LIKE THE WAY THEY SAY [/underlined] ….
“Regret day off cannot be changed – same to be taken as per watch list.”
“Any snags you blokes?”
“How is it chums, O.K.?”
“Yeezavhadit!”
“Now when I was at Cheadle….”
“But good heavens man, this isn’t at all the sort of stuff we want!”
“Gosh, I’m hungry! Anybody got any pig food?”
“Now there’s a thing if you like!”
“….and I don’t mean maybe’.”
“I made the blinkin’ path so I ought to know.”
“When I get my course…”
[underlined] BUT MOST OF ALL WE LIKE THE WAY THEY SAY [/underlined]….
“Shall I brew up now, Sergeant?”
F.B.
If I could learn to love this place
And learn to love Dad Alcorn’s face
To love the way he stalks and walks
And even love the way he talks,
If I could learn to love his pranks
And get a weekend with his thanks,
My seven days get in advance
And learn to love his backward glance
And also love his jet black hair
Admiring ripples which aren’t there
If I could learn to love his grin
And learn to love the man within,
If I could learn to love his eyes
And also love the way he sighs,
If I could learn to love his soul
My name would be ----- instead of Cole!
D.C.
[page break]
[sketch cartoon]
GRB
AN AIRMAN’S DREAM OF CHRISTMAS
[page break]
GREETINGS
From
“The Men Who Give You The Gen”
[sketch cartoon]
or “The Rags Who Give You The Mags”
GRB
[page break]
[underlined] BEWARE THE TIDES OF TALK. [/underlined]
In days before Marconi achieved undying fame,
Ere Alexander Graham Bell had learned to write his name,
Before the Congo Cannibals, by beating on the drum,
Relayed to far off cookhouse that soon dinner would come;
In days before old Reuter and Associated Press
Sent news of which new territory old Hitler would aggress;
Before some redskin newshawk, in fear of ‘Catchem Poke’
Scooped the redskin newsworld, and sent the news on smoke,
Before all ways, both old and new, of slick communication,
The fastest service of them all existed in this nation.
In Branston down in Lincolnshire, there dwells an ancient folk,
Which spurns the use of wireless waves and sneers at redskin smoke
The womenfolk of Branston who use an ancient ritual,
Have such an instinct for new gen that it becomes habitual,
When on the trail of copy they use the third degree
Of soft and cunning questions, when airmen have their tea;
And some who’ve been in Service, and are of course go-getters,
Have mystic ways of finding out the news in airmen’s letters.
The ancient mathematics rule that two and two make four,
When handled by such expert minds they often make a score.
And news from airmen, slyly got by intellectual pillage,
Travels faster e’en than light itself, and soon is round the village.
The devious methods of their art go down from Ma to Daughter,
No difficulties them deter, they’ll go through fire and water.
Long ere the Waafs were posted here, before the airmen knew,
‘Twas common gen in Branston to more than just a few;
Their ancient sense for news that’s fresh, now scented strongly, scandal.
They thought the airmen gunpowder, the Waafs would light the candle.
So airmen taking Waafs a walk, or to the Hall for dances,
Gave Branston dames the chance to hint at illicit romances.
And now of course it is well known – excuse the lack of refinement
The Branston ladies long to hear the news of a Waaf confinement.!
J.G.
[underlined] HOME [/underlined]
I always dream of home sweet home,
The dearest place I’ve ever known;
A small square house with doors of green,
The grandest place I’ve ever seen.
The windows gleaming, oh so bright,
The sills that are so very white;
The casement curtains look so neat,
And in the Hall – an old oak seat.
The brasses on the parlour wall
Smile serenely over all;
For they know that Love is here,
And Happiness is everywhere.
A welcome, and a shining face,
Is what you meet within this place;
And though a stranger you may be,
There’s welcome there for you from me.
Mollie Ford.
[underlined] CONVERSATION PIECE [/underlined]
(Scene – Any Branston Pub.)
“The Country’s decadent” he said,
“We’ve left the Reds to bear the brunt”
“We’ve no real leaders at the head.”
“We ought to have a Second Front.”
“What’s that? Was I in it before?”
“Now really do be sensible!”
“How could I fight in any war?”
“You know I’m indispensable!”
T.L.
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
Mere Gen 1942
Description
An account of the resource
A duplicated magazine, produced by the personnel at Branston Mere. It includes 'in' jokes, poems, cartoons, and a ghost story.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-12
1943-01
Format
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29 duplicated pages
Language
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eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Poetry
Artwork
Identifier
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MReynoldsWT[Ser#-DoB]-150731-01
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
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
1943-01
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
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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
Roger Dunsford
Steve Baldwin
arts and crafts
entertainment
ground personnel
military living conditions
military service conditions
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1246/16413/MNealeETH1395951-150731-0730001.1.jpg
0bfe63a7732a76433f54369747f8ba46
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1246/16413/MNealeETH1395951-150731-0730002.1.jpg
6765dfd5386b5390bf6d9b67734e89ca
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
Neale, Ted
E T H Neale
Description
An account of the resource
123 items. The collection concerns Edward Thomas Henry Neale (b. 1922, 1395951 Royal Air Force) who served as a navigator with 37 Squadron in North Africa, the Middle East and Italy. The collection contains his training notebooks from South Africa as well as propaganda leaflets dropped by the allies in the Mediterranean theatre.
The collection also contains a photograph album, navigation logs and target photographs.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Alison Neale and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-07-31
Rights
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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
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Neale, ETH
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
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Cigarette and Chocolate Ration Card
Description
An account of the resource
A card issued to Ted Neale. On the reverse are handwritten notes with names and numbers.
Creator
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RAF Whitley Bay
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-12-03
Format
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One printed card with handwritten annotations
Language
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eng
Type
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Text
Text. Service material
Identifier
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MNealeETH1395951-150731-0730001,
MNealeETH1395951-150731-0730002
Coverage
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Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
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Great Britain
England--Whitley Bay
England--Northumberland
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
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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.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
aircrew
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1236/16933/YThompsonKG1238603v2.2.pdf
1dcb8516a19e873133be11b133f2f6f7
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
Thompson, Keith G
K G Thompson
Description
An account of the resource
95 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant Keith Thompson DFC (1238603 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book, documents, photographs and training material as well as his navigation logs. He flew operations as a navigator with 101 and 199 Squadrons.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Mark S Thompson and catalogued by Trevor Hardcastle.
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-09-07
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
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Thompson, KG
Access Rights
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Permission granted for commercial projects
Transcribed document
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Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
FIVE YEAR DIARY
JULY 16 ’42 to JULY 15 1943
16 JULY 1942
TRENTON, ONTARIO
[underlined] to [/underlined]
15 JULY 1943
CASTLE DONINGTON, DERBY
K.G.T.
[page break]
[calendar 1942 & 1943]
[signature]
[page break]
1238603 [deleted] LAC. [/deleted] [inserted] SGT [/inserted] THOMPSON K.G.
TRENTON. NO I “M.” DEPOT
NO. 1 AOS, MALTON.
31PD MONCTON, N.B. CAN.
HMT “QUEEN ELIZABETH”.
7 PDC PANNAL ASH COLLEGE HARROGATE
15 EFTS. KINGSTOWN,
7PPC GRAND HOTEL, HARROGATE
RAF. RGT. WHITLEY BAY. MCH. 20TH
7 PRC MAJESTIC HOTEL, HARR.
4 AOS WEST FREUGH, SCOTLAND.
28 OUT WYMESWOLD, LOUGHBOROUGH.
28 OTU CASTLE DONINGTON.
[underlined] NR. DERBY. [/underlined]
[underlined] FINIS [/underlined]
The Mind
Is a wonderful machine. It need but be just refreshed and incidents can again be revived in their former clarity.
A Line
Each Day, whether it be of the weather or of more important substances, will in time to come bring back those vague memories, worth remembering, to almost actual reality.
[page break]
Gran. M.
“ T.
U. Georg.
Maces.
Watson?
Cabins.
School RGS
Wark SPT
“ OTD
Kilnhurst Sch.
Swinton??
Dunne
A.E. & U.E.
[page break]
JANUARY 1
[underlined] FRI. 43 [/underlined]
No bfst. Parade 8-30 (?) turned out to be 9-0 am in the end & only 1/2 people on parade. Soup; turkey; ham spuds, cabbage; jelly & cust apple & orange; milk. Put on Draft. Working in P.O. [underlined] Letter from Doris & AG from Gran. [/underlined] 30c stamps Wrote AG & Ma. spaghetti & minced meat, bread & jam, tea. [underlined] Letter to Doris Posted AG [/underlined] to Ma. 8c milk 10c hot choc 5c dough nuts 2 x 6c Malted Milk
[page break]
JANUARY 2
SAT 43.
No bfst. Parade 9-0 am £3 pay. English £1 notes. HM, spuds, cabb, pud, sponge & jam, milk [underlined] NO MAIL. [/underlined] Packing. Pork chops; bean soup; tea; bread & jam. [underlined] Letter to Doris & $10 Money Order. Telegram to send watch home [/underlined] ($10.62 total.) 10c. soap; 10c hot choc & 18c. 3 packets peanuts. 15c. shoe polish. Finished packing kit bag, Everything in fine.
[page break]
JANUARY 3
[underlined] SUN 43 [/underlined]
No bfst. Parade 8-45. Just a roll call. No gen. except that we are leaving tomorrow AM Lamb, spuds, cabbage; mince pie & carnation milk; milk. No Parade. Played cards (Slippery Ann) Sleep. [underlined] Letters to Norah & Faiers. [/underlined] Lamb chop & spuds; bread & jam; tea & milk. Parade at 5-0. Assigned to train & coach (2-6) Parade 9-45 AM. Put Holmes shoes in my kit bag. 50c off Tarrant to pack kharki [sic] suit. [underlined] Letters to Doris, Allwyn & P.G. to Gran [/underlined] 20c. hot choc & egg sand 10c peanuts. 10c mints. 80c off Holmes for shoes.
[page break]
JANUARY 4
[underlined] MON 43. [/underlined]
Up at 7-0 AM. Porr. Cocoa poached egg; coffee. Collected letters for lads. [underlined] One from Doris Parade at 9-45. March out at 11-15. On train 11-45 Realy [sic] got under weigh [sic] at 1-15. [indecipherable word] haddock, spuds; peas; tea. Sleeping or at least attempted to Jerry & Williams playing chess Rotten meat; spuds & beans; soup; apple pie; coffee. Saw MO. 2 aspirins. Went to see Gwyn.
Crossed border. 9-15 PM
Watch back 1 hour.
[page break]
JANUARY 5
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; sos bread & but coffee. Had a wash cold water. Feel OK now. NEW HAVEN about 3 or 4 PM. chicken sand & ham snd. lemon cake (jam) spud, crisps, apple; sweets & milk. Arrived New York about 5-0 PM. (Electric loco pulling us.) Got on ferry boat & pulled out to midstream stopped there till about 6-30 to 7-30 PM landed on jetty. Given Mess & Bunk cards. Pork Chop, spuds, carrots, sago; brd & jam, coffee. Went to bed about 9-30 after good wash in cold water.
[page break]
[underlined] R.M.S. QE. [/underlined]
JANUARY 6
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
S/C about 6-30. Bfst. (8-0) got it at 9-15. bacon & egg, brd & jam; coffee. Walked round & round finaly [sic] saw the sea. MP’s, Yanks, all over the place. Can’t get anywhere. Didn’t have to queue long for our sup. which was OK. meat, spuds, cabbage; rice pud; jam & coffee The coffee is too strong 3d bottle of pop & 2/6d 200 fags. Played drafts with Gwyn for 2 or 3 hrs & only won last game drawed [sic] about [underlined] 4 [/underlined]
[underlined] 1 HOUR FORARD [sic]. [/underlined]
[page break]
[underlined] QE [/underlined]
JANUARY 7
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
No queue at all. Porr sos, figs marmalade, coffee. Made bed up. Went to Sgts. lounge & had read then went up to lifeboat deck. Met another of the DeWinter lads P/O. 50c (10 oranges) Meat spuds peas; peaches; jam & coffee. Ship giving beautiful rolls sliding food all over. 6/- for 12 bars choc 2/6d for 2 lighters. 20c & 1/-for calendar & photo of “Lizzy.” 9d x 4 boxes razor blades.
[underlined] 1 HOUR FORARD [sic]. [/underlined]
[page break]
JANUARY 8
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Didn’t get up for brunch. (bacon & chips; etc.) Went up on deck to stern. Saw the guns. Heard AA set off a few rounds. [underlined] Pushed [/underlined] back to PROM deck (all windows shut & blacked out.) Slept on bunk after SPEECH by W/C in charge of US. BULL about buttons, boots, press & shoes; smoking below decks, etc. etc. etc. Meat spuds, carrots; sago; jam & coffee which tasted like coffee for a change. Ship giving some bad rolls all day sea not heavy. One game chess with Gwyn
1 Hour added
[page break]
JANUARY 9
[underlined] SAT 43. [/underlined]
Didn’t get up till 8-30 AM or so. Went up to Prom Deck & Sgts canteen 5c bottle pop Sent below for Air Raid Warning. Sleeping & reading. Went for Supper with Gwyn. Lamb chop (cooked in oil.) spuds, beans, pineapple; jam & coffee Ship still gives a few heavy rolls. 2/- & 5c tube toothpaste & 3 packets of chocolat [sic] biscuits.
Time same.
[page break]
JANUARY 10
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
[deleted] Got [/deleted] [inserted] Woke [/inserted] up at 9-0 AM. Got up about 10-0. Wash & shave. Went up on boat deck. Talking to a couple of 2nd Lieuts in US. Army Gwyn not at home so I went for supper alone! (?) half a weiner, stew, spud, rice pud, jam & coffee; orange. In line for hair cut. Left it to go on the guns 8 to 12-0. Blowing like Hell & rain with it! [underlined] Put watches on another hour. [/underlined] Cocoa (weak) cheese & biscuits then bed.
[page break]
JANUARY 11
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 7-0 AM. went for bfst. Bacon, spuds & corned beef; apple sauce; coffee; marmalade. On .50” gun (mch) rain & wind. Sleep! or at least I tried to sleep. Land sighted 12-30 hrs. [underlined] Put watches on 1 hr. at 14-00 hrs. [/underlined] Supper at 1700 h Cheese; jam; ham; spuds, cabbage; coffee. Dropped anchor 18-10. Lined up for an hour & 1/4 for hair cut. Couldn’t change £1 note or $5 bill & had to borrow 1/- Went up on deck to look round Officer came in with “gen” about leaving ship
[page break]
JANUARY 12
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 5-30 for early bfst. 2 eggs & one in pocket, pears, marmalade; coffee. Back to bed & short sleep interrupted by some noisy B - - S. including his nibs Parade 10-30 in mess Hall. Speech by Mr. Jordan High Commis. for New Zealand. & Air Comm Hawe, “Groupy” & Wing/Co i/c troops on ship. Should have left ship 12-45. Actualy [sic] got on Dutches [sic] of Hamilton at 14-30. Pulled away at 15.30 after 1 hrs. wait. Landed after waiting 1/2 hr. at 16-30. GOUNOC. Pot of tea on stn. S/C at 18.00. WAVERLY 21.30 tea & extras (beans, meat etc. biscuits, sweets, sugar & coffee)
LMS train, nice new or “newish” coach, nice smooth tracks & smooth stops & starts.
[page break]
JANUARY 13
[underlined] WED 43 [/underlined]
NEWCASTLE. 1-15 AM Arr. HARRO. 3-30 AM. Lorry to Camp. bfst bacon, saus, turnip & spuds; jam tart & sauce; coffee. [underlined] Bed [/underlined] 6-0 AM Up 11-30. Beef, spuds, turnip – prunes & cust; Co. & Intel. Offs speeches. Signed & filled in forms for 2 hours. Supper 5-0 PM. Sardines on toast, tea. FFI & Dental (1 tooth) NAAFI & sgts. mess couldn’t change £1 notes.
Had kit out & sorted personal stuff from issue. Made Tigers bed.
[page break]
JANUARY 14
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Up 6-45. Shave (bad one.) Porr; meat roll (hot) fried brd; tea. Parade 9-0. Photo taken. Flying kit issued including rubber boots. New kit bag. Marked some. Lamb, sprouts, spuds (boiled & baked.) boiled sponge pud & cust. Kit inspection put down for 2 collars (664b) Pistol holster & ammo pouch (FI) Cottage pie, bread & jam; scone; tea. Night Vision Test 14/32. Could read ordinary card OK. (Second line up.) Again sorted kit. NAAFI shut 9-309 Went to Sgts. Mess. had 1 pt. br. & 1/2 pt. cider. Sgt. WAAF brought sandwiches in for us too. Bed about 11-0.
[page break]
JANUARY 15
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Scrambled egg, fried bread; porr; tea. Parade 8-45 Done Kit Insp. & Night Vis so was dismissed. Interviews Put down for Bombers & station near Sheffield. Stew, spuds, peas; apple & custard; bread & butter. Pay parade £13. Red line on kit & lable [sic] for flying kit. Fish & spuds; jam & piece of cake; tea. Walked into town. 3/- at [deleted] City [/deleted] Royal Hall “Cinderella” on 4th row centre isle. 2d programme. Walked back. Went to Sgts. Mess. 1/- for a couple of ciders. 2 sandwiches. Darts
[page break]
JANUARY 16
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
up at 7-15. Porr. bacon & sos; brd & but; tea. 1250’s issued; put flying kit in to stores. Issued with tunic & trousers, pistol holster & ammo. pouch; gas cape; tin bot & covers. Draughts with Gwyn 2-1 (lost.) Stew & spuds; rice pud (beautiful.) 664b’s 2 collars. Gave in other kit & bag. Meat pie & spuds; jam; tea 5/- for stamps, 10/- book (SPT4) Tramped around in DRIZZLE 3/6d ”Lover’s Leap” at Opera House 3d programme. 2d. for supper (2 sands. cake, tea.) Walked back (35 mins.) 6d cyder[sic] – No sandwiches Letter [underlined] to Doris [/underlined]
[page break]
JANUARY 17
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Kellog’s; sos & fried spuds; tea; marmalade. Parade 9-30. roll call & nowt else. 3d for bus fare & signed sheet saying I’m fully kitted. Beef, spuds peas; sponge pud; bread. Draughts. Lost all games. Letter to Doris. 1/- cyder. Ham, spuds; cheese; jam; tea. Swept up & help set tables in dining room. Cup of tea & talk after. 10 1/2d. chips, cheese pastie, OXO, 2 bars choc. Letter to Doris (same as previous ones) 3d for grapefruit crush.
[page break]
[symbol]
JANUARY 18
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Woke at 6-45. Went to sleep & dreamt about changes in R’Com. Up at 7-15. Porr; bacon & fried bread; tea. Dismissed to clean rooms. Swept stairs. lecture on security & secrets not to be divulged. Stew, spuds, sweeds [sic]; ground rice & sago etc., pud. Assigned to train to go home in Sgts. Mess. [underlined] Posted letter to Doris AIR. [/underlined]
Spuds & cheese; treacle; cake scone; tea. More packing & discussion on SSC etc. 5d. chips, peas & OXO (NAAFI 6d lemonade in Mess Shaved.
[page break]
[underlined] LEAVE [/underlined]
JANUARY 19
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & fried bread, tea. Up at 6-45. Washed & down to bfst at 7-00. not ready. So stripped bed & made it up. Handed sheets in at 8-30 Paraded at 9-0. Got in bus at 10-0. Arr. stn. 10-10. 2d. coffee & [indecipherable word]. Train out 11-0. Leeds 12-0. S/C 13-00. Arr. Bham. 14-30 6d. tea & pie (2 d’s) Home 3-0 in TAXI Went to office. Saw Granpa; Gaffer; Mr Haigh; Mr Brown & Miss Clayton. Went across to Ivan’s. Went to fetch Dad from Darce. 16-15. Ma across at Dunns.
Cup of [underlined] COCOA. [/underlined]
[page break]
JANUARY 20
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 11-0. Granpa, been to U.E. A. Edie “ill”. Took Pat to school. Fetch Doctor’s note from U.E. Went with Ma. to town bread & office again Dad stayed at home. Looked at photo album. & showed ‘em rest of snaps. Gave P & P watch & Ma [deleted] couchin [/deleted] cushion cover Played cards with P.P. Ma & Dad. Kissed P & P Good Night.
Drizzle all Day
[page break]
JANUARY 21
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Up 10-0. Cleaned bike & mended & cleaned all bells & pushes. Went for short run on bike. Granpa & Mr. Haigh both came to see us. 40 children killed & 50 injured in raid on London. Went into town with P.P. & Ma. Up to No 8 in Car. Had tea there Showed ‘em picture PC’s & Maps. Walked back.
[page break]
JANUARY 22
[underlined] FRI. 43 [/underlined]
Up at 10-0. RAIN!!!!
Went to GPO & sent [underlined] cable to Doris [/underlined] (2/6) also went to library to see about ATC. Granpa & A. Ella to see us. [underlined] Shaved [/underlined]. Looked for lock & chain. Went to school. Saw Arnie & heard tale. Mr. Atkinson wants a buzzer for daughter. Just saw old Freddy. Cards & Stamps.
[page break]
JANUARY 23
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 10-0. Went up to Greenbro to take key back. Dad home for dinner. Went across to Dunn’s for tea. Played bagatel [sic] with David, Barbara & Mrs. Dunn Babs won. Stayed till 12-0 AM. [deleted] W [/deleted] U. Edgar came for me to shut gas fire off. Policeman there wanting to know details.
[page break]
JANUARY 24
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 11-0. Went to see Maces Saw Mr. & Mrs & Syd. Joan was out with cousin. Dad home for dinner. P & P gone to church just before Bobby came to see Pat. Went for run Saw Mr. Carpenter. Went with P & P. David & Sally to Clifton Park. Barbara David came to tea. Mrs. & Denis came later. black music etc etc.
[page break]
JANUARY 25
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 10-0. Work about 11-15 to 11-30. Gave fags round. Saw Cyril, Tish, Wilf, Reg. Machin, Mr. Skilicorn, Harry, Ted, Mr. Smith, Syd, Turner, Methley, Mr. Duke, Office Reg, Tom, Peg, Joyce, Jack Lodge Went up to School Saw Freddy, Bob, Aitchy, Johno, Tiffin, Ticker, Perky, Jones, Morris, Simmons, Doc. [underlined] Lovely RAIN all day [/underlined] Dad out. At a wedding playing “sax”. Got away with stamps.
[page break]
JANUARY 26
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 11-0. Went to O & D for dinner. Dad gave me 1/- for same. Beef, spuds beans; treacle pud; tea with Mr. Carpenter & Stapleton. Went round the works to see all the chaps. Handed fags round. Came to [indecipherable word] Gerard with Mr. Mullet Gran, T & Florrie stayed till 4-30 but I wasn’t in! Played cards & sorted (?) Meccano.
[page break]
JANUARY 27
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Set off 11-0 for Kilnhurst Mr. Wilkinson left. Went to Green Lane. Saw Mr. Halifax & Waffenden & Mrs. & old Mrs. Thompson, [deleted] Mable [/deleted] [inserted] Marge Noble [/inserted] Went on to Swinton to Seniors. Saw Mr. & Mrs. Frank & Maureen (2 cups tea, biscuits &pork pie) Went to Gathard’s Mr & Mrs in Billy came in from pit. Saw Walt. Baldwin in town. Had dinn. about 4-0. Went to Gran Thompson Gilbert & kid there Nellie followed me in. Colin & Marg. came afterwards. Florrie gave me two photos of herself Gaile etc. off bell
[page break]
JANUARY 28
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
[underlined] shave. [/underlined]
Up at 10-0. Hunted out bits belonging to my buzzer. Started one for Atkinson Dinn with P.P. & Ma. Finished buzzer. Took Sally to meet Pam. bread shop shut. Took photo’s to U. George Asked me to stay to tea but returned home. Dad brought covers for rail cards. Babs brought rabbit to be skinned. Dad skinned some & one he brought for me.
[page break]
JANUARY 29
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 10-15. Babs called for rabbit. Went to Royal then went to work to Dad. Fetched a loaf. Went to town with Ma Tickets from Regent (2/3d) Shoes (Pate) Diary (2/3d) Bread. Snack and down at Regal for 5-5. Dad arr. 5-15. Show “First of the Few” Leslie Howard & David Nivien [sic]. (2/-) A really good picture. Tea. Went to David’s. Bagatelle & a nice supper. Left at 12-0
[page break]
JANUARY 30
[underlined] SAT – 43. [/underlined]
Down at 10-30 P[deleted] at [/deleted] [inserted] am [/inserted] & Ma up. Granpa called. Rain. Went up to school to take buzzer & see Arnie. Gave Acka buzzer & helped him fit it up. Gave me 2/- for buzzer. Arnie gave me 4/- for diary. NO SPUDS P & P wouldn’t fetch ‘em. Went to Timpsons with Ma’s shoes & Boots for Aspirins. Also fetched 3 loaves. Saw Joe & Oscar. Went run round to station. Saw Elsie & her Ma. Went to Darts. Pretty Good!
1/6d Commem. Stamps
Ran up 400 mls. on cyclometer
[page break]
JANUARY 31
[underlined] SUN. 43 [/underlined] SHAVE
Up at [underlined] 12-0 [/underlined]. Went to work with Dad to see Mr. Coleman. He was busy so couldn’t see snaps & photos. [underlined] RAIN in buckets [/underlined] Went up to Gran’s with Dad. Went on to Aunt Minnie’s & Uncle Jack’s. Went back to Gran’s. Ma & P & P only just arrived. Had tea. Aunty Emmaline & U. Laurie came about 9-0. Had a real good laugh. Home about 12-0
[page break]
FEBRUARY 1
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 9-0. Down in Square at 9-25. Bus out at 9-30. Arr. 10-0. Went to Uncle Wilf’s then to Aunt Emma’s. Left Great coat there & went to Uncle Joe’s Got to wrong house at first then when we found it he wasn’t in. 2/6d off Aunt Emma Bus back at 1-0. arr. 1-30 PM. Went to town with Ma & Pa. Regal (2/-) “Who Done It” Abbot & Costello & “Dr. Broadway.” Fish & chips. Went across to Dunn’s. Dog misbehaved by time we returned
BATH!!
[page break]
[underlined] HARROGATE [/underlined]
FEBRUARY 2
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Up at [underlined] 11-0 AM [/underlined] later than I wished. Shaved. Went to SPT to see Joe. Saw Jack Wright too. Gus on after’s so missed him Nos. King at Shef. University. More RAIN. Went about taxi. Took library books back. Hair cut 1/- & more RAIN. Packed kit with struggle. Ma packed me some supper. Phoned for taxi. S/C 5-40 arr Leeds 7-30. S/C 7-55 (10 mins late) arr Harr. 8-30 Walked to Grand Hotel. In room with Arty, Willie & Holmes. Supper which Ma Packed for me. Drew blankets & pillow.
[circled 2/6d taxi]
[page break]
FEBRUARY 3
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 7-15. Bfst; porr; bacon, cabbage; coffee. Parade in Mess for roll call & lecture (gen talk) Got kit bags “out”. Sos, spuds, cabb.; macaroni coffee. Parade at 2-0 with flying kit. Dumped same after roll call. Back to room at 3-15 Lads playing cards. I read. Stew & spuds; tea; bread & jam. 1/6d at Scala to see “Coastal Command” & “Women arn’t [sic] Angels” Robertson Hare. Walked back & was in for 10-10.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 4
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 7-20. Porr; toast & scrambled egg. Parade 9-0. Meat; spuds; sponge pud; coffee £7..10 pay after long wait. 6d in red X soap coupon. WO. Came for me at 2-15. POSTED. Going to Carlisle. Lecture on security. Got flying kit & packed rest & turned it all in FFI. Cheese on toast; cake; jam & tea. 3/6d Opera House “Eden’s End”
3d program. 3d MN fund. 3d drink. 2 1/2d. choc.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 5
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined] Up 6-0. blankets 6-30 Porr. sos & mash; tea, rations (dry sandw’s. & bun) Parade 7-30. S/C stn. 7-35. arr. 7-45. S/C Leeds. 8-40 arr 9-25 [deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted] 4d tea & meat pie at Y. Tommy bought lunch. Loaded kit. Got on train 10-20. Shld S/C 10-30. S/C at 11-15 for Carlisle arr. 2-30. RAIN & WIND all way. Bus to stn. & HUTS. [underlined] Din [/underlined] meat pie & spuds. [underlined] NO DRINK. [/underlined] Short lecture & ditto form. Sheets & pillow case. Got blankets. WASH. Herrings & cocoa. 2 bars choc. OXO. 3 gills. packet of crisps Bed about 11-0.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 6
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Up 7-55. WIND & a little rain Too late for bfst. Lectures by C.O. & CGI. Spuds, carrots, spare ribs; tart & cust. VP & First Aid lecture. FFI. Cleaned up. Buttons & shoes. Pie & soup.
ENSA Concert (6d)
Bert Davies & Dave Hunter (comed’s) Joy & Muriel (Brun Blonde) – Margaret Smart (BBC violinist)
Georgina Emmett – soubrette – Jane Arnott vocalist
GORDON RITCHIE – pianist
[underlined] 1 [/underlined] gill
[page break]
FEBRUARY 7
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 9-0. Down to camp (nowt) doing so walked back. Made fire. Went to NAAFI. Shave. Veal, spuds & coffee; rice pud Walked in & around Carlisle. 2/- sos & spuds; buns. Ginger Rodgers 2/- in “Kitty Foyle” pretty good. 2d on bus back. 6d chips & coffee. Letter too [sic] Ma
[page break]
FEBRUARY 8
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Fried spam & spuds; porr; tea. C.O’s parade. Tea & cake (NAAFI) Lectures. Prem, spuds, cab; soup; sponge pud. Lectures. brd & jam, tea. Fiddled with kit.
Film 3d. “Flat Spat.” Betty Grable, [deleted] Carol [/deleted] Coral Lordis & Victor Mature.
1 gill.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 9
[underlined] TUES 43. [/underlined]
Missed bfst Took flying kit down. RAIN. Film show. Meat pie, cab, spuds; plum pud. Took 4 rifles to range. Chips & prem. cake & tea 6d cheese & chips; coffee in NAAFI. Letter [underlined] AIR MAIL [/underlined] to Doris
[page break]
FEBRUARY 10
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; spuds & sos. RAIN. Astro Lecture. Stew, spuds; tart & cust. More RAIN. Bread & jam & cake. 2d bus. 2/- Arthur Askey [inserted] Evelyn Dalle [/inserted] in “King Arthur was a Gentleman” & Penny Singleton in “The Boss said “NO””
2d bus. NO eats.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 11
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
porr, spuds & bacon. P.T. & bit of Drill. Letter from Ma & Dad. spare ribs, spuds carrots rice pud. Brains Trust. letter to Ma. bread & jam & tea. letter. Meat pie & tea.
ENSA concert
Pretty good. A lot of crude jokes.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 12
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; scrambled eggs; tea. Parade at 8-45? roll. Drill. Lectures in Cinema. Aircraft Rec. Veal, spuds, cab; ground rice pud & raisins. Lecture on StenGun then lecture on Russia. Bread & treacle; tea. Made fire & had wash. Chips & sos roll, OXO, tart (in NAAFI). RAIN & MORE RAIN & wind. Had read in Anteroom then went & had a gill. [underlined] Posted letter to Ma [/underlined]
choc ration.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 13
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Went to Aero Café for bfst. 1/4d bacon & toast; coffee. Went back for camera. Bus into Carlisle. 1/2d din sos & chips; brd; tea. Roamed around. Picts full. Couldnt [sic] find bus for Gretna. 1/6d tea. chips & welsh rarebit. 2/- show. “The Devil Pays Off” (DeMott steamliner. Mutiny) & Gene Autry in “Sierra Sue.”
[page break]
FEBRUARY 14
[underlined] SUN. 43 [/underlined]
Porr, sos & spuds. Parade as usual. ROUTE MARCH after Church Parade Meat, spuds; cab; rice & tart Read in anteroom & tried to sleep. Sos & spuds for supper.
“Ride ‘em cowboy” Bud Abbott & Lou Costello.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 15
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
porr & prem, CO’s parade RAIN & WIND. Lectures on Pilot Nav & map reading. Chicken roll, spuds; plum pud & cust. Further lecture on map General bind about the station. Had tea. Made fire & had a wash Scallops & chicken roll. [underlined] NAAFI. [/underlined] 2 shortbreads & coffee. LETTER from MA
LETTER to Doris.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 16
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Porr, bacon & spuds. FLYING. bus to KP. 60 mins pin pointing from KP to Kingstown. Ribs, spuds, cab; plum pud. Worked out a cross country & set off. Went to KP first then went round X country. Tommy got last NOT returned. bus back from K.P.
2 welsh rarebits
LETTER TO MA.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 17
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Porr & sos. Gen talk. Supposed compass swing stew & spuds; jam & cust. Cross country S/C but had to turn back. Low cloud so set course back half way along second leg. Made it OK. Cheese, jam & cake. Went to see “Twin Beds” & “Sunday Punch” AGAIN. Choc.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 18
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Cornflakes; jam; tea. Route march, unarmed combat. Ground Signals. MEAT PIE, spuds, cab. ground rice. Flare paths. Letter to Pat. brd & jam. Took gt. Coat to Mary at din. time. Meat, spuds & cabbage; tea; jam. 2 buns from NAAFI. Show in Mess. “Holiday Inn” Fred Astaire & Bing Crosby. Fetched gt. coat which Mary had finished Bed. 11-0 PM.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 19
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; jam; tea. Roll call. Route March round perimeter track. Cinema at 11-30. Talk on [indecipherable word] by P/O Pilot. Stew, spuds, sweede; [sic] rice pud. Lecture on Mediterranean by War Office chap. Tea, bread & jam Wrote short note to Ma & sent £10 with it. Cheese & spuds for DINNER. 2 biscuits & coffee. 4 bars choc [underlined] SHOWER [/underlined]
[page break]
FEBRUARY 20
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; sos. Cross country with Fred. Ran into low cloud on high ground. Wind & deviation all over place. Turned back. Letter from Ma. & cable from Doris. Din (stew spuds, cab; & tart.) Flying washed. Messed about on box & bar in crew room doing PT? Had tea then DINNER? ONE HERRING!! Went & had chop & chips & peas in NAAFI. Talk with Fred & Tom. Glass beer in Sgts. Mess
[page break]
FEBRUARY 21
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 9-0 AM. Café shut so went to NAAFI. cake & 2 cups coffee. Went back to camp & cleaned up Set off for town. Got a lift in van. Stopped TWICE by SP’s for ident. card & had name taken for leather gloves. 3/- din (soup; spuds, minced meat & sundae) Set. Bob off back 3d cake & buns 2d bus back. Tea, usual, in camp, Met Mary at 6-30 at bus stop. Went to see (4/-) “China Sea” Darn Good film. Walked back to camp.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 22
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Porr, spam & spuds lectures & Aldis Comp. Sos meat spuds, beans; sponge pud. NAAFI coffee. lecture & quiz (NAV) also quiz regarding welfare on the station. Usual tea Sos meat jam & tea for [underlined] SUPPER [/underlined] NAAFI coffee
Letter to P & P & MA
Made Date.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 23
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/UNDERLINED]
Porr, bacon, spuds. Set out for Hexham & Hawick. Cloud chased us back AGAIN on 2nd leg HOT POT!?! rice pud. Recconnaisance [sic] with Turner. Looking for bridges Changed sheets 2 Registered Parcels from Ma. Tea & Jam Bus 6-30. Went to see “Flying Fortress” 4/- Walked back. One X.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 24
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Porr, sos, spuds, RAIN. Station Flying Orders signed some. NAAFI Lecture on dinghy drill. Stew!! spuds cabbage; tart & cust. Fred & rest returned from Reitz VIA “RAIL”. WAITING IN CINEMA. CO asked for our names (in Ante room) Letter & Valentine (MA & D) Usual tea. 1/- spam & toast RABBIT spuds & sweeds [sic] NAAFI coffee. Date again
[page break]
FEBRUARY 25
[underlined] THURS 43 [/underlined]
Usual type of meals. Supposed to be on lectures but none of the lecturers arrived. Had supper. Went to the City and saw “Dangerously they Live.” & “About Face” X’s & Good Night
[page break]
FEBRUARY 26
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Porr, scrambled egg. X. country HEXHAM & almost to HAWICK WITH Sgt. Stockill Stew, spuds, sweede; [sic] rice pud. Short X. country Penrith to Silloth. Flew back from KP for din. Sgt. Stockill did a few Cities at [underlined] my request. [/underlined] Made log book up to date. Cheese & spud pie, jam, tea. cup coffee Show by neighbouring station. DAMN GOOD!
[page break]
FEBRUARY 27
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
1/4d bfst. bacon & toast. choc biscuits, coffee. Darts in NAAFI. (coffee etc) Din in Mess. Waited in NAAFI for Watson 6d for tea, toast & salmon 2/- to see “Son of Fury” George Sanders & Tyrone Powers ([deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted])
[page break]
FEBRUARY 28
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Porr only. S/C for PERTH with Turner. Got to MOFFAT where clouds closed in. Chop, spuds, cab; jam tart. Flying washed but went with ANNAN with F/LT SMYTHE. Cottage pie, sweede [sic] & cocoa. Chin wag in Ante Room. NAAFI.
[page break]
FEBRUARY 29
[blank page]
[page break]
MARCH 1
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Co’s parade. Porr; spam spuds; jam. Went to KP on the bus but didn’t fly Ribs, spuds, cab; jam & concret [sic] tart. No flying. Sent laundry etc. home. 1/-. 2/6d stamps. Letter from & too [sic] Ma. 12 chips for supper. Coffee & cakes in NAAFI.
STEVE & DICKENS
[page break]
MARCH 2
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Billet Insp. by C.O. George Flying on search. Coffee & biscuits while writing letter to Ma. Paper from Ma. Meat, spuds (stew!) ground rice pud. No flying bread & jam tea. Night flying “Gen.” at 6-15. Supper; - “slice” of potted meat & beet; cocoa. Had coffee in NAAFI. Flew from 9-0 till 10-0. Just round a wide circuit Beaufort! Had cup of tea in NAAFI x 2. Bed about 12-0
[page break]
MARCH 3
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 8-0. Went ‘SICK’ for Turner. No parade. 1/6d for egg, toast & tea breakfast. Kit sorting. Usual type of dinner. Letter & parcel from Ma. Reconnaissance flight with Watson. Tea as per usual. No night flying! “All thro’ the Night” 2/- at Lonsdale. Walked back X’s.
[page break]
MARCH 4
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Porr for bfst. To [sic] big a queue. Completed log bk. £7/2/- pay. Hand key & inter-com & sheets back. Coffee etc in NAAFI. Stew, spuds, rice. 3 letters from Doris one from Gran & one from Watson. Mary gave me 6 bars choc. X. Packed & [indecipherable word] lorry. 1/- for sos & mash (twice) Train 6-45. Arr. H. 1-30. Bed at Majestic 2-0 after tea & pie
[page break]
MARCH 5
[underlined] FRI. 43 [/underlined]
Up at 8-0. Just had wash. 1/7d welsh rarebit & toast. Film “Next of Kin” Very Good. Beef, carrots, cabb, spuds tea, jam. Moved to Grand. Nowt to do or be done. Kit still at the Majestic Sent letter home (just a short note) Fish cake, spuds, tea & jam. Went with Staff & Tom to see “Date with an Angel.” Darn Good film. 1/6d sos, egg & toast, 2 teas. Chip shop sold out.
[page break]
MARCH 6
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Kellogs; ham & spuds, Room inspection. OK’d Not wanted on parade so went & had coffee & biscuits. 6d. Cold meat & veg, salad; trifle; coffee. Washed my feet & put clean socks on. £6 money order. (6d) Looked for writing case. None to be got. 10d torch batteries. 10d pie, cake & coffee Sat in park. Meat roll & beet, brd & jam roll; tea. 2/6d at Odeon “Wake Island” & Moon over Havana” 1/6d sos, egg; toast & tea.
[page break]
MARCH 7
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
porr, meat roll, fried spuds, coffee. Went to station. train 10-20 Didn’t go to Leeds. Went to YM. to [sic] early & packed. so went to café Had cheese on toast & coffee, jam 2/- had din at Majestic after darts. Meat, spuds, cab & carrots; rhubarb & cust. [underlined] Letter to Ma & Mary. [/underlined] Tom sleeping Nice tea. Went to see what shows [deleted] are [/deleted] [inserted] were [/inserted] on. Met Hayes & pal. 2/6d. “International Sqdn” & “Strange Alibi.” Went & had supper. Spam & chips (1/9.) 2/9 for beers. Learned one or two puzzles. Bed about 11-15.
[page break]
MARCH 8
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Up 7-10. Bfst. Porr, ham & fried spuds treacle & tea. Went to Thirsk café. Had rarebit & coffee & toast 2/1d. Looked round Smiths. [underlined] Letter from Ma. Mr Coleman [/underlined] Meat pie, spuds & sprouts; rice pud; coffee. Parade 2-0. Names taken etc. then buzzed off. 1/- tea & pikelets. [underlined] 2d. parcel to Ma. [/underlined] Fish cake & chips, brd & marmalade. [underlined] Letter to Ma & SPT. [/underlined] Went out & posted same then went to bed 10.15
[page break]
MARCH 9
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
porr, spuds & fish, tea. Set on sorting mail. Letter from Ma & Doris from Canada. Beef, [inserted] cocoa [/inserted] spuds, cab & parsnip; “Mickey Roony” & rhubarb Sat in Park. Had small drink from well. Magnesia & Sulphur. More mail sorting. Took redirected stuff to the Spa. Went round the cinemas. Had tea. 2/6d at Odeon Monty Wooly in “Pied Piper” also “His Neighbour.” [underlined] 3/6d [/underlined] chips & rabbit pie & 2 cups of tea.
[page break]
MARCH 10
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Didn’t get up for bfst. Mail Tea coffee & 3 buns. More Mail. Stew, spuds, cab; peas; apple & cust; coffee. Went to Majestic. No mail & canteen closed. Boys back from Whitley Bay. Went with Gwyn to see White Rose Players in “Gas Light” 3/6d. then went to Maj & had glass sherry
[page break]
MARCH 11
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Didn’t get up for bfst. 9-0 Room Inspection. Sorting Mail Parade at 10-30. Reserve for posting. Beef (boiled) spuds, sweeds; [sic] boiled pud & cust. Registered Parcel from Ma. AG from Joyce. Parade 1-45. Dismissed Shave. Parade again at 3-45. No Gen. Letter from Ma & another reg. parcel. Meat & spuds jam roll. Went to see Victor Mature in “Seven Days Leave” & “Highways by Night,” 2/6d.
[page break]
MARCH 12
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 9-15. Parade 10-45. Went to Maj. for registered parcel (socks etc.) Roast beef, mashed & roast spuds, cab; cust & tart. 13/6d for fags from Mr. Dixon (200) 2-0 parade for FFI. NOT REQUIRED so had tea 11d. Fish spuds, & treacle also collected rations. Parade 4-45 not wanted again. Went walk with Gwyn. Tried to get Pass. Gwyn & lads went at 7-30. Wash. Went out with Tom. 3/9d for beers.
[page break]
MARCH 13
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 8-30. To [sic] late bfst. NO PASS. Mail to & from Spa. Stew, spuds, cab, sweed {sic] & boiled pud; cocoa. Started letters to Ma & Mary sitting in the park. Turned coal [sic] so had a walk round & eventualy [sic] went to see “Seven Sweethearts” & “The Green Cockatoo.” 1/6d. Went & had chips & fish cakes [underlined] 2/10d [/underlined] & cup of tea.
[page break]
MARCH 14
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
egg & sos. Church parade. Walked round the town. Beef, roast spuds, cab, & carrot; maccaroni [sic] pud. Walked round the park & the town till 2-25 when we were given tickets for a concert at the Royal Hall. A pretty good show! Flan, beet & pie (meat) & jam for tea. Went a roaming again & eventualy [sic] went to Regal to see “Three Silent Men” & “Wild Geese Flying” Took ATS girls back to camp. Came back & had coffee & meat pie at Hollywood.
[page break]
MARCH 15
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Usual bfst – lectures after being squaded. Din similar to usual. Lectures again. [underlined] Fried egg [/underlined] & spuds & cocoa for tea. Spear not going. Williams going instead 5/- at Scala to see “My Sister Eileen” Walked back to ATS camp & back to Craven’s Had fish cake chips & carrot steamed pud; tea 3/6d
[page break]
MARCH 16
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon, spuds & fried bread; tea. Room insp. Clay pigeon shooting 10/21. Finished letter to Mary in small café 6d for coffee & cake. Beef, spuds, cab & carr, prunes & cust; cocoa. 13-30 parade. Lectures. Arms, intell & navi. Meat pie, chips; treacle & tera. Card for fags (Mr Dix) Sent pyjamas home to be washed Wrote letter to Ma. Posted it & Mary’s.
[page break]
MARCH 17
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Scrambled egg on toast; tea. Kit Inspection & nothing else. Sos & mash, cab & sweed [sic] steamed pud. Sent parcel to Ma. Went on short route march out towards ATS camp. Steak & chips. “Night Mare” & “Mrs Wiggs of the cabbage patch” 2/-. Coffee at Hollywood.
[page break]
MARCH 18
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Bacon & fried spuds. Fetched Battle Dress, helmet, etc. from Majestic. £7 pay at Grand. Beef, spuds, cab & sweed; [sic] lemon curd fritter. Letter from Ma & Gwynn. 664b’s cleared up. Having none Tom & I went & had cup of tea & cakes 1/-. Salmon & beet for tea. Took Tiger with us this time. Saw “If the Lady is Willing” Marlene Deitrich & Fred Mc.Murray. & “Fingers at the Window” 5/- 2/- cigs. Walked back to ATS camp. X’s.
[page break]
MARCH 19
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
kidneys on toast, porr. tea. Lecture on security by S/Ldr. Handed in kit bag containing personal kit. FFI. Stew spuds, cab, sweed, [sic] peas; apple pie; cocoa. 2-10 parade. 1/1 1/2 coffee & cakes. Inspection by S/Ldr on full webbing parade. Letters from Ma & Mary. Sardines on toast. Tiger didn’t turn up so we went to Opera house (3/6d seats) “Old Acquaintance” X in the dark. Put ‘em in taxi another X. Had cottage pie & chips at Craven 3/6d
[page break]
MARCH 20
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Missed bfst. Up at 8-10. Roll call 8-45. 1/1d coffee & toast. Parade again at 10-30 in full kit. Marched to stn. S/C 11-35. Bought newspaper Tom & Willie got sandwiches arr. 2-30 PM. Roast mutton spuds, cab, beans; jam roll & cream. Put into billet & issued with blankets. FFI & foot inspection. Ham & spam & pickles also raw carrot; tea. Had 2 pints. Sent P.C. to Ma.
[page break]
MARCH 21
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Egg on fried bread; porr; tea. Church parade then stores. Issued with rifle bayonet, boots & webbing Roast beef & spuds, cabbage, York. pud; apple pie & cust. Sleep & read. Cheese & potato pie, spam & raw carrot, tea, marmalade Walked back to billet again. Firemaking. Wrote letter to Ma in Mess. Speech by Churchill. cocoa & sandwiches.
[page break]
MARCH 22
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
bacon & spuds; tea. Parade & inspection at 8-30. Lecture by G.C. & Sqdn. Comdr. Fitted webbing together. March to Din. Mutton, spuds, & beans; fruit pud. Marched to Golf course Lecture on camouflage. Golfers!!! Lecture by F/O. on general “gen”. Tea, fried spam & chips. Couldn’t eat spam Felt rather sick. Went for haircut. Barber shut so went to ENSA concert. Russian troupe. Darn good. Cup of coffee in Mess. Sewed buttons on trousers. SIREN. GUNFIRE
one down.
[page break]
MARCH 23
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
fish & spuds. Couldn’t eat it all. Rifle Drill; Bayonet Drill; P.T. on beach; “Load” & “unload!” Marched to Din meat pie, carrots & spuds; rice pud & prunes. Ate all of it. Grenades; cleaning rifle, setting sights for range; Thrust & parrie & a bit of unarmed combat. [underlined] Fish [/underlined] pie & spuds, bread & jam; coffee. 1/- haircut. 1d on bus, cleaned rifle, chopped sticks. Started letter to Mary at dinner time.
[underlined] Finished letter to Mary [/underlined]
[page break]
MARCH 24
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
bacon & spuds; tea. [inserted] range [/inserted] [indecipherable word] Lewis gun; obstacles & carrying (firemans lift.) FISH & SPUDS, fruit pie; water. Route march & exercise on observation P.A.D. Stew & SPUDS NO BREAD! dry biscuits tea. [underlined] 2 letters from MA. [/underlined] P.A.D. parade before tea. Had glass of beer & sos roll. Bed by about 10 but had to get up at 12-0 for PAD. Guns & one or two Bombs. Had cup of tea in SSQ. Bed again by 2-0 AM.
Passive Air Defence.
[page break]
MARCH 25
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Didn’t get up till 8-0 AM consequently missed bfst Lewis loading & unload advance, fire & retire. Grenade throwing. Sten Gun. Beef, spuds, (boiled & baked) cab; sponge pud. Cross country & streams. Swinging across a stream by a tree branch I ended up in the stream!! face down. Spuds, thin thin [sic] stew Bread & JAM!! tea [underlined] Letter from PAM. Letter to Ma [/underlined]
Bed 10- PM.
[page break]
MARCH 26
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Didn’t get a call so didn’t get up till 8-0. Shave. Anti Tank grenade; run & walk (PT.) Lecture by W.O – F/O Middleton & S/Ldr i/c 1 WING on Sgts. Mess; & charges. Liver & bacon, spuds, & cab; currant sponge; water. Cross country route march to Obalesk. I had to march flight to golf links where we split up into parties. Welsh rarebit; peanut butter & tea. Went to Stn. OXO’s on fire.
[page break]
MARCH 27
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
sos meat; spuds; porr; coffee. rifle inspection, unarmed combat. Gas chamber. 295’s issued. Wash & change. bus into town. 20/4d return ticket. Train to Newcastle just made 1-0 PM at Newcastle. Met AB. Mills train to York & from York to Rotherham arrived 4-25 Walked up home. Ma bad in bed. Cold. Pork pie for tea. Plates, cuts & odds & ends.
[page break]
MARCH 28
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 10-0. Shave & wash till 11-0. Mucked about with dyno & rear light. Cleaned both & refitted latter. Took P.P. & S to meet Dad at dinner time. Park clap. Dad went to work at 3-0. P & P to S. School. Went to Dunns just before din. Went to Grans just before tea. Saw Elsie. Went 5 mls (1/2 hr. on bike) Stamps. S/C for stn 10-25 arr. 10-50. Train at 11-5 tea & sandwiches at Shef. Train pulled out 1-45 AM
[page break]
MARCH 29
[underlined] MON. 43 [/underlined]
arr Newcastle 6-40. Ebc train 6-50 to Monkseaton. Parade at 8-30. Insp. Drill, Sten Gun, P.T.. Took stens back to armoury. Meat pie, spuds, cab, beans, beet rice & prunes. Went to Cinema to see “Desert Victory” & “Sherlock Holmes in Washington” Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce. Meat pie & jam; tea.
Letter from Mary.
Letter to Mary & Ma.
[page break]
MARCH 30
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Porr, bacon & spuds, tea. Insp. 30 mins to clean billets [sic] Cinema (films on all sorts of things.) Beef, spuds, cab; sponge pud; water. WIND & more Wind. Went on to golf course & did charging of the guard & mounting of guards. Challenges, how & how not. Cheese pie (twice) & cake; tea. Letter from Ma. pint of beer. Letter to Ma. Had tea & cakes at Beach café at dinner time.
[page break]
MARCH 31
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
porr; sardine & spuds baked spuds. Gas café respirator & webbing for gas lecture. Then LMG. PT. (unarmed combat.) STEW, spuds, cabbage choc sponge pud minus sugar! coffee! Sten gun on the field. Grenades. Sighting etc. on landscape. Sos meat, spuds, raw carrot & turnip, tea, brd. & jam. Parcel from Mary & Betty containing 5 raw carrots. Night manoeuvres on golf course. 1/2 pint & 2 cups of cocoa. 4 sandwiches.
[page break]
APRIL 1
[underlined] THURS. 43 [/underlined]
Porr; bacon, spuds; MA’s jam. Parade in best blue 9-15 Insp. by cpl. Insp. by flight sgt. Paraded again at 10 to 10. Marched down to Rex. mucked abate by SWO. Insp by groupy WHEN he EVENTUALY [sic] arrived LATE per ardua. Bags of “bull”! Army Band. Marched past Groupy & [deleted] [indecipherable word] Ensign. Dismissed. FISH, spuds, cab; raisin roll; 1/- cakes & tea. 1-30 in khaki with towel & soap. £7.10s pay £1 stamps, 15/- Cert. Shower. Station & walk around. Meat roll & spuds; cake; tea. [underlined] Letter to Doris. [/underlined] Sandwiches & coffee in Mess.
[page break]
APRIL 2
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Porr, sos & spuds, tea. Drill, Assault course. PT. Beef (2” [symbol]) spuds, cab. York Pud; trifle, Cap projector for grenade L.M.G. fire etc. NO PASS. [underlined] Bacon rind mixed with spuds [/underlined] & spuds, a little jam; tea. 1/1 chips & pie; cup tea Letter from Mary. Cleaned rifle. cat. Tom & firemaking.
WATCH going WEST.
[page break]
APRIL 3
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Kellogs; cold Ham; tea. Rifle Inspection. Cleaned billets. Lecture on “forms”. PT in kit. Cold Beef, spuds, beet, cress; prunes, plums & cust. Cakes & tea 1/- Changed & went to see Parade. Saw PT display. Salmon cress & beet; cake, tea. Walked around the town then went to see “Bambi” & “Moonlight Masquerade” John O’Keefe. Sandwiches & coffee in the Mess. Bill brought dog up with him.
WATCHES ON ONE HOUR
[page break]
APRIL 4
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 7-45. Kellogs & bacon & egg; marmalade & tea. Started reading “The Man in Grey” laid on bed covered with a blanket. Meat, spuds, cabbage; trifle (kinda sort of) coffee. Continued reading book on golf links beside sea. Cold meat & spam, beet; marmalade. PAD parade. Finished book. [underlined] Wrote & posted letters to Mas, Mary & Gwyn [/underlined] Tea & sandwiches in Mess
[page break]
APRIL 5
[underlined] MON. 43 [/underlined]
Porr; bacon, lard, egg, spuds, Marmalade. Collected Sten guns. PT.. Sten (“load” etc.) Drill, Sten in respirator Meat pie; spuds, cab, beans raw carrot etc, rice & stewed pears. Field exercises. Battle Drill. Rifle cleaning. Went for Reg. Parcel & WAAFS just left. Cottage pie, peas; jam; tea. [underlined] Letter from Ma & Doris [/underlined] HELL of a WIND all day. [underlined] Letter to Ma & Doris Collins [/underlined] Didn’t go out all night.
[page break]
APRIL 6
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & spuds; tea. PT (run) Battle order grenade throwing & field craft. (moving under cover.) Stew meat, spuds cab, beans; cust & ginger pud. No Mail. L.M.G. for two periods then AT mines. Went for parcel & asked about form for S.P.T. Sardines in oil & toast, marmalade & treacle; tea. 1 pint beer. Choc, nuts & sweets (7 1/2d.) Letters to Dennis, Joe & Joyce.
[page break]
APRIL 7
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Kellogs; bacon, spuds; tea. PT in denems. [sic] Rifle Drill for firing on range. Cleaned grenades. Scoring & sighting. Beef, spuds, cab. ginger pud. Route Mch. about 3-4 miles. Rifle cleaning. Sos & mash jam (knife.) 1/6d at Empire to see “ITMA” with Tommy Handly & gang. also “The Great Impersonation.” Coffee & Sandwiches in mess.
[page break]
APRIL 8
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; fried Spam & fried spuds twice; tea Parade outside Prudloe & collected ammo. Battle order carried ammo to range. Fired 5 grouping. 5 application 5 snap shots & 10 rapid shots got 76/100. Tom 81 Top 84. Had 2 helpings of stew from field kitchen, cocoa to Drink Fired a dummy grenade. Cleaned rifles. Fish cheese & treacle, tea. “RAF on Parade” at Empress 2/6d for program. collection coffee & Horlicks. Tea & a sandwich in Mess. LETTER from Ma.
[page break]
APRIL 9
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon RIND rissoles & spuds; tea. Sten (firing) & Grenade throwing. Rifle Inspection. Liver & bacon, spuds, carrots & parsnips; rice pud with raisins; coffee. Football on the beach. PAD at 4-30. Shower in Prudloe. Supper 6-15. Fish, bread & a little treacle, terra. Changed & went to barbers SHUT. so went on the stn for ticket 20/4d. 1/- at Wonder Bar for coffee & sandws. £1 stamps (savings.) Made fire.
[page break]
APRIL 10
[underlined] SAT 43. [/underlined]
Porr; liver & spuds; tea. Inspection in denims; P.T. (cross country.) Parade in best blue to go through passing out parade. Parade at 10 to 12 for pass Lift on lorry to stn. Train at 12-15. NEW. 12-45. 10 1/2d for pie & 2 sandwiches. Stood up to York & stood up to R’Ham. [indecipherable word] to Coop. Got bike out & went looking for barber. Saw Dad & Ma & P & P in library Stamps
[page break]
APRIL 11
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 11-30. Shave. Went for 1/2 hr. run around houses. Had dinner & then got stamps & books etc. etc. cut & straightened em up a bit. Went to Grans with P & P. Saw Mrs Dixon. Had tea at home then went for a walk in Boston Park. Saw Geoff & Phil Prinnett. Queen Elizabeth spoke in 9-0 PM news. Ma & Dad packed tin of tuck then I packed kit including stamps. Ma & Dad walked to stn. with me & saw me off. 2 cups of tea, biscuits & cake. at Sheff. YMCA on stn..
[page break]
APRIL 12
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Train out 1-30 & I got a seat Arr. 5-30 AM. Cup of tea at WVS. Train out at 6-5 arr. Monks 6-35. Bfst. bacon & table spoon full of spuds; porr; tea. Parade at 8-20 in best blue Paraded again at 10-10 & marched down to REX insp by CI. GC must have still been in bed. Meat & spud [deleted] pie [indecipherable word] [/deleted] [inserted] soup [/inserted] & cab; raisin pud [indecipherable word] Rifle inspection & sleep. Chips, meat pie; treacle, tea. Letter from Mary & Doris Collins. Parcel from Mayoress’ Fund. 1/2 pint beer. Fun Arcade. Hot Choc, biscuits
KINGSWOODS BUDGET.
MORE TAX ON PICTS..
[page break]
APRIL 13
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Didn’t go for bfst. To [sic] tired. Had scone Ma packed. Transfered [sic] to No 1. Sqdn. 4 Flt. Carried kit down in 2 trips. Meat pie, spuds, carrots; rice pud & stewed fruit; tea. Parade at 2-30 for gen & roll call Straightened kit out a bit. Swapped stamps. Fried sos meat, spuds & carrots; bread & jam; tea. Letter from Ma. 1/6d at Empire “Nine Men” & “Rubber Raquetters [sic]”.
[page break]
APRIL 14
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & spuds; tea. Parade in Battle order. Marched to Golf Links where Demonstration Sqd practiced “signals in the field” We then did a tacticle [sic] exercise. 3 blanks Mutton, spuds, cabbage; prunes & cust; water. Demonstration again & exercises (games) on night manoeuvres. [underlined] 1/4d Telegram Home. MA’s watch broken. [/underlined] Sos & spuds & treacle; tea. letter from Watson.
[underlined] Letter to Ma & Doris C. [/underlined]
[page break]
[inserted] Letter from Ma & Doris M.R. [/inserted]
APRIL 15
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; sos & spuds; tea Went to range to see rifles harmonized & see tracer bullets fired from rifle & L.M.G. Sos & spud pie, spuds, cabbage, sponge pud; water. Wrote letter to Mary. Pay £7.10. 5/- stamps [inserted] savings [/inserted]. Pass & run over LMG procedure. Loaded two mags. Missed tea & went to see “Gone with the Wind” 4/- & well worth it. Had coffee & sardine s’d’chs in Mess. These coupled with film set me thinking what a World it is & wondering about myself compared with Scarlet O’Hara.
[page break]
APRIL 16
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; fried potted meat & spuds, tea. Out on range fired 5 single shots & 15 in 3 or 4 bursts with LMG Loaded magazines. Fired 15 rounds in one long burst. Stew, spuds, beans; jam sponge sandwich & cust Parachute control & landing. Shower. Letter from [underlined] Norah [/underlined] & Joyce. Meat pie & salted spuds, cake & marmalade; tea. 20/4d for ticket. Letters to Norah, Joe, Dennis & Joyce. 1/2 pt. beer. cup tea & sandwich. 3d choc.
[page break]
APRIL 17
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; haddock; tea Parade in Battle Order. Went for route march got back at 12-15!! Rapid change & on my way by 12-30. Caught 12-44 & just made the 1-2 which was late pulling out. York 3-0 Rham 4-15. Ma. Pa. P. & P. met me thought I was home for 2 weeks. Got busy with watches. [underlined] 2/6d B.D. greetings to Denis. [/underlined] 2/6d book of stamps. Mother ironed shirt.
55 planes lost bombing Scoda & another arms plant
[page break]
APRIL 18
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 10-0 had shave. Run around on bike up to Keple [sic] Column. Dad returned from work. Had to alter watch again. Winder too small. Went to see Doris Collins after dinner. Then after tea we all went to see Mr. Carpenter. Train left R’ham at 10-45 PM for Sheff Walked to stn. from terminus Tea & biscuits in YM. only 1 bomber lost over Italy
[page break]
APRIL 19
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Train out at 1-40. arr. 5-45. 6-5 from N’castle. arr. at billets for 7-0. Bfst. Porr; bacon & powdered egg; tea. Small manoeuvre on golf course. Stew spuds, carrot; stewed fruit & sago curr cust; coffee. Handed kit in including rifle. Tea & cakes in café. Drafts. Cheese & spuds, jam, tea. Went to ENSA show.
Swapped stamps with Mess Sgt. till 1-0 AM.
dripping sandwiches
[page break]
APRIL 20
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
NO bfst. up too late. Finished sandwiches & pasty. Parade & roll call. Dismissed. Went to café against [underlined] all [/underlined] orders. Played drafts. Went up to mess & resorted & cleaned stamps. Beef, spuds, leek; jam bakewell & cream cust; soup; water. [underlined] Letter from Ma. [/underlined] Stamps again. [underlined] Letter to Ma. [/underlined] 4-0 PM FFI at Priory. Meat pie & spuds; [underlined] bun [/underlined] & [underlined] treacle [/underlined] tea. 2/- pics “One Day of War” & “Rose of Tralee. Packing till 1-0 AM
[page break]
APRIL 21
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 5-0 handed blankets into stores. Bfst 6-15. Porr; fried egg & spuds, jam & tea. Rations. Parade 7-15. Marched into town then to station. Train out 8-15. Arr. 8-45 Newcastle. S/C 09-20 arr. 12.00 hrs HARR. Marched to Majestic. Liver, bacon, spuds, carrot & rice pud, Collected kit from Grand. Got room (434) Met Joe after tea. Had a couple of shorties then we had supper. 1/6d chips & spam 2 1/2d bar of choc & 1/2 pt. from mess. [underlined] Letter to Ma [/underlined]
[page break]
APRIL 22
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Shave. porr; bacon & beans. Exchanged Canadian Shirt & collars Liver, sos, spuds & cab; fruit pie & cust. Dismissed for day. Roamed around town. 1/- stamps & 1/- jam [inserted] tart [/inserted] & coffees. Spuds & stewed meat, jam roll, marmalade & tea. 2/6d to see Fred Astaire & Rita Hayworth in “You were never Lovlier [sic]” 6d coffee & bun.
[page break]
APRIL 23
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; fried bread & spuds, egg (dried) tea. Rain Room inspection. Dismissed from Parade. Finished the book “Knight on Wheels.” Beef, spuds, cab, carrot; stewed apple & cust. Watched snooker game. Had tea in camp. Pretty good Went to see “Orchestra Wives” a very good film. Then went & had a pint at the Victoria.
[page break]
APRIL 24
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
All Bran; bacon; tea. Dismissed so went to Knaresbro on bus. Took photo of viaduct & castle. Sos & chips 2/-d. 2d for 1/2 pt. at the Dropping Well. 6d. to see the well & wishing well. Met Violet, Winnie & Mavis took them to see St. Roberts Chapel & house in the rock. Left ‘em & then had the [inserted] sos & [/inserted] chips. Took ‘em to Harrogate on bus. Went walk thro’ gardens. Had tea at “Grog Café” 1/9 each. Got changed & went 7/- to see “The Sport of Kings” White Rose, Bought train tickets 7 1/2d. Supper at Melody. 2/-d. Put the girls on the 10-40 train back
[page break]
APRIL 25
EASTER [underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Kellogs; egg (fried) on toast, tea. Parade at 9-0. Walk around tea & sandwich in YM. Beef, spuds, carrot & cab; jam roll & cust. 4d on 1-30 bus. 2/- for row (1/- deposit) for boat. Had walk around. Then went round the castle (1/-) Walked back to caravan. Key lost but door opened without. Had tea in relays. RAIN Took Violet to Church. Had a look round it. 1/- for booklets 1/10 1/2d. tickets. Wandered back to caravan. Put blackouts up. X. Looked around for Tom & Bill. X on stn. Train in at 10.15. Another X as train pulled out.
[page break]
APRIL 26
[underlined] EASTER MON. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & beans; tea. parade 08-40 dismissed till 0940 hrs. Squaded (102 sqd) A/C recc. & PT. 2 letters from Ma. Mutton, spuds, beans & cabbage; rhubarb pie & cust; water. Navigation quiz. Dinghie [sic] drill in the baths. Signals. [underlined] Registered Parcel from Ma Including watch. [/underlined] Had tea with a bit of a [indecipherable word] Met Violet at bus stn. Went to see “Arabian Nights” & “Berlin Correspondent.” at Scala. 3/6d Spam & Chips supper (2). Got tickets to Starbeck because there were no platform tickets. Saw Vi off on 10-40. Coffee in Hollywood.
[page break]
APRIL 27
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; sos meat & spuds. Nav; Intel; P.T. Stew spuds cold carrot; [deleted] [two indecipherable words] [/deleted] [inserted] black currant [indecipherable word] [/inserted] & cust. [indecipherable word] cake at Smiths. 4 FAST Intelligence. Signals Met films. 2 lots of fish & spuds, jam, tea. Blackout squad. Letter to Ma. bar choc 1/6d sos & chips, coffee. 3d lemonade & 3d choc. Watch 5m. fast at 9-0 PM. Blacked out at 9-30 on 200 floor. Bed 10-30
[page break]
APRIL 28
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Kellogs; toast, egg (dried) spuds fried. Rifle & Revolver Range. 75/80 & 19/60. 6d coffee & cake at Grog Café Sos, spuds, cab & carrot; apple & cust, water. DR flat (interception) had look in Sun Gen room. Intel talk on Coastal Comd. Meat pie spuds, treacle, scone, tea. 4/- for uniform (old, cleaned & pressed.) [underlined] Letter from Ma LETTER TO DORIS. [/underlined] 3d lime juice. missed choc. 1/2d meat roll & chips at Melodys List of stamps
[page break]
APRIL 29
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; sos & fried spuds; tea. Signals (lecture.) Pay £7.10/- for stamp catalogue. Beef, spuds, cab, carrot; apricot & cust. Navi sigs (D/Fan loop) Dinghi [sic] drill (turning it over.) Spam, lettuce, beet, pickles; jam & tea. No Mail. Opera House booked up so joined pit queue. Tom & pal didn’t arrive before I got in. 1/6d & 3d programme “The Farmers Wife” very good & funny. 1/6d sos & chips, bread & coffee. Bed 10-30.
[page break]
APRIL 30
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Porr, beans on toast, [underlined] JAM. [symbol] [/underlined] & tea. A/C rec. Sigs (lecture) PT (RAIN.) Stew, spuds, carrot & cab; sponge pud & cust. nav. (reading “op” logs) sigs (loop) A/C, rec. film. Sardines on toast & fried spuds; jam roll; marmalade. Letter to Ma. 16/- & 1/6 stamps. Mounted stamps. 20 lengths at baths (500 yds.) meat savoury, chips & carrot; coffee. 3/4d. bed 10-30. Lemonade & crisps.
[page break]
MAY 1
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & liver; marmalade tea. Intel. (Fighter Commd.) Sigs (buzzer.) D/R compass. Meat pie, spuds, cab & carrot; rice pud. Parceled [sic] laundry, books & watch etc. Sorted kit out a bit. 1/1d for parcel. 12/6d stamp & duplicate book. Bread & treacle, buns (currant) fruit tart, tea. 2/6d. at Odeon “Natasha” Russian Nurse in front line. “Footlight Serenade” John Wayne Vic. Mature & Betty Grable. 1/6d chips, spam & coffee.
[underlined] Letter from MA. [/underlined]
[page break]
MAY 2
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Porr fried egg & bread; tea. Church Parade Went to OD service (2d.) coffee at Hollywood 3d. Went with Tom to St. Peter’s. (6d) Beef spuds, cab & carr; trifle & water. [underlined] Letter to Ma. [/underlined] 3d choc. From Mess. M.O.I. films in B.R. “Lancaster,” Poland weighs anchor. “Terrence De Marney & 20TH Cent Fox News. [underlined] Ham. [/underlined] lettuce & water cress marmalade & cake. “Messiah” at Church (2d) Walk thro’ wood & gdns. 1/2d chips & spam & coffee. Guns from Grand “pullover”. [indecipherable word] special on 9-0 pm news Going to bed 9-30 PM.
[page break]
MAY 3
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; beans on toast & bacon, tea. Posting Parade Kit Inspection packed some. Stamp Cat no in yet. Stew, spuds, peas, sweeds; [sic] rhubarb pie & cust; coffee. More Packing. [underlined] P.C. to MA [/underlined] FFI & starts. Ran around for mail. Cheese & spuds, & spuds (fried) jam & tea. Mail at Mag. & Spa. NONE at ALL. Pay Accounts. Put allotment up to 3/6d. 1/6d to see “Panama Hatti” again! 1/2d corned beef & chips. 2d lemonade & choc.
2/- subsistence.
[page break]
WESTFREUGH.
MAY 4
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; egg & spuds. Parade 7-30. Train 8-40 from Har Leeds 9-30 leave 10-30. Stafford; 2 Kit bags short. Cheese sandwich & cake at 12 AM. Arr. Carlisle 2 PM. 2d cottage pie & spud Went to EPTS but all girls out. Arr. camp. 22.00. Chips & meat roll & tea for supper. Got bedding & billet. Joined up with the rest of the lads.
[page break]
MAY 5
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 7-0. Porr; liver & spuds; marmalade & tea – Collected harness & books etc. Beef, spuds, beet & mixed veg; plums & cust. Gen talk. Marking Possns on Maps; PT. Kidney & liver on toast; jam; coffee. Stamps. [underlined] Letter to Ma. [/underlined] Liver & spuds; tea. Talk with the WAAF’s in Mess. Unpacked kit & sorted it out.
[page break]
MAY 6
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 7-45 & consequently had no bfst. Marking Flight plans. Ditching drill & parachuting drill. Beef, spuds & cabbage; trifle & biscuits. Gen on radio work as an aid to nav & a bit on requirements of exercises (F2330 etc.) Dinghy drill actual inflation of dinghy with CO2 bottle. Egg & chips; butter & jam; tea. Set watch at 6-0 PM. More [indecipherable word] on maps. Chips, sos & spud pie; tea. Got bed side “TABLE” Got to bed about 11.15 after waiting for bridge players who were using my bed.
[page break]
MAY 7
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & egg (dried) marmalade tea. DR details for logs Pay accounts. Lecture by G.C. of stn. Stew spuds & sweeds; [sic] sponge currant pud. Gunnery Sights & sighting & the 303 Browning Machine Gun. Welsh Rarebit, treacle, tea. Letter to Len. Gill (Stamps) & to Ma. Meat pie & spuds; biscuits; tea. RAIN. Dancing lessons at Education office.
[page break]
MAY 8
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 12-0 for dinner Had shave. Spam, spuds, beet; rhubarb & cust. No mail. 2-30 bus into Stranraer. Went to P.O. book of stamps 2/6. & 10/-, 5/- & 2/6d stamps 2/4d at Kinema to see “Clark Gable & Jean M. Don in “San Fransisco.” 1/- fish & chips & cup tea. bus back 6d (each way.) Meat pie & [deleted] spuds [/deleted] [inserted] [indecipherable word] [/inserted] cake & dry bread, tea. NO MAIL. Blowing like HELL & cold as CHARITY also a spot of rain.
[page break]
MAY 9
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Egg & fried spuds; porr; tea. Browning Mch. Gun & A/C rec. Beef cold, spuds, cabbage; trifle. NO MAIL 5 Sun Shots. Photography revision. “Mickey Rooney.” treacle, cake & tea. Fitting oxygen tank & mike together. Unpacked flying kit. Meat roll & beet for [underlined] SUPPER [/underlined] with coffee.
[page break]
MAY 10
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 6-25. Kellogs; beans & bacon; bread & [indecipherable word]; tea. Flight Canceled [sic] bad weather. Ops. Room & Met Gen. Started Plat. Soup; stew, spuds, carrots; raisin & current pasty; tea. Finished Plot. Soup; stew, spuds, carrots; raisin & current pasty; tea. Finished Plot. £3.10. pay. Fried meat roll & spuds; scone & butter; tea. [underlined] Letter from MA & Dad!!! [/underlined] Spuds & dried egg, tea & dry bread. Plotted my 5 Sun Shots. All OK & no need to “cock” them either. Shave. Wrote letter to Ma.
[page break]
MAY 11
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & dried egg; tea. First flight executed OK. STEW, spuds, carrots; soup; stewed apricot & rice pud. 10 Sun Shots. Worked them out, a bit. Then went into see DRI. [deleted] B [/deleted] Good idea too. Aldis Comp. Sos roll & spuds; cake; marmalade & butter; tea. Reading Gen. book. Flight Cancelled for tonight. THICK SOUP for SUPPER & RATION BISCUITS!! coffee & TEA MIXED!! Continued reading Admin. & Conduct Gen (252) 6d for half pint. Bed 10-30 [underlined] Posted letter to MA. [/underlined]
[page break]
MAY 12
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Didn’t get up for bfst. D.R. Trainer all AM. acted as Navigator Gwyn as pilot. Soup; steak & chips, cabbage; cinnamon pud & cust. A/C recc. Photography. 1/- haircut. Minced meat, spuds; scone jam & tea. [underlined] LETTER FROM MA. [/underlined] 3/10 1/2d rations (7 1/2d charge) Wrote letter to Ma. Potato, - cheese & scone; coffee. Worked out Yesterdays Sun Shots. Bed about 10-0 PM.
[page break]
[underlined] VIOLET & ANNIE [/underlined]
MAY 13
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Rain! Flight washed! Porr; bacon & fried spuds; tea. D.R. Interception, Critical Point. Stamp Catalogue & laundry registered mail. Critical Point (DR.) Cold beef, spuds, cabbage; prunes, rice pud; tea; DR. Gas Mask check. Gas chamber. Getting loops on Marconi. Chips & sos roll; jam, cake & tea. [underlined] Posted letter to MA. Wrote & posted to Violet & Annie [/underlined] Sardines, chips, beet; tea. Glass lime juice.
[page break]
MAY 14
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 6-15 AM. Porr & hadock. [sic] Bus to Turnberry to hospital to do dinghy drill in outer suit & with “Mae West.” Bus back. Meat pie, spuds & peas; stewed apricots & cust. [underlined] NO MAIL. [/underlined] Game of football. Sos & spuds for tea. Read newspaper in Mess. Hadock [sic] alone for supper. Night flight. Not so bad. Landed 00-50 [deleted] E [/deleted] Took 10 star slots. Had [deleted] fr [/deleted] breakfast in Perm. Sgts. Mess. Chips & hadock [sic] prunes & ground rice pud.
[page break]
MAY 15
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Sewed buttons on trousers. Got up 11-30. Cold beef, cold spuds & cold mixed veg; rice pud. 1/- bus into Stranraer. 9d parcel of laundry home. 2/4 at Kinema Sabu in the film “Jungle Book.” 6d chips & pop. bus back. [underlined] Letter to MA. [/underlined] Meat pie; treacle, cake & cocoa. Letter acknowledging receipt of SG. Stamp Catalogue to [underlined] Len. Gill. [/underlined] Harrogate.
[page break]
ELSIE.
MAY 16
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; egg & spuds (real egg) tea. Sighting. [deleted] & [/deleted] Church service. 11-0 Took collection Browning stoppages. Beef, spuds (boiled & baked) cabbage; trifle. Turrets, hydraulic system. A/C rec. Tongue, mixed veg, spuds; cake, butter & jam, tea.
[underlined] Letter to Elsie Storey. [/underlined] “Mickey Rooney” & cocoa. Had a fag with Donbarand. [underlined] Short letter to Ma. [/underlined]
[page break]
MAY 17
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Didn’t go for bfst. Astrograph Room; photo taken of course Meat pie, spuds, cabbage; stewed apricots & cust. Flight. Landed at NUTTSCORNER for air for brakes. Towed in big tractor. Valve US. One out of gun circuit substituted. Magic Eye. U.S. Given beds by S.W.O. Ham, onion, beet; butter & cake, tea. Walked around billet. 1/6d egg & sos; bread & butter; tea. Tried to get some eggs but couldn’t make it.
[page break]
MAY 18
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 7-15. Wash in Mess. Kellogs; bacon & fried spuds; bread & butter; tea. Walked to Flying Control. Ran to kite. Got her started & away we went. Reported to F. Control & then F/Sgt. Warren. Lads flew last night so have day off. Steak, chips, cabbage; cust & rhubarb. Mess Meeting (Cinema) Set out 2-20 to walk to Portpatrick. Arrived 6-0 PM. [underlined] Went to eat. [/underlined] 10d. bus to Stran. 1/8d. chips & fish; bread; tea. 6d cake & pop at WVS 1/6d beers. 6d. bus.
[page break]
MAY 19
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Up 6-0 AM. Sos & mash. Flight 1st Nav. made a mess of it. Stew, spuds, carrots; plum duff & cust. Log analasis. [sic] Photography. DENTAL PARADE which turned into GARDENING & SNOTTY remarks by PTI Sgt. Minced meat. [underlined] Letter from MA, Violet & Doris [/underlined] Started letter to Doris. Welsh rarebit; tea. letter to Doris cont.. [underlined] Posted letter to Doris. [/underlined] Worked out Grnd. Star Shots. Chips peas & chop; rice pud; tea. Start sleep 12-30 to 1-0.
[page break]
MAY 20
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Got nearly to Boderely Pt. when we were recalled. Spuds, peas & liver; rice pud; tea. Bed! till 12-0. Soup; cold beef, spuds, cabbage; prunes & cust. [underlined] Letter from MA. [/underlined] 1/0 1/3d. coffee biscuits & writing paper [underlined] Wrote letter to MA. [/underlined] Plotted Sun & star shots. [underlined] Letter to P & P & Mary. [/underlined] Sos, beans; bun, cake, marmalade & tea. [underlined] Posted above letters. [/underlined] Took off 10-30. Radio went U.S. landed at VALLEE 11-30. Eventualy [sic] went for supper about 2-30 AM. Chips, bacon & egg; tea. Bed about 3-15 AM. Had to make our beds [deleted] up [/deleted] down. [underlined] Letter to Violet [/underlined]
[page break]
MAY 21
[underlined] FRIDAY. 43. [/underlined]
Got up 11-0 AM. Lift to Sgts Mess. Stew, spuds, cabbage; apricot tart; coffee. Lift to Flying Control. Took off & went to Llandarog. Radio came in OK. but stbd. engine oiling up. Missing on one cylinder. Transport to Mess. Spam, beet, lettuce; tea. Took 10 to 15 min to start stbd. engine. Left at 6 – o’clock. Arrived base 10 past 7. [underlined] Letter from Ma & Elsie. [/underlined] Sardines, tomato, onion; chips & pie; tea & coffee. [underlined] Letter to Ma. [/underlined] Soup; tongue, spuds, peas; prunes & ground rice pud; coffee Flight washed.
[page break]
MAY 22
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Wrote letter (8 pgs) to Elsie Went to sleep 3-30 AM. Up at 11.15. Tongue, mixed veg, spuds; trifle. No Mail. Bus into town. £8 money order. [underlined] Posted it & letter to Ma & letter to Elsie. [/underlined] 2/6d to see Jack Oakie in “Navy Blues” seen it before but it wasn’t so bad. Bus back. Usual tea. Sorting stamps give me by Willie. Sos roll, chips; tea. Joan plauging [sic] me. Lent ‘em ground sheet. Still sorting stamps. 11-30.
[page break]
MAY 23
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Up 6-15 AM. Porr; egg on toast; tea Flight down to Holyhead. Line-overlap & stereo 5. Beef, spuds, cabbage; soup; apple pie & custard. Making astrograph problems. Signals (morse & gen talk.) [underlined] Spam & beet; tea – spoonful of marmalade [/underlined]; scone & tea. Stamp sorting & sticking in. Minced meat & spuds, tea (WHAT A SUPPER!!!) More stamp sticking. Backed Catalogue.
[page break]
MAY 24
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & beans; tea. In flying suits on Turrets BP. & FN. Filling & bleeding system of FN. Soup; stew, spuds, beans, sweede; [sic] bread pudding. 1/- raffle (2 X 6d) for chicken proceeds to POWFd Sighting again & evasion & tactics. PT. Stafford pulled a leg at rugger. [underlined] Parcel (clothes, finger & stamps) from MA. [/underlined] “Mickey Rooney” cake, jam & butter. [underlined] Letter to Ma. Soup & bread for Supper [/underlined] !!!! Finished letter. Wrote logs up as far as possible Put wick in lighter.
[page break]
MAY 25
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Porr, bacon & dried egg; tea. Log analasis, [sic] stuck amendments into AP1234. Soup; chips, carrots, peas, steak; lemon curd tart, cup water. Had SPOON LIFTED NO MAIL. Late afternoon flight. Not so bad & not so good. 6-45 chips & treacle; tea. Sat talking to lads & WAAFS [underlined] Couldn’t eat the supper [/underlined] but had 2 cups of coffee [underlined] Letter form Violet. [/underlined] Reading Agony Column again.
[page break]
MAY 26
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Didn’t get up till 4-0. Shave. A/C recco. 4 1/2d coffee & cake at Scotch Hut. Sighting, Browning. etc. Soup; stew, spuds, cab; stewed apricot & ground rice pud. Turret, sighting & Browning exam. 34 for Browning [underlined] Letter from Ma. [/underlined] Sos meat & spuds; cake & jam, tea. [underlined] Letter from Doris C. & Walker. Letter to Violet & Doris [/underlined] “Mickey Rooney” & coffee. NO 2nd NAVS so wrote letter to MA.
[page break]
MAY 27
[underlined] THURS 43. [/underlined]
[deleted] Porr; bacon & dried egg. Sticking amendments in AP1234 Log analasis [sic] Chips, carrots, peas, beef steak; lemon curd tart; soup. Had SPOON LIFTED NO MAIL. [/deleted] Got up 8-45. Learning WING spare. 3 1/2d coffee & cakes. Devioscope. Photo (line overlap.) Soup; taters, carrot & sweede, [sic] mutton; rhubarb, [underlined] Letter from Mary. [/underlined] DRI. Pilot for Gwyn. A/C rec. exam. Cheese, onion, beet, water cress cake, jam; tea. [underlined] Letter to MA. CHIPS & TEA for Supper. [/underlined] 22-30 take off. Went to Blackpool. Couldn’t see the tower.
[page break]
MAY 28
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Chips, bacon; ground rice pud & raisins; tea for early Bfst. Got to bed 3-0 AM. Up at 11-0 AM Had bath & put clean clothes on. Soup; beef, spuds, cabbage; bread pud. Parceled [sic] laundry. 6d bus into town. 10d laundry. 2/6d stamps & 2/6d envelopes 6d tea, cakes & mints. 2/6d Circus. Set off to walk back. Lift by ATC officer. Filled “doins” for leave. Supper not too bad. [underlined] Wrote letter to MA. [/underlined] amid hulabaloo. USA [indecipherable word] drunk “ON DUTY.”
[page break]
MAY 29
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Up 8-15. Porr, sos & bacon breakfast. Working out air shots. Took 6 shots on Sun with IX A Sextant. Tongue, spuds, mixed veg; trifle. 3-0 PM flight. Up to Perth & back. Cheese, onions, lettuce, water cress. Plotted air shots & this mornings 6 sun shots. Started turning kit over ready to pack. Soup; cold beef (NICE) spuds lettuce & onions; trifle; tea. Flight washed out.
[page break]
MAY 30
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Up 11-0. Beef, spuds, cab; sponge pud. Sight plotting & loging [sic] & time loging. [sic] Fired several rounds in FN turret at moving tgt. Not so bad. Meat ball, spuds, pancake; treacle & tea. Finished making log book up to date Packed all my kit. Fechini”, Arty & Durrant flat out!! Went to Mess to see how the others were. Sing Song. Bed 1-15 AM
[page break]
WF – TRAIN
MAY 31
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Up 7-0 AM. Shave. Porr; fried spuds, HAM (boiled.) Tea, Handed NAV equip in to stores. Handed NAV equip. in to stores. Handed bedding in & parachute harness 4/9 Mess Bill. £6 Pay. FFI. Soup; steak & kidney pud, spuds; semaelena [sic] & WATER Handed books into library. SHORT!! Lecture by C.O. & CI. Cheese & spuds; jam & butter; tea. Sat in Mess talking to ACH/GD & Joan. Welsh Rarebit & tea RAIN. Bus to Harbor Stn. 10-0 PM pulled out.
[page break]
TRAIN – HOME
JUNE 1
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Arr. WIGAN 4:15. 3d tea & sandwich. 6:00 pulled out (5:35 timetable.) Arr. Manchester 7:00 1/- taxi to London Road. cup tea. 2d wash & brush up. 1d in “SLOT.” Pulled out 8:20. Arr. R’HAM 10:00. 2/- taxi home. Bfst. Cleaned bike. 7 1/2d bulb. Short run. Saw V. Geog. Dinner. Unpacked one or two odds & ends. Tea. Took Sallie for a walk in the Caper af seeing Elsie (9:30)
[page break]
JUNE 2
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 11-0 AM. Had a shave. Gran here sewing TENT. Fitted mirror on bike. Went to get hair cut. Barber in hospital so went to see Mace’s (Mr. Mrs. & Joan in.) Barber at top of Far Lane too full. Granpa come for tea. Mrs. Dunn & David called in. Went a run as far as St. Ann’s Road then up Don. Gate and along Bds. Moore Lane Saw Elsie’s brother. Took Gran & Pa home with Sallie Saw Elsie’s brother again. Had a Pint with Granpa in Park Hotel.
[page break]
JUNE 3
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Woke up at 12-0. June still in bed. Drizzle!!! Went to S.P.T. about 3 to 1/2 past. A lot of new lads & girls Went in to see Mr. Duke. Went to Grans. about 8 o’clock. Pat gone for music lesson. Took Sallie with us & let her have a run. Dad gone to dance. Got back about 11-30.
[page break]
JUNE 4
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Up about 10 to 1/2 past. Went up to school. Din at home. Took Sallie to be klipped [sic] then went for a hair cut myself. Went to find Ma at Granpas. then went on to [deleted] Macea [/deleted] Mace’s for tea. Left between 9 & 10 & went to Elsie’s. Left about 11-0.
[page break]
JUNE 5
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 11-0. Went for a WALK round the town Bought stamps (1/6d) in Woolworth’s & Bob Martin’s powders for Sallie. Jackie called to see if I’d heard anything. Went to see if Baths were open & found ‘em shut. Brake chain on bike in process. 4d for new link. 4d, for straps for hubs. Went to Gran M with June. Went to see Annie and found where Watson lived. Decided to go up to see Gran & Granpa. T. Met Baldwin & Baker learning dance.
[page break]
JUNE 6
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 1-0 PM just after news, Telegram from RAF. Went up to Sheffield to get ticket changed. 25 min each way. & 6.3 mls. distance Saw Lanc & Martlet. Come back soaked in sweat. Had cold bath. Went to see Dennis then went on to Granma Machin’s and had tea! there also had supper. Went to Park and had a Pint. Got home about 11-30.
[page break]
JUNE 7
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Down at 10-0. Got to Dad’s about 11-0. Went across to S.P.T. Saw Mrs Skilcarne. Got £7/15 for 5/- a week dependants [sic] allotment. Din. at home. Judy Garland in “For me & my Gal.” RAIN! Time of train (LNE) Walked home in rain. Packing Went across to Dunn’s Back & bed 1-0 AM.
[page break]
JUNE 8
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 10-0. Rang up for taxi from Dunn’s. Elmores engaged so ordered Moorehouses for 1-0 PM. Finished packing. Taxi 1-2 PM!! Station 1-15 2/- + 6d. Dad arrived just after. Train on time arrived Sheff 1-35. 6d. for kit bags. Met Woodruff. Train out 2-5!!! arr. 4-10. NO TRANSPORT so went to eat 2/2d chips & rarebit & tea. TRANS arr. 6-30 just 2hrs 20 mins out!! Ran around camp a bit & eventualy [sic] ended up at 7 site. Sos & spuds in Mess. Tom & Garry in Ante Room. Walked around. [underlined] Wrote & posted letter to Ma [/underlined]
[page break]
JUNE 9
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Up 7-15. Bfst. 8-0. Porr; bacon & tomato. Went up to G./S then back to Dental & FFI Filled form in re pay, flying clothing etcetra. [sic] Din, soup; meat & spud pie, cabbage & spuds; rice pud. Parade 13-45. Marched! to G/S. Photo in CIVIES. Lectures by WO, CGI, ACGI & CAGI. Collected sheets. Pilchards cheese, marmalade & swiss roll & nice hot tea. [underlined] Wrote letters to Mary & Ralph [/underlined] Meat roll, tomatoe; [sic] cocoa!! Took PT kit & 2nd. suit of blue out of kit bags.
[page break]
JUNE 10
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
PT. at 6-30!! Kellogs; [inserted] lemon [/inserted] curd; sos; tea. Lectures on NAV. Soup; steak, spuds & cabbage; plum pud. More lectures & one on Int & Security. Spam & chips; marmalade; cake; tea. [underlined] Letter to Ma. [/underlined] Spam, beet, cheese, (egg provided by Willie) cocoa. [underlined] Letter to Doris (R) [/underlined]
[page break]
JUNE 11
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon, spuds & cabbage; tea. Lectures (loop etc.) Soup; fish, spuds, peas; pears & cust. NAV & NAV & NAV. [underlined] Letter from Ma. [/underlined] Cottage pie; marmalade; cake & tea. RAIN Storm. Sewed buttons & darned pocket. Welsh rarebit without toast; cocoa. [underlined] Letter to MA. & Dennis & Elsie [/underlined]
1/2 pint. & writing paper (1/4d)
[page break]
JUNE 12
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
PT at 6-30. Porr; beans on toast tea. 8-0 Parade. DR Plot at double time. as pilot. Soup; stew, spuds, cabbage; sponge pud; water. Crewed up with (Allen & Dick (BA) Lots of sunshine. [underlined] Letter from MA. [/underlined] A/C rec. test. NAV (maps & charts.) Ship rec. with Int. Officer (B. good fun) Cheese savoury; marm; cake & tea. [underlined] Letters form Gwyn, Violet, Doris (2) & A/G from Doris. Letter to Ma. [/underlined] stewed meat, spuds; cocoa. [underlined] letters to Doris & Violet. [/underlined] Pantellaria & Lampedusa FALLEN to our bombers.
[page break]
JUNE 13
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Didn’t get up for bfst & of course it was EGG. Lectures (navi; etc.) Soup; beef, spuds, cabbage; trifle. More lectures (Wimpey fusel, A/C rec. TEST again!! NAV.) [deleted] Ha [/deleted] Tongue, spuds; jam & cake; tea. No mail being Sunday. Sat reading in the mess then fetched writing paper. [underlined] Wrote to P & P. [/underlined] Cheese, trifle; cocoa. More reading. [underlined] Finished P & P’s letters. [/underlined] Started one to Doris. 2 fags & one pint (5/- for beer for 5 of us.) Tom, Art, Stew & Joe. Lent Pat 2 soap coupons.
[page break]
[circled JUNE 14]
[underlined] MON.43. [/underlined]
PT at 6-30 AM. Shave! Kellogs, bacon & fried spuds; tea. lectures (fuel system, turret Int) Soup; meat pie, spuds, cab; bread pud. Met [deleted] Int [/deleted] Med. Officer on Night Vis. O2 & VD. Cross Country. Salmon & cheese; marmalade; swiss roll; tea. [underlined] Finished 4 page letter to Doris [/underlined] Meat roll, spuds; cocoa. [underlined] SHOWERS. [/underlined] Bed at 10-30
[page break]
JUNE 15
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon; [inserted] & dried egg [/inserted] tea. Lectures (NAV (maps) DR Trainer.) Soup; stewed steak, spuds, peas; trifle. [underlined] 2 letters & cards from MA letter from ELSIE & Mary Card from Doris. [/underlined] Lectures (Signals; [inserted] mag [/inserted] compass, map reading [underlined] Rhur. [/underlined]) Cheese; jam; swiss roll, tea. [underlined] Letter to Elsie. (5 pg) [/underlined] Started one to Ma. Dried egg & bacon; cocoa. [underlined] Finished letter to Ma. [/underlined]
[page break]
JUNE 16
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Shave; Kellogs & sos; tea. W/T aids, DR Trainer. Soup; beef, spuds, cabbage; apple pie; water. Gyro, Signals, Intel. Spuds, fried spam, marmalade & tea. Couldn’t get to change boots so left ‘em in F/Sgt Disips office. [underlined] Letter from MA BD. Cable from Doris. Letter to MARY & Ma. [/underlined] Cold meat; cold veg salad; cocoa [underlined] Letter to Doris (R) [/underlined]
[page break]
JUNE 17
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
PT. Porr, bacon & spuds; tea. NAV (astro & DR comp.) Soup; spuds, cab; liver & kidney; choc. sponge pud. 6d choc, 6d cider. More lectures. Minced meat & spuds. Taxi 1/2d. Pint (1/2) Picts Robertson Hare “Women Aren’t Angels.” Went to Dance. Danced with ANN (WAAF) and Hilda ATS girl. Took her out to her transport. Waited till 1-15 for taxi [underlined] 5/6d [/underlined]
[page break]
JUNE 18
[underlined] FRI. 43 [/underlined]
Porr; beans on toast; tea. NAV (astro & general revision) Soup; beef, spuds, peas; rice pud. Signals; [symbols]; Intelligence. RAIN & MORE RAIN. [underlined] Letter from MA & DORIS. M. R’L also 2 from Doris Collins. [/underlined] Spam & spuds. Walked up to Met with Tom, Saltaw & Stev also arrived on bikes. Nattered. Went in HORSA. Liver savoury & cocoa. Swotted! 1/2 pint. [underlined] Letter to Ma. [/underlined]
[page break]
JUNE 19
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Drizzle. No PT. Porr; bacon & fried bread; tea. NAV (DR Comp) Signals (loop swing.) Photography. Bombing. Soup; spuds, cab, steak & kidney stew [inserted] sponge pud. [/inserted] NAV exam OK. Fetched Registered parcel & [underlined] asked ADJ. if times couldn’t be altered [/underlined] Potato & cheese, jam, tea. [underlined] Letters from Ma & Violet [deleted] 2 from Doris Collins. [/deleted] [/underlined] Examined kit. Stewed steak & kidney, tea & cocoa. [underlined] Letter to MA. [/underlined] 1/2 pint.
[page break]
JUNE 20
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & tomato; tea. Signals, Gee. Met. ? . Soup; spuds, cab, beef; apple & raisin pie; orange juice. More lectures. Dinghy & Para. Drill. Pyrotechnics Demonstration of Pyros. Gunnery & bombing range orders. Ham & lettuce; cake; tea. Cleaned buttons & boots. Finished “50 Candles.” Cheese, lettuce, pickles; cocoa [underlined] Letter to MA. [/underlined] glass orangeade. NOT juice!! 10-15 PM bed!!
[page break]
JUNE 21
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; beans on toast; tea. Nav plotting a short exercise. Pay accounts 11-0. £1 pay!!!!!!! Intelligence (Targets) Soup; Stew, spuds, peas; trifle; glass orangeade. Course photo P.N & B. Wops & A/Gs separate. More Dinghy; Airgunnery; Aircraft Recco. Sardines; bread & jam; tea. [underlined] Letter from Gwyn. [/underlined] Reading novel (thriller) mystery Meat & potato pie & spuds cocoa. Early Bed
[page break]
JUNE 22
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
PT. Porr; beans on toast. Sigs exam, [symbol] etc. Soup; beef, spuds, mixed veg; prunes [underlined] Letter from MA. [/underlined] [symbol]; M.O.; film, Briefing Room. Cake, sos meat fried & spuds; tea. 2/10d taxi. 2/9d picts. “Moon & Sixpence” Georg [sic] Sanders. 3/- taxi back bed about 12-0.
[deleted] [underlined] Letter from Mary. [/underlined] [/deleted]
[page break]
JUNE 23
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; tea (sos.) Lecture NAV & G. Marks 82% [underlined] New Shoes. Letter from MA. [/underlined] Soup; [inserted] meat & [/inserted] spud pie, cab, spuds; apple & cust MOUSED GAT. Lectures (Sigs 83% Exam, Crew coop, Dinghy Drill. Meat & spud pie; jam; tea. Voluntary Dinghy Drill [underlined] Joe £1. [/underlined] Turned kit over. Cold meat & beet, cocoa. [underlined] Letter to Violet & Doris C [/underlined] Choc & cig. rations. 1/2 pint beer ([symbol]) Shower.
[page break]
JUNE 24
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 8-0. Kellogs; beans on toast; tea. Collected pass. Packed up & cleaned up. Pay parade 12-0. [underlined] £4-5s [/underlined] !!! Ran for taxi. 7/2d train ticket home. 12-46 train. Changed at Trent 2-45 Sheffield. Came on train from there as next train was 3-45. Arr home 3-30. Went for run on bike. Tea at home. Went for another run round. Saw Ken, Elsie’s brother. Saw Elsie & her Dad. Les & H. passed me while I was there. Didn’t know me! Mom, Dad & I went for walk with Sallie.
[page break]
JUNE 25
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 10-0. Shave. Fetched meat ration. Went to work. Saw Mr. Methley. Had dinner with Reg. in Staff Canteen. Saw Peg & rest. Left about 3-45. 2/- B.D. cards. for Pam & Elsie. Met Ma Went to butchers for potted meat then went with Ma to the office. Tea at home. Went to Grans. Elsie’s at 10-0 till almost midnight (23.59!!)
[page break]
JUNE 26
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 10-0. Got Pat out of bed. Went shopping with P & P. bought them a book each. Couldn’t find anything for Elsie. Met Dad in Town. Walked back home. Had Din. Went with D.M. P. & P. for a pair of shoes for Pat. Library 2/6d Envelopes. Tom called to see us. Left RHAM 7-35 to 40. arr LOUGHBORO’ 10-0 PM. Went short run round. [underlined] Posted card to PAM [/underlined] 4 miles to camp (20 mins.) Had pint. [underlined] 2 letters from MA & one from Doris [/underlined]
[page break]
JUNE 27
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Up at 7-15. Porr; egg on toast. Parade 8-15?? Handed old O2 mask in & drew a new one & 3 sets of underclothes Packed with difficulty. Didn’t have soup; cabbage & spuds, stew; prunes. Chased all over camp with clearance chits. Lettuce, cheese, beef, tomatoe [sic] marmalade; tea. Transport to C.D. on back of lorry. Bike near light bust & bit. Cocoa & lettuce for tea (2nd.) Didn’t like looks of beans for supper. Unpacked Mended lamp. [underlined] Letter to MA [/underlined]
[page break]
JUNE 28
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; egg (dried) on toast; tea. Gen talks by ACGI, CGI & one or two others. Went over to flights. Talk by Flt. Comdr Drew mike & earphones. Soup; spuds, cabbage, steak; boiled pud. Took flying kit down to flights. Went to see NAV officer & had gen talk. Meat roll, lettuce; fried egg; lemon curd; tea. [underlined] Letter to Mary; Elsie & Doris (CAN). [/underlined] Went to CD. with Charlie on bike 3d of chips. 1/2 pint of beer. Cycled back.
[page break]
JUNE 29
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; fried spuds, smoked bacon. Waited till 10-0 then had “gen” talk by NAV officer. Read orders & signed some. Had sextant checked. Dinner. [underlined] Letter from Violet. [/underlined] Plotted dromes SBA etc onto chart. Had tea, twice chips & corned beef. 2/6 taxi to Lough. 2/- picts “Star Spangled Rythm.” [sic] 6d chips. 2/- taxi back to camp.
[page break]
JUNE 30
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; sos; tea. Waited for a flight but didn’t go up. Soup; beef, spuds, cauliflower Circuits & bumps. Then did one solo. Late tea. Chips, meat pie and cake; tea. Wash. Lecture on P. & W. at 8-0 PM. 1/2 pint all round crew except Dick. Walked back to billet
[page break]
JULY 1
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; beans on toast; tea & cocoa mixed. Waited for a flight then went and had talk by NAV officer. Soup; beef, spuds, cabbage; plum pud; water. Dual & solo. Dick had a do at flying. Egg on toast; butter & jam; tea. Hurricane concert in Mess. [underlined] Letter from Ma. Letter to Ma. [/underlined]
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JULY 2
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Kellogs; bacon & tomato; tea Eventualy [sic] went to lectures No actual work done. Soup; spuds, cabbage, meat; custard & [blank space]: water. Flew at about 15.00 after taking about 4 sun shots. Had to come in as the weather closed in. Cold meat & pickles; jam; cake; tea. [underlined] Letter from Ma. [/underlined] 1/2 pint with the lads. Put turning points on chart.
[page break]
JULY 3
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; sos; tea. Took 12 sun shots and made out route seven. Didn’t fly. Soup; meat & spud pie, spuds, cabbage; rhubarb & cust; water. [underlined] 2 letters from Ma. One from Elsie & Norah. [/underlined] Went on C’ & L’s but IC was U.S. so came in at 4-0 PM. Cheese on toast jam, tea. Finished working shots out. 2 plates of chicken broth; cocoa. Charlie & I plotted our shots. Went up to see W for William. Started letter to Ma. Had feast in billet.
[page break]
JULY 4
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Continued feast till 12-30. Up at 7-35. Shave. Kellogs egg on toast; tea. X Country Route 7. Briefed, Met Gen. etc. Managed to get round to Ragdale & back to base. A BAD trip Sextant went haywire. Soup; mutton, spuds, peas, cauliflower; corned beef, lettuce, onion, tomato; jam roll, jam & tea. [underlined] Letter to MA. 8 page letter to Doris (R) [/underlined]
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JULY 5
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon, cabbage? & toast; tea. Wet dinghy drill at Loughboro College Baths. Coffee & toasted tea cakes in café. Briefed for X Country. Soup; minced meat, spuds, cabbage; tart & custard. X. Country washed. Set off for bombing trip. I/C US. & recalled by W/T so returned before we left. [underlined] Letter from Ma, Doris (R) & Mary. [/underlined] Sardines on toast, jam; tea. Bike repairs.
[page break]
JULY 6
[underlined] TUES. 43 [/underlined]
Porr; egg (dry) on toast. No flight. Kite US & weather same. Soup; meat pie etc. Eventualy [sic] went & bombed at Ragdale also took photos & sim-bombed. [underlined] haircut. 1 orange [/underlined] & tea (similar to usual.) Joe got teleg. [sic] Took him into Loughbro on Dick’s bike. 3d chips & half pint. Got half way back & a cpl. rode Dick’s bike back to billets. [underlined] Bed 12-0 [/underlined]
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JULY 7
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Kellogs; bacon on toast; tea. Went up & did formation flying. Kite U/S. so didn’t go bombing. Soup; beef, spuds, caulif [sic] currant pud. Did low flying then went bombing. Target hard to see. [underlined] Letters from Ma Violet & Doris C. [/underlined] Sardines on toast & cottage pie; cocoa. [underlined] Letter to Doris C & Ma & Elsie [/underlined]
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JULY 8
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; spuds & fish. Eventualy [sic] went out to bomb. Cld. base 2,500 so couldn’t bomb. Took photos. Went down to Kettering. Soup; minced beef & onion, spuds, peas, cabbage; rotten hard sponge pud. No flight. Finished plotting shots. Sat and studied photos in Intel. Library. [underlined] Collected Reg Parcel Letter from Ma. [/underlined] Meat pie jam, tea. Went to Castle D. had pint then 8d of chips then 1 1/2 pints.
[page break]
JULY 9
[underlined] FRI. 43. [/underlined]
Kellogs; fried bread & ham No flight. Went to see photo & bombing results then went to Intel. Library. Soup; stew, spuds, broad beans; rhubarb & cust. Helped WO Brown with DR trainer plot. [underlined] £5.5s pay. [/underlined] Cheese on toast; tea. 3/- taxi. 1/9 “Once upon a Honeymoon” Ginger Rogers 2/6d Dance. 3/- taxi.
[page break]
JULY 10
[underlined] SAT. 43. [/underlined]
All Bran; sos. Early flight cancelled about 9-30 or 10-0. Read “[indecipherable word]” on bed. Soup; mutton, spuds, beans, 2 x pud. Shower. Parcelled laundry. RAIN. Spuds & minced meat; tea. Cycled to Loughboro in rain 7/- for chicken, Worthington etc. cycled back in 35 mins in 35 mins [sic] (7.8 mls.) Went & had 2 pints in mess Had a dance or two Got to bed about 12.30
[page break]
JULY 11
[underlined] SUN. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; egg on toast; Waited for a flight. In the end helped W.O. Brown construct an SHA chart with star altitudes on them. Soup; beef, spuds, cab; york pud (?) bread pud. Sight log book arrived and flying log. Eventualy [sic] went flying. Took off 4-30 back at 9.30. Corned beef, lettuce, tomato; jam; tea. bed about 12-0 PM
[page break]
JULY 12
[underlined] MON. 43. [/underlined]
All bran; cocoa & “bubble & squeak. Prepared to do route 6 in reverse. Eventualy [sic] went out to go bombing. This also washed. RAIN. Soup; MEAT (??) spuds, cab; rice pud. Nowt doing! Went into Intel library & read gen on German atrocities in Russia. Welsh rarebit; jam & tea. Started letter to Ma. [underlined] Posted laundry home [/underlined] & Charlie’s Regd. parcel. Minced meat & spuds; cocoa. [underlined] Finished letter to Ma. [/underlined]
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JULY 13
[underlined] TUES. 43. [/underlined]
Porridge (sweet). [underlined] BOILED EGG [/underlined] tea. No flight. Duff gen & lines by F/O Wood. Soup; meat pie, lettuce, spuds, onion; jam tart & cust. Log analyst. Reading in Intel. Library. RAIN. Sos & mash, tea. Bombing trip. [underlined] Letter & papers from Ma. [/underlined] Supper in the Airmen’s Mess Cheese, lettuce, pickles; cocoa.
[page break]
JULY 14
[underlined] WED. 43. [/underlined]
Porr; beans & bacon. No flight. Weather US. Eventualy [sic] went out to dispersal Started up then detail was cancelled. Soup; meat pie, spuds, peas; cust trifle. RAIN. Nattered in NAV. office then went to Intel. Library. Fish, cake, tea. [underlined] NO MAIL. Letter to Mary & Ma. [/underlined]
ENSA. Concert. pint beer. B – awfull [sic] stuff.
[page break]
[circled 19.43]
JULY 15
[underlined] THURS. 43. [/underlined]
All Bran; bacon & toast. NO flight – Cloud! Map reading in Bombing teacher then went to [symbol] Room. Afterwards went to Intel. Library. Soup: spuds, cab etc. STILL NO FLIGHT. Made SBA CHART for P/O Simpson. Had tea then cycled to Loughboro with Ken. 2d for bike. Orangeade; coffee & waffers. [sic] 2/- Dance. Got back about 01.00 hrs. nice clear moonlight & starlight night.
[underlined] FINIS [/underlined] !!!!
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TRENTON – TORONTO
[circled 1942] JULY 16 [underlined] 1942. [/underlined]
[underlined] THURS. [/underlined] Kellogs; sos & tom; coffee Gave bedding in at 8-0. Parade again at 1-30. KTS. Mess. Pork, spuds peas; vanilla pie; cup milk Arr. stn 2-15 on lorry. Arr TOR. 5-30. Stood on stn. till 6-30 then went out to lorries & only just caught ‘em. Drew sheets & pillow Minced meat, spuds, lettuce; bun & tea. 10c. choc ice on stn) 25c. st. car tickets. 15c doughnuts & coffee. None of girls working in White Chef.
[page break]
RCAF MANNING DEPOT TORONTO
JUL 17
’42 [underlined] FRI. [/underlined]
Grape juice; bacon, beans & toast; coffee. FFI. Transfer to 7 sqdn. 7 flt. Beef, spuds, carrots; sponge pud; tea. Found bunks & fitted kit up. Sewed buttons on summer tunic. Meat pie, spuds, lettuce; date pie; milk Met Doris on her way to see “Birth of a Baby” $1.20. & “Calafornia [sic] Junior Symphony.” Glass Milk. Went up to Bloor St. White Chef with D & boss Took her home after giving her photo’s of her & Freida, and me. Got photo of her Kissed her “Good Night” STORM Back in camp 11-35 PM
[page break]
[symbol]
JULY 18
[underlined] SAT. ’42. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & boiled egg; toast & coffee. Route march to Sunnyside & PT. Beef, spuds, cabb; cust pud; 2 cups tea Moved chairs in Big Arena. [underlined] Letter No. 7 to Ma. Paper from Ma. [/underlined] (20c for stamps.) Beef, cheesed spuds; jam sq; cup tea & milk. 25c. st. car. 5c. milk. Gave Doris ‘brooch. She had to go to wedding party I went to Imperial (60c.) Jeanette Macdonald & Nelson Eddie in “I married an Angel” and Gary Cooper in “The Real Glory.” STORM. 15c cust. pie and cup coffee.
No. 7 to Ma.
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JULY 19
[underlined] SUN. 42. [/underlined]
Kellogs; flat cake & syrup; coffee. Read People & “Tizer. Ham, spuds, carrots; date pie; cup milk. Going out. 12-0. Choc. shake & ice cream. Snarky Lilian (Doris’s pal.) & I went for walk Took several photo’s. Sos, beans, peas, tomato, lettuce & glass of milk. [underlined] 25c. [/underlined] film. 20c total on Wurlitzer. Feeling homesick & far from home and everybody. [underlined] STORM [/underlined] & [underlined] RAIN [/underlined]! [symbol] ? [symbol] Took Doris home she like me is very tired.
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JULY 20
[underlined] MON. 42. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & fried egg; toast & coffee. Dental Chart Parade. Having one I was dismissed. Hair cut 25c. $1’s Worth of stamps Beef (nice & tender) spuds, cabb; rice pud; cup milk. $1.03 for [underlined] Cable to Ma. [/underlined] Maths exam. SIMPLE. Minced meat, spuds, veg. salad; jam & cake; tea. 25c. st. car. 7c coke. 24c for film. One of lightning turned out. Gave other film in ready. WED. 29c. tooth paste. Remarks re Doris unprintable. Mended top on fountain pen.
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JULY 21
[underlined] TUES. 42. [/underlined]
Scrambled egg, tomato; porr, coffee. Ensign hoisting parade 7-30 AM. Drill & P.T. Ham, spuds, sprouts; pumpkin pud; cup milk. 5c. for 1/2 pt. carton of milk. [underlined] Letter from Ma [/underlined] & [underlined] Norah, card from Joyce R. [/underlined] Astro Chart & Signals. Ham, spud & tom salad; scone & tea. Undecided whether to go out or stop in. Think I’ll go out. 25c. st. car. 5c. glass milk. 25c. film (split $10 bill) 5c. coffee. 7c. soap from YMCA [underlined] IN CAMP [/underlined] (8-30.) Going to write letter to Ma. SOLDIER.
No. 3 from Ma
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JULY 22
[underlined] WED. ’42. [/underlined]
Porr, boiled egg & bacon; toast & coffee. We nearly got fatigues but got PT instead. Beef, spuds, carrots; date & raisin pie; cup milk. Nearly finished letter to Ma. $15 pay. Hamburger, spuds; tomatoes; raisin pud & tea. 10c. stickit. 5c milk. 24c films, 60c at Loes Wallace Beery in “Jackass Mail” with Marjorie Maine, also Will Tracey in “About Face.” 12c. straw. sundae & coke. [underlined] CABLE from MA. [/underlined]
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JULY 23
[underlined] THURS. ’42. [/underlined]
porr; toast, fried egg & tomato; coffee. P.T. Pork, sage & onion, spuds, cabbage; pumpkin sponge; cup milk. 5c. choc. milk. No lecture. Dismissed. Filled in form for pass. Finished letter to Ma. Re bound pen top. Meat, spud salad, beet; almond blancmange & lemon sauce; cheese & tea. [underlined] POSTED letter to Ma. Wrote [deleted] cable [/deleted] airgraph to Joyce. & posted same. [/underlined] 30c stamp. 30c. Warren William in “Secrets of the Lone Wolf.” & Gene Autry in “Cowboy Serenade.” 5c. glass milk, 10c Wurlitzer. Tried to have it out with Doris but she wouldn’t give any reason
Letter No. 8 to Ma.
[page break]
JULY 24
[underlined] FRI. ’42 [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & beans; toast & coffee Squadron route march & PT (HELL) 5c. peanuts & 5c. milk. Finny Haddock, spuds, beet; egg cust. & pumpkin pud; 1 1/2 cup milk. Lectures & suggestions by & to Flt. Sgt. Fish, toast fried spuds, beet; choc, cake & sauce; 3 slices brd & straw. jam; 2 cups tea! Oh! what a tea! Washed 2 prs. socks & kharki [sic] shirt. Helped one of RCAF boys pack his kit bag. Reading magazine on bed.
[page break]
JULY 25
[underlined] SAT. ’42. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon, boiled egg, toast & coffee. Route march to Sunnyside. 5c ice. 10c choc milk & 2 donuts. Meat pie spuds, cab; caramel cream & cup milk. 36 hrs pass 25c st. car. 50c bed at YM. 2c split rings. 15c glass milk & lemon pie. 42c Uptown theatre “Eagle Squadron” Damn Good. 25c. sos, spuds, peas & coffee. st. car to Sunniside. [sic] Walked back 01.10 hrs 10c mints from “Woolies.” 2 cups coffee. 10c. egg & milk 10c. Bed 12.0 AM.
[page break]
JULY 26
[underlined] SUN. ’42. [/underlined]
Up at 12-0 PM. Sos, spuds, peas tom; egg & milk (35c.) St. Car to High Park. Sleep, a little not much. St. car back to YM. Picked kit bag up. Kellogs; salmon, lettuce, tom, peas; egg & milk (50c) 25c st. car. Camp 7-15 PM. Tired and have not exerted myself. Cut buttons of kharki [sic] tunic ready to have it pressed & cleaned.
[page break]
JULY 27
[underlined] MON. ’42 [/underlined]
Orange; porr; bacon & fried egg; toast & coffee. NO SWIM [underlined] NO P.T. [/underlined]!!! 5c choc. ice. 5c milk. Beef, spuds, carrots caramel cream & apple. Route March with band, to Sunniside. Dismissed for 1/2 hr. Sunbathed. Wish I’d had my costume. Ham & cold beef, spuds & salad; cake, jam & apple. 2 cups tea. Washed 2 pairs socks.
Gave kharki [sic] suit in to be cleaned also put some laundry in (ready WED.)
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JULY 28
[underlined] TUES. ’42. [/underlined]
grapefruit juice; poached egg & tom; toast & coffee. Thrown off CO’s parade because we were wearing our blues. Dismissed at “Sally Ann.” Lift down to Sunnyside. Baths didn’t open ‘till 10-0 and it was 45c. so didn’t go in. 5c. choc. ice. Lift back to barracks. 50c for uniform. Meat pie, spuds, cabb: raisin pie; cup milk & coffee. Drill, P.T. 10c. choc. & vanilla ice. Stewed meat, spuds & beet; cake & jam; tea. Just MUCKED ABATE generaly. [sic]
Papers from Ma.
[page break]
JULY 29
[underlined] WED. ’42. [/underlined]
[underlined] RAIN. [/underlined] Porr; bacon & boiled egg; jam, toast & coffee. Parade in Arena. Posting but not for me. LECTURE by corporal. Pork, sage & onion, spuds, cabbage; pumpkin pud; milk. 40c. laundry, gave some more in (ready FRI.) “Sally Anne” 10c. choc. shake. Cold meat, spud salad, lettuce; sponge cake; tea. 10c. egg & milk. 60c. at Loes. Walt. Pidgeon & Greer Garson in “MRS. MINNIVER” A Great film Very touching & realistic.
20c. egg & milk.
[page break]
JULY 30
[underlined] THURS. ’42.
cool. [/underlined]
Grapefruit juice; fried egg, tomato; porr; toast & coffee. P.T. Beef, spuds, carrots; sponge pud; tea. 10c. choc. milk & ice. Cpl bought an ice each for four of us. Minced meat, spuds, lettuce; blancmange; milk, tea. 5c glass milk. 30c. show “Old Bill & Son” & “Sing for your Supper.” 15c. egg & milk. Had word or two with Doris. 25c. st. car tickets.
[page break]
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JULY 31
[underlined] FRI. ’42. [/underlined]
[underlined] MORE RAIN. [/underlined] porr; beans & bacon; toast & coffee. $14.20 pay. $2.40 back off Harding Returned his $2 1/2 gold piece. Fish, spuds, tapioca; date & raisin pie; tea. [underlined] Letter from MA & GRAN [/underlined] both posted together air & sea. WHAT a SERVICE. Took two benches from Arena to Grandstand. 20c (choc. milk shake; choc. ice; carton of milk) 41c. laundry Fish, spuds, salad; cake; milk. 60c. “Daughter of Rosie O’Grady” & Charlies Aunt” Jack Benny. Egg & milk; lemon pie.
Letter NO. 4. From Ma
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AUGUST 1
[underlined] SAT. ’42. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon, boiled egg; toast & coffee. 25c haircut. [underlined] Letter No. 9 to Ma & to Norah. [/underlined] Beef, spuds, carrots; bread pud; milk. 36 hrs pass. 25c. st. car. 5c shoe laces. 2c. drink. 30c film, (XX) 50c bed at YM. 15c. mints. Enquired about boat to Niagara. 35c. tom, lettuce, spud salad, ham; egg & milk. Walked down to Pier. St car to Sunnyside. 5c ice. St. car back. 24c to see Gene Autry in “Mexacali [sic] Rose” and “Our Russian Front.” 20c. egg & milk and cup coffee. 5c. milk at YM.
[circled 12-30]
Letter No. 9 to Ma
[page break]
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AUGUST 2
[underlined] SUN. ’42. [/underlined]
Up at 11-0 AM. Sos, spuds, peas, toast & marmalade; coffee; cust pie (40c.) $1.65, return, for ferry ticket. Left at 3-0 PM Arr. Niagara, in bus from Queensbury at 6-20 PM. 25c for views. 5c for 3 P.C.’s. 2 “nickles” for 4 x 2c stamps. [underlined] Posted a card to Ma. [/underlined] Roast beef, spuds, kid beans; apple pie; milk. 60c. Address of people from Sheff. Bus to Queen. 10-30. Boat got in ‘bout 12-45. In meantime community singsong. 20c. hot dog & coffee. Arr. Toronto 3-30 AM. St. Car to Jarnies. Picked up kit bag. Arr. barracks 4-45. [underlined] Bed 5-0 AM. [/underlined]
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AUGUST 3
[underlined] MON. 42 [/underlined]
porr; bacon fried egg; toast coffee. Route march. 15c. drink & donuts. [underlined] Letter 6 from Ma. [/underlined] Beef, spuds, carrots; rice pud; milk Soft ball game. Ham, Veg salad, beet; cake, jam; tea. 2 rolls film ready Wed. 5c. Milk. 30c. Chester Morris & Jean Arthur “No Hands on the Clock.” and Alex. Dumas’ “Corsica Brothers” Doug Fairbanks Jnr. Talk with Agnes. 10c. egg & milk (plain.)
[page break]
[circled X]
AUGUST 4
[underlined] TUES. 42. [/underlined]
Grape, juice; porr; fried egg, tom, coffee & toast. CO’s parade. 12c. Pepsi Cola & tub of icecream, 5c phone call. Stew, spuds, cabbage; raisin pie; milk. [underlined] Letter No. 5!! from Ma & letter from David. [/underlined] Sally Anne! 2 x 5c tickets. choc ice. Talk with SA man. 2 x 5c phone calls. (Doris.) 3-30 PM gave “kharki” [sic] in to be cleaned. 5c. phone call to Eric B. Date for Wed. call him at noon hrs. Meat, cold, spuds, beet; cake, jam & tea. 15c. choc. milk & egg. Took comics for Doris. TIZER & COMICS from Ma. Walked back to camp 5c. Aero. 75c. VR’s & Gt. Britain’s
Letter 5 from Ma. & David
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AUGUST 5
[underlined] WED. 42 [/underlined]
Grapejuice; bacon, 2 boiled eggs, toast & coffee. Service parade. Too late when we got there. Pork, spuds, carrots; choc. blanc. milk [underlined] Letter no. 10 to Ma’s No. 5. Letter to David. [/underlined] 50c. uniform 5c. phone call to Eric. Cold meat, spud & veg salad; sponge cake & jam; tea. Out at gate 5-15. where Eric was waiting. Met his two little girls. Had another “supper. Went to ball game. Fetched beer. Mrs. (Nell) set me on smoking (had 7 fags.) Eric took me back to camp. We picked 6 lads up at King. In for 1-30 AM.
Letter 10 to Ma.
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AUGUST 6
[underlined] THURS. 42 [/underlined]
porr; tom & scrambled egg; toast marmalade & coffee. Sent back to barracks to tidy bed. Clothing parade list. Ice cup at Sally Ann. Pass application £1.00 stamps. Usual type of din. Clothing parade cancelled [underlined] Wrote letter & posted to Gran [/underlined] Started one to Ma. Hamburger meat, spuds, beet; cake & jam tea. 25c st. car. 48c films of Niagara. 15c. egg & milk. 30c. “The Yukon Patrol” & “Blondie in Society.” 7c. pot of tea.
[page break]
AUGUST 7
[underlined] FRI. 42. [/underlined]
Grape juice; porr; bacon & fried egg; toast, jam & coffee. March to Sunnyside. Choc. milk & donuts. 10c. Meat pie, spuds, carrot; brd pud; milk. Sally Ann. 48 hr. pass. Took tunic to have G. Britain’s fastened on. Beef, spuds, beet, lettuce; cust. tea 15c. choc. egg & milk. 60c. “The Magnificent Ambersons”. 20c 2 cheese sand. hot tea.
[page break]
AUGUST 8
[underlined] SAT. 42. [/underlined]
porr; bacon, boiled egg; toast & coffee. 25c. st. car. 5c. milk. $1.00 st. car tickets and map of Toronto. 25c. candid camera photo. 30c. film (vari.) 10c. mints from “Woolies.” 25c. sos, chips, beans; tea, hot. 42c. Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, George Brent in “In this Our Life” Salmon, lettuce, etc. tea; 35c. George Brent, Joan Bennet “Twin Beds.” “Danger in Pacific” 42c. 12c. tea & donuts. Met RAF lad on st car. Went with him to Sunnyside & back to camp.
[page break]
AUGUST 9
[underlined] SUN. 42 [/underlined]
Kellogs; flat cake; toast & coffee Church parade & communion A very nice service; very nice indeed. Edward Bush took me to his home. Had light lunch. Went walk. His dad took photo’s of us. Dinner about 6 or 7. RAIN. Mr. took me to see their ARP H.Q. and model of his section. Still raining at 10-0. when we set off back. Got back to camp at 11-15 PM.
[page break]
[symbol]
AUGUST 10
[underlined] MON. 42. [/underlined]
orange; porr; bacon & egg; toast & coffee. Route March, with band, to Sunnyside. 15c. icecream. Stew, carrots, spuds rice pud, milk. Sally Ann Bought 2 x 5c tickets but didn’t use same. [underlined] Letter from Doris. [/underlined] Cold beef, ham, spud salad, lettuce; cake & jam; tea. [underlined] Letter NO. 11 to Ma [/underlined] & Niagara Snaps. Bed 9-30 PM.
Letter from Doris (.2nd.) Letter 11 to Ma.
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AUGUST 11
[underlined] TUES. 42 [/underlined]
grapefruit juice; tomato, poached egg; toast, jam, coffee. Co’s parade Route March to Sunnyside. Beef spuds, cabbage, raisin tart, cheese & milk. Boot repairs didn’t come off. Hamburger spuds, cheese & cake, tea. 15c. egg, choc. milk; fetched photo’s. Took 3 negs to Liggs’ 35c. 1/2 lb. chocs. 5c. milk Took Muriel to see Jeanette MacDonald in “Smilin’ Thru” 60c. 11-0 when we come out so couldn’t take her home. [underlined] Posted letter to Doris [/underlined] Other film was “Knockout” a boxing show as per name. Took kharki [sic] suit in to be pressed & cleaned.
[page break]
AUGUST 12
[underlined] WED. 42. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & boiled egg; coffee & toast. Swimming Parade to Sunnyside. Sqd Ldr went with us. We sang all the way. 10c to go in the “tank”. Veal spuds, carrots; choc. blanc. milk. Issued with 2nd suit kharki [sic] & fatigue trousers. Cold veal, spud & green salad tomato; tea & cake & jam. Took shirt, blue & kharki [sic] pants towel & collar to be washed [underlined] Card to Joe & Watson. [/underlined] 30c stamps. 15c. choc. egg & milk. 12c. Prints. 42c. Eleanor Powell Red Skelton in “Ship Ahoy” with Tommy Dorsey’s Orchestra. 12c. tea & cake.
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AUGUST 13
[underlined] THURS. 42. [/underlined]
grapefruit juice; porr; tom & egg; toast & coffee. Route march to Sunnyside. 10c. choc ice. [underlined] STOMACH ACHE. Cable from Ma. [/underlined] Received parcel I sent over a month ago. Beef, spuds beet; pumpkin pud; milk. [underlined] 67c cable to Grandpa. [/underlined] 50c. for uniform Marched to West End YMCA. Had a good swim. 6c choc. Hamburg square spuds, beet; cheese; scone; brd & jam; tea. 25c. Dura Glit. 15c choc, milk & egg. $1.20 at Imperial”Syncopation” & ”Mexican Spit sees a Ghost.” Took Muriel home or at least she put me on the Spadina st. car.
[circled Letter 7 from Ma [symbol]]
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AUGUST 14
[underlined] FRI. 42 [/underlined]
grape juice; bacon, scrambled egg, toast coffee. $20 pay. Meat pie, spuds, carrots; raisin & date pie; tea. FFI. handed sheets, etc. in to stores Cleared of station. [underlined] Letter 7 from Ma. [/underlined] 32c. laundry Packed kit. Bottle of beer and fag (given by Ross) Cold meat, spuds, lettuce & salad; cake & jam; milk Bert arrived here. 15c. egg & milk 30c. “Among the Living” & “Sullivan’s Travels.” Pot tea & date sq. 12c. 50c. bed at YMCA.
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[circled X]
AUGUST 15
[underlined] SAT. 42. [/underlined]
Up at 11-30 AM. [underlined] $2.99 parcel to home. [/underlined] 10c mints, 25c sos, chips beans; milk, 10c Coke. 30c “Swamp Woman” & “Duke of the Navy.” 7c coke. 35c salmon salad 10c cake. 25c st. car. 42c “Juke Girl” Ann Sheridan & Ron Regan Went around with Snarky in PM. Gave Agnes two photo’s. Lemon pie, hot tea. 17c. Bought farthing for 2c. and then forgot to give it Muriel. Took her home then went back to [underlined] camp. bed 2.45 AM!!?!! [/underlined]
so I walked her home. Introduced to her Da & stepma. Cup cocoa & biscuits Bus s/c 11.30. arr. 12.10 app.
PARCEL
[circled LETTER TO PHIL]
[page break]
[underlined] TORONTO – NO. 1. AOS [/underlined]
AUGUST 16
[underlined] SUN. 42. [/underlined]
7-30 AM, bfst, Kellogs & flat cake; coffee. Finished packing Took kit down to arena & then out to back of Colesium [sic] Loaded up on lorry. Drizzle Took about 1/2 hr. to get to Malton. Drew sheets & pillows. FFI & general look over. Teeth & throat. RAIN. Ham, spuds, peas; raisin pie; milk. Unpacked & repacked. Pass till tomorrow AM. Gave boots in to be repaired at long last. [underlined] Letter to Phil. [/underlined] $1.20 10 bus tickets. 5c milk. Gave Muriel a farthing. “Tommy” bumped into me on st. car on way to church. She & Doris, her pal, from Gt. Brit. 10c. church 2 choc. shakes; apple juice; veal cuttlet [sic] peas, spuds; cust, rice & raisins 90c Doris took me to “Jane” Only 10 o’clock
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AUGUST 17
[underlined] MON. 42. [/underlined]
1/2 orange; x; bacon & egg, toast; milk. Given pass by adj. P/O Wood our instructor I/C. Pea soup; [deleted] chicken roll [/deleted] [inserted] beef [/inserted], spuds, cabbage; rice pud; D.R. navi & instruments issued. Did a few problems. Chicken roll lettuce, a tomato; peach & milk Finished navi. [deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted] problems Ensign lowering. Letter to Ma. Handed kharki [sic] in to be pressed etc. 25c. haircut Bunk inspection at 12.30 & 4.30. F/Lt. found some not made up right on his rounds.
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AUGUST 18
[underlined] TUES. 42. [/underlined]
tom sauce; porr; sos, toast; coffee. DR. sigs, air recc. test. Veal, spuds, carrots; raisin tart; milk. DF, Maps, Magnetism. Cooked meat, spuds, tomatoes; prunes; milk. [underlined] Letter 12 to Ma. [/underlined] Navi class after [deleted] sp [/deleted] supper. flag & more navi. 12c. drink & spud crisps. 7c Coca Cola.
LETTER 12 TO MA.
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AUGUST 19
[underlined] WED. 42. [/underlined]
1/2 orange; cream of rice (x); bacon & egg; toast & coffee. Drill; DR signals. Went to hospital but have had injections & tests. Bean Soup; beef, spuds, peas; choc. blancmange; milk. Magnets, reconnais pyrotechnics (fireworks) Boots returned repaired with RUBBER sole & heels 7c. Coca Cola. Sos, spuds, beet, celery; water melon; blancmange (choc); milk. Navi & mag. notes. Flag.
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AUGUST 20
[underlined] THURS. 42 [/underlined]
grape juice; bacon & scrmbled [sic] egg; toast & coffee. DR. & DR test. S.M.O’s lecture. 7c. Coke. Stew, spuds, peas; soup, alphabet; mincemeat pie; milk. Maps, DRILL? Met. Ham, spuds, lettuce; peach; milk. DR. plot 48. “Film show, “Alexanders Rag Time Band” darn good show. 55c. uniform, clean & press. 5
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AUGUST 21
[underlined] FRI. 42. [/underlined]
1/2 grapefruit; bacon & flat cakes, milk; cream of wheat. CO’s Parade. DR. 5c. Coke. Soup; fish spuds, cab. sponge pud & sauce; milk. Met, Reconn, Insts. Soup; meat roll (cooked) spuds, beans; pears; milk. 2 x 5c Coke. Did, or tried to do a bit of DR. Set out back for Aircraft Rec. A number of lads missing off ensign lowering parade. Shower. 5c potato crisps.
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AUGUST 22
[underlined] SAT. 42. [/underlined]
grape juice; toast; bacon & egg; brd, marmalade; coffee. DR. Had look round an Anson. Soup; cooked cold meat, spuds, cabbage; cream fruit pud; cup tea & 1/2 cup milk. 5c. Coke + 5c I owed machine Aircraft recc. Rain storm. 2 snaps of same. Soup, steak spuds, salad; creamed fruit pud; peach; milk. Planned out 2 of the routes we may take tomorrow AM. 7c. coke 3c paper. Sing song in lecture room. Bed 10-30
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AUGUST 23
[underlined] SUN. 42. [/underlined]
cream of wheat; bacon & boiled egg, toast; coffee. Drew [deleted] shute [/deleted] harness. Briefed in hanger. Airborne 8-45. Landed 12-15. Veal, stuffing, spuds, peas; cream pie; milk. 11c. choc. & crisps Physics book from library. Church parade 1-45 to 2-30 Nice little service in GIS. TARRANT & GWYN forced landed. Ham, spud salad, tomatoe, [sic] cheese; cream pie; milk. Took shirt, pyj’s socks and towel to laundry. TARRANT returned OK at 6-30 PM. One wing of plane completely wrecked. He & GWYN. OK except for a shaking. Engines konked [sic] out at MIDLAND. Bed 9-15 PM
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AUGUST 24
[underlined] MON. 42. [/underlined]
1/2 orange; bacon & egg; porr; coffee [underlined] COLD [/underlined] freezing during night. DF. signals & met. Soup; spud salad, beef; rice pud; milk. 5c coke; 10c phone call to Mr. Berkimbler. He’d gone to lunch so wasted the 10c. DR. etc. 2 slices brd & butter; rice pud; milk. Lift from Malton in old jalopy to Toronto with Tarrant. 25c. st. car. 15c. choc. milk & egg. 5c. Record. 60c. at Shea’s. Rosalind Russell & Fred McMurray in “Take a letter, Darling.” 10c All Bran. 5c lemon square 5c coffee. Bus back to camp. Arr. 12.00. (23.59)
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AUGUST 25
[underlined] TUES. 42. [/underlined]
Grapefruit; cream of wheat; bacon & flat cakes; coffee, DR. & Mag Soup; veal & dressing spuds, sweede [sic] mincemeat pie; milk. [underlined] LETTER 8 from Ma. Posted on 11th [/underlined] 7c Coke. Lecture by WO. Abs returned from England off opps in Hampdene. 67c cable to Dad for his BD. YESTERDAY. D/F & DR. Ham & spud salad; prunes; milk. Started letter to Ma. 25c haircut. DR. 7c. coke. 5c Crisps. Duke of Kent killed in air crash. Eclipse of the Moon
[underlined] LETTER 8 from Ma. [/underlined]
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AUGUST 26
[underlined] WED. 42. [/underlined]
1/2 orange; porr; scrambled egg & toast; coffee. Flag at half mast for H.R.H. the Duke of Kent. Drill; DR; signals. Soup; beef, spuds, beet; choc. b. mange & cake milk. [underlined] LETTER 13 to Ma. [/underlined] Met. Mag, Games. Soup; sos, spuds, peach: milk. 3 x 5c Cokes. Flight plan for tomorrow.
[circled LETTER 13 to MA]
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AUGUST 27
[underlined] THURS. 42. [/underlined]
1/2 grapefruit; bacon & bld egg; toast coffee; cream of wheat. 3 1/4 hr. trip. Heavy ground mist. Soup; boiled bacon, spuds, cabbage pumpkin pie; milk. D.R. drizzle. Soup; cold cooked meat, spuds, corn cob; pears; milk. 5c Coke. Flight Plan for tomorrow. 5c Coke ”Lloyd of London” film in GIS.
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AUGUST 28
[underlined] FRI. 42. [/underlined]
tomato juice; sos & flat cakes; porr; coffee. Flight washed out. DR & Insts. Soup, fish spuds; cust pud milk. DR. Wings Parade. Sardine spuds, celery; pears, milk. Lift to Cooksville (7 mls TORONTO) then into TORONTO (BLOOR.) Middle aged chap. Gave me address & phone No. 5c. Phone to Doris. 29c toothpaste. $1 bed at YM. 2 x 5c. to Tommy. Not at home. 10c mints. 30c. picts “South of Santa Fe” & “Louisiana Purchase” Bob Hope. 25c. sos, peas, chips; coffee.
$1.05 for old “blues” REPAIR?! [symbol] & clean & press.
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AUGUST 29
[underlined] SAT. 42. [/underlined] 11.30 AM arose & SHONE!?! $1.12 stamps. 25c beef sandwhich [sic] & peas & chips; glass milk. 5c. phone to Tommy. Ring her again at 4-0 PM. 15c BLACK ink. 10c mints 5c darning wool (“woolies”) 25c film. 10c Regd stamp. 7c Coke (YMCA) 5c phone Tommy not back. 7c grape drink. 5c Tommy going away for weekend. May be back Sun. evening. 47c. Bloor St. White Cheff. [sic] Salmon Salad date sq. & Pepsi. 60c. at Uptown “Pacific Rendeyvious” [sic] & “Maisie gets her man” Red Skelton. 20c. glass “Honey Dew” & ice cream. Saw Leslie (on bondiers [inserted] B.A. [/inserted] course) 7c Orange Stubby at Y. 25c. st. car.
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AUGUST 30
[underlined] SUN. 42. [/underlined] 10-0 AM.
10c. Church. no communion. 40c beef, spuds & carrots; custard pie; tea & milk. Chummed up with RCAF lad. Took snap of church & YMCA. Went out to Park. Snaps of Polar Bear, zebra etc. Supper at Chinese place below White Cheff [sic] 30c. liver, chips, peas; boston cream pie; milk. Left film at Liggetts. Went to church 10c. Tommy didn’t turn up. 10c. Doughnuts & milk. Walked up to Bloor & along same. St car to bus stop. Seat OK on bus Arr. in camp 23.59 hrs
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[underlined] LANCASTER [/underlined]
AUGUST 31
[underlined] MON. 42. [/underlined]
Cream of wheat; bacon & egg; 1/2 orange; coffee; DR. Went to see [circled LANCHESTER] at aero factory. Speechs [sic] & photo’s etc. etc. All turrets fully armed. Didn’t have soup; cold meat & spuds, milk. Flight. Didn’t do too good. Just managed to get supper. Cold meat, tomato & spuds, milk. & an apple DR 7-0 to 9-30. 2 x 7c cokes! [underlined] Tizer & Cable from Ma. [/underlined]
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SEPTEMBER 1
[underlined] TUES. 42. [/underlined]
tomato juice; bacon & sc’mbld egg, porr; coffee. DR etc. [underlined] Tizer from Ma. [/underlined]7c coke Veal, dressing, spuds, sweede; [sic] cream caramel pie; milk. AA. (DR.) Photography, games. Photo of flight. Sos, spuds, sweed [sic] choc. cake; milk. DR & flight plan. 7c bottle of lime Bed 10-15 PM.
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SEPTEMBER 2
[underlined] [deleted] TUES [/deleted] [inserted] WED [/inserted] 42 [/underlined]
Cream of wheat; bacon & egg; 1/2 grapefruit. Took off 8-45 app. landed 12-25 app. Not a bad trip on the whole. Arrived at MALTON 1909. my ETA for BRAMPTON. Beef, spuds, beet; rice pud; milk 10c. phone call to Mr. Burkimshort. DR. Sigs, Ham; fried spuds; spud salad; cake; milk. 7c Coke. Lift to Jane Bloor by Manchester man. Been out here since 1910 app. 65c Imperial Cary Macdonald in “Dr. Broadway” & Ray Milland & Betty Field in “Are Husbands Neccessary” [sic] 6c cordy. 15c choc egg & milk shake. 5c glass milk. 25c st car 7c coke back on camp. 8c film prints. Only 2 turned out OK
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SEPTEMBER 3
[deleted] WED [/deleted] [inserted] THURS [/inserted] 42
Porr; bacon, egg & toast; coffee. 3 legged flight to navigate on. Starts with met W/V. Finished it OK. Cold meat roll, spuds, beans; pie; milk. 55c for kharki [sic] uniform & 28c for ordinary laundry. Nothing else out of the regular routine except DF lecture by Sgt WAG on an actual DF loop & Radio receiver. Supper similar to usual. 7c x 2 Coke. Film show “The Rain Game” (?) an old film. Pretty good.
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SEPTEMBER 4
[deleted] THURS [/deleted] [inserted] FRI [/inserted] 42
Cream of wheat; 1/2 orange; bacon & lat [sic] cakes; coffee. Prepared flight for this afternoon. Fish, spuds, carrots; cream fruit pud; milk. Parade of whole station in atempt [sic] to recover stop watches, observe for use of. Radio transmitter NBG. switched planes and WAG had to B - - R about with other one to get it to go. Finaly [sic] got off at 15.00. Trip not too good as far as NAVI went (EX.6) Sardines, lettuce, spuds, tomato; peach milk. [underlined] AIRGRAPH [/underlined] from Ma (sent AUG. 15TH) Wrote letter to Ma.
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SEPTEMBER 5
[deleted] FRI [/deleted] [inserted] SAT [/inserted] 42
Porr. bacon, egg (boiled) toast Tom, juice, coffee. Flight across lake Ont. Hamilton down to Lake Erie & back Pretty nice trip (2nd NAV) Veal, spuds, & salad; choc cream & cake; milk. 10c C. Mr. Berkimisher. Not in but he will write Tuesday. Bus into Toronto. St. car down to Queen. 8c mints; 10c glue (Woolies) 15c. choc milk & egg shake. 3 x 5c phone calls to Tommy (drug store, Y & Red [symbol].) 30c. Rio “Night of Jan 16th) Meeting Tommy at 8-30 PM. Liver onion spuds; coffee. (30c.) $1.20. at Uptown “Private Bukaroo” Harry James’ band. “Invisible Agent” Flora Massey. 12c. coffee 25c st car tickets.
[circled LETTER 14 TO MA]
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SEPTEMBER 6
[deleted] SAT [/deleted] [inserted] SUN [/inserted] 42
Got up 11-30. All Bran; sos, chips peas; tea, pot. 35c. Took film to Liggetts. Got another 25c. Went to Museum. Phoned Tommy but she’d gone to her sisters. Saw John Hodgson. Met chap in AFS, Canadian, for Great Brit. Tea & cookie at Y. Walked down Younge & back. Ham, chips & peas; coffee, 30c. at Cheff [sic] Gave Joe Hannah home address Met Gwyn at car stop. Muriel followed us on st. car. Sat on mudguard [underlined] inside [/underlined] bus, back in camp 12-0.
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SEPTEMBER 7
[deleted] SUN [/deleted] [inserted] MON [/inserted] 42.
Porr; scrambled egg & toast; TEA. DR all morning. Cold meat spuds, cabbage; billberry pie, milk. A.A. Mag. & Air Rec. [deleted] Soup [/deleted] Stew, fried spuds, tomato; apple; milk. 2 x 7c Cokes. Put names on card with photo of flight on it. Damned ink ran too. Pulled flag down at 8-0 PM. Mended, in a fashion, Huddarts alarum [sic] clock.
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X [underlined] CABLE TO MA [/underlined]
SEPTEMBER 8
[deleted] MON [/deleted] [inserted] TUES [/inserted] 42
Tom juice; bacon & hot cakes; cream of wheat; coffee. RAIN. DR & Mag. Veal, spuds, sweeds; [sic] cust rice pud; milk. [underlined] LETTER from PHIL. [/underlined] Photography, signals. Should have been sports but it was raining. [underlined] 67c. Cable to Ma. [/underlined] 7c Coke. Finished photo of flight. Not too good a result, but t’aint bad. Shepps pie, spuds, peas, sweeds; [sic] prunes; choc cake; milk [underlined] LETTER TOO [sic] PHIL. [/underlined] air recc. RAIN! RAIN! RAIN! 2 x 6c choc. 7c drink.
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SEPTEMBER 9
[underlined] [deleted] TUES [/deleted] [inserted] WED [/inserted] 42. [/underlined]
1/2 grapefruit; porr; bacon & egg; toast; coffee. RAIN. Took laundry in. NO PARADE. Rest of day pretty wet. Sos spuds etc. milk for supper. 25c [deleted] fe [/deleted] hair cut. 2 x 7c Cokes. Rained so we didn’t pull flag down. Went into Malton about 10-30 with Flowers to dance. Had a bit of a dance. Cookies & coffee refreshment. Finished at 12.0 AM. Lift back to camp in officers’ car. shower. Bed about 1-30.
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!? [three symbols] ?!
SEPTEMBER 10
[underlined] THURS 42. [/underlined]
Cream of wheat; egg & fried balony coffee. Flag hoisting DR & band. Liver, spuds, carrots; sponge & cust; milk. Flight washed out, low clouds, bumpy. So had P.O. Pleuman all afternoon. Cold cooked meat; spuds; beet; sponge & cust; milk. [underlined] Letters from Ma, Norah, Eric Berkinsh & Doris (Toronto.) [/underlined] 7c Coke “Rise & Shine” Jackie Oakie. 7c Coke.
[circled LETTER NO. 1. FROM MA]
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SEPTEMBER 11
[underlined] FRI 42 [/underlined]
Porr. sos & cakes, syrup; coffee. Sunshine. Co’s Parade. Wings Parade rehersal. [sic] DR exam. Fish, spuds, cabbage; mincemeat pie; milk. Wings parade. Cold cooked meat, spuds, cabbage lettuce, celery; apple; milk. Stand by for night flight. Rolled flag down. Took chairs back to GIS. Changed furniture round in lecture room. (desk plotters.) [underlined] Wrote letter to Doris., [/underlined] Posted same. 2 x 7c cakes. [underlined] Airgraph from Ma [/underlined] 25c stamps, 5c. crisps.
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SEPTEMBER 12
[underlined] SAT 42 [/underlined]
Bacon & egg; cream of wheat, coffee. Test on Reconn, Mag & Comp. Maps & Charts, & Insts. Pork, spuds, white sauce; bread pud, milk. [underlined] 2 Airgraphs from Ma & Letter. [/underlined] Photo Clip washed out so we had game of football. Just about knocked me all up but we enjoyed it even so 6c choc. Ham, spuds, celery; jam tart; peach; milk. [underlined] Letter to Eric & Ma [/underlined] 5c choc milk Mitchel, Huddart, & Piper had fly papers & card put in their bed.
[circled LETTER NO. 2. FROM MA 15 TO MA]
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SEPTEMBER 13
[underlined] SUN. 42. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & egg; toast & marmalade; coffee. Went back to bed. Tarrant & I flitted to opposite side of room nearer other lads Chicken, toast, spuds; [inserted] cake & cream [/inserted] fruit salad Church parade. Football game Ham, spuds, sweet pickle, lettuce, celery; 4 plums; choc cake; milk. 7c. coke. 25c. laundry. 7c coke. Prepared for night flight. Air Recc. back too. Filled one or two places in on Mercator chart. 10c. choc milk & crisps. Whittle, 10c for stamp. Flight washed out. Ground Mist. 10c phone call to Doris. Dated her for tomorrow night.
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SEPTEMBER 14
[underlined] MON 42 [/underlined]
Cream of wheat; bacon & egg; coffee. DR photo. & more DR. Veal, apple sauce, spuds; choc, blancmange; milk 27$ pay. Ham, spud salad; peach; cake; milk. Hitched to the end of Younge. Had to street car it to Jane. Arrived finaly [sic] about 7-15. Doris waiting in powder blue outfit gloves and handbag blue. Some colour hat very much like a berrie. 20c. film. $1.20 show Tommy Trinder “First Commando” & “Miss Annie Rooney” Shirley Temple. Walked her half way home then went back to join lads. 50c. taxi.
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SEPTEMBER 15
[underlined] TUES 42. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & egg: toast & coffee. FOG ??? DR & usual [underlined] Airgraph from Ma. [/underlined] Ham, spuds, cauliflower; raisin pie; milk. 7c Coke. Arms, Drill, Sigs. Meat Pie, Spuds, peas; plums; cake milk. 5c. Coke. Compass swinging, DR. 2 x 5c crisps. 5c milk choc. 10.10 PM cleaned buttons & boots for AM. and now going to bed.
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SEPTEMBER 16
[underlined] WED 42. [/underlined]
1/2 orange; cream of wheat; bacon & eggs & toast; Coffee. C.O’s parade for drill. DR & Aldis. Salmon stake; [sic] spuds, turnip: cake & lemon sauce; milk. [underlined] Letter from Joe Cutts. [/underlined] Mag, Insts, Met (test) Sos, spuds, cheese; milk. CO’s parade Marched into Malton & 1/2 way back. REST DISMISSED WE & 56 MARCHED BACK TO CAMP WHILE THEY HAVE BAGS OF FUN. 3 x 5c Cokes, 5c Coke.
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SEPTEMBER 17
[underlined] THURS. 42. [/underlined]
tom. juice; porr; bacon & egg; toast; coffee. Bull – parade in full dress. 5c Coke. DR. Flight Plan, Maps. Beef, spuds carrots; pumpkin pie: milk 8c. Soap, carbolic. [underlined] Letter from Eric. Posted letter to Norah [/underlined] Flight MO. W/V all to H ----- Ran into storm after I’d got a decent wind & was on TS. O.K. Had to return to Base. 7c Coke Cold meat: spuds: pumpkin pie: milk. 10c for coppers I owe Coke machine. [underlined] POSTED LETTER TO JOE. [/underlined] 5c Coke. 2 x 5c. Crisps.
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SEPTEMBER 18
[underlined] FRI. 42. [/underlined]
1/2 orange; cream of wheat; bacon pancakes; coffee, COs parade. DR & DF. [underlined] letter from Pat & June [/underlined] Pork apple, spuds, cauliflower, caramel cream & cake; milk 5c Coke. 28c laundry. Fish, spuds, celery; caramel & cake milk. Sgt. took us, Tarrant & self right to [indecipherable name]. $1.00 for bed at Y. Arrived at Doris’s 7-10 PM. Went to Eglington (48c x 2) “Glass Key”!! Doris wouldn’t let me pay for supper. I had spud salad & choc milk shake. She had a sundae. [circled 50c] 2 x 6c. choc. bars. Took her home Sat on veranda & talked. X 25c. st. car. 12c. tea & date sqr. Slept on settee at Y. Had real good sleep too.
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SEPTEMBER 19
[underlined] SAT. 42 [/underlined]
10-30 AM. Phoned Doris 15c before I connected with her at work [underlined] $2.95 parcel to home. [/underlined] $1.00 stamps 25c. st. car. Fish, spuds, tomatoes; ice cream & pot tea (Doris paid $1.15.) 2 x 30c Dot Lamour “Fleets In” & “Jimmy Valentines Affaires.” 35c. Chocs. Took Doris home. [circled RAIN] She took 2 snaps of me. 9c. mints. 30c. at Spadina “Blossoms in the Dust” Greer Garson & Walt Pidgeon also the “Great Walty” sos, chips, peas; apple pie; coffee & glass milk. Walked to Bathurst with Can. lad, walked back to Y. 7c. grapefruit Stubby.
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SEPTEMBER 20
[underlined] SUN. 42 [/underlined]
10-30 AM. 5c phone to Doris. 70c. Apple sauce, spuds, peas; pineapple. Went with Reid out on the Queen Car to terminus walked across to Bloor Car. Went on Bloor Car to St. Clair. Took Doris for walk in the Park. Went rowing on Grenadier Lake 50c. ($1 deposit on the boat.) Took Doris home. 40c. salmon salad & milk. Went to St. James’ (25c.) 2 x 20c. Malted, Choc Milk Shake. Walked back as far as Christie (St.) St. Car back to Doris’ X. Cup coffee 5c. at “Corner Road House.” Sat on mudguard of front wheel of bus back to camp.
Freezing cold night.
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SEPTEMBER 21
[underlined] MON. 42. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & egg; toast; tom, juice; coffee. [indecipherable word]. Drill, Morse Photog. Beef, spuds, turnip; fruit & sago; milk; DR & ASTRO GRAPH. [underlined] 2 Newspapers & Airgraph from Ma. Letter from Phil. [/underlined] 2 x 5c. Cokes. Weiners, spuds, turnip; apple; milk. 2 x 6c choc. bars. Lowney’s Caravan Show. Darn good as at Trenton. Had it in the small hanger.
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SEPTEMBER 22
[underlined] TUES. 42 [/underlined]
1/2 orange; cream of wheat; bacon & egg; toast; coffee. [underlined] COLD again [/underlined] DR. Sigs. Reconn. [underlined] Letter from Doris, Miss French, Photo’s from Eddy & Airgraph from Ma. [/underlined] Ham, spuds, cauliflower; bread pud; milk. Photo. flight ROTTEN. Sos, spuds, lettuce & tomatoe; [sic] apple stewed; choc, cake; milk. DR. lads out on night flight May go myself at 12-0 PM. We 4 didn’t go up at all in the end.
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SEPTEMBER 23
[underlined] WED. 42. [/underlined]
Porr, bacon & egg, toast, coffee. Arms (rifle & revolver.) Sos, spuds, beet: choc blancmange; milk: DR & flight plans for tomorrow AM & PM. Minced beef, spuds, beet; pear & choc cake; milk. Lift to Jane Bloor. Arr. Doris’ 6-10 before she’d had dinner Sat & played with kitten, cup tea. Took Tizers. 28c. for films (reprints.) 60c. “Babes on Broadway” Judy Garland & Mickie Rooney also “Man Made Monster” 25c. St. Car. 50c. taxi. Doris came to corner café with me 10c coffee. RAIN.
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SEPTEMBER 24
[underlined] THURS. 42. [/underlined]
1/2 grapefruit; cream of wheat, bacon & toast; coffee. Reconn flight. Met W/V OK. Dropped bomb on target near Weston. Bumpy & cold 2 to -2o c. Soup; beef, spuds, wheat; mince pie; milk. (Didn’t feel very hungry.) Air Plot on 1:1,000,000 Mercator. Pt. Perry. etc. Met. W/V OK. Bombed target near Milton West. [underlined] Finished letter to Ma. Wrote letter to Doris. [/underlined] Posted both 14c Cokes.
[circled LETTER 16 TO MA]
[page break]
X
SEPTEMBER 25
[underlined] FRI. 42. [/underlined]
Porr, bacon & egg; toast coffee. C.O.s parade. Route March. DR. Air Analysis. Reconnaissance. Fish spuds, carrots; bread pud; milk. Flight plan. Air Anal. Liver, spuds, carrots, tomato; cheese & cake: milk. No mail today. 30c. laundry. 7c. Coke. 7c Coke. [underlined] Letter to Eric. [/underlined] 10c phone to Doris. 6c toffee. 5c Crisps. Looked over “letter box” & contents (Films, letters etc.)
[page break]
SEPTEMBER 26
[underlined] SAT. 42. [/underlined]
Bacon & egg; 1/2 orange; coff DR & Compass swing. Stew spuds, cabbage; sago & fruit; milk. Bus into Toronto. 25c. st car. 50c bed at West End Y. 5c. phone to Doris. 84c at Uptown, George Formby in “Keep Fit.” & “Moscow Strikes back.” 70c. (Honey Dew) Chicken á la [deleted] Mache [/deleted] king, milk. Walked down Young to Imperial $1.20 “Cross Roads” Hedy Lamarr & Wilm. Powell. 25c. st car Rain so we poped [sic] into Corner Café at Young & Bloor. 30c. cheese sandwich & coffee. 1,2,3. Kissed her. Good night Bloor & a Carlton car back to Y. More RAIN.
[page break]
SEPTEMBER 27
[underlined] SUN. 42. [/underlined]
Still more rain. 5c. phone to Doris (11.0 AM) 60c. beef, spuds & spinach; coffee. Another address and word or two with RAF lad. St. car to Museum. Doris there and she’d been waiting 1/2 hr. Had a good look round. Took her home. 40c. egg salad, milk. Met Doris at bottom of street 6-25. Went to St. James’ Cathdll [sic] 10c. collection. Chocolate shake (40c. Doris paid.) Collected kit bag from Y. Walked up Bdway to Bloor. St. car back (10-30) Looked through Star. 2 kisses when I left at 11-5 to catch the bus. Used last ticket, sat on heater. Rain storm just as we got to camp.
[page break]
X
SEPTEMBER 28
[underlined] MON. 42. [/underlined]
cream of wheat, bacon & egg, coffee. DR. Insts. Maps. Ham, spuds, peas: rice pud; milk. Met; Football game (fine except for two lakes in middle of pitch.) Cottage pie, spuds, celery; pears & plums; milk. DR & star gazing. Wrote letter to Doris & Miss French Bed about 11-0 PM.
COLD.
[underlined] Letter from Ma also AG. Letter from Norah. [/underlined]
[page break]
[symbol]
SEPTEMBER 29
[underlined] TUES 42.
Posted letter to Doris & Norah AG. From Ma. [/underlined] 1/2 grapefruit; porr; bacon & egg; coffee. Photog, Maps, DR. Ham, spuds, turnip; cake & choc. sauce; milk. DR & Drill. Ham spuds; beet; rhubarb & cake milk. 2 x 7c. Coke. [underlined] Letter to Phil. [/underlined] George Formby “Turned out Nice Again.” DR. 5c. crisps. 2 x 6c Lifesavers. 5c [deleted] Ch [/deleted] Coke. Bed 11-0 PM.
$27.50 pay
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X
SEPTEMBER 30
[underlined] WED. 42. [/underlined]
1/2 orange; cream of wheat; egg & bacon; coffee. Route march DR; Met; Beef, spuds, cab, pumpkin pie. 12c. lifesavers. 2 x 7c. Coke. D/F; Aldis; Compass Swing. Cold cut, spuds, lettuce, beet; rhubarb & milk. [underlined] Letter by sea from Ma. [/underlined] 7c. Coke. [underlined] Letter to Norah [/underlined] 2 x 5c Coke. 10c. phone to Doris.
[page break]
[symbol]
OCTOBER 1
[underlined] THURS. 42 [/underlined]
porr; bacon & egg; coffee. Recon. Plot. A/C reccog. [deleted] Veal [/deleted] M.O’s lecture on first aid. Veal spuds, carrots: caramel cream milk. 55c. blues. 39c laundry [underlined] Letter from Doris. [/underlined] 2 x 7c. Coke. DR (Sun shooting.) D/F goniometer station. Liver, spuds carrots; bread & jam; cake & jam; milk. [underlined] Letter 15 to Ma. Letter & negs to Doris. [/underlined] No flight tonight. 5c. milk. 12c. toffee bars (2.) 5c. spud crisps. Phone to Doris. Not at home.
[circled LETTER 17 [deleted] 5 [/deleted] to MA]
[page break]
OCTOBER 2
[underlined] FRI. 42. [/underlined]
porr; bacon & flat cakes; coffee. Co’s parade; D.R.. Beef, spuds, beet; bread pud; milk. 3-25 hrs flight. Fair[deleted]es[/deleted] keeping track by drift. Fish pie, spuds, beet; cheese & cake; 2 pears; milk. [underlined] Telephone call from Doris. She was worried because there’d been reported a crash here at Malton. [/underlined] Night flight. Took off undercart wouldn’t wind up Landed & “LOST” both props. Took off again I got round OK. No more mishaps. Tomatoe [sic] & meat paste sandwiches, 2 cups coffee. Bed about 12-0 AM
[page break]
OCTOBER 3
[underlined] SAT. 42. [/underlined]
Porr; 1/2 orange: coffee. DR & Air Analasis. [sic] Spare ribs; spuds, beet; blueberry pie; milk. Did a bit of overtime at DR. Drew K land Air. Almanac. Sos, spuds, beet; mincemeat pie; milk. A/G. from Ralph Walker. 3 x 7c Cokes. 5c. crisps; 6c toffee; 5c choc. milk. Late night flight. 10c phone to Doris to let her know I can’t get Mon. Flight washed out. Got cup of coffee from mess. Fitted up earphones & mike.
[page break]
[symbol]
OCTOBER 4
[underlined] SUN. 42. [/underlined]
1/2 grapefruit; porr; bacon & boiled egg; coffee. Went back to bed. Boiled chicken (more skin & bone than meat.) spuds, cauliflower; fruit salad, cake & cream; milk RAIN in large lumps. Church parade. 7c coke. [deleted] Let [/deleted] A.G. to Ralph Walker Ham, spuds, beet; apple; milk. 10c. phone to Doris to tell her first bus from Toronto was at 5-20 & NBG for her. First flight washed so wrote to P & J & Eddy Bush. 7c x 2 Cokes. 2nd flight washed so am going to bed 11-30.
[page break]
X
OCTOBER 5
[underlined] MON. 42. [/underlined]
Porr, bacon & 2 pan cakes; [sic] coffee. DR. Sigs & Maps (Gnomonic Praj.) Beef, spuds, peas; bread pud; milk. [underlined] 2 AG’s from Mum, letter from Doris. [/underlined] Photography exam Met. D.R. Shep-pie, spuds, celery; bread pud & apple sauce; milk. 50c. sports fee, 25c hair cut. 7c Coke. 7c. lime rickey. 3 x 6c toffee & life-savers. 5c x 2 crisps & biscuits. RAIN & more rain. Flight “washed” consequently.
[page break]
XX
OCTOBER 6
[underlined] TUES. 42. [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & pancakes; 1/2 orange; coffee. Mag & Insts Photography 44/50 for test. Air/C. Rec. Test. Ham, spuds, some sort of spiced sauce; ground rice pud; milk. [underlined] A/G from Gran M [/underlined]!! D.R. Liver, spuds, peas; rice pud; milk. Binding Flight, astro so we didn’t go up. 1 star shot [indecipherable word]. [underlined] Letter to Doris. [/underlined]
[page break]
X
OCTOBER 7
[underlined] WED. 42. [/underlined]
porr, bacon & egg. DR & route march. 30 sun shots. Brawn spuds & sauce; blueberry pie, milk. [underlined] Paper from ma. Letter from Doris & Alwyn Crapper [/underlined]!!! Sports ----------. Cold cut, spuds, sweeds, [sic] plums; milk. Star Shots & plotting of. 10c. phone to Doris. 5c Coke. More [deleted] Star [/deleted] Sun Shots. Flight at 12.00 midnight. St. [indecipherable word], Owen Sound & back to Brampton. All others recalled. We got right round OK.
[page break]
[symbol]
OCTOBER 8
[underlined] THURS/42 [/underlined]
Peanut butter sandwiches & 2 cups of milk. Bed 4-0 AM. Up at 10-30. Finished Sun Shots and corrected several. [underlined] NO MAIL. 10c Coke [/underlined] Beef, spuds, peas; sago & fruit milk. DR. Flight Plan & Exam. [underlined] Wrote Letter to Alwyn [/underlined] 5 x 3c Stamps. 15c Cokes (2) [underlined] Temp 88o in the lecture Room. [/underlined] Ham, spud salad, celery; 2 apples; milk. D/F 1000 readings. Sun Shots. Gwyn on D/F loop readings
[page break]
OCTOBER 9
[underlined] FRI/42 [/underlined]
Porr. Bacon & egg. D/F & Astro flight AIR PLOT. FAIERS 1st. NAV. Fish, spuds, beans; milk. Wings parade after Reco. & Maps exam. Lift to West End. Y. 1.25c for bed (50c on key) 25c. St Car. 5c phone call. Tyrone Power & Joan Fontaine in “This Above All.” Very Good. Doris paid she also would not take money for reprints of 14 odd negatives. 50c. Sundae & Cokes. 25c. St. Car. 2 x 2 Got back to Y about 12-1 AM. No Pyjamas. Janitor not around.
[page break]
OCTOBER 10
[underlined] SAT/42 [/underlined]
Up at 9-45 AM. 35c ham & egg & coffee. Fiddled about and eventualy [sic] got a bed in dormitory 50c. Met Doris at CPR on Younge. Took 2 rolls film to Liggetts & bought 2 more x 35c. 40c milk & sandwiches. 25c. st car tickets. 2 x 6c Aero Choc Ferry to Island. Walked round & sat to watch the lake & the waves. $1.50 for din after D had phoned her Ma. Fish chips, peas; apple pie; tom juice; & coffee. $1.20 “Tales of Manhattan” All star Cast & Very Good. 40c Honey Dew & Dot Cockins. 25c st car Met D’s pop on way up the street. 2 x’s Bed 12-0
[page break]
OCTOBER 11
[underlined] SUN/42 [/underlined]
Up at 10-30 after a good sleep but not a good rest. 5c. phone lasted about 15 min. 45c. sos chips beans; choc sundae; coffee & glass of milk at White Cheff. Alwyn turned up at 2-15. We went and had a snack. Chewed the “fat” in the meanwhile too. Saw him back to camp (Hamilton) Walked through High Park to Bloor. Salmon Salad & Coffee. 50c. 2 x 6c Doris rushed passed in an atempt [sic] to find some cream. Went to St. James. 25c. 75c. 2 Sundaes Pop, Malted Milk. 3 X’s and hugs innumerable. She said 3 was my record & wouldn’t give me another. Bus 15c. Doris gave me her torch.
[page break]
[symbol]
OCTOBER 12
[underlined] MON/42 [/underlined]
Cream of wheat; bacon & egg; coffee. Signals, FP & AA (84) Ham, spuds, beef; bread pud & maple syrup; milk. W/V finding flight 063 (met 060) Mr. Freeman our pilot. dropped bomb, ie bomber dropped it. Brawn, spuds, veg. salad; plums; milk Wrote Diary up for the week Issued with stop watch. Mr. Wood given me new job. [underlined] P.C. from Joyce Richardson Letter to Ma. AG from Ma. [/underlined] 2 x 7c Cokes 5c tater crisps. 10c apples (3.) 6c. choc. 20c. phone to Doris.
[circled LETTER 18 TO MA]
[page break]
OCTOBER 13
[underlined] TUES/42 [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & pan cakes. DR result. 42 out of 80 In other words, lousy. Sun shots (33.) Total now 72. [underlined] No MAIL. [/underlined] Meat pie, spuds, turnip; cake & lemon sauce; milk. Recon. flight. Bit bumpy. Pilot not too good at keeping courses but we arrived at the places OK. & got SKETCHES. No more camera Only 4 serviceable. Brawn spuds, beet; plums; milk. 5c. crisps; 6c toffee; 6c Beech nut; 5c. cookies. Doris phone me but I wasn’t in I phoned back from YMCA. Sun shots & time sheet.
[page break]
OCTOBER 14
[underlined] WED/42 [/underlined]
Bacon & egg; coffee; [inserted] corn [/inserted] crisps Route march, Insts & Mag exam. Cold meat, spuds, carrot; cream pie; milk. FR. D/F scan. more D/R. & Sun shot plotting [underlined] LETTER from Doris & PAPERS from Ma. [/underlined] Ham, spuds, sponge rhubarb; milk. More D/R & Sun Shots. Have now finished Sun Shots. Finished putting names on Flying Exercise Sheet. Mr. Wood filled several in for me. 10-15 going to phone Doris. 10c. 7c & 5c Cokes.
[page break]
OCTOBER 15
[underlined] THURS/42 [/underlined]
Porr; bacon & egg; toast burned; coffee. DR, Sigs Test. DR. Veal, spuds, beans; rice pud; milk. [underlined] Letter from Doris, photo & $1 stamps. Papers from Ma. [/underlined] D/R. Hitch to Younge in stn waggon. St. Car (25c) back to Jane Bloor. Met Doris 7-10PM. She gave me rest of photos. I paid her $1 for stamps & 64c for photos. $1.20 Loews Clark Gable & Lana Turner in [blank space] 25c. St. car. 35c milk shakes Love & kisses on verandar [sic] at 12-10 AM. 50c. taxi to camp.
[page break]
X
OCTOBER 16
[underlined] FRI/42 [/underlined]
Bacon & egg; jam; coffee Rain. Co’s parade washed out. DR. Met. Spare ribs, spuds, carrot & sweed; [sic] mincemeat pie; milk. FP. [underlined] Letter from Dennis & Paper from Gran. [/underlined] DR. Cold cuts spuds, beet; apple; milk Flight washed out. [underlined] Wrote letter to Dennis. [/underlined] 10c phone to YMCA, & 10c to Doris. She must have called me from down town. Her mother ansd. phone. Had 1 bottle of beer with Mac & lads. Jock & Pat pulled the place down & Tarrant was a bit under the weather. 7c Coke.
[page break]
[inserted] 50c. bed at Red [symbol] Tea 40c Haddock & spuds. [/inserted]
OCTOBER 17
[underlined] SAT/42 [/underlined]
Rain. Flight cut. Met Insts & D/F results (82% & 80%.) General removals in lecture room. Porr: bacon & Egg: toast & coffee (bfst.) Liver, spuds; cake & lemon sauce: milk. 32c laundry. Piper gave me 30c for packet of fags I got for the relay 15c. standing up seat on the bus. Arr. Y. OK 2-40. (Parade delayed me) $3.07 parcel (Simpsons) Stood to watch Parade. 30c. milk shakes. Doris gave me the 3 snaps she took. Also gave me letter she’d written me & told me the tale 84c. “Fantasia” Walt Disney & George Sanders in “The Wolf” Doris bought sweets 6c & so did I 6c. She bought milk shakes (30c) Kissed her Good night.
[page break]
OCTOBER 18
[underlined] SUN/42 [/underlined]
Up at 10-30. 38c sos & chips; apple pie & coffee. Phoned from Central Y at 1-45. (5c.) St. Car out to High Park. Walked round the pond & the zoo. Sat down by Grenade Pond. To meet her at 7-45 at Younge & College. 45c. Salmon salad; coffee; pumpkin pie & choc. milk. Had read in Y. Felt tired. Met D. & went to Varsity Stadium to see first of “Commando Dagger” & Walt. Pidgeon. He read the sermon by the vicar in “Mrs. Miniver.” St car from Bay back to Jane. 3 X’s at end of Jane. 15c. standing up seat on bus.
[page break]
X
OCTOBER 19
[underlined] MON/42 [/underlined]
Kellogs; bacon & egg; coffee. 72% Maps & Charts & Recons. Met. 87%. Pork & spuds, pickled cucumber; pumpkin pie; milk. Recons. [deleted] Sun shots with Reid. [/deleted] 5c. cookies; 2 x 5c crisps; 2 x 6c Beetch Nut candies. [underlined] Wrote letter to Gran. sea mail. Airgraph to Joyce R [/underlined]
[page break]
OCTOBER 20
[underlined] TUES/42 [/underlined]
Porr; sos & egg; coffee. DR. etc. Brawn, spuds, carrot & peas; milk. Doris interrupted the meal by calling me on the phone. NO MAIL. (Things seem to get worse.) Sun shots with Reid. 61 course lads doing the navigation. Minced meat pie spuds, celery, cheese; bread & jam; milk. Prepaired [sic] for flight tonight.
[page break]
OCTOBER 21
[underlined] WED/42 [/underlined]
Night flight OK. 3-0 AM Bacon & pancakes; milk; Bed ‘till 10-30 AM. Met. Pork, spuds, peas; cake & lemon sauce; milk. Air Analasis [sic] & DR. Preparing for flight to Montreal. Beef stake; [sic] spuds; plums milk. RAIN dark sky like we get back home. NO MAIL except letter from Phil, now at AOS. Sun Shot plotting. 2 x 5c Cokes. 10c. Crisps, 10c apples 12c. Beech nut cough drops. 25c. Phone to Doris.
[page break]
OCTOBER 22
[underlined] THURS/42 [/underlined]
Porr; Bacon & egg, coffee. Sq. Search unfinished. Stew, spuds; raisin pie; milk. MH100C & back with Mr Martin. Weiners; spuds, beet, Apple (2) 25c hair cut. 7c. Coke. [underlined] Letter from Doris [/underlined] RAIN. Carried one bench over to hanger & carried 2 back. “How Green Was My Valley” Walter Pidgeon & a Mexican Travel Film as a short. Wrote up a few more shots.
(W. Pig. & Maureen O’Hara, Don Crisp & Roddy MacDowell.)
[page break]
OCTOBER 23
FRI/42
Porr. Bacon & egg; coffee. [deleted] Co’s parade. Nobbed for ragged trousers bottoms. [/deleted]
Night flight & Stereo Pairs (incomplete) Didn’t take off ‘till 5-0 PM & petrol was low. Cold ham, spuds; cake & milk. 1st nav alone on a night flt got round OK. too Fish paste sandwichs [sic] & milk. 11-15 PM. Got right round & found TARGET ie Mt. Plenmore. Took GT. BRITAIN’s off my best tunic.
[page break]
OCTOBER 24
[underlined] SAT/42 [/underlined]
Porr, bacon & egg; coffee. DR. & AN. Sigs. Telephone from Doris after Din. Ham, spuds & carrot; choc cake milk. More DR & Air Recc. then free period. Football. let down by Course 60. Liver, spuds, & “GRASS,” cake, pears & milk. Sun Shots plotting. Star shots 40-50. little sing song with Tarrant & Pat. Bed 11-30 PM. 12c. Choc bar & cough drops.
[page break]
OCTOBER 25
[underlined] SUN/42 [/underlined]
Kellogs; bacon & egg; coffee. Back to bed. Up at 10-0 Cleaned boots & tunic buttons. Cleaned gt. coat buttons yesterday. Shave. Veal, spuds & peas, fruit salad & cake, milk. Phoned to Doris not at home. Veal, spuds, peas; fruit salad & cake; milk Church Parade & star shots plotting. 10c. phone to Doris. Cold cuts, spuds, pickles; plums & cake; milk Flights washed out. More Stars 46c laundry Started letter to Ma.
[two symbols]
OCTOBER 26
[underlined] MON/42 [/underlined]
Porr. Bacon & egg; coffee. DR. Phot & Maps. Ham, (cuttings), spuds, peas; blue berry pie; milk. F.P. for tonight (1st NAV.) Met. film; Signals. [underlined] AG from Gran. [/underlined] Cold meat, spuds, peas, cheese; Mucking about with sextants. Fitted one up OK in the end. Second Detail up at 0900 PM (0100 quiT.) SEXT 42. Took one shot on the moon. Nearly got last but didn’t. Back 03.30 AM [inserted] GMT [/inserted] Coffee, sandwiches.
[circled LETTER 19 to MA]
[page break]
[two symbols]
OCTOBER 27
[underlined] TUES/42 [/underlined]
Kellogs; bacon & egg, toast; coffee. Tiger landed up at Muskoka. DR & DR. Sos, spuds; cake & sauce; milk. AA. Morse. Photo, Test. [underlined] letter from Ma & Doris. [/underlined] Beef, spuds; pears & cake; milk. Lift to Jane & Bloor; 5c. phone. 40c clock. 25c st car. $1.20. Barb Stanwyck & George Brent. “The Gay Sisters.” 40c. choc. dip & biscuits. XXXXXX 50c. taxi. 20c coffee & pie, rhubarb
[page break]
OCTOBER 28
[underlined] WED.42 [/underlined]
Porr; sos & egg; coffee. Route March; Reconn. & Map Exam. Tiger Returned from Muskoka. [underlined] Letter from Ma Posted on 24 Sept. AIR RAID WARNING. [/underlined] Veal & spuds; cake & creamed fruit; milk; Astro flight, NBG. Supper at 6.0 PM. Cold Beef, spuds, sweet pickle choc cake; milk. Star shots 25c. phone to Doris. Bed at 10.15 PM.
[page break]
OCTOBER 29
[underlined] THURS/42 [/underlined]
Kellogs; bacon & egg; coffee. D/R Scan. D/F. [underlined] 2 letters from Faiers. [/underlined] Ham, spuds, cabbage; pumpkin pie, milk. Flight, no AST comp & no WAG. Grand ISLE to Mud lake & back 1st NAV. Air plot. PPS. & W/V from them. Brawn, spuds, sweet pickle Jam; milk. Made log book up to date. $27.75 Started letter to Ma. 10c phone to Doris. Shave.
[page break]
OCTOBER 30
[underlined] FRI/42 [/underlined]
Porr; sos & pancakes; coffee. Mag. Exam. D/F Cos parade. Salmon stake [sic] spuds, sweede; [sic] bread pud & caramel cream; Milk. Insts Exam. GOOD NEWS. 48 hr instead of 36 hrs Lift into Toronto. 25c St car Chased Down to Adelaide P.O. but Doris wasn’t there. 5c phone. $1.15 stamps. 65c. pork chops & cherry pie; choc milk shake. $2. Bed at West End Y. (Mr. Lee Chinaman.) [underlined] Letter to Ma & Gran [/underlined]
[circled LETTER. 20.]
[page break]
OCTOBER 31
[underlined] SAT/42 [/underlined]
Up at 10-45. Out at 11-45. 25c St. Car. 15c. Choc milk 8c mints. 15c boot polish Went to Art (Museum) Gallery.) Doris phoned home. Fish & chips; choc pud; tea ([underlined] 55c X 2 paid by Doris [/underlined]) $1.20 “My Sister Eileen.” Ros. Russell Brian O’Herne; Janet Blair 2. Fruit Sundaes (40c) Sat on verandar [sic] 30m waiting for Pa to go to bed. (He saw us back Pictures.)
[page break]
NOVEMBER 1
[underlined] SUN/42 [/underlined]
Up at 11-45. 5c phone to Doris 55c. Pork chops, peas & spuds; cream walnut pud; coffee Met Doris at bottom of her street. Went to Riverdale Park. Took shot of bear & Don River Couldn’t get one of Doris. 25c egg sandwich & [deleted] Pup [/deleted] Pump Pie; glass milk. Went to St. James. 10c. 50c. jelly & cream, malted milk shake. Walked around the houses. Ver. Dr. too well lit. 50c. on taxi with Cpl Reyland & lads.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 2
[underlined] MON/42 [/underlined]
Kellogs; Bacon & Egg, coffee. [underlined] Letter from Doris Nothing Else. [/underlined] Stew, spuds, carrots; spuds; Queen pud; milk. Apple & other odds & ends for [deleted] breakfast [/deleted] Supper; milk.
Night flight. D/F no good, as per usual, astro compass NBG. Still I got round and hit every place required. Sardine & [2 indecipherable words]. 2 cups milk.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 3
[underlined] TUES/42 [/underlined]
Porr. bacon & egg: coffee. 75% for Maps AA 78% for last nights work. Brawn, spuds, cabbage; blueberry pie & raisin pie; milk. [underlined] 100% [/underlined] for Signals?? 80% Navi. (11TH week.) Sos, spuds, cucumber; pears & cake; milk. Duty Watch & [underlined] Drill. [/underlined] Moved bench from Dining Hall (Mess) [underlined] Wrote & Sent letter to Phil. [/underlined] Binding Photo & Maps. Phone on the free one to Doris.
34c. Candy etc. etc.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 4
[underlined] WED/42
Letter from Doris [/underlined] Bacon & egg; Kellogs coffee. Co’s parade. Maps & Photo Exam. Veal, spuds, turnip; rice pud. Astro Flight at 10,000 fee. Liver Spuds. [underlined] TURNIP [/underlined]!! Prunes milk. Star Shots upstairs. Flew on track with coop. from the Pilot. Sandwhich [sic] & milk Bed 12.00.
[page break]
[inserted] [underlined] CABLE FROM MA [/underlined] [/inserted]
NOVEMBER 5
[underlined] THURS/42.
Letter from Doris & Newspapers from Home [/underlined] Kellogs, coffee, Co’s Parade. Photo exercise which didn’t get done because take off of 1st. detail was late because of “damn” Co’s parade. Brawn, spuds; blueberry pie & milk. Bullshit. Parade at 1-50. Syko machine. Took chair over to hanger. Then Paraded on square. Marched to Hanger & formed “Hollow Sq” Earl of Athlone presented “wings” Supper at 6-0. Ham, spuds; apple & milk WHAT A SUPPER. Shipped chairs back. 10c biscuits 15c (5 x 2 peanuts & 5c Beech Nut.) 7c Pop.
[page break]
[inserted] 92% Map Final [underlined] 61.58.80 D/R [/underlined] [/inserted]
NOVEMBER 6
[underlined] FRI/42 [/underlined]
Kellogs; sos & flat cakes coffee. Rec. Exam Fish, spuds, cabbage; creamed fruit; milk. Mag. & result of Maps 92% 61, 58 & 80 Marks for DR. Exams; ie not too good. Working out shots. Cold Meat, spuds, celery, creamed fruit; milk. Night flight. Got round OK Track crawling but it was a bad trip on the whole. 3 sandwiches 2 cups coffee & 1 of milk.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 7
[underlined] SAT/42 [/underlined]
Kellogs & coffee. Plotting shots & D/R review. Mr. Wood gone to hospital With eye infection. Beef spuds, beans; some violet coloured sauce & a “bit” of cake; milk. Map & sun & star shots. Sos, spuds & beans; pears; bread & jam; milk. Map, flag & more star shots. 9-15 going to phone Doris & finish letter to Ma [underlined] Then Bed. [/underlined]
Phoned Doris OK.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 8
[underlined] SUN/42 [/underlined]
Got up for Kellog’s & coffee. Back to Bed. Up at 11-0. Pork, spuds, corn; cake & violet cream [inserted] sauce [/inserted], milk Astro flight. Damn cold. -14O C. Feet froze. Brawn, spuds & salad, plums & cake; milk. Star Shot plotting. Tired 10 to 10. Phone Doris & letter to Ma. 46/50 D/F.
[page break]
[inserted] 2 LETTERS FROM DORIS A/G from GRAN! [/inserted]
NOVEMBER 9
[underlined] MON/42 [/underlined]
[underlined] 54 [/underlined] Met. Kellogs, coffee. Photo flight “washed” Plotted more Star Shots & worked more out. Beef, spuds, turnip; rice pud; milk. 81 for Yesterdays flight. More Star Shots. Met. P.T. – Prunes & milk. Lift to cross road. Lift to Kingsway. Set off to walk rest. Lift to Liggetts where I left Negs & 29c toothpast. [sic] 25C st. car. $1.20. “Panama hattie” Red Skelton; [blank space] 60c. cheese sand. & milk shake. RAIN in lg. lumps. Doris’s hair wet & so were her eyes but I kissed them away. 50c in taxi yet about 1 or 2 from stn. Got there 1hr. waiting for [indecipherable word]
[page break]
[inserted] 20c. coffee, doughnut’ peanuts. [/inserted]
NOVEMBER 10
[underlined] TUES/42 [/UNDERLINED]
Bed at 2-0 AM. Kellogs; scrambled egg, toast, coffee. D/F. Star [inserted] Met [/inserted] shots Meat loaf, spuds, beans (butter.) Raisin pie; milk. Star Shots, Sigs, Stars again. Brawn, spuds; peaches & cake; milk Finished all shots Have now to take 30 more ground ones. [underlined] Letter to Ma. [/underlined] Telephoned Doris (tears in her eyes.)
[circled LETTER 21]
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 11
[underlined] WED/42. [/underlined]
Kellogs; 1/2 orange; coffee. Slight fall of snow. D/F Scan. [deleted] Braw [/deleted] Armistice service in hanger. [deleted] Bo [/deleted] Brawn, spuds; choc. blancmange; milk. Mag & Insts. P.T. Liver, spuds, onions; plums; peaches; cake; milk. 25c. hair cut. [deleted] Met [/deleted] Mag. swotting if any. Phone to Doris I hope. Didn’t swot but did phone to Doris (no tears tonight)
[page break]
NOVEMBER 12
[underlined] THURS/42 [/underlined]
[deleted] Kellogs [/deleted] 1/2 grapefruit; scrambled egg on toast; coffee; Mag & Comp. Exam, Lecture by P.O. Obs. From England Air/C. pic. Stew, spuds; bread pud. $26 pay. DR. [underlined] Letter from Doris, Eric (Faiers) & AG from Joyce. [/underlined] Sos, spuds; apple; bread & jam; milk SNOW. 21c. (2 x 5c cookies 6c choc. 5c. crisps.) RAIN.
[page break]
NOVEMBER [underlined] 13 [/underlined]
[underlined] FRI/42 [/underlined]
Kellogs, jam, coffee: DR. Air Rec. Sigs. Salmon stake, [sic] spuds, peas; lemon pie; milk. Flight washed Sigs. A/C rec. Met. (35 MPH wind.) Lift into top of Young. 50c st. car. $200 bed & key. $1.20. “Yank at Eaton” Mickey Rooney. 12c sweets. 50c 2 milk shakes & sundaes. Went into house to kiss Doris Goodnight.
Bed between 1 & 2 AM. Darn cold outside.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 14
[underlined] SAT/42 [/underlined]
Up at 10-30. $1.00 for shoe repair $3.75 for brooche. [sic] Met Doris at 12-15. $1.10 for lunch (my breakfast) liv & onion; miss pie; tea. Doris spilt her milk. [underlined] 62c Cable to Ma. [/underlined] Doris phoned her ma then “dragged” me round Eaton & Simpsons Tried to get a set of buttons 85c stamps (10/-, dollar, & 50c.) Doris bought dinner. Phone Tommy and arranged for Sun. AM. St Car & bus to Eglington. 86c. “Berlin Correspondent”
Left 11-30 home by 12-30. Kissed Doris Goodnight in the house again. 20 AM when I got to bed
[page break]
NOVEMBER 15
[underlined] SUN/42 [/underlined]
Up at 9-30. Communion with Doris & Tommy. 10c. Went to “Childs” and had milk shake (60c.) Went with the two of ‘em & took D home. Back to Y. “dry shave.” 50c key. 45c. liver & eggs; blueberry pie; coffee. Back at Doris’s by 3-45. Ma, Pa & kids all out!! Went for walk to see the R. Humber. Dinner 5-30. Dried pate with D & Mr. Ryall showed me his stamps & also gave me quite a number Left at 12-15. Kissed D in hall & on the step
15c on the bus.
[underlined] 77c. Photos, enlargements. [/underlined]
[page break]
NOVEMBER 16
[underlined] MON/42 [/underlined]
Kellogs, jam & coffee. Insts. exam & A/C, rec. Exam. Beef, spuds; bread pud; milk. Met, DR & Met. Mr. Pleuman said “Good Bye” PT. Duty watch. Stew, spuds; bread pud; cake & milk [underlined] WHAT A DINNER!! [/underlined] Comittee [sic] meeting re [indecipherable word] & dinner. F/Lt. Airdale not to be admitted. May write to Joyce & Gran. & MAY? swot Met. Phoned to Doris. Had 2 bottles of beer & [underlined] A CIGAR [/underlined] Denness’ BD. [underlined] A/G. to Gran & Joyce. [/underlined] [indecipherable word]
[page break]
NOVEMBER 17
[underlined] TUES/42 [/underlined]
Kellogs, jam, coffee. 5 DR periods. Sos, spuds; choc. pud; milk. [underlined] LETTER from Norah. [/underlined] DR, Anti Gas, Sigs, PT.
Sos, spuds; peaches; milk. Duty Watch. 10c sweets; 75C Xmas cards 25C stamps. Benches too [sic] & from Hanger, before & after show. Phoned Doris, exchanged greetings with her mother. Wrote several Xmas cards ready to send.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 18
WED/42
Kellogs; jam; coffee. Met. Exam 3 hours, then DR. [underlined] Letter from Doris. [/underlined] Pork, spuds, sweeds; [sic] vanilla pie; milk. [underlined] Phone call from Doris. [/underlined] DR., Sigs., Football. Liver, onion, spuds, sweeds; [sic] ginger cake; milk. Played, or tried to play table tennis with Gwyn. $1.80 stamps. ($2.70 for 9 Xmas cards & letter to Ma.) 6c. sweets. Siren for test blackout.
[circled LETTER 22 (TWO)]
[page break]
NOVEMBER 19
[underlined] THURS/42 [/underlined]
Porr; jam; coffee. Stereo pairs, & on second flight line overlap. Camera went wrong on 1st flight. Beef, spuds; cake & sauce; milk. [underlined] Letter from Doris & Alwyn. Papers from Gran & Ma. [/underlined] Sos, spuds, etc.. milk. Duty Watch. Hitch. $1.20. “Forest Rangers.” Paulette Goddard, [blank space]. Doris paid for choc shakes. 26c. st. car. Lots of love & kisses in the hall. 50c. taxi Sgt. picked us up as we came in.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 20
[underlined] FRI/42 [/underlined]
Kellogs & coffee. Co’s parade in gt. coats. Did hollow sq. in tunics DR. [underlined] Letter from Gran & Ma [/underlined] (at long last) Fish, spuds, carrots; creamed fruit; milk. FP. Arms. (sightings etc) Wings Parade of [underlined] 56 [/underlined] Course. Brawn, spuds; apple pie; milk. Raided the remains of the litter left by 56. [underlined] Doris phoned at Dinner Time. [/underlined] Phoned Doris
[page break]
NOVEMBER 21
[underlined] SAT/42 [/underlined]
Kellogs; jam; coffee. DR. Mr. Wood came in to see us. Told us a “tale” too (“She could play cards.”) Beef, spuds; bread pud; milk. Took off &. S/C from Brampton. Had to land as aerial went WEST. Took off again & got round OK. eventualy. [sic] [underlined] No. MAIL. [/underlined] Spare ribs, spuds, cheese; peaches; milk Played table tennis with Gwyn. Telephone to Doris.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 22
[underlined] SUN/42 [/underlined]
Got up about 1100 AM. Beef, spuds, peas; rice pud; tea. Flight to Goose Lake. Drift & Sun Shots. Brawn, spuds, beet; peaches & cake; prunes; 2 cups milk Chased around for Long rule & [indecipherable word]. Found that Combay had borrowed them.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 23
[underlined] MON 42. [/underlined]
Kellogs, bacon & egg, coffee. DR Exam. Dinner in a rush. [underlined] Letter from Doris Paper from Ma & AG from Gran [/underlined] Air plot. D/F & Astro pics to get wind. Then DR ahead & S/C for base. Had supper & lapped it. Lift to Dundas. St. Car to Jane Bloor. 84c. “Yer Cardboard Lover” Bob Taylor & Norma Shearer. “Moontide” Jean Gabin.
20c. coffee & donuts.
Love & kisses.
10c [deleted] coffee [/deleted] choc milk & donuts. 50c taxi.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 24
[underlined] TUES 42 [/underlined]
Kellogs & coffee. RAIN. [underlined] 73 Met. [/underlined] New sight log book. 113/150 for photography. Beef, spuds, turnip; lemon pie twice, milk. Drew J & L Band. Went into bombing teacher. Sos, spuds; cake; prunes; milk. Heavy fog. In HD area. [underlined] Letter to Ma. [/underlined] (not posted.) [underlined] letter to Eric, Doris & Gran (to post) [/underlined]
[page break]
NOVEMBER 25
[underlined] WED 42. [/underlined]
Kellogs, coffee, bread & jam. Moon Shots, Sigs AA. Beef spuds, bread pud, milk. FP. etc. Liver, spuds, onion: apple; milk. Drew sextant & Astrographs. Going for chute. 212 out of 250 for DR so I’m OK. Finished letter to Gran & bit more for Ma. Phoned Doris. [underlined] Roll Call in Barracks at 10-15. [/underlined] More Bull. Mr. Wood beat Tiger at Table Tennis. He bought beers all round. Flight washed at last minute.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 26
[underlined] THURS 42. [/underlined]
Kellogs; jam; coffee. Compass swing x 4. Sextant Shots. Pork, spuds, carrots; creamed fruit; milk. Interviewed, almost Tarrant just before me. [underlined] Letter from Ma & Doris. [/underlined] P.T. Minced meat pie, spuds, peas; peaches; milk. Drew sextant & chute. 100 MPH wind at 5000 ft. so washed out flight. 15c. phone to Doris. [underlined] Sent letter to Gran. Air Mail. [/underlined]
[page break]
[inserted] [underlined] $27.50 pay. [/underlined] [/inserted]
NOVEMBER 27
[underlined] FRI. 42 [/underlined]
Kellogs, jam, coffee. Co’s parade up road & back & Bloody frozen by time we got back. Letter from Eric. Salmon, spuds, beet; rice pud; milk. 15 shots on the range 20; 13; & 20. LAUNDRY NOT RETURNED. Lift to Main Highway then to Dundas St. Car. $1.00 bed at YMCA in 203. 25c. st. car. 84c “Eagle Sqaudron” at Eglington & “One Born Every Minute.” 60c sundaes & milk shake. Daddy not gone to bed so we just kissed Good night on the steps.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 28
[underlined] SAT 42. [/underlined]
50c. st car tickets. $2.50 silver wings. $1.10 lunch. 85c button RCAF. Took her home. 40c for supper. 35c chocs. 8c. snaps Went to Ice hockey game. I enjoyed it OK. ($3.50 for tickets.) 20c. Cokes. In the middle of our “Good Night kiss(es)” when Gillie opened the door & walked in.
[page break]
NOVEMBER 29
[underlined] SUN. 42 [/underlined]
5c phone at 11.0 AM. 45c lamb & mint sauce, choc. pie; coffee. Puffed wheat & toffee (in milk) cookies, trés bonne, & cup of coffee. Gave [blank space] 5c. & Marion 10c. SNOW. Went round Museum. 40c. sos, spuds, cream pie; coffee. 15c. gums. Went to a “new” church. 20c. (10c Doris put in collection.) 25c. st. car. Doris paid for sandwiches & Bovril 45c. 50c taxi. 12c. two bars of choc.
[circled LETTER 23 MA]
[page break]
NOVEMBER 30
[underlined] MON 42 [/underlined]
SNOW. Kellogs, egg & toast, jam, coffee. Compass & loop swing. Beef, spuds, carrots; raisin pie; milk. Sweet nothing to do. Stuck a few planes in book. Had PT & then supper. Lift to Bloor by car. Took snap of Mr. Wood to Liggetts, Bay St. (24 PNTS) Royal York, Grad. Dinn 7.30 PM. $1. photo. 10c phone to Doris. 80c extra for Dinner. Lift back in station waggon LETTER & negs to Doris in [indecipherable word] at Royal York.
[page break]
DECEMBER 1
[underlined] TUES 42. [/underlined]
Up at 9-15 PM. Clothing parade at 10 cancelled. Beef, spuds, turnip; cake & sauce; milk. 15 rounds on rifle range. 10c for Tiger. $1.05 stamps other day. Had supper. Both flights washed, rain & snow so slipped a pass in & went out. Eglington “You are always in my heart” & [blank space] 84c. Doris’ Ma may not be able to come to “wings” parade. 20c choc milk. Doris ma still up when we got home at 12.00 Anyway we pinched a few kisses. 50c taxi back to camp.
[page break]
DECEMBER 2
[underlined] WED 42. [/underlined]
Kellogs, bacon & toast, coffee. Icy wind, so, no parade. DR & Aldis. Sos, spuds; bread pud, milk. Letter from Doris. Still more wind. Lining up drift recorders. Photo with Pat & Jackie, (3 York tykes) with our wing “up.” Meat loaf, spuds, cabbage, 2 pieces pie; milk. 1st flight washed, 2nd. pending. 25c. All Bran & hot chocolate. 10c. phone to Doris, had about 15 min & no overcharge.
[page break]
DECEMBER 3
[underlined] THURS 42. [/underlined]
Porr, bacon & egg: coffee. Stores. Painted a few houses on the snap. [underlined] Letter from Alwyn. [/underlined] [inserted] P.O. [/inserted] Beef, spuds; rice pud; milk. Stores, FFI. Battle Dress for old blue, 4 strips, one wing, gloves, shirt. Liver, spuds; 2 pears; milk; cake. Got pass signed in case we couldn’t [deleted] get out [/deleted] fly. Shave, & button polish. Put battle dress on. Not a bad fit. Standing by [underlined] all night. [/underlined] Started letter to Ma. Phoned Doris. Had FP made out for trip out West. Waited for Snell & Steven E [indecipherable word] in Met Report.
[page break]
[inserted] WINGS PARADE [/inserted]
[underlined] December 4
Fri 42 [/underlined]
Eventualy [sic] took off to fly round & round Malton area. Had 1st flight with GA. Owen. (had 2600 hrs “dead”.) Went up with Tarrant for 1.05. Got to bed at 7.0 AM after bacon & toast breakfast. Up again at 9-30 AM. Made log book up. $22 pay. 6c. meat pie. Made sight log book up. Chicken spuds, pork, beer, fag. Laundry 34c. W.P. practice in hanger. [underlined] Wings Parade [/underlined] Doris there. Bus into town 30c. Had supper at D’s (okay) Sewed strips on Gt. coat & wings on tunic. Liggetts shut. 10c bus to camp Bed by 1 AM.
[page break]
DECEMBER 5
[underlined] SAT. 42. [/underlined] Packed & cleared stn. Mr. Wood shook hands. Ticket etc. from Ordly [sic] Room. 50c. taxi. West End Y full so went to Triangle (50c) $1.20. Moon & Sixpence” George Sanders. Bought Pat & Junes watches $43.50 Razor Sharpener $2. Doris bought ring for me. [deleted] West End Y still full so again went to Triangle. [/deleted]
[page break]
DECEMBER 6
[underlined] SUN 42. [/underlined]
resewed stripe on gt. coat 25c sos at White Cheff Doris arrived & Muriel left Went to Museum again with Doris. Pinched 2 X’s Doris wearing ring. Had Dinner at Doris’. Went to Church. Held hands. 45c. Soup & 2 Bovrils. Sewed stripes on tunic. West End Y still full so went back to Triangle $1.00 for two nights.
[page break]
DECEMBER 7
[underlined] MON 42 [/underlined]
Up at 8.0 AM. Went to stn arr. 8-45. Only 4 of us there. Unloaded all kit. Booked ours onto train & deposited other in Can Legion. Met Dot at 12-15 PM. [underlined] Sent cable home 67c. [/underlined] Bought Dot wing $15. Spoke to Tommy. 50c. fish & choc pie din & bfst. 30c dog biscuits. 15c gums 25c st car. Dot took me to show. 45c Bovril etc. Doris received wing & gave me ring Love & kisses till 1-30 to 2-0.
[page break]
[inserted] [underlined] TORONTO – MONTREAL (FOR MONCTON) [/underlined] N.B. [/inserted]
DECEMBER 8
[underlined] TUES 42 [/underlined] 8.
Up at 7-30. 15c. All Bran & coffee. stn at 9-0. left all checks in Legion. Met Doris on stn. gave her one kiss good bye & no more. Jumped onto train & left [underlined] Toronto [/underlined] 75c ticket. sos, spuds & peaches; coffee. Arr. Montreal 6-0. Checked in Berth ticket & bags $1.00 ticket. chicken spuds, peas; apple pie, coffee. Pat didn’t know his great coat. 7-30 train pulled out. Bed about 10-0 PM.
[page break]
DECEMBER 9
[underlined] WED 42. [/underlined]
Up at 7-30. Tom juice ham & egg, coffee. [underlined] Campbellton put watch ON one hour. [/underlined] arr Moncton 3-15 PM. Walked to camp. Filled in usual cards. Got billet then had supper, minced meat, bread & jam. Saw Steffie & Dough Pitt. [underlined] FIRE [/underlined]
[page break]
DECEMBER 10
[underlined] THURS 42. [/underlined]
NO. BFST. Parade at 9-0 AM. FFI. Church Gas Mask. Had Dinner. Saw Steffie again & went to see Phil. Vaccine check at hospital Had supper, finished letter (?) to Ma to give to Phil.) Wet. Disney’s “Dumbo 15c. on stn. with Gwyn. Phil there too. Gave him letter & saw him for last time.
[page break]
DECEMBER 11
[underlined] FRI 42 [/underlined]
Bacon beans & milk Webing [sic] parad [sic] & deficiencies. Bean soup, beef spuds. peas; rice pud & [underlined] WATER!!! [two symbols] [/underlined]
Snow (more) no parade. Cleared more stuff out of kit bag. Sos, spuds bread & jam [underlined] PEE [/underlined]!! NOT tea
[page break]
DECEMBER 12
[underlined] SAT 42. [/underlined]
bacon & egg, PEE. RUSH at stores. Had din in mess Played cards & started letter to [underlined] Doris after receiving 2 from her & one from Tommy. [/underlined] Had supper [inserted] sos & spuds [/inserted] on camp [underlined] Shave. [/underlined] went out with Gwyn. Bowls, Peackock turned up then Bill Squires of all people. 25c cocoa & apple pie. 15c fruit & 15c sos rolls. [underlined] SHOWER [/underlined]
[page break]
DECEMBER 13
[underlined] SUN 42 [/underlined]
2 sos rolls & apple of my own. 9-15 para 10-15 church parade. Cream Tom soup; beef spuds, cabbage; cust & sponge cake; milk. Went out with Gwyn to finish film. Took 2 of frozen stream, one of self & one of landscape. 50c ham egg & chips, apple pie & coffee. 10c. mins 10c biscuits. 5c crisps 12c choc. & 5c milk. Finished letter to [underlined] Doris [/underlined]
[page break]
DECEMBER 14
[underlined] MON 42. [/underlined]
[underlined] Letter from Doris. [/underlined]
Put into classes for lectures.
“I married a Witch.”
[page break]
DECEMBER 15
[underlined] TUES 42. [/underlined]
Bread & cheese, tea. Parade 8-30 AM. Got leave application form & got flight’s sign Cleaned bowls in wash room Beef & spuds; jam tart & cust milk. Pay parade. $25. Finished Jane Gray’s book (2nd time.) Sos & spuds, bread & jam, tea. NO MAIL. 5c on bus. Eatons shut. laundry not ready. 25c. apple & mints. 17c milk & 2 malt! Bars. Went to stn. about trains. ($22.75 to Toronto.)
[page break]
DECEMBER 16
[underlined] WED 42. [/underlined]
Kellogs; bacon & beans; tea. Parade 8.30 AM. Went to see adj. (sqdn) forwarded to W. Adj. Stew, puds, carrots; rice pud. Parade 1-30 PM. Sqdn. WO, read note about sgt being hung for murder whilst drunk. Went to Wing Adj given 7 days filled in pass form & left it with SWO. Changed barracks, Packed. Meat ball, spuds, bread & jam, cake & sauce tea $22.75 for ticket to Toronto. 36c laundry 40c meal. [underlined] Letter to Norah & card Letter from Doris [/underlined]
[page break]
[inserted] MONCTON S/C TORONTO. [/inserted]
DECEMBER 17
[underlined] THURS 42 [/underlined]
bacon & egg; terrible porr good tea. Got pass & went to Accounts & got $30. Pay & 50c a day ration allowance. Handed kit into stores. Tried to get ration card. Freezing cold. [underlined] Letter & Xmas card to Norah. AG. From Ma & Elsie. [/underlined] Pork, spuds, cabb stewed apple & custard, milk Taxi to stn. 25c. Train 1 hr late. Halibut stake [sic] parsley sauce, spuds; parsnip milk. (75c) Cards, whist 7’s etc.
[page break]
DECEMBER 18
[underlined] FRI 42 [/underlined]
8-0 AM CAMPBELLTON 7-0 AM watches back 1 hr ETA Montreal 9-0 AM, leg lamb, spuds & peas, milk Cards, reading & sleeping. Arr. Montreal 3-50 ONLY 7 hours late Next train 11-0 PM. Went with Gwyn to his relations Snack & shave & good wash. Arr. stn. 10-45. Train eventualy [sic] S/C at 12-00 AM.
[page break]
DECEMBER 19
[underlined] SAT 42. [/underlined]
Arr. 9-30 2 hours late. 25c. sos, spuds, & peas; coffee. $2 for bed. $1.25 [deleted] cushion [/deleted] [inserted] CUSHION [/inserted] cover. $6 for lighter for William. 20c flints. Tommy & rest of girls at office 12-10 & then Doris Steak & kidney pie, soup & blueberry pie; coffee; $1. Shopping ie shop window gazing. 25c. st. car. Dinner at Doris’ $1.20. “One of Our Bombers failed to Return” Damn good! Only one X. Mr. up trimming the Xmas tree.
[page break]
DECEMBER 20
[underlined] SUN 42. [/underlined]
Up at 10-30. 5c. phone to Doris from Central. All at church. 45c brunch. All Bran; sos, beans; blueberry pie & coffee. Rang Doris up again. Met her at Museum 2-45. Dinner at her home. Went to St. Georges church. Carols & school kids helping us to sing some. One X. Good Night [underlined] again. [/underlined] In bed by 1-0 AM
[page break]
DECEMBER 21
[underlined] MON 42. [/underlined]
Up 10-45 AM. Met Doris at CPR Telegraph office. Walked round. Went & saw Tommy at the office. 15c. polishing Duster. brunch. All Bran liver & coffee. 40c. 60c 2 x 127 films. 70c. 2 x 620 films. 15c [indecipherable word] 5c drawing pins. 40c liver, lemon pie & coffee. St car to Jane. 84c Runnymede “Broadway” George Raft. Cheese Sand & Bovril. Doris paid. Mr. still up so!!
[page break]
DECEMBER 22
[underlined] TUES 42 [/underlined]
Up 10-45. Shave. Met Doris usual place. $21.75 watch for Ma. Saw Tommy again. Kissed me Good Bye & Good Luck. Walked Round & Round & Round. 20c blades. 30c batteries 60c. fish, choc pie & coffee. Tried to find Stringer. Posted photos in end to Piper at NO. 1AOS. 25c. milk shakes & sundaes. Saw Mrs Ryall on st car. Went with D for Meat for my lunch. Loews. “7 Sweethearts” & “Eyes in the Dark” Bovril & cheese sandwich. X X X’s & more X X X’s. Took my lunch. bed by 3-0 AM
[page break]
DECEMBER 23
[underlined] WED 42 [/underlined]
Up 7-40. 15c. coffee & Bran Flakes. 5c phone to Doris from Stn. Met her outside. Tommy said she was on her way. Walked back to office with her. one X outside & then left her. Boarded train 9-45. Pulled out 10-45. [underlined] 1hr. late [/underlined] Arr. Mont. 7-0 PM about 1 or 2 hrs late. 48c fish, lemon pie & coffee. 12c Aero choc. Should S/C 8-10. finaly [sic] set off 8-45. F/Sgt. SP with prisoner on way to Halifax. Posted X Cards to Tommy & Doris at Drumondville (11-0 PM.)
[page break]
DECEMBER 24
[underlined] THURS 42. [/underlined]
Had spot of brunch. 10 to 110. AM. Cards with self. Tired so had occasional naps CAMPBELLTON 1-0 PM turned to 2-0 PM. 18c. chips & choc bar. Finished lunch at 4-0. PM Arr. at 8-0 PM. Took film in. Got laundry 29c. Splitting Gwyn’s $10 bill after all. Got kit bag out of stores.
[page break]
[underlined] DECEMBER 25
FRI. 42 [/underlined]
Up at 10-30 to 11-0. Turkey & pork, spuds, peas, apple sauce & stuffing; Cream of tom soup; plum pud; mince pie; bottle of beer; fag; apples, pears & oranges; grapes. [underlined] 4 letters from Doris. Letter from Ma with Elsie’s. Letter from Gran. Letter & 15/- P.O. from S.P.T. [/underlined] Reading book. Pork, beef (cold) pickles & spuds; Xmas cake bread & jam, tea. More reading. Making diary up. Letter to Doris.
[page break]
DECEMBER 26
[underlined] SAT 42 [/underlined]
Pork, cab & spuds; rice pud & jelly. Letter to Doris finished. No Mail. Pork, spuds, celery, pickles, cheese jelly, bread & jam, tea. Gwyn returned [underlined] home. [/underlined] 33c stamps [underlined] posted letter to Doris. [/underlined] 15c. hot choc. & 2 donuts.11c salted & choc peanuts. darn cold out. Wrote AG to Cus & Elsie (Foster.) Letter to Gran.
Bed 12-0 AM..
[page break]
DECEMBER 27
[underlined] SON 42. [/underlined]
Church 11-0 AM. then Communion at 11-45. Celery soup; pork, spuds, choc cake & custard, milk. Reading & nothing else. Short sleep. Ham beef & egg, choc cake & cust tea, bread & jam. Finished book. Wrote letter to Doris. Arty returned Watch still U.S. [underlined] AG to Cus & Elsie [/underlined] & [underlined] letter to Gran. [/underlined] 3 x 3c stamp 4 x 30c. films. 25c. choc hot & Bran Flakes.
[page break]
DECEMBER 28
[underlined] MON 42. [/underlined]
Kellogs; bacon & tomato, tea. Parade. Dismissed. Parceled [sic] watch. Went to Pay Accounts too [sic] late. [underlined] Posted watch 31c. registered Air Mail. [/underlined] Soup; stew, spuds, carrots; prunes; Tea. [underlined] 2 letters [inserted] Xmas Card [/inserted] from Doris. [/underlined] Dismissed again. Started letter to Pat Went to P.O. to sort letters [underlined] Parcel from Norah Xmas Cakes [/underlined] Sos & spuds; apple pie, milk; tea; jam. Gave cake out. [underlined] Posted letter to Doris. [/underlined] 2 X 30c. 620 films. 2 x 10c blades. 5c. milk.
[page break]
DECEMBER 29
[underlined] TUES 42. [/underlined]
No bfst. Parade 8-30. Film, show (propaganda) “Ditching” procedure, Morse? [underlined] No Mail. [/underlined] Beef, spuds (baked) cabbage; rice pud; milk. Letter sorting again. Bed. Hamburger meat & macaroni; bread & jam; tea. More Bed. 5c. bus. Gwyn posted his letter (s) Went for my film not done. Went to Y. 20c 2 milks & choc cake. Went back for film 38c. 40c sacarin 39c Ginger Rogers in “The Major & the Minor” a scream! Walked back
[page break]
DECEMBER 30
[underlined] WED 42. [/underlined]
Kellogs & HOT milk; beans & bacon; tea. Bed. Navigation? Signals? [underlined] No MAIL. [/underlined] Bean soup; beef; spuds, cabbage; apple & custard; milk. Parade Post Office [underlined] No Mail. [/underlined] Ran to Mess. Meat pie (Sheppherd) [sic] Macaroni & milk. Bread & jam; tea. [underlined] Letter to Doris. [/underlined] 5c bus. Got Gwyn’s picts, posted letter. Rain turning to hail. 10c hot choc. 75c. chocs. 6c choc. 10c biscuits 10c mints. Walked back. [underlined] Letter to Ma & Tommy [/underlined]
[page break]
DECEMBER 31
[underlined] THURS 42. [/underlined]
No bfst. Parade in drill hall. Bed till 10-15 played cards. Navi. Didn’t go to signals. Stew, (bean) pork, stuffing, spuds, carrots & apple sauce, crackling, prunes & cust; milk. Parade. Pay accounts. Pay parade 2-30. $25 pay. Gave Gwyn his $10 back Now have $16. Post Office. [underlined] Letter from Doris. [/underlined] Bean soup; cheese cake, spuds; cheese; brd & jam; tea. [underlined] Letter to Doris [/underlined] Show, walked into town. 10c milk shake. Walked back. Shower. Washed socks. Bed about 11-45
[page break]
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
Keith Thompson's diary July 1942 to July 1943
Description
An account of the resource
During this period Keith was under training in Canada and then in England from June 1943 on 28 OTU at RAF Wymswold.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Keith Thompson
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942
1943
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Large format diary
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text. Diary
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
YThompsonKG1238603v2
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
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Canada
Great Britain
England--Leicestershire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-07
1942-08
1942-09
1942-10
1942-11
1942-12
1943-01
1943-02
1943-03
1943-04
1943-05
1943-06
1943-07
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.
28 OTU
aircrew
entertainment
military living conditions
military service conditions
navigator
Navy, Army and Air Force Institute
Operational Training Unit
RAF Wymeswold
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1252/17016/PCheshireGL1823.2.jpg
8830522bc41d01a9ee515a1e3755e511
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1252/17016/PCheshireGL1824.2.jpg
fc8a33c97be4d3ca382e336e0f125790
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
Cheshire, Leonard
Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard
Baron Cheshire
Description
An account of the resource
374 items concerning Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC, OM, DSO & Two Bars, DFC. Collection consists of photographs of people, vehicles, places, aircraft, weapons and targets; documents including, private and service letters, signals, telegrams, intelligence reports, crew lists and official documents. Cheshire served on 102 and 35 Squadrons and commanded 76 and 617 Squadrons. The collection includes details of 617 Squadron's precision bombing operations. Also included are two sub-collections: one containing 21 photographs of Tinian and Saipan, the other consisting of 37 audio tapes of speeches given by Cheshire after the war.
The collection has been licenced to the IBCC Digital Archive by The Leonard Cheshire Archive and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
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 property of the Leonard Cheshire Archive which has kindly granted the International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive a royalty-free permission to publish it. Please note that it was digitised by a third-party which used technical specifications that may differ from those used by International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive. It has been published here ‘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.
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
Permission granted for commercial projects
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
Christopher Cheshire
Description
An account of the resource
Full length portrait of a man wearing jacket and tie standing in front of foliage. He is holding a pipe. On the reverse 'Christopher Cheshire, taken in Poland, December 1942'.. Reported as taken when he was a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III. Additional information about this item was kindly provided by the donor.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One b/w photograph
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PCheshireGL1823, PCheshireGL1824
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
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Poland
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
License
A legal document giving official permission to do something with the resource.
Royalty-free permission to publish
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is property of the Leonard Cheshire Archive which has kindly granted the International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive a royalty-free permission to publish it. Please note that it was digitised by a third-party which used technical specifications that may differ from those used by International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive. It has been published here ‘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.
prisoner of war
Stalag Luft 3
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1236/17389/PThompsonKG15010031.1.jpg
249e7a16f33fdb6582ccbec7392497c6
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1236/17389/PThompsonKG15010032.1.jpg
1e40cf32ada59c56f5635fc410e1c6f8
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1236/17389/PThompsonKG15010033.1.jpg
a2cc7f8e4998f1a5265c965320d9b94a
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1236/17389/PThompsonKG15010034.1.jpg
bc45cf199ee1a79df98a7612b91a8ebe
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
Thompson, Keith G
K G Thompson
Description
An account of the resource
95 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant Keith Thompson DFC (1238603 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book, documents, photographs and training material as well as his navigation logs. He flew operations as a navigator with 101 and 199 Squadrons.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Mark S Thompson and catalogued by Trevor Hardcastle.
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
2015-09-07
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.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Thompson, KG
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
Permission granted for commercial projects
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[Collage of miscellaneous photographs and other items]
[news paper cutting]
“WINGS” FROM CANADA Sgt. K.G. Thompson completing his course in Canada.
[page break]
[telegram]
CABLE AND WIRELESS
Date stamp: 9 DEC 42
AA1182 MONTREAL EX TORONTO 20 7 =
PLT MR HARRY THOMPSON 50 GERARD ROAD
ROTHERHAM YORKS =
DON’T SEND ANY MORE LETTERS LOVE AND
KISSES = SGT KEITH THOMPSON *
[page break]
[duplicate copy of above telegram]
[page break]
[8 black and white photographs]
ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE
[underlined] LEAVE OR PASS FORM [/underlined]
Issued to Sgt. Thompson K.G.
4.12.42 to 9.12.42
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
Keith Thompson's promotion to sergeant
Description
An account of the resource
Three photographs, two captioned ' A bevy of new sergeant air navigators, Dec '42'.
RCAF leave pass made out to Keith Thompson.
A photograph of female, head and shoulders captioned 'Tommy Adams Doris' friend'.
Four photographs of a small number of female servicewomen in uniform captioned 'New recruits (Doris) Saskatoon Apl '43'.
Telegram to his father, telling him not to send any more letters.
Letter and cutting from the Rotherham Advertiser, February 20th 1943 about Keith Thompson's training in Canada.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-12
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Eight b/w photographs, one leave pass, a telegram, a letter, a newspaper cutting on an album page
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Photograph
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PThompsonKG15010031, PThompsonKG15010032, PThompsonKG15010033, PThompsonKG15010034
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 Canadian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Canada
Ontario--Malton
Saskatchewan--Saskatoon
Ontario
Saskatchewan
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
David Bloomfield
ground personnel
promotion
training
Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/879/17969/YHolmesWC176554v1.1.pdf
afd409937a3fb5d64878179b24c96831
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
Holmes, William
William Cyril Holmes
W C Holmes
Description
An account of the resource
Ten items. An oral history interview with Flying Officer William Holmes DFC (b. 1921, 131013, 176554 Royal Air Force), his logbook, a memoir by his bomb aimer, official documents, Guinea Pig Club memorabilia, photographs of him and his crew and a memoir of his time training in Canada. He was a Stirling pilot on 149 Squadron in 1944. He flew 17 operations before crashing his aircraft at RAF Thorney Island 18 June 1944 and subsequently becoming a member of the Guinea Pig Club.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by William and Bill Holmes and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
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
2015-11-05
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. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Holmes, WC
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
July 2nd 1942. Today is the day. We paraded at 04.30 am & with usual RAF management we eventually entrained at 07.10 Heaton Park. 11.30am Carlisle. [deleted] 4 [/deleted] 16.00 hrs Gourock. Scotland & here we boarded a tender waiting to take us out to the troopship. Again the usual waiting & then finally we are off & board the LETITIA approx. 14,000 tons. Assigned to D2 deck & acquire a hammock & two blankets. We then had tea. 16 to a table & two of us detailed as mess orderlies + a Canadian corporal who is in charge. I decided to wash & shave but I reckoned with out the queue & then after took a turn on deck. 22.00 hrs. I slung or rather attempted to sling my hammock & after much effort, swearing & sweating achieved my goal. That however was only the start. One, then had to get in & stop in, which isn’t so easy. I think I did sleep after a while.
July 3rd 06.00 hrs Reveille & I turned out. “Turn” is the correct word. feeling quite sharp this morning & after inspecting the queue for the wash basins, dashed off & washed under a salt water shower. Ten minutes later I felt much “smarter” & had to rub Vaseline into my skin. Breakfast at 07.30 hrs. & then cleaning up until 09.00 hrs. The rest of the day was ours except for boat drill & a lecture telling us to sleep in our clothes & always to carry our life jackets.
21.00 hrs we are under way & we go to bed feeling very self satisfied
[page break]
July 4th. Wake at 05.30 hrs & find the ship riding quite a swell. Arrived on deck just in time to see the last of Ireland (I think) on our port bow & fast being left behind. fairly heavy swell all day & most of the lads are sick. My turn came at 8/0 pm & I then decided to put my hammock on the floor & sleep there which I did. Remembered that Marie had probably met Mum by then
July 5th. Feeling better this morning & ate a good breakfast The sea & sky are a dirty grey & we look as if we shall meet dirty weather. Our destroyer escorts are shipping seas & we have started to roll. 8/0 pm. Sea is [deleted] q [/deleted] getting rough & I am still sleeping on the floor.
July 6th. A really nice morning & not so rough. During the usual life boat drill at 10.0 am one of the ships officers starts community singing which goes down very well. The sea now appears to be light blue instead of dirty grey & it looks much better for it too. Have been wondering how Marie is getting on at Banbury & wondering if she is enjoying herself or is just bored stiff. R.a.f. issues a lot of tourist literature on Canada which is something to read at any rate. Read the novel of Al Jolson’s film “The Singing Fool” & I was as pleased with it as I was with the talkie I first saw years back. I’ll try & keep it to return to Mrs Payne.
[page break]
July 7th. The sea is very calm this morning & we all had a good breakfast. (2 Boiled eggs each). Still cheesed off with the monotony.
Fog descends in the evening & it’s a dismal sort of evening, so after posting a letter home & to Marie I turned in.
July 8th. Fog very thick this morning & our siren sounds frequently. Still very monotonous day & I turned in early. Watches put back 1 hr for the fifth time this voyage.
July 9th. Still thick fog, sea calm. We handed in our English money for exchange to Canadian dollars, in the afternoon. I again went to bed early.
July 10th. Lovely calm morning & the wind is quite warm & the sun shines. A Lockheed flew over this morning & that was the first sign of nearing land. We are all hoping to sight the Newfoundland coast this afternoon. Clock’s were not altered last night & altogether we are five hours in front of English time.
July 11th. I woke at 3.50 am & went up on deck to see what all the excitement was about. It was beautiful, the Halifax harbour & water-front was all lit up & the dawn was just breaking. One of the high spots of the war for me. Disembarked at 10.30 am & entrained at 11.0 am. Monckton 5/0pm. & dismissed at 8/0pm. Viewed the city & turned in 1.30 am. First date with French Canadian girl.
July 12th. Paid 11 dollars & promptly called home. Grub very good & plentiful. Not a bad place.
[page break]
July 13. Very hot. Scrounged as usual & went to my first flick.
Wrote & sent an airgraph to Mrs Payne.
July 14th Still damned hot & dry. Clicked for a really good permanent scrounge. Excused all parades for rest of my stay here at Moncton. Sent 2 airgraphs home. One to home & one to Gloria. Invited out 7/30pm on Wed.
July 15. Usual scrounging process. Paid $48.63. for my £11 & I now feel quite rich. Also visited 63 Bonnacord St. & had a very nice evening & supper concluding with another invitation for a car ride on Saturday evening.
July 16. After strolling in the evening I met Jean Davidson, seemed quite a nice girl & I arranged to call home for her tomorrow (Fri) at 8/0pm. I am hoping she likes me.
July 17th. Informed that smallpox had broken out on the ship coming over & had to be vaccinated all over again. pressed my slacks with an iron we had bought & christened both the iron & the slacks. Called for Jean at 8/0pm & had a really good time. she is a really nice girl & pretty into the bargain.
July 18th. Finished at 12 noon. & we went shopping early in the afternoon. 5/0pm started by car, for Magnetic Hill. had supper of N.B. pancakes with maple syrup & butter at the Hill. Rained all night from 9/0pm & we had a taxi to the camp.
[page break]
July 19. Church parade 9.30 am & Ralph & I were roped in to receive the collection. If only the padre had known us. Wrote & sent a letter to Jean at home & then took the other Jean out.
July 20th. Usual kind of day. Still cheesed. Had a quiet walk out at night & got back early for a change.
July 21st. Lee’s birthday. We bought a couple of bottles of Jamaica rum & celebrated in town. Went dancing later then got home somehow. God knows how as I certainly was canned.
July 22nd. Nasty hangover; Met Arthur Turner at the gas centre & so we got together. & had a night out.
July 23rd. Raining & looking miserable. Went to a hooch liquer place in town. Beer pretty bad & I had all I could carry.
July 24th Awful sick & a bad hangover. To hell with liquer from now on. I went along to Jean’s & stopped there until [deleted] neal [/deleted] nearly midnight talking.
July 25. 1/30pm started for the Point du Chine in the car from No 63. It’s a lovely place & the warmest water I have ever swam in. I was sorry to dress & leave for town at 7/0pm. Hot dogs & coffee on the way back.
[page break]
July 26th. Invited to dinner at No 63. Bonnacord St. Excelent [sic] meal & I stayed until about 3/30pm. Went strolling & took a few pictures & then was [deleted] hos [/deleted] invited 5 miles out of town to a bogus date. We returned by taxi sad but much wiser.
July 27th. Worked in the new gas centre until 3/0pm & then did my weekly wash.
July 28th. Last day in gas centre, the best scrounge I ever had. Went out with Arthur at night
July 29th. [deleted] F [/deleted] First day in cook house. Went to see the “Corsican Brothers” with Arthur
July 30th. Collected Jean & went to the flicks.
July 31st Clicked for fire piquet. The powers that be, are catching up with me.
Aug 1st. Out camp at 12 noon & hitchhiked to Amherst
Darn good show, we were the only cadets in town
Met Dorothy & June Gordon & met them after work finished. Stayed at “Birds Nest” & slept till 11.0 am next morning.
Aug 2nd Dined & then Bill Jones & I, again called for Dorothy & June. Left Amherst 7/0pm & arrived Moncton 10/30pm.
Aug 3. Paraded 8.30 am full of trepidation & hoping
[page break]
that we were not missed, off a fatigue party that we should have been on Sunday.
Aug 4th. Every thing [sic] under control & no mention made of Sunday. Fire-Piquet duty at night.
Aug 5th Slapped on a charge for being absent off the 10/30pm Fire-Piquet parade & I am placed under open arrest. Went out with Arthur & played bowling at YMCA.
Aug 6th. Awarded 3 days extra Piquet duties, starting tonight
Aug 7th. Usual day. Fire duty at night.
Aug 8. Wangled a 36 hr pass when I should have been on jankers & hitched to Amherst Met Dorothy & June plus their Mother. Stopped at “Bird’s Nest”
Aug 9th Went swimming at the “Quarry” Amherst & took a few snaps. Hitched back at night.
Aug 10. Roumers [sic] of a posting soon. However, when I [inserted] am [/inserted] moving Ill [sic] believe it. Letter from Dorothy & a postcard from Magnetic Hill. Fire Piquet duty.
Aug 11th. Posted to Bowden. Alberta Wrote to Dorothy & explained about the posting. Letter from Home.
Aug 12th Entrained for Montreal & slept in the luggage rack all darn night
[page break]
Aug 13th. Arrived in Montreal about 9.30 am & after marching to the C P R station we were dismissed until 6/30pm. I hurriedly viewed the city & saw the Notré Dame Cathedral. Had several beers in the first public house I had seen in Canada. I also went to the top of Mount Royal & saw the whole city from there. Also met Betty & Beryl (Note [underlined] leave [/underlined]
On arrival back at the station I was able to snap Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands complete with R M C P. [deleted] B [/deleted] in full regalia.
Entrained for Winnipeg at 8/0pm.
Aug 14th. Still travelling amidst typical Canadian scenary [sic] Excellent food on board the train. Had a chat with the driver on the foot plate at one place of call & looked the loco over.
Aug 15th. Arrived in Winnipeg where a reception, organised by last war pilots of the RAF, was held. An hour later we were given a packet of cigarettes & sweets & again entrained this time for Calgary. Stopped at Regina & Moosejaw in the evening.
Aug 16th. Still travelling in prairie land which is giving way to foothills as we get nearer the Rockies.
Watches have been set beck 3 hrs altogether on this trip
[page break]
Aug 16th. [underlined] cont [/underlined]. Arrived in Calgary at 9.30 am & were dismissed until 4/30pm. Went to a Natural History & Zoological Park in the afternoon. After entraining we had a good meal & arrived in Bowden at about 7/0pm.
Aug [symbol] 17th. Inoculated again & obtained all the gen. Allotted flying instructors etc & looked the kites over. (Stearmans.)
Aug 18th. More “gen” as regards the course in the morning & lounged about all afternoon in the crew room waiting for the first flight in Canada. Retired to the camp YM. for the rest of the evening after flying for 1/2 hr. with my instructor. Did my first flick roll & then generally stooged around getting used to the kite & the feel of the controls
Aug 19th. Usual day. Circuits & bumps for first time.
Aug 20th. Usual day. Circuits Pictures in the evening.
Aug 21st
Aug 22th. [sic] Cleared camp about 3/0pm & hiked to Innisfail where I spent the night in the hotel. Poor show. Met Susie & [inserted] Dolly. [/inserted]
Aug 23. Slept till 12.0 midday, dinner, & then called for the girls at 2/0pm. walked 4 1/2 miles out to a farm & heartily regretted it afterwards. Came back to camp by taxi.
[page break]
Aug 24th. Black Monday. Cheesed off & sick & tired of this joint Chatted to Jean in y m c a until 10/0pm & then strolled home with her.
Aug 25th Raining in torrents & flying cancelled.
Aug. 26th No flying
Aug 27th Took a few shots with a 2.9 lens camera at night.
Aug 28th Still cheesed off.
Aug 29.th. Met Margaret & had quite a decent evening
Aug 30th. Duty weekend plus flying. Saw the Smiling Ghost at the camp cinema with Margaret & went walking afterwards Learned that her people & she were Ukerainian [sic] & came from Poland.
Aug 31st. Changed my flying instructor & am now with F/O Fergusson.
[deleted] Wel [/deleted] Went walking out of camp at night. Soloed for 40 mins.
Sept 1st. Cheesed off as usual No flying
Sept 2.nd. Still bad weather & no flying. Went to Innisfail with Margaret & went to the flicks.
Sept 3rd. Weather has brightened & the sun is quite warm.
Sept 4th. Left camp 2/30pm. & hitched to Edmonton 140 miles North. arrived 6/15pm. Jock & I & two of the lads immiediatley [sic] found ourselves a pub. A smashing night & finished up in the Liquer Control board with a liquer [deleted] lise [/deleted] licence. Stopped the night in a temperance Hotel.
[page break]
Sept 5. Breakfasted on four eggs etc etc. & started back at 1/0pm. arrived home from Innisfail in a taxi 9/30pm.
Sept. 6.
Sept 7
Sept 8 Sold camera 30$ to Pat Lockton.
Sept 9 Accident at Netook & LAC Presland was killed after baling out.
Sept 10.th Duty watch in control tower, met Al Brown, morning shift. & secured some shots of Ansons, Stearmans & a Harvard.
Sept 11th. Went shopping in Innisfail & bought socks, shorts & singlets. Flt Kay & Lee collided while landing at Netook. Nobody really hurt.
Sept 12. Flying as per usual & I got a shot of the crashed kites.
Sept 13. [deleted] Ple [/deleted] LAC Presland buried in Innisfail. Did my first Instrument flying under the hood.
Sept 14th. Changed F/O Ferguson for P/O Kersey. but I did not meet him. Letter from Gloria (great news) wrote airgraph & airmail
Sept 15th. Letter from Sid. Airgraphed him too.
Sept [underlined] 16. [/underlined] Cheesed off to tears. Put in pass for weekend.
Sept 17. Night flying! Not too bad
Sept. 18 Wyne & Instructor killed after failing to pull out of a spin
Sept 19. Weekend pass. Started hitching with Jim Grimshaw with the intention of getting to Banff in
[page break]
(saw “This Above All” at night)
the Rockies. Landed up in Calgary at 6/0pm.
Rain & cold all the weekend & a lousy time was had by all. Started back 7/0pm Sunday night & arrived back at 12 midnight.
21st Sept. Instructor on leave. Night flying also. Airgraph [deleted] 22nd. [/deleted] from home.
22 Sept. Funeral of the lost. I took a few shots of the Rockies from 4,000 ft. East of Netook.
[underlined] 23rd. Sept. [/underlined] Sent films to be developed 36.
24th. Thurs.
25th Fri.
[underlined] 26 [/underlined]th Went to Innisfail & sent a parcel of groceries home Also bought Dad some socks & shirt, Two prs stockings for Mum & 1 pr of silk, hairpins & elastic. Groceries + clothes; 10$ Went to the flicks & saw 49th Parrelel. [sic]
27th. “Genning” ? for exams.
28.th Airmanship & Aircraft paper today I think I scrambled through. Jim Grimshaw left for Trenton today “shaky do”. Airgraph from “Mr” Manchester.
29.th. Navigation & Armaments exam today.
[underlined] 30 [/underlined]th. Signals etc.
[page break]
[underlined] [deleted]3[/deleted]1st [/underlined] Oct. Transferred to 63 Course (lack of flying hours.)
2nd Oct. L.A.C. Craw stops our long weekend, God help him if the boys get him on Saturday.
3rd Oct. Posted a parcel home (clothing). Went to Red Deer & bought some stockings & my suede jacket. Lee paid 5$ for pyjamas & then lost the darn parcel. Bought another camera. 35$.
4th Oct. Went to Red Deer again, this time in a T model Ford with the prop swingers. Not bad! Met a little girl from Eckville. Tried out the camera & exposed a roll of 18. Super XX. Picture’s in camp at night. “Kit Carson”
5th Oct. Usual routine day.
6th Oct. Usual routine day. Wrote a letter home & 2 airgraphs to Manchester..
7th. Sat Navigation & Airmanship again. Jeanette Mac’donald & Nelson Eddy in “I married an Angel” Not so hot.
[underlined] 8 [/underlined]th Passed both exams. transferred to 63 Course Sat all night in Canteen “composing” verse for autograph books.
9th. Jock Davidson Posted & some of the gang. Last night out together so we went on the spree at Innisfail Hotel Smashing night & we really went to town.
[underlined] 10 [/underlined]th Sat. Boy oh boy! what a head Ive got.
Very quiet evening & finished up at flick. Saw
[page break]
Jock off.
Sun 11th. Usual lousy day. Pictures in camp at night
Mon 12th. First flip with new instructor & first aerobatics
First solo [deleted] areo [/deleted] aerobatics & quite pleased with my loops.
Tues. 13.th Lads went on leave.
Wed 14th. Cross country to De-Winton Dual.
Thur. Solo Cross country to De-Winton Met Veronica in canteen
Fri. Week end pass. Started for Edmonton & landed up in Ponoka for the night. Contacted the little girls people & gave them the photograph.
Sat 17th. Started for Calgary. Arrived 3/0pm & failed to buy a camera. Tried to hitch to De Winton & got lost on some darned side road. After finally getting back to Calgary I found a room & kipped down for the night.
Sun. 18. Lovely morning in bed & hitched back to Bowden in the afternoon. pictures at night
Mon. 19th. Letters from home & one from Bill Mobbs giving me all the gen.
Tues. CFIs check & I passed OK. Answered Bill Mobbs letter. went to Life [deleted] Bou [/deleted] Buoy Follies in Recreation Hall. A smashing evening & a real wizard show + an excellent girl singer
[page break]
Wed 21st Evening in Innisfail. Chicken & mushroom supper.
Thurs. 22.nd IF Test with W/O Davidson. Pictures in camp. finished flying here.
Fri 23rd. Hoping for leave on Mon.
Sat 24th Granted leave from Mon. pictures in Innisfail “How Green was my Valley”
Sun. 25th Invited out to Mrs Dye Bowden. Very nice supper & enjoyable evening
Mon 26. Leave starts today.? Sent airgraph to Arthur (Bath).
Tues. Leave stopped on account of 63 course dinner
Wed. Drill, PT etc
Thurs. Heartily cheesed off. Sent an airmail home
Fri. Broke camp & went to Calgary for a weekend. Hitched & arrived 8/0pm. Couldnt [sic] get a room & I finally met Mrs Edwards. (Police) who took me home & insisted I stopped there the whole weekend.
Sat. 31st. Breakfast in bed & then got in town about 10/0am & then started my Xmas shopping. Finished by 1/0pm & accidently met Eleanor Jamison. Dined together & then went along to her apartment. Quite a nice kid. Left her 5/0pm & spent the usual Calgary evening. Went home in a taxi
Sun 1st November. Slept till noon & then got
[page break]
up for dinner. Sat & yarned all afternoon while it snowed like the dickens. Mr Edwards drove me down in the car & I caught the 4/45pm bus to Bowden. Arrived Bowden 7/0pm & went to flicks.
Mon 2nd Nov. Sent Mrs. Payne, Kath. Dot (Amherst) & Mum a letter. Still snowing & blowing like a blizzard Posted to Estevan. Saskatchewan on Saturday next.
Tues. 3.rd.
Wed 4th Night out in Innisfail, 15 men to a round and oh boy what a booze up.
Thurs. 5 What a headache.
Fri 6 Pack inspection for our posting.
Sat 7th. Moved out at 11.0 am & caught Calgary train at 12. noon at Bowden. 2/0pm arrived Calgary, dashed around to Eleanor’s place & took her to a show.
Left negs. At Mc’dermid’s to be sent on.
Left Calgary 9/0pm & arrived Estevan next day. at 12/noon.
Sun 8 Moved into billets. No heating except 5 blankets Looks pretty grim. Pictures at night
Mon 9. First Parade here & its not like Bowden.
Wrote to Bill, George, & 3 airgraphs to England.
Tues10 Usual business of being posted. Domestic night and every one cleaning like a housewife. Pictures at night
[page break]
[underlined] Mon. 16th Nov. [/underlined] Started Ground school lectures today & Im not feeling at all happy about them. Saw Greta Garbo in the camp cinema.
Tues. 17.th First [deleted] ling [/deleted] link trainer hr in Estevan & I had quite a time using a wheel control column instead of the old type cont[missing letters] stick.
Wed 18th Marie’s account of her holiday came, also a letter fro[missing letter] Bath & my proofs from Moosejaw. Wrote an airmail home & to Marie.
Thurs. 19.th. Obtained “The first hundred thousand” Ian Hay fro[missing letter] station library & retired early to bed with it
Fri 20th Attended 60 Course’s wings parade, very dissappoin[missing letters] effort. Went into Estevan with Arthur & supped & saw a show. (Sat 21st posted a parcel home.)
Sat 21st First time at flights, tried to remember the cockp[missing letters] check, not very successfully. & sat around in the cockpit gettin[missing letter] the feel of things. Evening in Estevan. not impressed.
Sun 22.nd. Flying & then pictures at night saw “”Tish” very good
Mon 23rd. Flying & then on getting out of my Anson I met Mobley, a [deleted] bloc [/deleted] fellow from Bon. He seemed quite amazed when I told him who I was. promised to see him & have another chat later. Read “Heidi” by Johanna Spyri. very
[page break]
good indeed.
[underlined] Tues [/underlined] 24 Had another chat with Mobley and he told me another chap from Bon is here as well. A [deleted] cop [/deleted] corporal photographer who used to work with Blinkhorn. Hope to meet him soon. No mail yet.
Wed 25th. Usual day. Saw “Iceland” with Sonja Henie. and I quite enjoyed it. Had a letter from Moosejaw & Amherst.
[underlined] Thurs [/underlined] 26 Still no mail from home.
[underlined] Fri [/underlined] 27 48 hrs. pass. Went in to Estevan & played bowls. Stopped overnight & caught Greyhound at 6/0 am in the morning
Sat. 28th 11.0 am arrived Regina. Bought an Argus f.3.5 36mm camera. Three filters & borrowed an exposure meter for weekend. Obtained a few shots, both day & night. Saw Bette Davis in “Now Voyager” very good.
Sun. 29.th Lay in until dinner time. had dinner & then went out with camera, trying a few angle shots. Caught bus[deleted]t[/deleted] back at 5/0pm
[underlined] Mon. [/underlined][deleted] 29 [/deleted] 30th Letter from home. Pictures at night. “Gunga Din” not at all bad. met Sgt. photographer from Bon. Checked on [deleted] Tues [/deleted] camera for copying work & finished roll.
Tues. 1st Dec. Filled up with SuperXX & took a few with aid of 1 photo-flood. Received winter issue.
Wed. Snowing again
Thurs. Saw “Mrs. Miniver” a smashing picture. Wrote an airmail home.
[page break]
[missing page]
themselves. Airgraph from Jean.
Thurs. 17. Still sick & light duties. Wrote airgraphs home & to Jean. letters & Cards to folk in Canada. One to Regina about my photo’s.
Fri. 18.th. Dick Bailes off the course Went to Estevan & saw the flicks. Photo’s came. very good. Xmas & birthday card from home.
Sat 19th. Two or three drinks with Dick & Andy. & lots of grub
Sun. 20th Usual Sunday In Estevan in the evening. Grub & Hostess Club. Christmas Card from Dot & a letter from Lee, Penhold.
Mon. 21st Night on the beer with Andy, Not bad. Wrote Lee.
Tues. 22nd. Night in camp & feeling very cheesed, roll on that boat.
Flew solo in first storm, “a shaky effort.”
Wed 23rd. Night in Estevan with Archer & Andy. Pictures.
Thurs. 24 Letter from Moosejaw. Night in Town.
Fri 25th. Flying in the morning. Dinner at 1/0pm & it was excellent Officers waiting on us & the RAF dance band. Stuck all my pictures in a new album. Went to Stella’s at night & had ham & eggs chips etc. including two bottles of coke, which I mixed with a half bottle of whisky. Slept well.
Sat 26th Morning in bed. Flew in afternoon Estevan at night. Pictures & grub.
Sun. 27th Walked into town & took a few snaps. Sat in hostess club all night
[page break]
Mon 28th. Card from June (Amherst). Stella’s at night.
Tues. 29.th My birthday. In town at night with Andy & Archer. Excellent meal & pictures afterwards.
Wed. 30th. Gos on 5 days leave today. Slept in Estevan & caught 6.0 am bus.
Thurs 31st Arrived in Regina 11.0 am & bought an exposure meter. 21
Caught bus at 3 & arrived in Moosejaw 5/0pm. 1035 Calton St at about 10 mins to 6/0pm & spent a quiet evening [deleted] at home with all the folks. [/deleted] including a visit to flicks etc with Mike & (hors[missing letters] Oper[missing letters] Ruth & Mary. Walked home in the snow & really enjoyed it
Jan 1st 1943. Slept till 10.0 am & then had breakfast. Stopped in all day & ate massive meals of turkey Met Ina Johnson at the party at night, also Dorothy, (Fred’s girl.)
Sat 2nd. Rose late & then went shopping. Bought a tripod & went home early because of the cold. The cold was intense & I suffered frostbite on my ears before I could get from the bus to home.
Sun. 3rd Breakfasted nearer 12.0 midday than breakfast time & waited for Mary so I could get cracking with the camera Took quite a few snaps indoors & then we all had a big sup[missing letters] of turkey & all the trimmings. Went out with Mike at night & saw the skating at the ice rink.
[page break]
Monday 4th Black Monday & I have to report to camp tonight said goodbye to everyone & travelled by greyhound back to camp.
Tues. 5th Back to work, although I had bags of mail when I got back from leave. letters from home, Marie & Ma, Lee, Jean Kath. & cables from Ivy & home for Xmas & my birthday. Spent the night replying to them.
Wed. 6th. Into Estevan & the hostess club.
Thurs. 7th Stopped in billet & did nothing all night, Finished off a film roll
Fri 8. Letter airgraph from Mum saying my 3 parcels had arrived on Dec. 18.th. Saw “Somewhere Ill find you” Clark Gable & Lana Turner & So very much enjoyed it Finished “Mortal Storm”.
Sat. 9.th. Got Somerset Maugham’s “Theatre” from library & stooged around alone. Sent a parcel of food home
Sun. 10th Walked into Estevan, saw Babe in the Canada Café. Played table tennis in Hostess club.
Mon. 11th. Pictures in camp Cross country check with Lowe.
Tues. Went to town alone & chatted to Babe for a bit, A very nice girl.
Wed 13th Went with Archer in to town & stooged the usual round of café’s
Thurs. Finished Theatre very good indeed.
Fri. Went to town & got “My Son” “My Son” from library
Sat 16th. Very cold weather No flying
Sun. 17 Very cold & getting colder No flying Stopped in all day &
[page break]
went to flicks at night.
Mon 18th. Getting still colder.
Tues. 19. Temperature 30° below freezing.
Wed 20th. Blizzard blowing up & temp. of -45 or 77 degrees of frost. Weather report so bad that we were given a 48 hrs. pass Went into Estevan at 4/0pm & did the usual stooging. Met Dorothy in hostess club & was invited to a masonic party effort. Very pleasant evening indeed & arrived back at camp 2/0pm.
Thurs. 21st Slept to 10. am Went out with the lads at 12.0 midday & waited in Stella’s for a taxi. Spent afternoon with Ladbury Joe, Braithwaite & Bonnerman in the beer parlour. Tea at 5.0pm & then dashed in & chatted to Babe “Bernice” at drugstore. Pictures on my lonesome & then met a pleasa[missing letters]
Kiddy in Deans taxi place. “Freda”. Back by taxi to camp
Fri 22nd.Slept late & then started back at ground school through about a foot of snow.
Sat 23rd. Spent night in camp. read “Marion [inserted] alive [/inserted]” Vicki Baum.
Sun. 24th. No flying still, Very cold. Telegram for birthday
Mon 25.th. No flying still, Canteen & camp evening. Wrote several letters.
Tues. 26th Getting the “gen”
[page break]
Wed 27th. Still getting the “gen” & collected for 3 day B list over missing PT.
Thurs. 28 Exams.
Fri 29 Exams Two hectic days. Went to town & celebrated.
Sat. 30.th Started B list Mrs Lackey rang up inviting me to supper tomorrow & had to turn it down as I am confined to camp.
Sun 31st More B list
Mon 1st More B list last night.
Tues 2nd. Febuary [sic]. Night in town. Deaney posted
Wed. 3 Went in with Archer & changed my look for Halters Castle. Explained to Mr & Mrs Lackey our absence on Sunday.
Thurs. Stopped in again & pasted my album up to date.
Fri. 5th Cross country with Cox. All OK.
Sat 6th. Night in Town.
Sun. 7th. Flying all day & pictures in the evening.
Mon. 8
Tues. 9 Seupplementary [sic] Signals exam. OK. Boose up with Ginger.
Wed. 10th. 3 X Country. Lots of pictures. Ginger went to Trenton.
Thurs.
[deleted] Fri [/deleted]. Concert in camp. “Gopher Pie” not too bad.
[page break]
Fri 12. Off on a 48 hr pass. Reading “this above All”
Sat. 13 No bus to Regina so here I apparently stop. Had a few beers & finished up at the pictures.
Sun. 14th. All day in the billet & its deadly. Stella’s for grub at night & then the pictures in camp.
Mon. 15. Left on 5/0pm Bus for town & wrote a few letters in the hostess club. Finished “This above All” excellent.
Tues. 16. Letters from home & one from Blondie Leicester.
Wed 17.th. Photographed for new identity card. Finished [deleted] Clad [/deleted] “Claudia” very good
Thurs 18th. Read “Shelten” by Steen. Not bad. started night flying & enjoyed it.
Fri 19. Woke at 12.0 & went to flights at 1/30 pm. told to go back & report for night flying again at 6/0 pm.
Sat. 20th. Went to see the Ice Exhibition at the rink & enjoyed it very much. Changed my library books & had the usual supper. Sent another parcel home.
Sun. Flying at night again. first Night X country. OK.
Mon 22 Started reading. [deleted] Spu [/deleted] “Fame is the Spur” H Spring Letter from home & one from Lee.
Tues 23. Usual day.
Wed. Usual day. pictures in town with Joe Berry
Thurs. Evenings photography in billet with Plumbs reflex.
[page break]
[underlined] Fri [/underlined]. 26. Low level X Country flight today. quite enjoyed it. Started a 48 hrs pass & removed to International Hotel in town. Saw “Desperate Journey” at night
Sat 27th. Lay in bed late & got up in time for dinner Roamed around with the camera most of the day. Spent the latter part of evening with Babe & Mr & Mrs Lackey chatting Had coffee etc in the Coffee bar & then went to bed.
Sunday 28th Another lay in before an early dinner. Spent afternoon in Hostess Club. 6/0pm turned up at Lackeys for supper & partook of an excellent turkey & plum pudding. Had a volume of Tennesons poems given to me. Took several pictures of Percy the cat. Back to camp on last bus.
[underlined] Mon 1st March. [/underlined] No 1 LL. X. Country with Sgt. Quinn.
Tues 2.nd. Letter from Dad Had a bust up with Grundy & F/LT Brown Pictures in camp at night. 1st Amatuer [sic] Dramatic presentation in [deleted] Duel [/deleted] Understudy for a duke.
Wed. 3rd. Went to town at night & collected films, laundry etc. Chatted in Lackeyes. Blizzard blowing up.
Thurs 4. Blizzard still raging. No flying.
[underlined] Friday 5th. [/underlined] Had supper with Lackey’s & enjoyed really super waffles + lashings of butter & maple syrup. Chatted till 8/0pm Bought a suede jacket & a tie & underwear.
[page break]
Sat. 6 Usual day of flying. Town at night & supper at the coffee bar.
Sunday 7th. Bags of polish for inspection by AOC tomorrow
Monday 8th. Slept late & collected 3 days. No mail.
Tuesday 9.th Full pack parade etc all morning & flying started at 3/0pm. New instructor P/O Enefer. Darn nice fellow & lots of gen.
Wed 10th. Last night flying session. Interview for commission.
Thurs. 11 Confined to camp again. Howie loses 230$.
Fri. 12. First wings check. I.F. OK. Went to town
Sat. Blizzard blowing, no flying. Went into Estevan as usual. The trip back was quite an adventure & we only just made it
Sun. 14. Blizzard raging & the drifts are getting very deep. I tried to get a taxi to take me to supper at Lackey’s, but they wouldnt risk it. I got ready & started for the guard house still hopeful. However I was refused permission to leave camp on account of the weather, so I eventually supped in the mess.
Mon 15. There seems no end to the blizzard & we are completely isolated. It was quite an adventure to leave the billet for meals, & we had to struggle through the storm & drifts to get there.
[page break]
Tues 16th. The weather is worse if anything & conditions are quite serious. Every man is put on rations as food is getting low.
Wed 17. At last the fury of the storm seems to be abating & we all hope to see the last of it today.
Thurs. 18th. This morning the sun is shining brightly & everything is calm. Now the real chaos can be seen & the ‘drome I U.S. until at least Sunday next. Bad news! course is again extended for another week. Road to town is blocked.
Fri. 19th. Put back a course. (Nav.) Went in & got very drunk. (Really cheesed now.).
Sat. 20. The lads are shovelling snow to clear the runways. [missing letters]urally I scrounged off it & read instead.
[missing letters]n 21st. Lay in bed all day. Went to Stella’s at night & ate an enormous supper.
Mon 22nd “Genning” for Nav.
Tues. 23rd. Sat the Supplementary & passed OK. Went to town
Wed. 24th. Stooged about all day & in to Estevan on the bus at night.
Thurs. 25th Flying started again this afternoon & 68. Co. finished off CFIs etc. I saw S/L. Bennett & asked for gen. possibility for an individual posting sometime next week.
Fri 26th.
[page break]
27th Sat Feeling lonely now that the lads are gone
28th Sun. Town as usual. Strolling around & came back early
[underlined] 29th [/underlined] Mon. Invited to supper. Wed. with local librarian
30th Tues. Went to town with Fred. Came back early & saw “Mokey” at the camp cinema. I really enjoyed it although the lads thought it mushy. He was just such a little boy that I’d love. I guess Im feeling “mushy” myself. Fred read my tea-cup.
31st Wed. Started flying again. Just got to my supper date in time. Very nice evening indeed.
1st April Thurs Flying like a ding-bat, Went to Winnipeg
2nd. Fri. Flying late & then went to camp cinema
3rd Sat. CFI check. Didnt go much on me.? Went to town & did the usual round. River very high & road to camp is under water in places. I hope it goes down soon or we will be shut off from Estevan again. sent a food parcel home.
4th Sun. Confirmed to camp by floods. No buses & road is impassable. Also collected 4 days jankers.
5th Mon. Everyone confined.
6 Tues. Started in B flight. Sent back & told to do as I like
7 Wed. Last night of jankers. Hope the river & floods are going down.
[page break]
8th Thurs. Went to town on first possible bus. Sent parcel of cosmetics etc home
9th Fri. Still Scrounging. Went out early on a[deleted]n[/deleted] chit & did a few miles on my feet. Fred & his girl came along & I took several shots of them during the afternoon. Saw “Casablanca”. very good
10th Sat. Had a wizard (salmon salad) with lashings of “miracle whip” in the Princess. After the store closed I took “Babe for a coke & bowling. Then walked her home.
11th Sunday. Went out early in the morning & finished off the reel of exposures in Stella’s.
Hitched to town with Fred. Had a splendid afternoon listening to Ron Davenport playing a church organ. “Liebenstraum”, “Ave Maria” & similar stuff to that He’s wizard on the organ. Plays under the name of Harry March professionally. His mother was Josie Collins who sang in The “Maid of the Mountains” in London. At 6/0pm I went to supper with Lackey’s & enjoyed a wonderful meal of turkey & finished up with pumpkin pie & whipped cream. An excellent evening indeed.
12th Monday. Saw the “Black Swan” very good
13th Tues Usual day.
[underlined] 14 [/underlined]th Wed. Saw “China Girl” at the Orpheum, not bad.
15 Thurs Wings parade today. Usual dreary routine & then shoals of sprog sgts, walking about town. Beer parlours are all shut & so I stayed sober. Cabled home & to Manchester.
[page break]
[underlined] 16th Fri. [/underlined] Packed everything bright & early. Chased around & said goodbye to every-one. Fred & Alf shared my taxi + two kitbags. Stopped the night with Mr & Mrs Lackeye’s
.
17th Sat. Rose at 5.45am & had a glass of milk + 2 oranges & choc. for my pocket. After saying goodbye I arrived at the station at 6.30. Entrained 7.15 & we were off on our 2000 odd mile journey to the east. 3/0pm arrive Brandon & we change for Winnipeg. Winnipeg 6/15 & I checked my webbing & had a stroll in the city. 7/20. Entrain for Montreal. A wizard set-up. Sleeping booths & a coloured boy to make our beds up. I turned in at 10/0pm & slept soundly & comfortably till 6.30.
18 Sund. Breakfast at 7.45. after putting watches on a further hour. (2 hours in all since we started). An excellent meal & then ablutions. Cleared up my kit & I now have time to observe the scenary [sic]. We are travelling through tree & snow covered territory now & in the bright sunlight it is a beautiful glistening & gleaming world.
19 Mon. Breakfasted while we drew in to Ottawa. Montreal at approx. 10.00 am. Free till 3/0pm. Strolled around the city trying to buy a camera. No luck. Looked in the Notre Dame cathedral. very impressed but as a service was
[page break]
in progress I could not stay long Had a wizard bottle of stout in the Windsor Hotel. The best drink in Canada I have ever had. Entrained at 3/15. And prepared for my last night on the train.
20th Tues. Breakfasted in St. Johns. & entrained at 7.0 am Arrived at Moncton 11.0 am. & having no reception committee, I promptly lost myself & had dinner. Reported at 31 at 1/0pm [underlined] Not impressed [/underlined] Out of camp again at 2/0pm. Stooged around as usual. Back to camp at 11/30pm. & turned in. (Wrote home & to Estevan. earlier in the evening).
21 Wed. Usual routine on being posted. with the addittion [sic] of collecting a respirator. Im still not impressed, in fact Im worse off here as a sgt. than I was in Estevan as an Erk. Met lots of lads I knew or at least knew me.
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
William Holmes memoir - training in Canada
Description
An account of the resource
Describes crossing the Atlantic to Canada and journey to Bowden, Alberta and then on to Estevan, Saskatchewan. Day by day account of activities, flying and life in Canada, Concludes with journey back across Canada
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
W Holmes
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942
1943
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Thirty one page handwritten document
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
YHolmesWC176554v1
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
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Canada
Nova Scotia--Halifax
Nova Scotia--Amherst
Québec--Montréal
Manitoba--Winnipeg
Alberta--Calgary
Alberta--Innisfail
Saskatchewan--Estevan
Ontario--Ottawa
Newfoundland and Labrador--St. John's
Ontario
Québec
Saskatchewan
Alberta
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Manitoba
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-07
1942-08
1942-09
1942-10
1942-11
1942-12
1943-01
1943-02
1943-03
1943-04
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
Steve Baldwin
Anson
RCAF Bowden
RCAF Estevan
training
-
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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
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
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
2017-12-04
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.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
1 1436220 Sgt. Akrill. W.E.
Sgts. Mess,
R.A.F. Station.
Mon. 21.12.42. Upper Heyford.
Oxon.
Dear Ros & Harry,
I don’t know whether you’ll get this by Christmas, if not you’ll have to forgive me for not thanking you for letter and photograph of Michael before but opportunities for letters don’t present themselves very often.
Everybody has to look at my photo of Michael and the one of mum & him!! I don’t suppose they’re really interested - [deleted] they [/deleted]the boys prefer them of glamorous looking lady friends - but I show them all the same!! Sergt. Hughes (who is billeted with his wife and 3 youngsters at the Bates) has a baby of 4 months who’s also ‘Michael’ and a funny
[page break]
[underlined] 2 [/underlined] little mite who’se [sic] had a terrible cold and I thought it was a bit thoughtless of me to show him [underlined] my [/underlined] Michaels photo which looked so different from their poor little chap.
I got down to chapel last night for the first time for a fortnight though I had a rush as I didn’t land ‘til
late having been up since morning [deleted] 250 [/deleted] dropping 250 pounders on our target in the Bristol Channel, and had had no dinner or tea. I went to the Bates’s for supper afterwards. Both they and Sgt. Hughes asked me to spend Christmas day there. Sgt. Hughes declared the camp would be no place for me then!! He’s a grand chap & takes a fatherly interest in me. Sgt. Arding (Sgt. Hughes’s friend - they are both Link Trainer Instructors) will be there
[page break]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined] too. It’s very good of the Bates, I feel really that I shouldn’t go with rationing as it is. There’s now a rumour about having to fly over Christmas if the weather’s O.K. but I don’t think we will though it would be a great pity to miss a fine night or day. I should have quite an uneasy conscience!!
On Saturday, my monthly day off, I went into Oxford with one of the Bombadiers [sic] - “Junior” as we call him and tried to look round shops. Oh dear!! The last Saturday before Christmas in a garrison town on a poring wet day in war time. Couldn’t get near the shops which were empty anyway! So nobody’s getting presents or cards from me this year! There are lots of good book shops so I shall see if I can get in again when the rush is over and have a look round - just to amuse myself.
[page break]
[underlined] 4 [/underlined] As it’s too late now to write letters I’ve got a ticket for the Camp Pantomime tonight (W. Officers and Senior N.C.O’s & friends only - snobs night!!!!) but I feel pretty certain that the night flying detail will rather disorganise my arrangements! It’s Dick Whittington & is by personel [sic] of the Camp. They say it’s very good - lots of cracks about are various C.O.s [indecipherable word].
Tell Michael I’ve been looking out [deleted] for [/deleted] among the clouds for a sleigh and reindeer and dear old Santa Claus himself with his sack. Perhaps it’s a bit early yet. We may see him on Christmas Eve!! Maybe he’s got an aeroplane now though! Anyway I hope he’s a good Navigator and gets round to everyone alright. Expect he’s lots of
[page break]
[underlined] 5 [/underlined] things for Michael though toys seem to be out of the question. One of our boys made a beautiful model Wimpey [sic] out of an odd chunk of wood for his little lad.
Well, I’ll wish you all a very happy Christmas (if this isn’t too late!!)
Be sure I’ll be thinking about you all. Love to all [underlined] Bill [/underlined]
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
Letter from Bill Akrill to Ros and Harry
Description
An account of the resource
Bill relates how he has been showing Michael's photograph to everyone he meet, whether they are interested or not. Mentions how he has had a long day flying and has been invited to spend Christmas with friends living locally. Describes a visit to Oxford - wet and busy and nothing in the shops anyway - so hasn't been able to get cards or presents for anyone. Looking forward to the camp pantomime. Sends message to Michael about looking out for Father Christmas.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-12-21
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Robin Christian
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Five page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWE[Recipient]R-H421221
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
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Oxfordshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
entertainment
RAF Upper Heyford
training
-
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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
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
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
2017-12-04
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.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
inserted] Just found I’d left this out of parcel! [/inserted]
Sgt. Akrill,
Sgts. Mess,
R.A.F. Stn., Upper Heyford,
Oxon.
Tues. 8.12.42.
Dear Mum,
Sorry if you’ve been looking for a letter. Things have been absolutely upside down since I started flying. Detailed for night flying every night only to have it cancelled after chasing all over the place, sweltering in flying kit by the crew room stove, shivering at dispersal, bumping in transport to the aircraft, wading thro’ mud & puddles in the dark and – very occasionally actually flying. Tonight, however the met report was really duff and they had the gumption to cancel flying at briefing before 4 o’clock so I’ve got a free evening and a chance of catching up with letters tho’ as I was flying last night & didn’t get to bed til the early hours & then had to be up early for first detail this morning, I shall be ready for an early bed. I’ll pack my washing up tonight & if I can will take it to the P.O.
[page break]
tomorrow. My bike’s got to Lower Heyford alright but I’ve not been able to collect it. Don’t worry I’ll not use it in the dark. Afraid I shan’t have much chance of going out at all.
I’ve flown with all of my crew and I’m proud of them all. Out pilot Sgt Fallon is very keen and [deleted] I [/deleted] very reliable, responsible chap. He’s exactly the type I should have wanted. I’ve every confidence in him. The Wop’s a keen little chap too, so’s the tail gunner (tho he’s very tall & can hardly curl himself up into the turret) and our Bomb Aimer seems to know his job too. I only hope now that the Navigator knows [underlined] his [underlined] stuff. Its not much fun flying in Wimps – we’re shut in a little cabin just like grapes & can’t see a thing of what’s going on. It’ll be better in Lancs (I hope)
On Sunday flying was cancelled just in time for me to get to chapel & we went to supper again at the Bates’s. Yes, tell Mary there [underlined] is [/underlined] a Miss Bun – an apple-cheeked and giggly young lady of about 13.
[page break]
John (the Welsh chap) had bad news (for me) that he is being posted on Thursday. He was a grand chap & a real friend. He’s going to Cranwell
Afraid I shan’t be home before Christmas We should be starting our final 5 or 6 weeks on Monday in the Operational Flights (Doesn’t mean we [underlined] are [/underlined] operational) so look for seeing me for 7 days then tho’ I guess weather will upset things somewhat. However we should get a break at Christmas and I’m certainly looking forward to Xmas just for that reason. Think I can’t do better than sleep and write letters. They’re asking for Senior NCOs to volunteer to wait on the airmen at Christmas dinner but I don’t fancy myself rushing around with plates of airforce custard and Christmas pud. David’s getting 10 days. Lucky chap. I [underlined] could [/underlined] get home if it were not for travelling restrictions. I think.
Been considering creeping out in civvies!
Pleased Mary’s teeth work so well. Tell her I’m longing to see how glamourous
[page break]
she looks in them. Tell her that on Friday flying was scrubbed just right for me to dash to the camp cinema so see “Jungle Book” I remember how she liked it so did my best get. I liked all the animals and things and had a big argument when it was done [deleted] as [/deleted] when a pal of mine tried to say that apart from the tiger man was the only animal that killed for sport. I suppose the picture tried to show that too.
Well must write to David who said he was ringing me up at the Mess on Sat. Afraid it won’t be much good as I don’t know when flying will be scrubbed. Love to all. Let’s here [sic] from you
Love
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
[underlined] Wed. [/underlined]
Managed to dash off for my bike & got it O.K.
Thank Ros & Nip for letters & Ros for photo. Poor old Nip!! Had a laugh over Nip’s story. Will reply when I get a chance [underlined] B [/underlined]
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
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill writes of being very busy with night flying - although often they are almost ready to go before it is cancelled due to bad weather. His bike has arrived at Upper Heyford station but he has not had time to collect it.
Describes his crew in some detail - has every confidence in them, and hopes he 'knows his stuff' as well.
Flying was cancelled on Sunday, so was able to go to chapel and to supper with his new local friends.
Bill mentions he will not be home for Christmas, since they are starting their last 5-6 weeks soon, but should get a break and is looking forward to that.
Was able to go to the cinema to see 'Jungle Book'.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-12-08
1942-12-09
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Oxfordshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four handwritten pages
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
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
Civilian
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]421208-0001
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]421208-0002
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]421208-0003
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]421208-0004
aircrew
entertainment
faith
military living conditions
military service conditions
RAF Upper Heyford
training
-
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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
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
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
2017-12-04
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.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Sgt. Akrill.
Sgts. Mess.
R.A.F. Station,
Upper Heyford
Oxon.
Sunday 13.12.42.
Dear Mum,
Thank you for the letter which turned up yesterday. Sorry you were worried but as things are now I didn’t realise it was so long since I wrote. I could be like David & ring you up if you want me to but it really doesn’t seem worth it.
Things are keeping on just about the same. It gets a bit tiring but I’ll be able to have a rest at Christmas. On Friday night we were just taxying out to take off when we got bogged in the mud & messed round there from 6 to 10 in pouring rain & finally had to abandon it. Saturday was fine & I was all ready to come in an Anson to bring somebody to Scampton but [underlined] that [/underlined] was scrubbed. One day some of the lads took a S/Ldr to Winthorpe in an Annie. Wasn’t I wild when I found out later. I think we should have developed engine trouble if [underlined] I’d [/underlined] got as far as that!! Then somebody else went to Wigsley. People are always going to & from there so maybe I’ll get one day
[page break]
[underlined] 2 [/underlined]
We’ve got the “Circus” here paying us a visit. A Junkers 88, a Messerschmitt 110 and a Heinkel!!! They put up a good show in the air but I’ve been over them & I’m glad I’m not one of their crew. The crew doesn’t seem to be considered at all as they are in our own kites. The Ju 88 is one of the best aircraft in the world but the crew are packed like sardines. We look like a unit of the Luftwaffe at the moment!!
I got my Gift from the Comforts’ Fund the other day – it had been lying around sometime as someone had spelt my name wrongly & missed my number. Would you let me know where to write to acknowledge it? Please tell Mary that I’m stumped for blades again – on my last which is like a saw.
Enclosing £7. Havn’t [sic] got any Christmas Presents – see what I can do if ever I get into town.
Will try to write again soon.
Love to all
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
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
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill writes of flying activity, or lack of it when flights are abandoned or postponed. Mentions visit of circus comprising Ju 88, Me 110 and Heinkel which gave flying demonstration and after he was able to look over them. Was not impressed with crew space.
Has received a gift from the 'Comforts Fund'.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-12-13
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]421213
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
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Oxfordshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
Anson
He 111
Ju 88
Me 110
military living conditions
military service conditions
RAF Upper Heyford
training
-
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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
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
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
2017-12-04
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.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Sgt. AKRILL,
Sgts’ Mess,
R.A.F. Station,
Upper Heyford.
Oxon.
FRI. 18.12.42.
Dear Mum and All,
Thanks ever so much all of you for the parcel, which was a real excitement to open. It was good of you to get the pyjamas. My!! The cake certainly looks good! Its easy to say who made it. No I shan’t keep it ‘til Christmas as they go as dry as old bricks in no time. We’ll have a quiet little party tonight perhaps and get the best out of it while we can. Thank Sis for the carrot. I thought at first it was a pear! Think she might have chosen one that wasn’t cankered! Anyway it was O.K. As you can see I’m already using Nip’s notepaper and envelopes. They’re always a problem
[page break]
and about the most sensible present for anybody in the services. I must write to her. 3 Carr have I believe.
I shan’t bother with washing til after Christmas. The razor blades by the way came just right as my last one had broke in half though was still [deleted] usable [/deleted] useable. I must be very careful but should be glad if she’d try for some more. Can’t get near any round here, though I’m going to try in Oxford, & keep asking anybody who goes out.
Tomorrow our crew is being given the day off. We’d all got so tired & fed up with the last 3 weeks that our skippers all demanded a break so 3 crews a day are having time off. I shall have a long day in Oxford and go to the theatre at night. It’ll be a change to get into town. Quite a crowd are going up to London. Flying was scrubbed early – I expect you’ve
[page break]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined]
been quiet too with the fog your getting (so we hear from “Met”.)
Our landing field is now unsafe and unuseable so we have to go to our Satelite [sic] ‘drome for flying so this makes the general chaos and chasing round even worse. Last night we messed around in [deleted] our [/deleted] the kite and out from [deleted] 3 [/deleted] 1500 hrs to 0100 next morning & got to bed at 0200. after just 20 minutes flying. When they scrubbed it was a glorious night. It makes you fed up. It was a job getting our ships from Heyford to Hinton-in-the-Hedges our Satelite [sic] When we took off the ship just plunged & slashed through mud & water & shook us up somewhat but “Jock” (our Skipper) got her off alright. He’s a good chap.
There’s all sorts of jubilation being planned here but most of it seems to concern drink. Afraid Christmas on Camp won’t be a particularly happy occasion for me though I shall
[page break]
[underlined] 4 [/underlined]
be happy in my own way. Since I’ve been in the RAF I’ve often been thankful that I’ve a home like I have and that I’ve been brought up to find amusement in other things than drink and the like. However there are others like myself I’ve got to know some nice chaps. Most of our gang of Navigators are a fine lot – I like them all but – things will be just a bit too bright for them I’m afraid. At the moment we’ve a gang of Canadian Air Gunners in our room. They’re a disgusting, wide-mouthed crowd – we’re all fed up with them. Afraid they’re not very good “Ambassadors of Canada” Moffat, my A/G is a Canadian, too, but he’s quite a different chap – very keen on his job and a real nice fellow, - a lanky, bronzed and handsome “cowboy” type – the sort of Canadian you read about but
[page break]
[underlined] 5 [/underlined]
seldom see! We had some Yanks in [inserted] our room [/inserted] a while back & they were even more revolting. It’s very disturbing to [deleted] think [/deleted] wonder if these are a fair sample of American & Canadian manhood just what hope we have of building a new world. I sincerely hope our Allies have something better than that exhibited over here.
I havn’t [sic] been able to get to Lower Heyford lately. I was asked down to a Christmas Party last night but couldn’t make it
I’ve piles of letters ought to be written so must get cracking. If I havn’t [sic] chance again before Christmas I’ll wish you all a happy one now. You’ll be very quiet won’t you – just 3 of you. Well I’ll be thinking about you – there in spirit!!! (By the way what “Charlie” do you mean?)
[page break]
Remember me to Isobel if you see her. I expect David will be coming up. Tell him from me he’s a lucky ‘erb! Maybe I’ll be dishing out the Waaf’s Christmas Pud on Xmas day!! Imagine it!!
Will try to write again before Christmas.
Love to all of you
[underlined] Bill [/underlined] x
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
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother and all
Description
An account of the resource
Bill thanks them all for the parcel which included pyjamas, a cake, a carrot and notepaper and envelopes.
They have been working very hard and have managed to get a day off tomorrow. Expecting to go into Oxford and go to a theatre in the evening.
The landing field at Upper Heyford is now unsafe, so they have had to the satellite station at Hinton in the Hedges. This has made the chasing about even worse.
Most of the Christmas activities planned seem to involve drinking, so Bill is not looking forward to that side of it. He mentions that there are some other men who he gets on with - 'nice chaps', but there are also some very loud Canadians and Americans. Most of the Canadians are not like this at all.
Sends Christmas greetings in case not able to write again.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-12-18
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
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Six page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]421218
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
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Oxfordshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
aircrew
military living conditions
military service conditions
RAF Upper Heyford
training
-
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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
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
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
2017-12-04
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.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
underlined] Sun [/underlined] 27.12.42.
[underlined] Heyford [/underlined]
Dear Mum,
Now that Christmas has come & gone there seem to be more letters than ever to write! I got yours of the 24th today as well as one from Miss Mary enclosing a card from her friends in Reading where I used to go (I hope to get to Reading again while I’m here do you still know Joan Reeson’s address?) and a letter from Mr. Sunman. Couldn’t think [underlined] who [/underlined] the Mary was at L’pool. I think it must be Miss Mary Newbone I knew in London & met again on the way to W. Freugh. I got Harry’s letter & the present on the 23rd. They’re nice hankies & it was good of them to use up [underlined] more [/underlined] coupons on me. On the 23rd also I got 2 parcels from
[page break]
[underlined] 2 [/underlined]
Kelsey – a lovely cake, chocolate & chocolate biscuits from Auntie and a Country book from Phyllis. On Christmas Day I got the R.T.G’s card. I suppose you saw it. I think it’s a very good idea for a present. If you didn’t [inserted] see it [/inserted] it was a “Book Token Stamp” a 3/6 stamp you can exchange for a book at most Bookshops. There are some books I’d like in Oxford. Also on the 25th a Greetings Telegramme [sic] from the Iliffes and a letter from Joyce and Harry Thats [sic] about the lot in the Mail line – except for [deleted] you [/deleted] mums & Mary’s letters
But I’ve had a marvellous Christmas, thanks to some [underlined] very [/underlined] good friends. They really are the grandest folks. It was just like being at home. They made
[page break]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined]
me feel I really belonged.
On Monday we saw the camp Panto. It was very good indeed – all the actors were from the station. Christmas Eve I was down for flying but it was scrubbed so 2 of us biked into Bicester – the nearest town – in the afternoon & bought some apples, cigs for the boys & had something to eat. We went to the Pictures in camp & saw a very good film “The Young Mr. Pitt” (He was the “Churchill” who fought Napoleon) at night. Went to bed early but soon got roused again so got up & cleaned buttons &c till 2 a.m. Got up 7.45 & scrambled for breakfast – quite good an [underlined] EGG [/underlined]!!! Later in the morning I biked down to Lower H. & found the Bates still busy at the bakehouse & on the
[page break]
4
rounds. So I joined Sgt. Hughes & his 3 youngsters who were busy making [deleted] toy [/deleted] model aeroplanes.
I joined the Bates’s for dinner. What a dinner. [underlined] Nearly [/underlined] as good as my mother could cook – Great leg of goose, sprouts, &c &c, plum pud, mince pies.
After dinner the party began. Sgt Hughes & Mrs Hughes came in with Alan & Jean (Michael being out in the pram) Len Bates collected his friend Harold. Sgt Harding turned up (he couldn’t get to dinner as he had to wait on the Erks at Hinton) & of course the [sic] was Mr. & Mrs Bates & Enid. We played the most riotous games – everybody romping round, & all [deleted] had a [/deleted] sat down to a great big tea, & carried on with [underlined] more [/underlined] games – supper & still more games til 12.30. I went round with Mr. Bates & Len to mix the dough after tea.
[page break]
[underlined] 5 [/underlined]
The youngsters of course went to bed before then. They had dragged me out to join in a Charade with Enid, Len, Harold, Alan & Jean, & were so pleased that I thought we were never going to stop doing Charades with me as producer & principal part. You should have seen me in a short skirt, trousers rolled up, umbrellas, hats &c as Grandma!! Then I did a ghost which made Alan – who’s only nine have a dream & sleepwalk when he got to bed!! What an uproar but I did enjoy it. They wanted Mr. Harding & I to stay overnight but we both had bikes & it was a fine night so we returned to camp where there was [underlined] plenty [/underlined] happening. The whole place sort of steamed & beer fumes hit you before you got there. There was a dance in the Naafi. In my room everyone was in bed after spending a very sober time playing “monopoly” all day. The Canadians have found
[page break]
[underlined] 6 [/underlined]
another room I’m glad to say. The lads really are a decent crowd & I was sorry to think they’d had such a dismal time when I’d been so well done to. They’d had an awful queue & rush for dinner which was small (& they weren’t sure what it was they’d had) & there had been no tea or sugar.
On Boxing Day I woke up at 20 to 10 to find everybody still asleep so we slept on til 11!! Had quite a good dinner & then got on my bike & went for a long ride. The Bates had asked me to go to tea again. I really felt I shouldn’t but they just wouldn’t hear of my not doing so we had another lively evening with more games & more tucking in at a great home cured ham for supper. It was a treat. Poor Enid (“Miss Bunn”) was rather jealous when Len invited Harold’s sister along!! She reminded me ever so much of Isobel.
[page break]
7
By 11.30 that night I think there was no game from “Oranges & Lemons” to “Murders” that we hadn’t played.
Night flying’s out of the question tonight so I shall get to chapel O.K. & will be expected there again. I hope Bill Harding can get. He’s a wonderful pianist, and we had no time for singing on Christmas and Boxing Day. Must go now or I’ll be late.
[underlined] MONDAY [/underlined] Went to the Bates’s again after chapel last night. Really feel I shouldn’t go so often but they won’t hear of my not going and make me feel really at home. They’re such a homely lot of folks. They’re having a party on Wednesday and are anxious for me to go again but of course I can’t be sure of getting. Sgt. Harding turned up last night having just heard that he’d become a father on Christmas day. He’s a
[page break]
[underlined] 8 [/underlined]
grand chap.
So you see in spite of all I’ve had a very, very happy Christmas. At camp things were dreadful. It didn’t seem like the same world after the home life at Lower H. I’m glad I got out of it. Anybody who didn’t drink had a miserable time of it. The trouble is that it’s encouraged & catered for so sober men – or women – were quite a novelty – You weren’t enjoying yourself unless you were reeling!
We were all amused about the Ities prisoners idea about the war being over. I expect they’re not particularly anxious to get much work done but if they can manage the carrots it will be something. How many have you got? I expect there’ll be somebody in charge.
However did Nipper manage to get home with all that lot?
[page break]
9
Talk about Santa Claus!!
I went to Oxford on my day off with a B. Aimer. It poured with rain & the place was packed – couldn’t get [underlined] near [/underlined] the shops. On [deleted] Monday [/deleted] Tuesday had a pleasant surprise when our crew was given [underlined] another [/underlined] day off! I just went for a ride into Bicester in the afternoon.
I don’t know quite how Isobel can be [underlined] getting [/underlined] fat!!
Expect David will be up. Don’t suppose he’d been home long when Mary called. Havn’t [sic] had a letter from him for a long while.
We moved into the Operational Flights yesterday. We should be finished here in about 6 – 8 weeks. I shall be glad. I’ve the worst part of the whole training ahead and bad weather in store too I expect. Still, I’d sooner have bad weather now than on the
[page break]
Squadron.
I’ll try to get my [deleted] laundry off [/deleted] dirty clothes of [sic] today. There may be some extra as I couldn’t get them to the Laundry.
Also enclosing £5.
We’re trying to get a 48. But as we get some lectures for 3 weeks there’ll be none til then & then I expect we’ll get it in crews & ours is at the bottom of the list. Anyway I’ll be hoping to see you all as soon as possible. A number of lads dodged of [sic] home on bikes, or in civvies or even forged permission to travel!! But the risk really wouldn’t be worth while as I’d got such good friends looking after me.
Love to all of you
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
P.S. Where shall I write to the R.T.G’s to thank them?
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
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill writes after Christmas, relating the cards he received and all that happened to him. Everything went very well: he went to camp pantomime and cinema just before Christmas and spent Christmas Day at his friends' house in Lower Heyford. He describes the dinner, company and games. The fun he had contrasted sharply with the men at base, where they either got drunk or played Monopoly. Had a long lie-in on Boxing Day.
Have just been moved in operational flights and should be finished in 6-8 weeks.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-12-27
1942-12-28
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Ten page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]421227
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
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Oxfordshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
entertainment
military living conditions
military service conditions
Navy, Army and Air Force Institute
RAF Upper Heyford
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/834/18749/MGeachDG1394781-160401-06.1.pdf
ca98f1b8b466efa09ded2313b64ec41b
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
Geach, David
D Geach
Description
An account of the resource
<a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/218400/"></a>52 items. The collection concerns Warrant Officer David Geach (1394781 Royal Air Force) and contains his diaries, correspondence, photographs of his crew, his log book, cuttings and items relating to being a prisoner of war. After training in Canada, he flew operations as a bomb aimer with 623 and 115 Squadrons until he was shot down 24 March 1944 and became a prisoner of war. He was instrumental in erecting a memorial plaque to the Air Crew Reception Centre at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. <br />The collection also contains a scrap book of photographs.<br /><br />Additional information on his crew is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/218400/">IBCC Losses Database.</a><br /><br />The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Harry Wilkins 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
2016-03-14
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.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Geach, DG
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
DAFOE Harry
DIGEST
[Picture of an aircraft]
NO. 5 B & G SCHOOL – DAFOE
‘XMAS [RAF Crest] 1942
[Page break]
[Boxed] A Word from the Editor
We present for your approval, the first issue of DAFOE DIGEST. Before you start to read it, may we take time to explain to you something of the policy of this issue.
It is intended that this shall be a monthly publication, and in this, our first issue, we have made an attempt to give you a general introduction to our station. You will find herein a report from almost every section on the Station. We have made an attempt to make these reports general so they will act as an introduction. Naturally this procedure could not be continued in future issues, so it is our intention that, from now on, the news will be more current and personal.
We would like to thank our Commanding Officer, Wing Commander P.W. Lowe-Holmes for his gracious patronage; LAC Morrison for his fine work in designing our first cover and each and every one of those who have contributed to this issue.
In closing, might we take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and may the new year bring Victory and Peace, so that we all may soon be home with our loved ones. [/boxed]
[Page break]
THE DAFOE DIGEST
Published by the Kind Permission of our Commanding Officer, Wing Commander P. W. Lowe-Holmes.
Managing Editor – TOM MacDONALD, (Y.M.C.A.)
Associate Editors
F/L E.N. MORRISON
F/L/ J.M. CRUISE
F/O H. WAUGH
F/O E.E. McCALLUM
P/O W.L. JONES
P/O I.F. LUMA
Art Editor
LAC W.H. MORRISON
Photographers
F/S E.R. BARRETT
SGT. R.K. ARNOTT
Circulation Manager
F/L W.H. DUNPHY
VOLUME 1 – NO. 1 DECEMBER, 1942
Commanding Officers Message … 4
Headquarters … 5
Accounts Section … 6
Station Hospital … 7
The Wireless Operator Air Gunner … 8
Small Canteen … 10
Fire Hall … 11
Dental Clinic … 12
Handing Over Ceremony … 13
Air Bombers … 16
Station Workshops … 17
A Message from the Padres … 18
Works and Buildings … 19
The Gremlins at Dafoe … 20
The Control Tower … 21
A Note from the W.D.s … 22
Introduction from the Parachute Section … 23
Equipment Section … 26
Y.M.C.A. … 18
R.C.A.S.C. … 29
Sports Headlines … 30
Gunnery Flight … 32
Bombing Flight … 33
Drogue Flight … 33
Wireless Section … 34
Trophy Winners … 35
Beneath the Southern Cross … 36
Airmen’s Mess … 38
From the Education Office … 39
M.T. Section … 40
Maintenance … 41
Photographic Section … 42
M.P.O. 1206 … 43
Security Guard … 44
Chronological Summary … 45
Bust Road Incident … 46
Aussie Doings … 48
[Page break]
4 THE DAFOE DIGEST
[Boxed] Commanding Officer’s Message
[Photograph] Wing Commander P.W. Lowe-Holmes
I hope this magazine will be read in many homes and in different parts of the world. Its production is a triumph and a good indication of industry and ingenuity on the part of the editorial staff.
If this magazine gets the support it merits, regular monthly issues are contemplated.
A Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year to all at Dafoe.
[Signature] [/boxed]
[Page break]
THE DAFOE DIGEST 5
Headquarters’ High-Pressure
By Foreign (Eastern Canadian) Correspondent
“Exigencies of the Service” (and in particular this publication) seem to demand that Station Headquarters (Administrative, of course) be subjected to the doubtful advantages of being verbally pictured. Notwithstanding the opinions of some of the inhabitants (natives) of that lofty seat of decision, however, it is felt that the consummation of any such dali-ish inclinations would be utter nausea. However, to the infernal glorification of Building No. 1, No. 5 B. & G.S., as well as for the consumption of the more hardy of our readers (if any), we shudderingly tender this boring epistle.
Headquarters is, in its better moments looked upon by the remainder of the Station as the “ne plus ultra” in information bureaus. Regardless of the remote logic by which any problem is related to administrative matters, it seems inevitable that the matter finally devolves into the wastebasket, or onto the desk of, one of the satellites or lesser constellations in H.Q.
In particular however, this thesis will deal with what the Orderly Room, Records Branch and Central Registry, in particular are responsible (used under advisement) for. It is not to be interpreted as meaning that we actually do these things. And so in reverse order ….
Central Registry—The Nervous Centre of the Station
This doubtfully reasonable facsimile of an office-boy’s desk in any good civilian firm is our mailing department. Through its devious channels pass the frenzied outpourings (reduced, of course to mere words) of staff officers and A C 2’s alike. Everything from the crisply official “envelopes, manilla, O.H.M.S., R.C.A.F.,” to those smoking “billets d’amour” penned by the more sentimental of our personnel, are accorded the best of receptions by our clerks. In addition they are more or less employed otherwise in everything from juggling the stamp account to the satisfaction of our Accounts Section, to the handling (and mishandling) of those peculiar collections of typescript, manuscript and just plain script which fall within the categorization of the Station filing system. Reputedly, our staff can locate, within a matter of mere days usually, everything from the last Inspector-General’s Report to the application that A C 2 Jerk J. made for a sleeping-our pass that wasn’t granted. (N.B. – It might be well to mention that, to obviate anyone interpreting this to mean that we are in possession of a select bunch of “meanies” making decisions, A C 2 Jerk was refused such pass on the technical grounds that he was not, as yet, possessed of the necessary adjunct, to wit, a wife and/or family). The staff of this most prominent section of our fair organization comprises, at the moment, Miss M.E. (Billie) Howard of Lanigan, Sask. (to whom congratulations are in order on her imminent marriage); L.A.W., E.J.N. (Emily) White of Saskatoon and A.W.2 J.G.P. (Julia) Maffett of Regina and New Brunswick.
And so we leave C.R., with its waving palm trees and the myriad morasses of mail and memos, and continue our H.Q. travelogue in the direction of---
Records Branch—the Gestapo of Dafoe
Our “F.B.I.” as personified by the Records Branch, is responsible for and does (to some small extent at least) maintain a complete (much to some people’s disgust and regret) record of all and any personnel on the Station. So complete are these records that our F.L. McBeth , at the recent series of Officers’ and N.C.O.’s Administrative lectures, was prompted to remark that “I sometimes marvel at the way some
(Continued on Page 14)
[Page break]
6 THE DAFOE DIGEST
Accounts Section
By Sgt. O’Leary
[Photograph of a group of men and women in uniform]
Two years ago great minds (if there were any) gathered together on a wind-swept, desolate, alkali part of the earth which has oft been spoken of as “God’s Country” (Bless the Indians!) It is said that they had a great star to guide them, but alas, these wise men for they must have been wise men, were also good men and it is said of the good that unto them no harm must come (such as being posted to Dafoe).
These wise men had – CENSORED – and thus was formed what was destined to become one of the most sought out, most popular (we have fourteen W.D.’s and Miss Evelyn White) sections on this Station, namely the Accounts Section. Perhaps some of you have never heard of us, if not, you are invited to attend our family get togethers – we usually have (at least) two a month. All that is required from you is your number, rank and name, and here, so help us, is a plug – NUMBER – RANK – NAME.
Enough of this, let’s face facts and write something. We could tell you all about our W.D.’s but you would not be interested. “What’s that; Ha! Ha! Yes, we guess you could tell us about them PERIOD. Anyway we will gladly give you their number if it is requested.
Of late the Accounts Section had been denuded of males. There are only six left and God knows they are not the best examples of the “Atlas type”. The current boys are Squadron Leader Broughton, late of C.N.S. Rivers; Flying Officer Moffatt (who luckily escaped with his life from a harrowing experience and whose heart now “pants” when stepping to and from taxi cabs); Flight Sergeant Hamilton (claims he is from Canada – wherever that is); Sgt. Pattinson, a drip of scotch, pardon that slip, we meant drop; Sgt. Joseph Bruno, Felix, Leonide, Chretien, Free Irish; and last and least, Sgt. O’Leary, French Sinn Feiner.
We are just recovering from the loss of a very wonderful personality, namely, Flight Lieutenant Jim (to his friends) Morton. He was a real good egg and you know how short we are of those these days. With Flight Lieutenant Morton we also lost Pilot Officer Norman, R.A.F., who came all the way from England to see Dafoe. He has now returned to his native haunts (I hope not).
SEE YOU PAY DAY
[Page break]
THE DAFOE DIGEST 7
Station Hospital
[Photograph of men and women, some in medical uniform]
The Station Hospital thrives and expands in importance under the able guidance of S/L R.N. Lawson (the well known hunter), Fl/Lt. W.J. Boyd (Smiling Bill), and Fl/Lt. A. Paterson (also known as the Station Vet). We see everybody come and go – shades of inoculations and blood groupings.
Admissions are duly recorded by F/S G.A. Glacken, and then received in the ward by our ever smiling Nursing Sisters, Ruby McSorley and Violet Taylor. It’s amazing how we ever manage to get anyone out of the Hospital. Since the last issue of this magazine the Hospital along with all other sections, has been improved by the arrival of the W.D.’s. Were they received with open arms? Incidentally they still are by many.
The Hospital is proud of its record and has established quite a reputation among other Air Force Hospitals. In the past month, we have been “At Home” to thirty five M.O.’s from other stations. Their greatest source of wonderment is “How and where does Dafoe get all the equipment?” Fellow M.O.’s at other stations, that’s a deep dark secret. Personally the writer thinks the explanation lies in the fact that when S/L Lawson begins talking and explaining why he needs something, the easy way out is to give it to him. You’ve heard the saying about “talking the hair off a brass monkey” but maybe that’s getting personal.
Here in the hospital we find the real inside life of a person; more heart moving love scenes, usually during visiting hours, and the cranky obstinate scenes in the early morning hours, during which many a true confession is told, would if published in book form, reap a fortune.
The important folk in the hospital, however, are the patients and they’re the best in the world. We can’t avoid mention of LAC’s Ron Ward and Mike Bowen, now of International reputation. They have given us all a lesson on ”How to take it”, during the past four months. However they’ll soon be up and around. LAC Harris was also part of the inventory for five months, and tho he has now left the service, we still think of him as one of us. Good luck Gordie! We hope you like that old job again.
What about the Staff you ask? Now you should know them well, but for those unfortunate healthies who are uniformed, here’s the roster –
S/L Lawson – “Curly” to his intimates, and the best scrounger in the service. Must be related to Frank Buck, if it’s not fastened down, he’ll bring it back. Mayor of Boom Town for 19 months.
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8 THE DAFOE DIGEST
F/Lt. Boyd – What a “cutter upper” is Willie James! He’s always ready to operate but don’t mention “open house” to him. Fond of ice cream – known in the mess as “Three Scoop Willie”.
F/Lt. Paterson – The red haired California Scotchman who can cure anything from the left front radius of a canine to the exhuberations of a canary. Good old “Pat” lends his ready wit and genial personality to all station social do’s.
N/S McSorley – “Our Ruby” the brightest jewel in our crown. Never knows when to stop working and represents the acme of her profession.
N/S Taylor – Hi, Vi! Why are you so damn good looking! When you arrived, the wolves were at once on the prowl, but “Frankly” they hadn’t a chance.
F/S Glacken – He maintains the orderly room in peace and quietness, or what do you think? We’ll never know why it is called the “orderly room”.
Sgt. Cullen – In our dispensary you will find him there to fill your wants in the way of pills and potions. Specially fond of canaries.
Sgt. Mason – To whom we bid welcome, is a little too good looking to have control of the W.D.’s.
Cpl. Hedderson – Will see through you so don’t try pulling the wool over his eyes.
Cpl. Henley - The best “all round” cook, we know. There’s only one answer to the question, “where are the best meals served on the station”.
Cpl. Paddle – Who said those night slippers of yours were “Sneakers”?
LAC Marshall – “What attraction does the Linen cupboard hold, Marsh”? As a suggestion an armchair might be an asset.
Cpl. Cook – A flip to Regina was bad enough, but woe, what about T.C.A. to Vancouver, you can’t take a bus back this time.
LAC Kells – Music may soothe the savage beasts, but not the patients at 6 a.m.
AC2 Beaulieu – Welcome, hope you’ll like us as well as Yorkton.
AW1 Farmer – If she doesn’t want to walk someone will always “Wheeler”.
LAW Simpson – With all these late passes could it be that our school ma’am is tutoring a certain S.P (that does not mean Sergeant Pilot).
LAW Farrell – Good at her trade, but rumours say that she would be a much better street-car conductor. (Re Bessborough Hotel).
LAW Schwengers – The blonde bomber – where’d you get that hair-do Kay?
LAW Sinclair – “The Belle of Foam Lake” – with Winnie on duty there is never a dull moment.
LAW Winnik – “An unco-operative patient” but a good hospital assistant.
LAW Sneddon – Since her drill test she’s even changing beds by numbers.
AW1 McDowall – Code and cipher will be a cinch after trying to fathom our treatment book.
AW1 Cassidy – Rather funny a red head hooks up with the fire department.
AW1 Morgan – Yes she really is alive, just drop in to a W.D.’s dance for verification.
AW1 Cohen – When the cat’s away the mice will play – or do their damndest – what about it Nat?
LAW Gaucher – Our little man hater, but why all those tears after your 48’s.
LAC Stewart – Methodical “Stew” but really a whizz with the women.
The Wireless Operator Air Gunners
Ever since the first Course of W.O.A.G.’s arrived at this station early in 1941 there have always been a number of these students in and around G.I.S. The eager attitude of the average WAG is easily explained. After long months of guard duty or its equivalent and still longer months of training at a Wireless School these airmen come
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 9
[Drawing of a Wireless Operator]
to No. 5 for the last lap – at the end of which come the wings and hooks to indicate that the trainee is ready for advanced or operational training. This enviable reward is handed out by the Commanding Officer at the end of the course.
What about a glimpse at an average day of an average WAG during his stay at No. 5? First of all there is the little item of getting up, cleaning up and filling up. After breakfast we SHOULD find our hero on morning G.I.S. parade where after a spot of P.T. his Course Leader will suggest that lectures are in order. During the next two hours Willie Wag may be in his own classroom hearing the inside story on turrets or Brownings or pyrotechnics or angles of deflection or points of harmonization or something. Only with the super-student are all of these topics dealt with at the same time. It is now the third hour of the umpteenth day of our WAG and very likely he is in the dark – physically of course – studying the humps and bumps of certain aircraft so that he will not shoot down more than his quota of allied planes. Rumor [sic] has it that mistakes in recognition are frowned upon in operations so Willie is wide awake in the dark. To finish off the morning in a profitable way the student will likely do some Morse – just to keep up his terrific speed against the day when the examination comes along.
In the afternoon of your average day Mr Wag is slated to fly and so reports at 1300 hours to the Gunnery Flight. He dons flying clothes from boots to helmet, draws a parachute and harness signs for a few hundred rounds of ammunition and awaits orders from ‘Pat’ Despatcher. Presently Willie is airborn [sic] along with Bolingbroke, a pilot, other classmates, a turret and plenty of ammunition. During the next few hours our trainee is shooting the drogue full of holes (he hopes) while learning some of the tricks in loading, handling and clearing Brownings in sub zero weather while travelling at a high rate of speed in a turret that is not winterized. Ask Willie, he knows. Well after defrosting and having a smoke the young hopeful may go up for another exercise to finish off the afternoon. After all, his stay is short and most evenings are spent with the one hundred and nineteen pieces of the Browning. And so to bed.
Of course our typical day couldn’t include everything. During his Couse the trainee is destined to spend many hours manipulating the different types of turrets – the types he will use overseas. Still further he will find his way to the ranges a few times during his stay at No. 5. At these points he will learn the fine old art of gun cleaning as well as firing many hundreds of rounds from turrets. Seriously, Willie is convinced that in operations the serviceability of his guns that counts the most. He should know more about his guns than any other person on the squadron.
And so the Wireless Operator Air Gunners are trained for a highly specialized job in which there is practically no room for errors. G.I.S. handles all of this training except the air exercises and puts forth every effort to give the trainee what he will need most in operations. Good luck to you, Willie Wag, and to all your brothers in aircrew.
o o o
M.O. – The best thing you can do is give up smoking, drinking and women.
AC2 PATIENT – What’s the next best thing?
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10 THE DAFOE DIGEST
Small Canteen
[Photograph of an eating area with tables and chairs]
The Small Canteen offers you a comfortable homelike atmosphere in which you may work or play. It is conveniently located and well furnished with writing desks, armchairs, piano, radio, rugs and numerous reading lamps as well as an open fire place which makes it a popular place in the evenings.
It is the headquarters of the YMCA which organization contributes greatly to the welfare of the men by placing writing material and library facilities at their disposal.
The Small Canteen also harbours the offices of the Chaplains; the “Y” Supervisor and the Educational Officers. These people are always ready and eager to help you. Get to know these fellows as it will help to make your stay at Dafoe more pleasant. Let us briefly introduce them to you. First we have Father Dunphy, a jovial good natured fellow who is a tonic for depressed spirits. He has a way of making one see the bright side of the picture, and rumour has it that he is an expert on matters pertaining to the fuel supply. Then we have Padre Morrison, a serious but kind and friendly fellow. He has been an AC2 and through his wealth of experience in the service can offer words of advice to you who are new. He is the steadying influence in the Small Canteen. Next we have F/O Brown, the educational officer. Bill is a great fellow; an allround athlete and a great teacher. He is always ready to chat with you and to discuss your problems of remustering and further education. Education is important. Get to know F/O Brown. We know that Bill has only one vice and that against justice for he once stole spuds from F/O Carr’s potato patch and loaded them into the “shirts” car. Since the day that the educational officer took over his duties here, the work has expanded greatly and today we find two educational officers. The new arrival, Pilot Officer Jones is a great asset to this work. We all think
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 11
that he is a great lad. He is really fitting in well and Bill Brown says that he is OK. Assisting in some of the clerical work is our little WD; LAW Pope. Winnie, apart from her work with the library, helps the educational officers; the padres and even Tom. Gee, Father Dunphy got a surprise the day Winnie arrived. He had not met her at the time, but Tom told him that Pope had arrived. He replied “from Rome?”
Now we come to Tom McDonald, the “Y” supervisor. Tom is a happy fellow and his good humour is contagious. Many of the boys say that he is always ready to laugh at their troubles, and strange to say, Tom has the cure for many of them. Tom tries to stay well within the law, but once he went a-shooting and got caught. (S/L Lawson can explain.) His happy disposition stands him well in his present occupation and we do not hesitate to say that Tom is one of the best supervisors that can be found anywhere. (Of course they are few Pat).
Now fellows you will see why we suggest that you get acquainted with the Small Canteen and its personnel. Make it your headquarters for letter writing, study and reading and also for meeting your friends in the evening.
Merry Xmas from the Small Canteen and come to our Xmas party. We almost forgot to say we have one of the best care takers on the whole camp. Good old Alex.
FIRE HALL
What goes on behind the scenes in a fire fighter’s life is very seldom known to the public. Here is a general idea of what a fire fighter has to do and what is expected of him at Dafoe.
First, they have some 50 odd buildings and 650 pieces of fire equipment to inspect and maintain daily.
Second, they have to drill the fire picquet daily in ladder and hose drill and instruct them in the use of all fire equipment.
Third, they have to instruct all service and civilian personnel on the station I the use of all fire equipment.
Fourth, they have to have their own drills three times a week and five lectures a week on fire prevention and fire fighting.
Fifth, they have the job of training the crash crew in the use of the equipment on the crash tenders and what to do when a crash occurs.
Sixth, they have to see that al fire orders are adhered to and the everlasting job of teaching and fire prevention.
Then to top it all off they have the job of protecting our neighboring city known as Boom Town and see that the airmen’s families are not burned out of house and home. A fire fighter has to be on duty 24 hours a day, whether he plays cards or fights fires. Fire waits for no man.
We also have the job of making the ice for the winter sports so that the lads who have their days work finished can enjoy themselves while the lads whom they have so often criticized for being lazy are on duty waiting for the every lurking enemy FIRE.
So wouldn’t some of you lads like to be a fire fighter so that you can get up out of your nice warm beds and help us slug lines of frozen hose around.
Granted it has never happened here but it CAN happen, so all we have to do is keep our vigilance in fire prevention and don’t take any chances with fire.
Thanks, lads and girls, for your co-operation, and in keeping down the fire loss at this station. As you all know, we can protect ourselves from an enemy we can see, but we cannot from one we can’t see and never know when and where he is going to strike next.
F/S J. Weibe, Fire Chief.
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12 THE DAFOE DIGEST
The Dental Clinic
[Photograph of a dental consultation]
The Dental Clinic at No.5 B & G. School, is staffed by two operators, Captain Neptune, Officer in Charge, Captain Shapera, two N.C.O. chair assistants, and an orderly.
The main objective at the clinic is to have every man, who is posted overseas, 100 per cent dentally fit. It is of prime importance that Air Crew arrive overseas with no dental trouble.
Emergency work is given prompt attention and we want the personnel of the station to feel free to come to the Clinic at any time for dental treatment.
The Clinic appreciates the whole-hearted co-operation received, and while it is the last place anyone usually wants to visit, the personnel, on the whole, have been excellent patients.
Wea re proud of our equipment and supplies, and we are glad to render dental service to the R.C.A.F.
We take this opportunity of impressing on the personnel the importance of reporting to the Clinic at the first sign of sore or bleeding gums.
THE ARMAMENT SECTION
Greetings from the Armament Section! Here is a hard working group of airmen who are making an indispensable contribution to the whole training programme of the station. They are few in number but are doing a big job. Consider the guns, ammunition, bombs, pyrotechnics and other highly specialized items of armament equipment required at a school of this nature, and you will appreciate something of the task that is theirs.
Located in Gunnery Hangar, you will find the section a most interesting and friendly one to visit. Flight Sergeant Cook is in charge, and is ably assisted by a very fine staff of Armourers (Bombs) and Armourers (Guns). Cpl. Ritchie supervises all machine gun repairs and the cleaning of guns and equipment. An expert with factory experience, LAC Stewart looks after the power-operated turrets that are mounted in the gunnery slips. Cpl. Hamm on the bombing line supervises the fusing and inspection of the practise bombs before having them attached to the carriers.
Much could be said in regard to the work of our sections; still more about the men who perform its varied tasks, but this will be enough to show something of its interest and importance on the station. To the Commanding Officer and all personnel of No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School we of the armament section extend heartiest wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 13
Handing Over Ceremony
[Two photographs of a senior officer in uniform]
On Saturday, August the First, 1942 an event of importance in the history of No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School took place. On the Parade Square in the presence of all station personnel, Group Captain, R.A. Delhaye, D.F.C.; the Commanding Officer from the inception of the station, handed over to Wing Commander P.W. Lowe-Holmes, the new Commanding Officer, the responsibility of command.
[Photograph of three men in uniform, one signing a document]
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14 THE DAFOE DIGEST
Headquarters High-Pressure (Cont’d)
people conduct themselves, knowing full well that their every action, you might say, good or bad, is kept track of …”.
Paramount among such responsibilities are the handlings of leaves, promotions, remusterings, reclassifications, the maintenance of documents, etc. to say nothing of such distasteful tasks as transcribing conduct sheet entries and making “logging” entries for our wayward ones.
In general Records Branch can be entombed with the blame for anything from not getting a leave pass signed to being late in the delivery of clearance certificates when, and if, some fortunate member of our happy family obtains his parole.
To make this brief story even briefer, Records’ motto is deigned to fill the bill: “If it was done, and you did it, we know it; and if it wasn’t done, we did it!”
Noted among the unfortunate presently penned into this portion of petrified prairie are: Cpl. P.E. (Ed or Pudge) Winott of Kingston, N.S.; AW1 M.F. (Marg) Sager of Saskatoon and Chilliwack, B.C.; AW2 W.M. (Wendy – no relation to Peter Pan) Dalzell of Montreal, Que. and our recent addition Miss U.B. (Ulah) Beaton of Viscount and Humbolt.
But time is short – and this column should be shorter (regrets, gentle reader) so we doff our parkas, eskimo-suits and hand-chewed moccasins and in a respectful slow march bid a fond farewell to “Records” (Phone 4 r 2). Leaving the land of the Midnight Oil behind us we journey far and across the Trans-Headquarters highway to our mecca ….
The Orderly Room
(Any similarity between this and the normal interpretation of “orderly” is purely – we mean it – co-incidental).
“Never in the history of human endeavour have so many been browbeaten so much by so few”. (Except, perhaps, in the gl-l-l-lorious Third Reich)
Anyhow, this might well be a direct quotation from, say, Maintenance or Training Wing or, for that matter any section of the Station when Headquarters O.R. “goes off the deep end” so often as they opine.
Actually, we are a very nice bunch of people, broadly considered.
Unfortunately, however, a sad fate inevitably befalls Orderly Rooms as a whole and in particular, Headquarters’. We are the Charlie McCarthy’s on the knees of the powers-that-be. It matters naught what normal reactions are, but H.Q.O.R. has a positively amazing faculty for getting inundated with the blame for any apparently “radical” idea that first sees the light of day in, or around, Station Headquarters.
As a note of explanation to those unfortunates who have, from time to time, found it necessary to make personal appearances in what is usually a fruitless endeavour to straighten out some “little” point, we would offer these few “bon mots”. In other words, it is wellnigh impossible for Headquarters Orderly Room to predict D.A.P.S. on matters of postings, promotions, remusterings, etc.; therefore, it will be appreciated that we cannot possibly KNOW:
IF your application for compassionate (passionate) posting to … (CENSORED) has been approved,
IF we are going to get special leave to celebrate the advent of the fifteen year locusts,
IF there is any truth in the rumour that we are commencing the New Year, to get a forty-eight and a seventy-two each week, with Saturdays and Sundays off,
IF, when the weather gets colder, as it does in this province in January and February, we are going to be issued with electrically heated blankets made into parkas for the convenience of runners, etc. (For this one we would refer you to the Equipment Section).
IF it is true that the government is paying a bounty on all members of the Service who want to get married (with or without permission).
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 15
However, if you want to know anything about anything, everything, or nothing, ask the Headquarters Orderly Room – you will always get an answer correct or incorrect, civil or profane, but we will never give an answer that can be quoted as an authority.
Nevertheless (and vide para so-and-so above) we are, as noted, a “by-and-large” nice bunch of idiots. Noted among this collection are the following: WO2 R.B. (R.B.) Eaton of Winnipeg and the Coast; Sgt. K.M. (Morg) Morgan of Ottawa, Canada; LAC L.A. (Lorne) Wood of Biggar, Sask., (Native); LAW E.P. (Drunkard) Bible of Edmonton; AW1 M. (Green-eyes) Carlisle of Wapella, Sask.; AW2 A.J. (Jean) Hamilton of South Devon, N.B.; and Miss H.P. (Helen) Putnam of Watson, Sask., (‘nother native).
Let that, in itself, suffice to introduce you briefly to the H.Q.O.R. – and since we will not want to linger any longer than necessary – we will, hurriedly, bid the joint a fond farewell.
And now, last but not least, to our outside offices – and out best (?) publicists ….
The Runners!
Anyone who is anyone around Dafoe, and who has their eyes open cannot but have noted our “ripper-arounders”. At present (and this is subject to change without notice – courtesy of the Priorities Board) we have, numbered among these, LAW V. (Vern) Farrow of Toronto, Ont.; AW1 A.E. (Hey you!) Knight of Swift Current, Sask.; and AW1 D.R. (Newfie) Young of - well, you guess! Although we could go into the utmost of detail concerning the varied and diverse duties of our “runners” (or walkers, as it seems) suffice to say that their major accomplishments to date has been “Newfie’s” incomparable knack for winning when it comes to flipping quarters with the personnel she meets (and she meets almost everyone) along the way. For this we refer you to Flying Officer Ducharme, late of Maintenance, who, we understand, was a “plunger” and who has since retired to a quiet haven (Newfie-less) on the West Coast to drown his sorrows.
So-o-o-o-o-o, at long last, we will allow you , gentle reader, to turn the page unmolested, and depart, with the literally winged feet of Mercury from this apparently incurable bunch of maniacs who we boastfully consider as “staff”. So, with just a parting shot in the direction of our hallowed and inhumanly lucky alumni, we bid our adieus and flitter gracefully in the imaginary wings.
Noted, some time back, among us were the following who have since departed upon their ways to, we hope, bigger and better things (what am I saying?):
Cpl. Hotson, A.G. of Tavistock, Ont. – enroute (the last we heard) to an ocean rendezvous.
LAC R.F. Watson of Winnipeg – headed for a “Vulcan-izing”.
LAC R. Wragg of Oshawa, Ont. – creditors please forward all bills to Mossbank.
LAC F.A. Rodberg of Edmonton, Alta. – now helping the C.O. run the “X” (mysterious, isn’t it) Depot at Kamloops.
LAC N.E. Boyd of Toronto, Ont. – departed, the lucky stiff, to Toronto.
AW1 B.E. Martin (Sprinter) – headed for 6 “M” Depot, Toronto and the W.D. Admin Course.
AW1 P.H. Yeomans (latest departure) – for 7 “M” Depot and subsequent posting to Washington (in the interests of Pan-American unity, of course), and
Miss E.E. (Edie) Hughes – who also crossed the border enroute to middle-aisling it with S.Sgt. Pilot K.T. (Dusty) Blakely of the U.S. Army Air Corps (recently Sgt. Piot of Dafoe) at Columbia, S.C. Lotsa luck, “Porky” and congratulations.
ISN’T THAT ENOUGH MR. EDITOR? FINIS.
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16 THE DAFOE DIGEST
Air Bomber
The Aircrew is a team – a fighting group of specialists – each highly skilled in his particular job – and an important member of that team is the Air Bomber.
[Picture of an Air Bomber in his crew position]
Sometimes we here at Dafoe become wrapped up in our own particular work and do not realize that the sole purpose of this station is to turn out students who will be capable of doing their job in a bomber team overseas.
In order that we may better know our trainees’ problems, and by so doing further the value of our work here, let us follow the progress of an Air Bomber through his course at this school.
Arriving here after many weary weeks of study at Depots and I.T.S., our Air Bomber starts in at G.I.S. on the most important phase of his work, the study of the theory of bombing and the manipulation of the bombsight. Solid weeks of study – theory – problems – more theory – back to school, not interesting ‘tis true, but every Air Bomber knows that only those who have a thorough knowledge of this theory will be able to drop their bombs on their target every time.
Then to test out their new found knowledge on the bombing teacher, that marvel of wheels, gears, lights and screens that allows a student to do everything on the ground that he can do on a bombing flight except get air sick. He learns to navigate, find winds and eventually to drop bombs with deadly accuracy – all on the ground. Hour after hour, daytime and night-time our student will be found practicing on the Bombing Teacher – for he must pass all test here before he is ever allowed to go into the air.
Then the great day arrives, he is declared ready by G.I.S., and he climbs into one of our bombers for his first practice bombing run. His school work does not end here however, many hours are spent in G.I.S. with competent instructors analysing the errors he has made in the air – learning about new equipment he will eventually use overseas – bombing devices – fuses – detonators – bomb carriers – pyrotechnics and explosives. And so on through the more advanced phases of his air work, the different types of bombing, flying this morning, school this afternoon, flying tonight, school to-morrow, till he passes into the final stages of his training – gunnery.
Now more intensive ground training in G.I.S. Browning guns – the why’s and the wherefores of all its pieces – its faults and their remedies – its care and its uses. Then many hours of turret work – of firing machine guns on the ranges in the daytime and at night – and finally the student is ready for air exercises in gunnery.
And so into a turret in one of our gunnery aircraft goes our air bomber – and realises after a few tries that he still doesn’t know all there is to know about turrets, machine guns, and stoppages, and so through the various phases of his gunnery training from one kind of attack to another till he becomes a dead-eye Dick when looking at a drogue and makes the required percentage of hits to pass his gunnery course.
Meanwhile any spare time our Air Bomber might have had is used up studying aircraft recognition or practicing sending and receiving with the Aldis Lamp – all preparing for the great day of final examinations in bombing, gunnery, signals, aircraft recognition, turrets, etc. Many have fallen by the wayside at this point, but the high standard of training that No. 5 has established throughout Canada must be maintained.
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 17
At last graduation day arrives, and we no longer have a student, but a highly skilled bombardier and air gunner, ready to take his place, after further training elsewhere, as a member of a bomber crew overseas.
And as we see him receiving his graduation certificate from our Commanding Officer, we who remain here at Dafoe, cannot help but feel proud that we have all played some small part in making him better able to fight our battles for us overseas.
STATION WORKSHOPS
“We mend everything but the break of dawn”
Somewhere on this station there is an unimpressive but important building upon whose staff (existence) hangs the welfare of this training center. It is to this building that all broken parts are brought for repair. Here parts are fitted carefully together and through the untiring efforts of those who toil within are once more able to be used where they are most needed.
Let us enter the building and find out for ourselves how this important unit functions. In the north-east corner of the building there is an invaluable piece of machinery where the carpenters prepare the fundamental materials for cupboards and filing cabinets. The general shape of plywood to be used in the repair of aircraft is also cut here. The machine is known as the circular saw. Nearby is another conspicuous machine known as the jig-saw. It is indispensable because of its ability to turn out fine pieces of material with very intricate patterns. This instrument was designed and constructed at this station under the supervision of G.W. Smith who is to be recommended for his successful completion of the machine. Near the jig-saw is a small but efficient machine, the steel lathe where all the metal turning is done.
Across form this is the steel metal shop which is always busy modifying cowlings, baffle plates and other such necessary parts. Also many items of various design are modelled here and used in the aircraft for the benefit of the pilot.
In the back of the shop we find the spark plug department. This is a complete unit within itself and is separated from the rest of the shop by a small barricade. The duties of this section are to clean, repair and maintain a continuous supply of spark plugs for all aircraft.
Another self-sufficient unit found near here is the welding shop, where there are two welding outfits in continuous use. They do the work for the entire station.
Last, but not least, there is the fabric department. Like the spark plug department, it is entirely self-reliant. It is shut off from the noise and bustle of the building and performs its duties under expert leadership of the members of the Women’s Division.
And so from this center of activity comes a hearty approval of this station magazine and wish for its success in months to come.
RIFLE CLUB
No. 5 B. & G. Miniature Rifle Club is affiliated with the “Dominion Marksmen” who supply the targets, a series of proficiency pins and an “Expert Shield”.
The club was formed early this summer and the response has been very good. There are now over 100 members, including a number of W.D.’s.
Firing on our 20 yard range in Drogue hangar takes place on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Two “Spoon Shoots” are held each month, at which the members compete for sterling spoons with crests and engraving.
To date several of our members have acquired “Dominion Marksmen” proficiency pins, and two, Sgt. Ladd and LAC Chipman, have qualified for the Expert Shield which requires a score of at least 5860 out of 6000 , and must be fired from prone, sitting and standing positions.
Inter-Station competition via the postal method has been tried, the team from No. 4 S.F.T.S. proving a little too strong for our team who are now busy practicing and looking for a few more crack shots to help out in the next competition.
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18 THE DAFOE DIGEST
A Message from the Padres
H/F/L W.H. Dunphy H/F/L E.N. Morrison
“LOVE ONE ANOTHER”
With the advent of the anniversary of one of God’s great acts in the economy of Salvation, it behoves us, His Followers, to turn our hearts and our minds to a greater than ever incitation of love, one for another.
The old philosophy, “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” has been found wanting and has been supplanted with love for one another, in the coming of the new Dispensation. We, therefore, creatures of God, objects of His love, must be amiable to those who are worthy of His perfect love.
The echoes of that first Christmas chant proclaiming the coming of the New-Born King “Peace on earth to men of good will” must resound down the aisles of time and find a responsive note in our souls.
Our recent victories have come as “glad tidings of great joy” to the hearts of all sympathizers of the allied cause. With them must come the thought of the end of this conflict, Peace. And if we are to have a genuine peace we must have love; a great love; love of our enemies as well as love of friends. We, in the magnanimity of our heart, can justify this love for forgiving them “for they know not what they do.”
Thus entering upon this festive season of the year with love in our hearts, we will partake of that peace, - that old and genuine peace to men of good will.
Station Chaplains
Station Drum and Trumpet Band
[Photograph of a band with instruments in front of an aircraft]
Under the capable leadership of Drum Major J.S. Young, the station Drum and Trumpet Band, starting from scratch last July, has since developed to the point where it is decidedly a credit to our station. It is composed of 28 people. 14 of them airmen and the rest airwomen. These people were all (with the exception of the Drum Major) novices at the time of the organization of the band, and their present standard of excellence is the result of long hours of diligent practice. To the members of the band we say “Hats Off”.
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 19
Works and Building Section
[Photograph of a group of men in uniform]
The boys of the Works and Building Section are a group of highly specialized workmen under the general and able supervision of Flight Lieutenant Rogerson, Engineer in Charge.
This section is usually the “happy hunting grounds” for the scroungers of scrap lumber, paint, putty, nails, electrical equipment and the occasional borrowing of a plumber’s wrench. (When the Electricians return them).
The Tractor Operators under the capable direction of Corporal Hack are a very efficient staff. It is the duty of their section to maintain the airport roads, runways and dispose of snow which would endanger the take-off and landing of aircraft. These men also operate the crane used for handling aircraft damaged during forced landings. Corporal Hack’s men annoy him by whistling while they work. Flight Sergeant Bishop says that they just whistle.
The Carpenters Section is supervised by Flight Sergeant Bishop and Sergeant Lamothe. Under the watchful eyes of these N.C.O.’s the buildings are kept in a perfect state of repair for Officers, N.C.O.’s W.D.’s and Airmen (mostly Officers, N.C.O.’s and W.D.’s).
Paint is used extensively in this type of work and to the painters goes the credit for the clean, well decorated buildings.
Perhaps the station plumbing can be compared with the finest, and the honors go to the Works and Building Plumbers for the care and maintenance of this intricate system. The plumbing department is supervised by Flight Sergeant McKenzie, who cuts inconveniences in plumbing down to a minimum … (when he remembers to bring his wrench on the job-.
Two other very important divisions located in this Section are the Electricians and Firemen. These are in charge of Corporal Colley and Flight Sergeant Mathias, ably assisted by Corporal Smyth, Corporal McCallum and Corporal Lawson, who operate the heating plants and boilers on the station.
Our office staff ranks with the most efficient. The office boy is very intellectual and the stenographer is “Hm, Hmmm, some class”.
But perhaps if it wasn’t for the assistance given by our Works Foreman Flight Sergeant Cambridge (have you seen the plumbers, carpenters, electricians, painters?), our branch would not operate so smoothly.
If you should doubt our efficiency, just phone us. “Service with a smile” (maybe).
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20 THE DAFOE DIGEST
The Gremlins at Dafoe
By A.D.
Lately a great deal of attention has been paid to the little-known Gremlin, and, as information on this subject is so scarce, this article is dedicated to the types of gremlins particular to Dafoe.
In order to gain information, a typical Dafoe gremlin was interviewed. He turned out to be somewhat older than the other gremlins, and had a very serious (you might even say poker-face) expression. This was a short commissioned gremlin, and he was sitting on the engine of an aircraft. He carried a spanner in one hand and some chewing gum in the other and was frantically applying both to the motor before him. His customary sangfroid had been destroyed by the obvious importance of the job before him, and upon our approach his usually expressionless face took on a scowling look. Upon trying to approach him I was rebuffed and informed that he was much too busy to try to get one-even one-aircraft serviceable for the morning’s flying. He finally broke down and wept like a gremcub (baby gremlin) “I became so discouraged”, he cried, “for you reporters continue to print articles on all the bad gremlins and there are so many of us who are the good type”. “Take myself for instance,“ he continued, “it’s my lifetime job just repairing these so-called engines as fast as my destructive relatives make them unserviceable.”
“You know there are a great many more types of gremlin than this world dreams of, and so far only our flying unit has received any attention. Possibly you remember ‘Black Friday’ as we called it last summer. Well, ever since then our flying personnel wont [sic] even talk to the rest of us, and they continue to flaunt their log books at every opportunity”.
By this time the grease grimed gremlin had warmed to his subject and, seizing me by the arm, exclaimed: “I want you to meet the ace of the flight that was on duty on “Black Friday”. He led me into the cockpit of a nearby aircraft, where a dark handsome gremlin was intently studying the instrument panel. On being introduced, he flashed a dazzling smile and exclaimed, “Buenos notches senor” – indicating that he had spent some time in a land where the Spanish tongue is spoken. With a gleam in his eye he confided, “I was on duty on Black Friday, and was posted to an aircraft with a pilot making his first solo circuit. When we came in to land he put down his undercarriage, and when we were about one hundred feet off the ground, I fixed the indicator to show the wheels were up. He became flustered and raised his undercarriage up once more, so we made a belly landing and washed out an aircraft.” He chuckled savagely and stuck out his chest displaying the wings and decorations he had won that awful day. He told us some more of his experiences, and soon became absorbed in thought-planning nefarious methods of fooling pilots.
So we passed on through the various hangars and shortly came upon a tall, handsome gremlin officer drilling the gremlin duty flight. My guide who had now become “Gus”, began a very enthusiastic description of this officer. “You know”, he remarked, “we find that since our work parallels that of the airforce so closely, it is most satisfactory to arrange our ranks like theirs. For instance, I am a Flight Lieutenant, that officer is a Flying Officer and the men he is drilling vary from AC1s to Warrant Officers.
Gus’ voice took on a puzzled tone, and he observed, “That Officer is a man of the wide open spaces, you can see that just looking at him, and yet the airgremlins don’t seem to appreciate his drill periods whatever”.
“To be frank”, Gus continued, “there is a great similarity between the Air Force and our Organization, for with us it is also the air-gremlins who know nothing but do everything; the Sgts. who do nothing but know everything and the officers who know nothing and do nothing.”
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 21
As we rounded the corner of the next hangar a strange sight met our eyes – for we were confronted with a most distinguished looking gremlin carrying a bow in a hand, sailing majestically over a hangar in pursuit of an arrow.
Gus chuckled quietly to himself and remarked that Cupid was taking his exercise early today.
So we left the hangars and proceeded to walk around the rest of the camp and very soon we met a rather singular gremlin who wore his collar backwards. We stopped and chatted for a short while and I couldn’t help but notice how plump and well-fed this dumpy gremlin appeared.
We continued on our tour and in approaching the next building Gus’ features lighted up and he remarked: “This is our hospital unit, and although there are wonderful opportunities here for both the bad and good types there is no doubt that the good types are definitely in the majority. They have done very well, and have made quite a name for themselves here at Dafoe. In fact I think they are all good types in here with the possible exception of that curly one down there, about whom we sometimes have our doubts”.
Proceeding to the last building in the camp, Gus resumed his worried look, “See here”, he stated, “if I don’t get back to my hangar those bad types will have all my aircraft unserviceable – so we will look in this building and then I must leave you”.
“This is the guard house”, he continued, “where the gremlins who are framed (Gus spoke out of the side of his mouth) are kept for varied amounts of time.”
We inspected the guard house and found only one prisoner – not a gremlin as you may think – but a human. His beard touched the floor; his uniform hung loosely upon him; he was chained hand and foot to the wall and presented a deplorable appearance.
“This prisoner”, Gus explained in hushed tones. “has been here a long time – years before I came to Dafoe. His is a sad case, for it seems he wrote an article for the Dafoe Digest concerning the various types of gremlins at Dafoe – way back in 1942.
THE CONTROL TOWER
Unfortunately, to many, particularly newcomers, the chief duties of those in the Control Tower are misunderstood, being considered more or less as spotters for infractions of flying regulations.
While it is true that we must endeavour to see that flying regulations are enforced, in so doing we are working in the interests of all flying personnel. Their safety is our first objective and at the same time to control traffic in such a manner as to eliminate confusion as far as possible.
It is only through 100 per cent co-operation of all those engaged in flying activities that our objective can be accomplished and to those who fail to co-operate – you are not only making our task more difficult but creating confusion among your fellow airmen and possibly endangering the lives of many.
In our everyday activities some of us forget the importance of the mission we are on. “The winning of the war”. Every act that hinders or makes more difficult our successful operation is helping our common enemy and any damage to aircraft, other property or injuries to personnel through gross negligence is nothing short of sabotage.
Those in charge of the Control Tower will always welcome constructive criticism from any member of the R.C.A.F. regardless of rank, and, should you at any time feel that we are not working in the best interests of the majority, do not complain to your pals, but draw it to our attention, as misunderstanding only breeds discontent and unrest, resulting in curtailment of our war effort.
Little drops of water and little grains of sand make the Mighty ocean and form the Mighty land.
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22 THE DAFOE DIGEST
A Note from the W.D.’s
You know us. We’re the W.D.’s. Just about six months ago fifty of us marched on to the station and you groaned and said “what did we do to deserve this,” or “Dafoe was bad enough before but now …”. There have been more and more of us coming since then and now there are … And you aren’t really sorry we came at all. Or are you?
We’re the people who own the Barrack Block at the far end of the Station. You don’t see very much of that Barracks except at night when you take us home from the movie … and then there’s apt to be a pesky corporal nosing around with a flashlight. There’s no justice at all, is there!
We manage to have a lot of fun in those Barracks. Of course we’re a bit crowded now. That gives us a few inconveniences to grumble about…but then we have to have something to grumble about. We have to hurry home after supper to get at the showers first cause the hot water always runs out about 7 o’clock. And they won’t let some of us turn on the lights when we get up at four cause there are some sissies around that don’t go to work till eight … and they seem to like sleeping. But you get used to sweeping your bunk in the dark. And you get used to a Barrack Block where “if you want privacy, shut your eyes”.
There’s always something crazy going on in those W.D. Barracks. Just now it’s quite likely to have a Ouija Board connected with it. That thing predicts anything form the results of the Trade Test Board to the winner of the next Kentucky Derby. The corporals are unreasonable about that too. They insist on putting it away at lights out time. As if we’re sleepy!
And we’re those crazy people who took a dog on sick parade. But the M.O. put the plaster cast on his paw and now he hobbles around on three feet. When he’s better we’re going to make him an official resident and guardian of the Barrack Block.
We gripe about being stationed at this last outpost just like you do. “Why did they ever send us here,” we say. But every time one of us is posted we go tearing up to Headquarters Bldg.
[Photograph of women in uniform on parade] Dafoe Precision Squad on Review in Winnipeg
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 23
and tell A/Section Officer Darte “We don’t want to go. Can’t you send someone else?” Criminal isn’t it!
But you do see quite a bit of our Canteen. It’s not a bad place. You come down any evening to play ping pong or Chinese checkers and drink cokes with us. And lots of you come down on Wednesday nights. We like that cause we can dance till midnight. We all agree the music could be better (except when the orchestra obliges), and the refreshments could be improved on (if we have any at all). But you can’t gripe too much cause its free – except when we take up a collection to buy wax for the Barrack Room floor. And you wouldn’t begrudge us a couple of cans of wax, would you?
So now we’ve been here for six months, and you’re quite used to us. You’re used to finding a couple of us in every section of the Station from the guardhouse to workshops and the Control Tower. You’ve got over the shock of finding people who like drill enough to form a Precision Squad and take it to Winnipeg. You aren’t really surprised any more when we confess that we like to shine our buttons.
You agree now that we can be of some use in the Air Force, that, surprisingly enough, we can accomplish a lot of work. And you’re sort of glad we came to Dafoe. Aren’t you?
Introduction to the Parachute Section
[Photograph of women packing parachutes]
If you walk north on ‘Bust Rd’ until you come to ‘F’ hangar you will find our well-equipped parachute section. You can’t miss the place because right out in front, where all can see, there is coal, coal and more coal. To the left of the door there is a small sign, reading, rather humorously, ‘KEEP OFF THE GRASS!’. I say humorously because there really isn’t any grass there.
As you open the door you are apt to think that you are walking into a showroom instead of a place of work; everything is so neat and orderly. The first thing that strikes the eye is the row of parachutes hanging from the ceiling. They are periodically hung out this way to air.
Running parallel with the windows is a long table, the top of which is highly varnished to prevent the snagging of the silk canopy while the ‘chute is being packed.
Now for some pertinent information on the personnel who operate this essential section. LAC Davidner is the ‘bloke what runs the place’. If you can’t find Hy in the section he is almost sure to be in the target room, busily patching up drogues on the sewing machine. Then there are AW1 McLeod, AW1 Armitage, LAW Nekorak (a budding wireless operator) and last but not least AW1 McNutt. Pam is now resting up in the station hospital, having injured her ankle recently. Don’t take my word for it but I heard that the incident occurred whilst Pam was trying to beat the rest of the section to pay parade.
If anyone doubts the efficiency of the packing done in this section I would advise them to communicate with WO2 Haggert who is the only airman on this station who has tried ‘hitting the silk’. He swears by ‘em.
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[Double page of photographs depicting life at Dafoe]
AUSSIE ANTICS
W.D. ORDERLY ROOM STAFF
PRINCESS ALICE VISITS DAFOE
STATION DANCE
AFTER THE BALL
SPORTS DAY
IT COMES OUT HERE
SHINING UP FOR WED. NIGHT HOP
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26 THE DAFOE DIGEST
Equipment Section
Equipment is the Life-Line of the Service
[Photograph of people in uniform across a desk]
Everything from an aircraft (complete as per inventory column six) for a new button for a uniform passes through the different sections of stores on your station. Few people realize the enormous amount of articles and materials covered by that one word ‘equipment’, without which the R.C.A.F. simply could not be. Quite a procedure is required to take care of an article and its covering voucher from the time it is received in I. & R. Section until it is issued to the section or person demanding. This procedure is completely outlined in C.A.P. 10, R.C.A.F. Vocabulary of Equipment, in sixteen parts. This publication is the book and bible of every equipment assistant.
There are fifteen equipment assistants on No.5 B. & G. School including the N.C.O.’s Sgt. Stevenson, Cpl. Anderson and Cpl. MacMillan. All personnel work separately in their own sections yet work together as a unit to make equipment one of the smoothest running sections on the station. All this complicated procedure goes under the able direction of F/L Jamieson who has taken over the responsibility since the recent posting of F/Lt. Winter to Saskatoon. F L Jamieson is ably assisted by F/O Logan who is well known to everyone, and to one and all he is tops, in the lingo of the Air Force.
All equipment upon arrival is taken to the I. & R. – Issue and Receipt Section. There all the necessary unpacking, checking and voucher action is taken by Cpl. “Ed” MacMillan and LAC Chantler. The words “necessary voucher action” covers a lot of work, voucher numbers are allotted from the different voucher registers and to the uninitiated the language spoken here is like Greek. From the I. & R. the different types of equipment are taken to the different sections to be taken on charge, binned and issued when needed.
In clothing stores, considered by many THE section of equipment the many different articles “airmen for the use of”, are taken on charge by LAC Young or LAC Edwards. Soon after a new shipment of clothing has arrived a crowd can be seen both within the section, overflowing through the door and out on Bust Road as the personnel of the station replenish their depleted wardrobes; depleted through “fair wear and tear” of course. Clothing parade is the most popular parade on the station and if one wishes to remain a smart looking airman or airwoman it is one parade that should never be missed.
Airwomen made their debut in the equipment section on this station at the end of June and since then have won the confidence and praise of the men with whom they are working. Six girls arrived on the station at the time but now, owing to AW Baggaley winning her stripes as an Admin. Corporal and the marriage of Bea. Lehman to LAC Bill Chantler in September there are now four of the six augmented by the latest arrival AW1 Ruth Parr.
Ruth may be found in Publications, dozens of books and not a good story in the lot. Here are found all the important manuals, reference and hand books which are so necessary to the many different subjects which must be known to “keep them flying”. Here also is kept all the stationery, pencils, paper, ink and erasers. Ruth knows where they are to be found and issues them to the demanding party with a cheery smile.
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 27
Another section under the supervision of a W.D. is Barrack Stores. Here LAW Vi Houck takes care of the cleaning utensils, cleansers, cups, saucers and cutlery, the hundred and one things that make life worth living on a station.
Gasoline and oil for the aircraft and M.T. vehicles are issued by LAC Dewey Huart and LAC Ted Love. These two can usually be found somewhere on the station chasing an elusive gallon of gasoline or quart of oil. They are never seen without their inevitable note book or paper and are busily figuring volume and temperature.
The nucleus of the equipment section is the Orderly Room which is always a hive of industry. LAW Harris can always be found with her red head buried in some ponderous tome which contains ‘tally-cards’, on which is recorded all the stock held on charge on the station. Here too LAW ‘Butch’ Bailey takes care of the innumerable registers and books in which are kept the records of the movements of all the covering vouchers. If not in the orderly room ‘Butch’ is searching for some voucher which seems to have taken a wrong turn somewhere on its long journey.
It is in Technical Stores, better known as Tech. Stores, where we find all the aeroplane parts, from the largest component down to the smallest nut. These parts, known as major equipment are taken care of by Cpl. ‘Andy’ Anderson and LAW Toseland, known as ‘Tosie’ to everyone. These two make sure that each plane has a motor, the proper number of props and all the other parts necessary to keep a plane in a serviceable condition and in the air. Here also are “C” class stores which are “consumed in use” in the many building and repair projects that go on about the station. These are under the charge of LAC MacNab. The fine instruments found in the different aircraft are also kept here under the strict supervision of Sgt. Dick Stevenson and LAC Barney Shaw. Tools also come under these two men.
LAC John Brooks is another member of our happy family and is in GIS Stores, while LAC Bilokieli is in Maintenance Stores. These two recently changed sections as happens occasionally to give one a working knowledge of the different sections.
Also part of the equipment section although not equipment assistants are AW1 Margie Robb and AW1 Pam Griffin, our clerks and hard working typists. Margie handles the typewriter in the I. & R. Section and Pam in the Orderly Room. LAC Potvin who is also in the I. & R. Section is also an essential part of our set up.
There have been several recent postings from the station. Our congratulations go to Archie Morrison, now P/O Morrison, upon receiving his well deserved commission and his posting to parts unknown. Three of our boys also received overseas postings lately, these are LAC Tanney, LAC Goodwin and LAC Herriot, we miss the boys on our daily rounds and wish them the best of luck and God speed on their ventures. We lost our Flight Sergeant to Trenton during the month of November. It was a sudden move and everyone misses ‘Pudgy’ Munro from clothing stores. It will be a loss on clothing parade not to see his smiling face behind the counter when one is having difficulty with a
(Concluded on Page 39)
[Photograph of a group of men in uniform beneath an aircraft]
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28 THE DAFOE DIGEST
[Canadian Y.M.C.A. Logo]
Tom Macdonald
Supervisor
Office in Small Canteen
The “Y” representative has one function on this station – To be of service to you. His office is situated in the small canteen. For the information of those who do not already know
1. We have a reading room which is one of the nicest in the R.C.A.F.
2. We have a library of over 2000 fiction books. LAW (Winnie) Pope is in charge.
3. Magazines are distributed through the “Y” office.
4. Stamps may be purchased here. (Winnie again).
5. Cables and wires sent anywhere. (once more its Winnie).
6. Writing paper and envelopes are supplied free.
7. Pressing irons are available. (See Winnie).
8. Small games of all kinds.
9. Home entertainment in Saskatoon on 48s is arranged.
10. Ping pong balls are supplied.
11. Bus and train information is available.
12. All of the material for wrapping and sending parcels is available. (Winnie again).
The “Y” representative is secretary of the sports and entertainment committees, and would be happy to talk to you is you are interested in any particular phase of either of these.
The “Y” movies are shown every Friday night in the Rec. Hall. They are free of charge and everyone is welcome. This show is always billed for 8 o’clock but we are sometimes a little late in arriving , due to the fact that the movie is first shown in the hospital, and sometimes takes longer than is anticipated. This might be a good time to commend you lads and lassies for the good spirit you have shown in cheerfully accepting the delays so caused in the past.
We would also like to take this opportunity to wish you each and everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
DAFOE Y.W.C.A. HOSTESS HOUSE
The Hostess House operated by the Y.W.C.A. and under the supervision of Miss A. Black, can truly be described as a friendly place to meet. Situated at the entrance to the Station, its facilities are available at any time between 10:00 hours and 22:30 hours every day of the week.
Here you may meet your wife or visit with your friends; you may spend an enjoyable evening in pleasant surroundings, or a quiet afternoon writing letters home; you are invited to enjoy games, sing songs, or have a friendly chat over a good cup of tea or coffee served with some delicious cake or cookies.
Information may be obtained in regard to a good place to spend your next 48. Or if you wish to have your family near by, information may also be given regarding accommodation in Boom Town or one of the neighbouring towns.
The Hostess House was officially opened January 21st, 1942, by Miss Black, assisted by Mrs. N. Muir. It’s attractive furnishings were chosen by the Saskatoon Y.W.C.A. Committee, under the leadership of Miss Roxanna Smith as convenor.
The present hostesses, Miss A. Black and Mrs. A. MacKillop welcome you to the Hostess House as a “Home Away From Home”.
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES OF LADIES AUXILIARY
Since January 1942
1. Sent 1112 packages of 25 cigarettes overseas.
2. Donated $91.70 to Red Cross.
3. Auxiliary members collected the sum of $60.20 from residents of Boom Town for the Red Cross during their last drive.
4. Donated novelties to Dafoe Carnival which netted $11.80. Proceeds going to Red Cross.
5. Made up and sent the following articles to the Red Cross Society: 16 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of mitts, 14 pairs of gloves, 7 sweaters and 10 complete layette sets. In addition a number of socks and sweaters which are now being knit are to be turned in by the end of December.
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 29
[Photograph of five men beneath a sign RCASC]
It now behoves us to answer the ever recurring question, “What are you, the Army doing at Dafoe?” The book says we are responsible for the receipt, custody, issue and accounting for food supplies – in short we are the boys that dish out the rations. We also have the social obligation of being “At Home” to the Ration Board at 10 o’clock every morning. This is a friendly little gathering of Officers who discuss everything from the weather to the latest news on the milk situation. The big problem under discussion at present is, “Why are the hens laying only one egg in the mornings”, we hope to have the answer soon. The work ration is an all embracing term which includes some sixty different commodities. We must ensure that all these commodities are correct as to weight, quality and condition. Included on this list are chicken, turkey, apples, oranges, grapefruit juice and what’s more important a very generous ration of tea, coffee and sugar. This indeed is a far cry from the “beans and bullets” serves our fathers in the last war. We belong to that portion of the army called the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps whose motto is “Nothing Without Toil”.
We, the RCASC would like to take this opportunity of wishing the rest of the station a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and we hope you like the turkey.
ENTERTAINMENT
The work of the entertainment committee has been carried out during the past year under the direction of three different chairmen, F/O Carr was the first and was succeeded by F/L Langdale who in turn was succeeded by our present congenial little President F/L Patterson. “Doc” takes a real interest in it, as he does in everything he sets his hand to, and under his guidance the entertainment committee is functioning smoothly and well.
During the past year the entertainment committee has arranged some 10 airmen’s dances and one station dance. These are very popular and the entertainment committee is due for a lot of credit for arranging them in the face of all the difficulties that naturally present themselves on an isolated station. Also directly under the supervision of this committee are the following –
Weekly informal dances in the W.D.’s recreation hall.
Weekly social hour in the Small Canteen.
Concert parties (these are brought to the station as often as possible).
Amateur hours.
Dramatics.
Graduation parties in the Small Canteen.
Y.M.C.A. movies in the hospital and Rec. Hall on Friday nights.
These are the regular features of the station entertainment but the committee is interested in any form of entertainment that is available for the station personnel.
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30 THE DAFOE DIGEST
Sport HEADLINES [drawing of a hockey player]
By F/O A.H. Edwards
Dafoe has advanced rapidly in the realm of sport during the last six months. Against all the worst those over-sized rats the gophers could do, the P.T. Department (with the help of the Duty Watch) have finally put into shape one baseball diamond, two softball diamonds, a running track and a soccer field. At the time of going to press our own dear Drill Hall is having its face lifted. There are many rumours going around that when it is finished a veritable sports palace will be opened to the personnel with great pomp and ceremony. A swimming tank filled with nice clear filtered Dafoe water will be the feature attraction. Showers and lockers for Airmen and W.D.’s are to be attached. Recreation and lounge room will be available in side lean-tos. In offices, there to welcome you, will be the Padres, the Educational Officer, the Auxiliary Officer and last but not least the P.T. and Drill Officer (Who said that?).
A sports room well stocked with all the necessary equipment for all types of games to be played on the main floor will be available. This calls for a plug – Can you resist those beautiful W.D.’s and the money boxes they held at monthly pay parades? – A baby gopher has it that a bowling alley will be there also. Gophers are funny animals! Could it be true? Only time will tell. Now to cover the main sports.
Soccer
Under the capable leadership of LAC Magson, Course 60 Air Bombers came out on top if the station soccer league. In the play-offs, Sgt. Andrews led his Sgt. Pilots to noble defeat by extending Course 60 to their utmost. During the season the Officers captained by the C.O. gave the Sgt. Pilots quite a few hard tussels. Padre Dunphy played exceptionally well as goalie for he didn’t need to use his hands.
Softball
The softball league got off to a poor start twice, for when the lads weren’t busy swatting mosquitoes they were trying to keep the rain drops off. During lapses in the attacking swarms, the officers team pitched by F/O Peglar managed to emerge victorious from many a hard fought game with the Sgts. The chagrin of the Sergeants knew no bounds, when after being beaten by the officers 18-7 at the last game of the season, they had to play hosts to the victorious team at their mess. A good time was had by all and may this rivalry continue next year. So say we all.
Baseball
Due to the difficulties of transportation, the baseball team could not play many outside games, but under the guidance of LAC Mitchell and F/O Carr, a good team was built up and several games were played on the station against visiting teams and on some of the towns in the surrounding district.
Cricket
The Sgt. Pilots under the capable Sgt. Pilot Wheeler played hosts to a visiting team from Copeland. A bumping pitch didn’t prevent the Sgts. From coming out on top. This game started quite late in the season but next year it is hoped, that since
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 31
equipment is now available, it will get away to an early start.
Volleyball
The volleyball court behind the Small Canteen came in for a great deal of use, especially by the Tarmacs. The court back of the W.D. Canteen was used extensively by the W.D.’s and Airmen but it is a question whether the volleyball was the chief attraction as far as the Airmen were concerned.
Station Sports Day
The day was sunny and so was the disposition of most of those on the station, for it was July 14th and they had an afternoon off. An extensive afternoon and evenings entertainment had been planned and thanks to the efficient and enthusiastic work of the Sports Day Committee led by F/L Padwick, it proved to be a tremendous success. Maybe because the W.D.’s being stationed here gave the lads a chance to show off their athletic prowess.
The monster parade organized by F/L Langdale, started off the day. Maintenance carried off the first prize of $15 cash with their clever imitation of a Fairey Battle, or was it a Kittyhawk?
The 23 track and field events under F/O Edwards and his P.T.I. staff, Sgt. Martin and Cpl. Taylor got away to a good start with the running of the sprint events. The Station was divided up into units namely: Observers and Gunners, Bombing, Gunnery and Drogue, G.I.S., Headquarters and Maintenance. The Observers and Gunners proved themselves worthy of aircrew by flying away with the Station Trophy with a total of 38 points.
The picnic lunch after the events was a novel idea and well received by the personnel, judging by the rapid disappearance of the huge piles of sandwiches and cakes prepared by F/S Mawattere and his staff.
The concert in the Recreation Hall received quite a hand, particularly the Hula Hula Dance by a group of station officers. It was whispered that an urgent invitation was extended to them by Earl Carroll to become members of his Follies.
All in all it was a great day. Dafoe can really do things and I don’t mean perhaps.
Badminton
Although the Sports Committee has provided adequate equipment for this popular sport, the tearing up of the drill hall floor has destroyed our Badminton courts. Two courts are being marked in the Rec. Hall, and it is hoped that under the leadership of WO2 Eaton and Sgt. Morgan, a somewhat curtailed tournament will be held in the near future. Worthwhile prizes are to be given and it is hoped that a good many will enter.
Boxing and Wrestling
Under the leadership of Sgt. Steinhauer the new P.T.I. it is hoped that quite a few matches will be staged for your entertainment in the near future. Adequate equipment is available and Sgt. Steinhauer is anxious to meet those who are interested in this form of athletics.
Hockey
With the first-rate ice surface which is now available a station hockey team and flight teams are in the process of organization. If you are interested contact F/O Edwards. More about this game in another addition. [sic]
Skating Rink
A skating rink for your pleasure has been prepared on the side of the hockey rink. A limited supply of men’s and women’s skates are available. Another baby gopher was overheard to say that skating parties with real music were being contemplated. Should this be a sufficient hint for you to have your skates sent to you from home. Perhaps the jolly old gentleman, Santa Claus, could help here?
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32 THE DAFOE DIGEST
Gunnery Flight
GUNNERY FLIGHT is sometimes called the ‘melting pot’ of No. 5 B. & G. School; what with the varied nationalities (New Zealanders, Englishmen, Canadian and Americans) and the odd accents, one might imagine himself in New York City. However, the absence of bright lights, and the scarcity of beautiful girls dispels the illusion from ones mind.
The close co-operation that exists among these “fighters for freedom” is an example to all the Allied Nations.
The pilots of Gunnery Flight have indeed been honoured in that they are entrusted with flying the almighty Bolingbroke. Now, this “hotship” is considered very good time in a pilot’s log book.
If one were to walk into the pilot’s room of Gunnery Flight he wold [sic] be amazed at the enthusiasm shown by the boys in their endeavour to get in flying hours. If it were not for the spirit of good friendship that is so apparent in this flight, there would be many an argument over who was to take up the next aircraft. However, all the boys are working together with only one thought in mind; “get the exercises done”.
To give credit where credit is due, we must not overlook the all important ground crew who are doing an excellent job in keeping things humming around the flight. Their avid interest in their work is surpassed only by their desire to do a better job.
Nor must we forget the eager students for whom the Gunnery Flight is really run. They are keen to finish the course and zealously execute their duties in the air and on the ground. We have great respect and admiration for our air gunners, for these are the men who are to shoot our enemies out of the sky.
Our boys are firm believers in the old adage “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. Between flips you will see them relaxing at ping pong tables, and on any washout day they may be found on the rink engaged in a fast game of hockey. It is a sight for sore eyes to behold the first attempts of the boys from ’down under’ in the gentle game of ice hockey. If it were not for the stout hockey stick which is used more as a support than as a weapon, there would be many a ground loop on the ice.
The interest the boys have in their ‘home’ is best illustrated by their work in redecorating the pilot’s room. Every man is pitching in with brush and paint to make his room the cleanest and brightest on the station.
Our N.C.O. in charge of the orderly room is one of those men you just can’t do without; he is an ever present source of information and doctor for all our troubles. And how would we log our correct flying time if it were not for two very obliging W.D. timekeepers.
Last but not least, we must mention our Flight Commander, Pilot Officer Dagnon and his assistant P/O Luma, who have taken over the job of running the flight, and we are doing well, thank you. The threat of “stern disciplinary action” brings out the best in all the men and consequently we have a smooth working organization.
All in all, Gunnery Flight is acquiring the reputation of being the best flight on the station due to the esprit de corps of all the men. Such devotion to duty is truly a criterion by which all working units of the station should abide, and by doing that we shall all be working for Victory.
o o o
SELF CONTROL
He determined to pass by his favorite tavern on his way home. As he approached it be became somewhat shaky, but after plucking up courage, he passed on. Then after going about fifty yards, he turned and said to himself: “Well done, Pat, me boy. Come back and I’ll treat ye.”
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 33
Bombing Flight
This flight should be known as the ‘International Squadron’ for who shall say that thirty-two pilots are not enough to be called a squadron, besides these thirty-two come from all corners of the globe – Americans, Canadians, Englishmen, Frenchmen and New Zealanders. Notice how diplomatic one must be in dealing with such temperamental aviators as these; even to the point of referring to them alphabetically so there will be no argument as to who ranks first…
Our ground crew, a most important part of our flight also claim various nationalities, in fact there are a few of them I am told who do a very good Red Indian dance when their “spirits” are right.
Talking of dancing we are fortunate in having in our midst a famous English tap dancer and crooner, one Dyre-Mathews by name, who was persuaded to give a charity performance for the privileged (?) people of Watson.
The female element is provided by two very popular time-keepers, LAW’s McIlveen and Pickford, who are chaperoned by Corporal McDonald, a rather onerous job as these Dafoe “wolves” are very persistent.
Just in case you don’t know it we would inform you that “Bombing Flight” is the hardest working flight on the station, bar none. Night flying quite often goes on till daybreak. Day or night there is hardly an hour that a ‘Mighty Anson’ is not tearing the skys [sic] apart with the roar of its powerful twin engines. Let it be known to all that the pilots of our flight are not “fair weather pilots”. While others stop flying “when the birds are on the ground” the Anson boys keep flying until the birds can’t keep their feet.
Congratulations to W/O “Pat” Heaven on his recent promotion, to P/O Tomlinson and P/O Witney on obtaining commissions. We miss W/O “Bill” Haggart, S/P ‘Duncan’ McMartin and S/P “Howard” Spiers who have recently been posted. W/O Haggart and S/P McMartin were both members of the world famous Caterpillar Club.
This would not be a complete flight description without mentioning Bob West our O.C. of Englishmen.
BOMB GONE, MASTER SWITCH OFF.
o o o
Drogue Flight
Drogue Flight means Lysander (Lizzies), Targets, Lizzie Pilots, all the boys of the flight who “keep ‘em flying” – plus LAW Patrick Maxwell.
Credit for the fact that we constantly fly the cleanest aircraft on the station, also for the excellent serviceability, goes to our ground crew.
The purpose of Drogue Flight is to supply Gunnery Flight with aerial targets. These targets are towed on a cable behind the aircraft. We don’t expect the student gunners to miss far enough to riddle our Lizzies, but when gunnery pilots come down with stories of students who wanted to know “Do we fire at that striped aircraft ahead of us?” – Well we wonder.
It seems lately that we have supplied another target. We believe that at the end of the month the hangar inspection committee go into a huddle and decide something like this – “Gunnery Flight has done a good job this month considering their Bolingbrokes and turret problems; Bombing Flight has completed an exceptional number of exercises with the number of aircraft they have. What about Drogue Flight? How many exercises have they done? The answer is “None”. We don’t do exercises. So another direct hit is scored with a beautifully carved dumbbell which adorns Drogue Flight office for another month.
All kidding aside, the members of Drogue Flight would like to take this opportunity to wish all the rest of the personnel on the station a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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34 THE DAFOE DIGEST
Wireless Section
We extend the Season’s Greetings to Wing Commander Lowe-Holmes, his staff of officers and to the personnel of every section on the station and hope that all the good results of the past will be even better in the future.
Although not taking an active part in the bombing and gunnery exercises we consider that we are just as important in the successes up to date, as any other branch, in as much as the team work between members of the crews of the aircraft would not be possible if it were not that the communications between them were in perfect order. As many have already found, when the intercom’ or radio “go on the blink”, the feelings of futility and blasphemy push their ugly heads to the fore, and it is natural that anyone in such a condition is not “in the groove”.
The members of this section, working in three shifts, remedy faults, overhaul and install equipment in aircraft which are newly arrived. It is no simple occupation, as a full knowledge of the principles governing the transmission of sounds over wires, or across the ozone, is essential, otherwise a hopeless tangle will result, with the ensuing loss of an aircraft until remedied.
In fact there is an officer of repute who considers that he can call “Garrick 4” from his aircraft when miles away from the drome without using the orthodox transmitter-receiver used by other pilots. (We will mention no names). We also have an aircraft which insists on getting its intercom’ wiring changed from the time it leaves the ground until it lands. (This is undoubtedly due to Gremlins).
We would welcome any wireless fan to drop in and see just what sort of a place we have.
Just a word to users of our transmitters in the aircraft, PLEASE – if you MUST remind yourself of your ancestry – turn your transmitter off.
Instrument Section
The Instrument Section was born many months ago at No. 5 B. & G. School, Dafoe. As pioneer of this Section at this airport, it is presumed that in any headaches pertaining to instrument work, go ask Corporal Schmerling. So when this bit of a Joe job came along, ye ole N.C.O. was sought and sunk with it, only it is not instrument work. It is as a reporter that I was roped in.
This is the best Instrument Section built in any school in the air training scheme. We can do any instrument job on any type of aircraft presented to us. We have maintained an assortment of fifty different types of instruments. From Link Trainer, bombsights, camera units down to the cheapest $3.50 variety of a-c instrument – and we haven’t been stumped yet.
Many of my old instrument gang have been posted, a few to the two coasts and some overseas. To the boys overseas, LAC Winberg and LAC Ramage, we hope that they will do as good a job there as they were trained to de here. Good luck boys.
As N.C.O. in charge, I would like to say Good Luck, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Instrument Section.
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 35
Trophy Winners to Date
[Head photographs of airmen in uniform]
LAC EARLE J.
LAC SINCLAIR D.J.
LAC EDEN
LAC VAN METRE
LAC DARIS C.A.
LAC SHORTTS F.C.
LAC ASHDOWN
LAC MOORE R.I.
LAC PEARSON T.W.
LAC GOLD G.
LAC TAYLOR D.A.A.
LAC KEHL LAC COUPE R.
LAC PARKINSON
LAC McDONALD
LAC STEVENS G.F.
LAC AMOS H.E.
LAC DESMARAIS B.
LAC LAIDLAW R.W.
LAC JOHNSON R.R.
LAC HOWLETT A.D.
LAC PAYTON A.D.
LAC JACKSON
LAC WATT W.D.
[Photographs of trophies]
AIR FIRING AND BOMBING TROPHY
Presented to the Air Observer or Air Bomber who makes the highest average score in his gunnery exercises and the lowest average error in his bombing exercises while at this school.
AIR FIRING TROPHY
This trophy is presented to the member of an Air Gunners Course who makes the highest average score in his gunnery exercises while at this school.
These trophies, donated by the Station Institute Committee were first presented on May 25th, 1942 to the courses graduating on that date at the suggestion of W C Lowe-Holmes. They have been competed for by every course graduating since that date, resulting in the students and pilots taking a far keener interest in their air exercises. This keenness has been mainly responsible for Dafoe attaining the highest results in air exercises for any B and G School in Canada.
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36 THE DAFOE DIGEST
Beneath the SOUTHERN CROSS
Aussies are once again at No. 5 – so now let this bunch tell you a little about their impressions and a little about themselves. It has not taken us long to find out why letters from Australians who had come to Canada before us have been written in such glowing terms. Everywhere we have been, invitation far more numerous than we could accept have been offered us, and hospitality far greater than we dared hope for was extended to us.
We have made many friends, so that now we have address lists a lot longer than those with which we left Australia, and, before our first home mail came we were receiving letters from our new friends here.
Coming from a land where most parts rarely have a winter temperature below 45 above, naturally we are going to feel the cold of your winter. Even now when we remark on the cold we merely get in reply a laughing “wait till it gets 60 below” – well we’re waiting, we have to. We’d like to take you to Australia and turn the heat on a little. But then just as you take us skating to warm us up (all but our ears and noses), we could take you surfing to cool you down. Surfing is to Australia what skating is to Canada.
Canada has shown us some wonderful scenery – the rugged grandeur of the Rockies, clothed in stately pines, snow-capped; hills on the West Coast where maples, gold and red in the fall, mingled with the pines; the sweeping prairies, and something which few of us had seen before, the calm beauty of a snow-covered landscape. These things we will never forget.
But how different is all this from Australian scenery. Down there are vast sunburnt plains, dotted with gaunt sentinel gum trees. And mountains which seldom if ever see snow; blue low-lying mountains, covered with gums where deep gorges conceal sparkling mountain streams. These flow into coastal rivers which pass through green and fertile land into the ocean. This same ocean sweeps in long curling breakers onto sandy yellow beaches – Yes, I think you’d like Australia.
Two important things to conclude – we like Canadian girls very much, but we don’t like Canadian beer. Well, what can you expect when Confucious say: “Australian beer is a potent brew; Made from hops of Kangaroo”.
o o o
AUSTRALIANESE
For many years a distinctive form of English has been in use in Australia. Our slang is unique, but it is so much a part of our everyday speech that we have compiled this short list of the words in common use amongst us.
bagman – hobo, who carries hit kit in a bundle.
bananalander – Queenslander.
bludger – scrounger.
by cripes – by golly.
bonza = super.
billabong – crescent shaped lake.
boong – Australian aboriginal.
cliner – girl.
chewing the rag – lengthy discussion.
cobber – close friend.
corn stalk – New South Welshman.
cow cocky – dairy farmer.
crow – homely female.
crow eater – West Australian.
Digger – Australian soldier.
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 37
drongo – R.A.A.F. rookie.
fossicker – queer old chap.
giggle house – deserted house used by hoboes.
gin – black woman.
gibber, goolie – stone.
goonskin – R.A.A.F. overalls.
fair cow – nuisance.
hooray, hooroo – goodbye.
having a lash – trying something new.
handed the raw prawn – led up the garden path.
hump the bluey – on the track.
jumbuck – sheep.
jackeroo – station (ranch) hand.
like a gin at a christening – awkward.
mulga – rumour.
on the blue – out of luck.
on the wallaby – see ‘humping the bluey’.
plurry – native swear word.
scrub – n. bush country. v. washout.
Sweet Fanny Adams – nothing, not much.
sheila, sort – see ‘cliner’
stone the crows, starve the lizards, stiffen the bats – wouldn’t it?
strike me handsome, strewth – blow me down.
stonkered, knocked up – exhausted.
trimmer – see ‘bonza’.
tucker – food.
o o o
An Aussie airman was sent to Canada. The cold was so great that soon he froze and died. The body was taken to the crematorium and placed in the incinerator. Two hours later the attendant opened the door and was horrified to see the Aussie still there and shouting at them: “Shut that dam door, this is the first time I’ve been warm since we arrived”.
UNFOLDING LIFE
A scorching sun hurls down its smouldering heat
Across the plain.
A hot, perspiring jackeroo exclaims,
To curb the mongrel at the leader’s feet,
“You black bitch; come behind!”
The gates of peace clang shut. We next behold
Recruiting drives.
Our jackaroo is on the Air Reserve;
A budding pilot, dreaming wings of gold;
He buys and [sic] Air Rec. book.
“Hey! Rise and shine!” ‘All out you drongo coots!”
“Tell off by flights!”
“No bludging droob!” “Get in the flaming queue;”
“C.B. for me; I’ll bet my ruddy boots.”
Why yes! It’s I.T.S.
The posting’s come; a fortnight’s Pre-Em leave;
And Smith is paid.
A sea-trip; Frisco – Rockies – Manning Pool –
A pep-talk – lunch – and then M.O.’s parade.
In short – an S.A.P.
A timid bulb peers through the Arctic gloom
Of Dafoe snow;
And Smith exclaims, as Time impels him on
To his ecstatic, cruel, “White Christmas” doom,
“You white bitch; come behind!”
Teacher: Willie, this is the fifth time I have had to punish you this week. What have you to say?
Willie: I’m glad it’s Friday.
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38 THE DAFOE DIGEST
Airmen’s Mess
[Photograph of people in uniform] Princess Alice Inspects the Mess
For years the master minds of the world have been chasing that will-o-the-wisp – perpetual motion, in all the corners of the earth but Dafoe. The writer believes we have it right in our own Airmen’s Mess.
Every hour of the day this unceasing movement goes on in the preparation of well balanced menus served on time to the multitude of ravenous mouths that file through its many portals. We can well be proud of our mess and the efficiency of its entire staff under the able direction of A/S..O. H.M. Smith and F/Sgt. Mallaterre. Not only do they fill the bill during regular hours but those unavoidable, though schedule-upsetting, early and late lunches are also taken in their stride. All this says nothing of course, about the generous manner with which they tackle the refreshment problems of our various teas, dances and social events on top of their busy daily routine.
Still, the odd funster insists on murmuring, “Never have so many stood in line so long for so little”. ‘Twas always thus.
We are happy to give space to the recent wedding of one of our staff, AW1 Skidmore (nee Skuce) which was solemnized in the Y.W.C.A. Hostess House in November. We heartily wish “Skid” an icefree road through life.
Recent postings have deprived us of two well known faces; AW1’s Tomlinson and Jones, who are now at McLeod and Vancouver respectively. Here’s for success in their new environment.
In conclusion may we express our sincere wish that “Dafoe Digest” will continue to great things.
[Photograph of people preparing food]
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 39
From the Education Office
When Socrates, the famous Greek philosopher was condemned to die for ‘poisoning’ the minds of Greek youths, a little group of his most intimate friends gathered around him as he prepared to drink the fatal hemlock. They asked him to leave them a final message of guidance and comfort. His message was, “I would have you look to yourselves”. This message we would pass on to all personnel who would seek to better their education by the correspondence method of study, for it is essentially an individual method and demands from the student much personal responsibility and self-direction. They set for themselves a worthy goal and are prepared through self-discipline to achieve that end.
Unfortunately we have become the victims of a traditional misconception as to the real meaning of education. We speak of it as something that can be “imparted”, something that can be “taught” by one to another; but in the last analysis all learning is individual. No one can “give” you an education, you become educated through your own efforts, mental and physical. The best of teaching only serves to facilitate the learning process. However, the correspondence method offers no short cuts to education and it is not a substitute, it is the real thing. Although making rather heavy demands upon the student, it pays off handsomely. It enlists in its service the highest and best of human qualities – determination, independence, resourcefulness and will power. It demands a high, but not disproportionate price, and it never defaults on its payments.
Now to get down to cases. Provided by the Canadian Legion War Services, there is available to all personnel a complete and varied list of subjects that might be had free of charge. Too numerous to catalogue here, they include: Introductory Courses which are on the level of the upper Elementary School, Grades VI, VII and VIII; Secondary Courses which are set out as Academic, Commercial and Technical. In addition, by our Canadian Universities there are offered to service personnel remarkably rich curricula which include all the regular university classes. Other institutions from which correspondence courses may be had are: The Certified Public Accounts Association of Ontario, The International Accounts’ and Executives Corporation of Canada, and the Nova Scotia Agriculture College.
For information, advice and assistance concerning correspondence courses, remuster classes, study groups, remustering to trades or to aircrew, library facilities and related affairs, come to the Education Office in the Small Canteen.
To all and sundry we sincerely wish the Compliments of the Season and Health and Success in the future.
o o o
BARRACK STORES
The Barrack Stores, a compliment of the equipment section, plays an important part in the daily life of any station. At this station, this department of supplies in under the direction and supervision of Barrack Officer James Lee, a Captain in the last war. It is true that this unit does not fight in the war technically but it contributes and plays an important part in supplying many essentials to those who do. From the barrack stores are issued sleeping comforts, cooking and dining utilities, furnishings for offices, equipment for lecture rooms, provisions for quarter and work rooms. The responsibility for the care of the station laundry falls into this section.
o o o
EQUIPMENT SECTION
(Continued from Page 27)
pair of shoes or tunic that does not seem to fit properly. In this connection we take this opportunity to welcome our new W/O.
These then are the members of the equipment section on No. 5 B. & G. School and one and all join in wishing the other personnel of the station and all others who have been kind enough to read this far, A Very Happy and Prosperous New Year.
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40 THE DAFOE DIGEST
M.T. Section
Greetings folks! from the good old M.T. Section – the backbone of No. 5 B. & G. No doubt there are some people who are even going to have the nerve to question that statement and might even suggest that if such is the case, then poor old No. 5 has a pretty weak back. But let us assure you, such is not the case. Where else can you find a crew on duty 24 hours a day, ready and willing (if not always able) to co-operate with any section on the station? And tell us if you can how any section can work any length of time without direct aid from M.T.? No folks, we feel pretty important around here and are sticking to our guns so don’t try and talk us out of it.
It’s really an education in itself to look into the daily routine of the section. Calls for M.T. vehicles can originate at many points of the station. A half hour over our dispatcher’s shoulder will substantiate this point. The chief difficulty that normally presents itself to a dispatcher, is to find the required vehicles on the establishment to perform the needed transport duties.
Besides our daily routine runs such as mail, freight, rations, garbage, etc., a sample of what can be expected of M.T. if the powers that be decide to send up one plane for one bombing exercise, might be interesting to note. An M.T. tractor pulls the plane out of the hangar, our gas tender has to see that it is full of gas. Before it takes off our crash tender and ambulance must be available for any emergency. Before it gets to its target the M.T. must have crews at the different ranges. Considering everything goes O.K. the bomber can now carry out his exercises but think what we can go through is something goes wrong and the plane crashes! From then on from the C.O. down through the O.C. Flying, the O.C. Training, technical officers, medical officers and maintenance crash crews expect the M.T. to pull trucks out of hats.
Also to be considered among our numerous complaints is the situation of the station and the beautiful cow paths leading to it from all directions. Located as we are, equidistant from the metropolis’ of Dafoe and Watson, the nearest rail centers to the station. M.T. vehicles seldom if ever, leave the unit’s gates for less than a thirty mile return trip. Does this add up to an enormous mileage? Our records answer this to the tune of an aggregate monthly mileage of approximately 25,000 miles. Brother, that’s a “heap of distance” and you can easily imagine the amount of maintenance work and records necessary to keep things running over these roads.
So much for our work. Our strength at present is just two-thirds of our establishment. However, that is quite an improvement in the past six weeks and we have hopes of being even better in the near future. We have had the honor, this past month, of welcoming four more of the fairer sex to our section, making a total of eight and boy, they really are pitching in and doing a fine job. Some of the boys have been here so long they are trying to sell shares on the place. For instance folks meet Cpl. Bob Burke. He was the first airman on this station and is now making arrangements for his third Christmas in Dafoe.
Congratulations are in order to “Bob” though, and also to Cpl. George Hannah. They both appeared the first of this month wearing the two bar chevrons.
I suppose we had better draw this to a close before we take up the whole magazine, but before we go let us congratulate the people who put forth the effort to make this magazine possible and may it go on record that the M.T. Section is behind any move to improve old No. 5 B. & G. The next time though, you feel like cussing M.T. just count ten and remember we have our worries too.
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THE DAFOE DIGEST 41
Maintenance
[Photograph of an aircraft as a float from a parade] Maintenance Entry “Ambrosia” – First Prize in Sports Day Parade
Aircraft maintenance is very important at any time, but during the winter months at a school like No. 5 B.& G. almost a twenty-four hour per day is imperative. The maintenance is organized on a flight system with the various flights doing their own daily inspections and minor running repairs within the facilities at their command, while ‘A’ Hangar under Flight Sergeant Luker’s direction takes care of major repairs, engine changes, etc., and ‘B’ Hangar accommodates two shifts – one day and one night – the day shift on minor repairs, of which there is a never ending stream, and the night shift concentrates mainly on periodic inspections, acceptance checks, etc.
F/L Laidlaw is the Maintenance O.C. with F/O Klassen, F/O Low and P/O Topham as engineering officers. Sergeant Majors Armstrong and Yellowlees are the WO2s and are the direct supervisors of the whole maintenance system. They have a vast amount of work and discipline to account for. No wonder a Sergeant Major is supposed to be everything from a mother to words unprintable.
Winter brings on a never ending battle to the maintenance ground crews. Engines won’t start, hydraulic systems fail and you can’t handle a wrench with mitts on, but the flying programs must go on. All in all the ground crews from maintenance and flights have the coldest jobs on the Station.
Most of the riggers and fitters spend many months at the Technical School in St. Thomas, Ont. and emerge with a ‘C’ group. Then after several months experience, if they show ability and willingness are rewarded with a higher grouping. Not all are born mechanics, however, but the smart make up for the lesser group and it is really astonishing how lads right from farms and with comparatively little training in a pre war sense are able to step in and keep Bolies, Battles etc. in tip top shape. The N.C.O.s have to be mechanics, dicips, physiologists, etc., as well as knowing air force administration, and the whole plan and smooth running success really depends on an efficient N.C.O.
A shortage of spare parts, tools, etc., is always a bug bear of maintenance, but there is usually an answer so that serviceability can be kept up.
Team work is as much a requisite on the ground as in the air and it combines the effort of all the fitters, riggers, instrument makers, electricians, workshops, etc., to keep up an operating serviceability standard.
o o o
Hubby: “What are we having for dessert tonight, dear?”
Wife: “Sponge cake, I sponged the egg from Mrs. Brown, the flour from Mrs. Smith and the milk from Mrs. Jones.”
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42 THE DAFOE DIGEST
Photographic Section
As this is our first attempt at so-called journalism, perhaps an introduction to the personnel of the section and a brief (I do mean brief) outline of our duties and activities would serve best as a beginning.
First, and always foremost, may we present F/L F.E. Rader, O.C. of the section, and for the benefit of those who have not yet made his acquaintance, he can best be described as a splendid officer, and in the vernacular of the R.C.A.F., “a right guy”. In order of rank, we next have Shorty (you ain’t kiddin’) Sgt. Bob Arnott, who, it is said, has a “cold front” toward photo scroungers. LAC Picard, G.E. – Ted to almost everyone comes next. He’s the chap one sees dashing thither and yon transporting a formidable looking instrument called a Camera Ground View. (It looks like a modified piano accordian on stilts, the camera we mean). A recent addition to our staff is Miss “Pat” Holden, one of the W.D. personnel, a graduate from the latest course at Rockcliff, and rather keen about the whole thing. Last, but certainly not least, we have LAW Boriskewich, M. (Marie, for short), formerly of the Officer’s Mess staff, where, we are told she is sadly missed.
Now arises the question of where the photo section fits into the program of our school. Upholding our section, of course, and contrary to common belief, a wide variety of work keeps us definitely on our toes. In keeping with all intent and purposes, Camera Gun exercises receive our first consideration, and it is our responsibility to supply, process and deliver the completed exercise films to G.I.S., where they are projected for the benefit of the trainees. To fill in any spare moments that we might have, we putter about with class pictures, station record and progress shots, equipment modifications, copy jobs, identification photos, social events, visiting celebrities, publicity photos and what have you, not to mention the odd aerial job thrown in. And so you have it.
As this is the season of the year when greetings and good wishes are in evidence, may we take the opportunity of extending to W/C Lowe-Holmes, Commanding Officer, Officers, N.C.O.s, Airmen and Airwomen of No. 5, our Heartiest Seasons Greetings and Best Wishes during the coming year.
O. R. Timekeeper
There are probably more interesting jobs than keeping time, records and checking log books, but we time clerks have our interesting moments too, especially at the end of the month when it comes time to check the Pilot’s log books. Strange how two people can take figures from the same log sheets and have entirely different totals, but it happens at Dafoe. Go to Sergeant Crook or Sergeant McKenzie, D.S. for particulars. Their books have a particular habit of being a few hours out, and of course the poor time clerk gets the blame. With much figuring and a few headaches, we get them all straightened out some way and believe me, we don’t have any dull moments, and certainly no lazy ones.
[Page break]
THE DAFOE DIGEST 43
Post Office M.P.O. 1206
[Photograph of Post Office personnel at work] “Any mail for me?”
On June 9, 1942, M.P.O. 1206, opened for business on this Station, under the direction and supervision of the Canadian Postal Corps, later to be assisted by the R.C.A.F. W.D. personnel of the station.
Equipped with all the facilities of a city post office, this department renders all the services offered by the Postal Services Department, including Savings Bank Division. It actually hums with business from the opening hour 8.30 hours until closing hour (1900 hours).
The personnel of the Station Post Office consists of Sgt. Craig, Cpl. Hance and Pte. McCormick of the Canadian Postal Corps and Edith Roswell, Margaret Jessiman, Vivian Dow, Carol Pinner, Doris Blaine and Connie McGregor of the Women’s Division.
RULES FOR BOOM TOWN RENTERS
1. Do not pay more rental than the law permits. If you do, severe penalties will be imposed on you as well as the landlord. In case of doubt verify your rental by consulting the Station Adjutant.
2. When you vacate tour accommodation hand your Maximum Rental Decision form to the incoming tenant or leave it with the Station Adjutant for subsequent delivery to the new tenant.
3. If you rent by the month the landlord can require you to give him a month’s notice when you vacate. To avoid any trouble have a definite agreement with your landlord that you may vacate on a day’s notice, a week’s notice or such other notice as will be mutually satisfactory.
4. Your landlord cannot require you to vacate on less than three months notice unless you have not paid your rent, are damaging the property or are otherwise misbehaving.
5. To be legal he landlord’s notice to vacate must meet four requirements:
(1) It must be in writing.
(2) It must be given at least three rental months notice.
(3) It must specify the reason for which it is given.
(4) The specified reason must be one of the reasons mentioned in the Rental Regulations. (See Section 16 (3) of Order no. 108). Your Station Adjutant has several copies.
6. Under no circumstances whatsoever can a landlord increase his rental without approval of a Rentals Committee. Such approval when given, is always evidenced by a Maximum Rental Decision form.
7. If you are renting a furnished accommodation the landlord cannot remove the furniture or any part of it while you remain in occupation. If you vacate and the furniture is then removed the landlord cannot rent the accommodation unfurnished without first applying to a Rentals Committee for the fixation of a new maximum rental.
[Page break]
44 THE DAFOE DIGEST
The Security Guard
The Security Guard and the Service Police wish to extend their Christmas Greetings to the Commanding Officer and all personnel on the Station. We wish to send an extra hearty wish to all those well meaning Airmen we have had the pleasure to entertain during the past year. By the way, some of our guests failed to sign the recommendation and suggestion register.
We have been unfortunate in losing the services of Flying Officer Gilbert, whom we congratulate on his promotion to Flight Lieutenant. Others we should like to see still in our midst are F/S Millbank, Sgts. Williamson and Trotman and Cpl. McClurg.
We would be very interested of the Equipment Section would advise us as to the future tenant of Sgt. Williamson’s summer issue.
Newcomers to the Unit are Flying Officer Holland the D.A.P.M. and Sgt. Hicks., Provost Sergeant and Cpl. Fiddes. Congratulations to Sgt. Hicks. We hear a member of the M.T. Section is preparing him a medal for that sprint, followed up by a brilliant rugby tackle one night in Wynyard. We would advise the M.T. Section to accelerate faster.
We hear with great regret that LAW Wegram is shortly to leave us. The Service Police wish her luck in her future duties. We understand she is to cook in the hospital. May she turn out the patients in record time.
It is advised by the hotel manager, Sgt. Hicks that accommodation is strictly limited over the New Year, as we know from experience, the Xmas guests have so enjoyed themselves, they have extended their stay. So do [sic] now and book your reservations immediately.
We would like to advertise our resort: The Hotel is adequately equipped with hot and cold water, rooms furnished with HARD SIDE UP BOARD BEDS and the doors fitted with special locks and a novelty in the form of a window. This enables you to see your opposite number. NO boys, we do not receive the Women’s Division. Before the birds have thought of singing you are up gaining that glowing appetite. Well it is said that the Service always puts weight on a man, boy it sure does, for instance you start off before breakfast weighing 140lbs an by the time you are ready for your mornings sport, you will find yourself 200 lbs. Congratulations to the Messing Committee, it must be a new brand of calories. This sport consists of strapping on your haversack and walking down to the Sergeant Major and asking him how it is played. Well, he hands you a nicely polished piece of wood with a tube down the center and the game starts and ends in one hour dead, if you aren’t dead you should be.
The afternoon is spent in precisely the same way as the morning. With a bit of polishing and shining, we feel sure you will be an expert by the time your sojourn is up. If you walk around and wonder why everyone is staring at you once you have left us, remember you have a very straight back and have been de-smoked, de-coked and de-anything else.
We wish to congratulate Sgt. Green, Cpl’s Moore and Kalb on their promotions. We wish to extend our apologies to all flying personnel if we have caused any difficulties by the searchlights. We are not allowed to keep them on permanently so we just have a peep, and sometimes it is interesting. The Security Guard are looking forward to the hockey season and as we have a very hot team all lined up, we should like to have a few practice games before we enter the finals. Would any other Sections who are interested give Local 25 a ring any time of the day or night and we will fix up a game.
[Page break]
THE DAFOE DIGEST 45
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY OF EVENTS, YEAR 1942
February 20 – Airmen’s dance held in Recreation Hall. Decided success under guidance of F/O J.A. Carr.
March 7 – W/C Lowe-Holmes arrived from No. 31 B. & G. School, R.A.F. Picton, Ont., assuming duties of Chief Instructor of this unit.
March 20 – Airmen’s dance held in Recreation Hall – largest attendance yet, ranging from 450 to 475. Another decided success.
March 23 – Second serious aircraft accident at this station. Sgt. Pilot, Haggart, pilot of one plane entered the ranks of the “Caterpillars” by parachuting to safety. LAC Harris, C.G. another student, was seriously injured in the crash and admitted to Station Hospital. He has since recovered.
March 25 – A three-act play, “Here Comes Charlie” was staged in the Recreation Hall under the direction of F/L W.H. Dunphy.
May 1 – Airmen’s dance held in the Recreation Hall – still another success to be chalked up to the credit of the Entertainment Committee.
May 21 – Mess dinner held in Officers’ Mess in honour of American Officers being transferred to the U.S. Armed Forces.
May 23 – Wedding of F/O C.W. Barnett, U.S.A., and Miss Mavis F. Freeman of Springwater, Sask., held in the Officers’ Mess.
May 26 – Anniversary of the opening of the Station – peculiar circumstance: American Officers departed for joint Canadian-American Board for their re-entry into U.S. Armed Forces.
May 29 – Another success yet – Airmen’s dance in Recreation Hall.
June 1 – Advent of Women’s Division - 65 Airwomen arrives as vanguard of W.D. personnel soon to replace Airmen in certain trades.
June 9 – M.P.O. 1206 opened banking facilities for the Station.
June 23 – Inspector General, A.C. Godfrey arrived for his annual inspection.
June 30 – Another Airmen’s dance and another success.
July 8 – The 85 Air Cadets from Saskatoon who had been stationed here since July 1st departed today after completing their summer training.
July 14 – Monster parade and sports day celebration. All the fun of the country fair plus.
July 23 – Third serious crash since station opened. Sgt. Pilot J.E. Parker, LAC M. Bowen and AC2 R.A. Ward were dangerously injured, and LAC R.C. Parker was slightly injured. Bowen and Ward are now well on the way to recovery.
August 1 – Group Captain R.A. Delhaye, D.F.C., handed over command of the station today to his successor Wing Commander P.W. Lowe-Holmes.
August 16 – Flight of 40 Airmen and 16 piece bugle band journeyed to Humboldt today to participate in a Decoration Day ceremony.
August 31 – Another Airmen’s dance in the Recreation Hall – nuff sed.
October 4 – First special week-end train for personnel on 48-hour passes operated this weekend to Saskatoon.
October 5 – Capt. Frank Armitage, Y.M.C.A. gave his impersonations of Shakespearian roles in the Recreation Hall.
October 11 – Harry S. Hay’s concert party from Saskatoon presented a variety entertainment in the Recreation Hall.
October 26 – W.D. precision squad returned from Winnipeg. This squad left on the 21st and paraded several times in Winnipeg in connection with the third Victory Loan Campaign.
October 29 – First Station dance held in Drill Hall – attendance approximately 1200 – successful event considering difficulties in arranging transportation for civilian personnel.
November 9 – The “Lifebuoy Follies Revue”, a travelling concert party organized by Lever Bros., Toronto, visited the Station and presented their show in the Recreation Hall this evening. It was an outstanding success – remember?
[Page break]
46 THE DAFOE DIGEST
BUST ROAD INCIDENT
or It Can Happen Here
By F/S Cunningham
“Hey you!”
“Huh… …who, me?”
“Yeah, you. Are you in the Air Force?”
“Am I in the … say, are you kidding Corp?”
“No. And take your hands out of your pockets.”
“Sure, but….”
“Where’s your hat?”
“Well you see, I was just going across to…”
“Where’s your hat?”
“I left it in the ….”
“What’s the idea wearing a sweater and no tunic?”
“I’m going across to…”
“And you’ve got no shirt on.”
“No. You see…”
“Take your hands out of your pockets! What are you doing with Flight Coghlan’s pant on?”
“These aren’t Flight Coghlan’s pants Corporal, I had my pants in the …”
[Drawing of two men]
“And what is that lump under your sweater? Hah! Bottles!”
“Yes, but I was going across to …”
“And why are you wearing slippers?”
“I just ca…”
“Don’t fidget. Stand still. And didn’t I tell you to keep your hands out of your pockets?”
“Well my hands are cold.”
“Then why don’t you wear your hat, gloves and coat? Hah! You’re a disgrace to the Service. And if I ever…etc…etc…”
P.S. – The poor guy was just trying to carry out orders. He’d gone to the Drill Hall for P.T. and the P.T.I. gave him a bunch of empty pop bottles to take over to the canteen. And through no fault of his own he had been given the wrong pants at the canteen dry cleaners.
MORAL: Leave this P.T. business strictly alone.
o o o
THE ADJUTANT
By A.R. Haskell
Who every morning, beats the lark,
Who works each day till after dark
Sans recognition or remark? –
THE ADJUTANT.
Who puts things right with G.H.Q.,
When “Whys?” and “Please explains” come through
Who knows a blooming thing or two? –
THE ADJUTANT.
Who’s always wanted on the ‘phone,
Who has no time to call his own,
Who’s uncrowned king without a throne? –
THE ADJUTANT.
To whom are applications sent
From “Yores sur most obedient;
“May I go ‘ome, I ‘ates this tent?” –
THE ADJUTANT
Who always tries to be polite,
Who’s always wrong and never right,
Who never pleases all ranks, quite? –
THE ADJUTANT.
o o o
GUNNERS
If I must be a gunner,
Then please Lord grant me grace,
That I may leave this station,
With a smile upon my face.
I may have wished to be a Pilot,
And you, along with me,
But if, we all were Pilots,
Where would the Air Force be?
It takes GUTS to be a gunner,
To sit out in the tail,
Where the Messerschmitts are coming,
And the slugs begin to wail.
The Pilot’s just a chauffeur,
It’s his job to fly the plane.
But it’s we, who do the fighting,
Though we may not get the fame.
But we’re here to win a war,
And until the job is done,
Let’s forget our personal feelings,
And get behind the gun.
If we must all be gunners,
Then let us make this bet,
We’ll be the best damn gunner
That have left this station yet!
[Page break]
[Cartoon of airmen on parade in front of an aircraft, with a dog, a puddle and a halo!] AUSSIE DOINGS
[Page break]
[Underlined] STATION COMMITTEES [/underlined]
STATION INSTITUTE COMMITTEE
President: Flight Lieutenant H.G. McBeth
Secretary: Pilot Officer J.A. Rolfe
Members: Flight Lieutenant E.W. Rogerson
Flying Officer A.H. Edwards
A S O M.Y. Darte
WO2 Armstrong, G.G.
R103609 LAC Johnston, R.B.
R89862 LAC Swick, G.E.
W302689 Cpl. Kimpton, M.E.
OFFICER’S MESS COMMITTEE
President: Squad. Leader W.T.F. Tourgis
Secretary: Flight Lieutenant J.M. Cruse
House Member: Flying Officer P.A. Logan
Messing Officer: ASO H.M. Smith
Bar Officer: Flight Lieutenant J.M. Cruse
SERGEANT’S MESS COMMITTEE
Honorary President: Flight Lieutenant R. Laidlaw
President: Flight Sergeant Driscoll, H.J.
Chairman: WO2 Tracy, F.P.D.
Secretary-Treasurer Flight Sergeant Barrett, E.P.,
AIRMEN’S MESS COMMITTEE
Chairman Pilot Officer J.A. Rolfe
Women’s Division: Corporal Walker, E.K.M.
Ground Instructional School: Corp. Dodd, E.R.F.
Training Wing: Corporal LeFebvre, L.H.
Headquarters Squadron: Corporal Anderson, J.S.
ENTERTAINMENT COMMITTEE
President: Flight Lieutenant A. Paterson
Secretary: Mr. T.G. MacDonald (Y.M.C.A. Rep.)
Members: Hon Flight Lieutenant W.H. Dunphy
Hon. Flight Lieutenant E.N. Morrison
Corporal Taylor, J.A.
SPORTS COMMITTEE
President: Flying Officer W.E. Brown
Vice President: Flying Officer A.H. Edwards
Secretary-Treasurer: Mr. T.G. MacDonald, (Y.M.C.A. Representative)
Members: Squadron Leader F.C. Stibbard
A S O M.Y. Darte
Flying Officer J.A. Carr
Hon Flight Lieutenant W.H. Dunphy
Hon Flight Lieutenant E.N. Morrison
WO2 R.B. Eaton
STATION LIBRARY COMMITTEE
President: Hon. Flight Lieutenant E.N. Morrison
Secretary: Flying Officer W.E. Brown
Members: Sergeant White, W.H.
LAC Hoare, H.
Tom MacDonald (Y.M.C.A.)
FIRE COMMITTEE
President: Flight Lieutenant E.W. Rogerson
Members: Flight Sergeant Wiebe, J.
AIRMEN’S WELFARE COMMITTEE
President: Hon. Flight Lieutenant E.N. Morrison
Members: Hon. Flight Lieutenant W.H. Dunphy
WO2 Tracy, F.P.D.
WO2 Eaton, R.B.
MINIATURE RIFLE CLUB
Honorary President: Wing Commander P.W. Lowe-Holmes
President: F/S Cooke
Secretary: WO2 Burnham, W.E.
Treasurer: Sergeant Talbot, J.L.
Lotho’d by Perfection Lithographers Limited, Saskatoon, Canada.
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
Dafoe Digest
Description
An account of the resource
The first issue of The Dafoe Digest, a magazine produced by No 5 Bombing and Gunnery School, Dafoe. Each section on the base has had a chance to write a short article about their activities.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-12
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
48 page magazine
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MGeachDG1394781-160401-06
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 Canadian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
Royal New Zealand Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Canada
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan--Dafoe
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Robin Christian
David Bloomfield
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.
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
air gunner
aircrew
animal
bomb aimer
bombing
entertainment
gremlin
Lysander
military living conditions
military service conditions
sport
station headquarters
training
wireless operator / air gunner
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/834/18821/YGeachDG1394781v1.2.pdf
dcac3c4a3517c0ecd4c5eaaca961c4aa
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
Geach, David
D Geach
Description
An account of the resource
<a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/218400/"></a>52 items. The collection concerns Warrant Officer David Geach (1394781 Royal Air Force) and contains his diaries, correspondence, photographs of his crew, his log book, cuttings and items relating to being a prisoner of war. After training in Canada, he flew operations as a bomb aimer with 623 and 115 Squadrons until he was shot down 24 March 1944 and became a prisoner of war. He was instrumental in erecting a memorial plaque to the Air Crew Reception Centre at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. <br />The collection also contains a scrap book of photographs.<br /><br />Additional information on his crew is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/218400/">IBCC Losses Database.</a><br /><br />The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Harry Wilkins 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
2016-03-14
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.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Geach, DG
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Book cover
[page break]
[deleted word]
[deleted word]
[deleted] 106/10 [/deleted]
[deleted word]
[underlined] BOOK 4 [/underlined]
CONTINUING MY
OVERSEAS TRAINING
[page break]
[underlined] 12th December. 1942 [/underlined]
Back the Gunnery Exams are now over, that means that all our exams are completed [four indecipherable words] the aircraft [indecipherable word] & as I have always been pretty sound on that I have no fears in that direction. The final was on the 10th & the written on the 11th, the written wasn’t a bad paper a few tricky maps but we all made it O.K. I think the James Backward Movement of the ‘Breech Block,” cropped up. Looking back now upon the hours of binding on our précis, I wonder if it was all necessary. Still, maybe, it kept us out of marching, but I can’t help thinking of superfluous binding, I bet this thing is all forgotten on ‘ops.’
[page break]
[photograph]
[page break]
They found the missing ‘Boley’ today, it was at the side of 6 mile Lake, after all, that farmer had been right when he said he heard the crash there. It must have gone straight in from a fair height, because the largest piece left of it was only about 4 feet square, so I guess there was some excuse for the aerial search party not finding it. The fellows could hardly have had a chance they must have gone straight in. It is a fact that one hasn’t a chance of getting out, what with that tiny escape hatch, & the comparative low height they fly, no, I guess you just go & hope for the best. I feel terribly sorry for those fellows parents back in England, just to receive a brief telegram – its [sic] very hard.
[page break]
We were down on the 25 yd range the other day with the Browning, it runs a hellish waste of ammo at that short range. It was hellishly cold, except for the brief period when we were outside firing we were huddled in the hut around the stove. It was really grim if there was a stoppage. That is one disadvantage of the Post Office being right down by the Guard Room. We have to tramp all the way down there then through the Snow, & this bitter cold wind covering our ears with our hands as they still wont give us winter caps. Then when we get down there, we receive invariably the answer, “What name? Geach? No, sorry,” I wish it didn’t take so long to come across. Airgraphs are pretty quick, but they are read in a minute.
[page break]
[underlined] Tues 15th December. [/underlined]
Our worries are now all over at least as the exams are concerned. We took our last one today, Aircraft Rec, and that was O.K, poor old Taffy was never a Gen man in that line, nor was Norman & I was hard put whispering the answers to both of them. However whatever the results may be thats [sic] the end of the written & theory side of B & G. There only remains the practical to get in now. On that side we are slightly behind due to bad weather, I’m afraid, just lately I’ve had some incomplete exercises. Yesterday I tried to get a Low Level in the first time up there was a U/S bomb release & the exercise was incomplete. The second time up though everything went O.K except the exercise
[page break]
I got 96 yards for that, pretty grim for low level. Last night I was up twice trying for a High Level, the first time it was an incomplete exercise, because of icing up and the second time it was [indecipherable word] films. I was really cheesed, after hanging around the crew room most of the night, & go up twice, then not be able to get an exercise in.
One good thing over here, everyone has 4 days leave for either Xmas or the New Year which is better than at home so that is one benefit we’ll have. We certainly have put in some work at this place, and now I can see the advantage in having the station so isolated. There are no outside attractions to take our minds off our work.
[page break]
[underlined] Friday 18th December [/underlined]
Today was the coldest day I have ever known, & I hope I dont [sic] experience any more. The temp was 54˚ below zero, it seems incredulous to me that it could go so low. We were on our first gunnery flight, camera gun exercise. but of the whole gunnery flight they were only able to get one Blenheim started, it was so cold that it was impossible to get any life out of the others. It seemed an effort to breathe on the ground the air seemed so thin. Cross & I were on the camera gun trip, how I wished we werent [sic]. Clad in full cloths with a sweater then outer & inner flying suits on top of that, & two pairs of gloves we staggered out.
I was first in the turret, we had tossed & I had lost so I was ‘Joe.’ The Bristol turret, in ordinary conditions an abortion
[page break]
for anyone above 5ft 6ins didn’t react very favourably to my efforts to climb in. At last after a hell of a struggle I made though every time I rotated it, my feet were jammed. I saw the target Blenheim, and went to open fire, obviously he was in a playful mood, because he sat in the blind spot just under the tail, & would suddenly slide out, until he saw me struggle with the turret, my frozen hands gripping the controls, when the guns were almost bearing on him, he would pop back under the tail. Consequently I hadn’t had a chance to fire at all. He repeated the manoeuvre about 4 times, & I was nearly freezing with cold, because one is almost sitting in the open in those turrets.
Suddenly I got a bead on him and pressed the triggers holding in down, then
[page break]
looking at the counter dial, I saw it wasn’t moving, no film was being wound over. I cursed & swore like a madman, the cold had sapped at my strength so much that any little thing almost made me scream with frustration. Smashing at the cover I eventually lifted it & hauled out the magazine. I thrust it behind me into Cross’s hand & shouted for another. He was rather a long while & I shouted & swore, then he handed it up & I thrust it in. After getting it all set up I found that didn’t work, so utterly exhausted I almost fell out of the turret & thrust poor Crossy willy nilly in there screaming in his ear, what I know not. It wasn’t long before he was in the same state and scrambled out, trying to push me in, but I had had enough & told the
[page break]
pilot to land. By this time the cold had seeped through into our very marrow, & our bodies were shaking in uncontrollable spasms, apart from the absolute numbness, of our hands & feet.
Looking back in the warmth of the hut it seems incredible that cold could make us act like demented beings. Yet, so much did it eat at us, that everything going wrong made us swear & shout into the empty air & struggle hopelessly our fingers so cold they couldn’t grasp a thing. It was such a feeling of frustration that I would have thrown the gear overboard, had I been able. As it was the gun was so frozen up it was impossible to operate. I am surprised that they sent us up in that weather, with only one kite serviceable.
[page break]
Yesterday I was up with Smithy for a High Level, he went in first to, but gave a good few dummy runs, then said the windscreen was iced so much he couldn’t bomb. P/O Cheye the pilot asked me to try & ‘em so I went in & found it was iced up right to the line of sight & no corrections were possible. Anyway I tried as best as I could dropping bombs on the turn & all sorts of things. When we landed I told the pilot to come over to the plotting office & bear out my statement of the lousy conditions I had bombed under . When the result was worked out it was only 156 yds & I only needed 150yds or under to have a pass, so bombing under those lousy conditions I was only 6 yds over. The little English P/O that we didn’t like was in charge & when my pilot told
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him the score he hummed & hawed, then finally said, come back & see it later & it will be different. When I went back expecting about just under 100 yds, as in good conditions it would have been that easy, I found he had taken 6yds off, & I had 150 yds, a bare pass, what a concession it must have broken his heart to give it away. I also got a Low Level in & got 56 yds pretty nice. Last night I had a wizard exercise, to catch me up I went up alone, with Jake [indecipherable word] for pilot, he is a smashing guy. I had 12 bombs on & had to complete two exercises in, we got them off O.K. & the results were 79 yds & 85 yds, boy! Was I happy. What was better still we were down early enough for the film show, & as I was the only one in the class on night bombing, I was able to nip over, & go in the show with them. Truly a happy night.
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[underlined] Monday December 21st [/underlined]
They are certainly cracking on with this flying now, getting exercises in on every possible occasion, if only this keeps up we might finish on time yet. On Saturday I went up on High Level and got 105 yards, which was O.K. There is only one fault with there [sic] bombing exercises and that is bombing up, especially in this blasted cold weather, I don’t know a bigger torture. We go out to the Anson before take off & find the 12 bombs laying under the aircraft. Under the kite we crawl & lay down in the snow & hammer away at the frozen butterfly nuts, trying to pull the [indecipherable word] down to grip the bombs. It is deadly cold & even though we wear two pairs of gloves our hands get numb. Ramsay a New Zealander split
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his glove once & happening to get hold of the bomb with his bare hand tore all the skin off it.
After we have put the bombs on we get back in the kite, & wait till the pilot says the kite is serviceable, (which it often isn’t). Then out we scramble dive under the kite & start to pull the pins out. This is the worst part of the whole business, both engines are running & we crouch there in the slipstream, with the snow being whipped in our faces like a miniature blizzard. Once all the side of my face went right numb & a ground staff chap rubbed snow on it & it went O.K again. The copper wire holding the pins in, is generally too tough to break & we turn our gloves on it & twist & pull in vain. Then
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if that goes, more often than not the split pin is frozen or rusted in. We twist & pull, curse & swear, then eventually they are out & back we crawl. Quite often we are only up for a few minutes & the exercise is [indecipherable word] out, or sometimes we haven’t even left the ground before flying is scrubbed. Then back we crawl & push the pins back & vainly try & wind the copper wire around the safety plunger, [indecipherable word] the [indecipherable word] switch gently, so the plunger wont spring out. Then if it does you fumble around, cursing for all you are worth. Ah! [indecipherable word] what a mugs game this is.
We also went up Saturday night to try to get a High Level in but it was scrubbed owing to icing up, the old story, they ought to
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have something to keep the [indecipherable word] free from ice, a guard or something. I got the exercise in last night though, it wasn’t a particularly brilliant one, 141yds but it was a pass
Today was my first actual gunnery exercise & after all the tales I had heard I was surprised that everything went off without a hitch. I was in the turret first, I& was enjoying bashing away at the old drogue so much that when I thought it was about time to let Jamison fire his rounds I looked down and saw I had fired all mine and all of his except for about 20. There was nothing else to do but pop them off. Still he didn’t mind because with his height it is a work of art to get in & out of the turret.
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[underlined] Thursday 24th December [/underlined]
The exercises are gradually being completed, we have all completed bombing & have only the rest of the gunnery [indecipherable word] to do. We are not graduating on time though, they knew we wouldn’t a while ago, but were going to send us on leave for Xmas & on to AONS without bothering to complete the rest of our gunnery exercises.
This has all been squashed on the head though & we have to stay to finish them. The worst part of all, our leave has been cancelled, & we have to fly over Xmas, Taffy & I have had to cable the people in Surhatoon, who invited us to stay there & tell them its off. Poor old Chiefy Oliver he was really cut about us not getting it.
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The Navigation School we are going to is No 1 CNS Rivers Manitoba, & all the English fellows are going there. Most of the Canadians wanted to stay out West, so we let them apply for Regina, because it would be a rotten trick for us to try & keep them from their homes, we don’t mind where we go actually. I do wish we could have leave though.
I went up on two trips yesterday the first one, I had a really u/s gun, neither of us could do anything with it, so we had to land with the exercise incomplete. Sometimes if there is a stoppage that can’t be cleared & there are only about a hundred rounds left, we throw them over the side into Quill Lake so we can
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get in a complete exercise. Today I got an exercise in with Sgt [indecipherable word] a New Zealand pilot he is a mad guy, a good flier but a regular binder, he drives me to the point of turning the gun on him.
We all have to belt our own ammunition, heaven knows how many thousand rounds our class has made into belts, but it number quite a few. Every individual has to do a certain number, & there are always arguments about personal scores or somebody skiving off & not doing his share. Well its getting on so I must join the boys in the bar they are having a Xmas Eve party there, & we have invited the Aircraft {indecipherable word] Corporal & the Cpl in charge of our hut they are both decent fellows.
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[underlined] Sunday December 27th. [/underlined]
Xmas has come and gone and our Bombing & Gunnery course is now completed, at least mine is with a few others, there are still some that have to get another one or two gunnery exercises in. The Xmas was the worst I have ever spent, I make no bones in saying that, & it was entirely the fault of the C.O & powers that be on the station. Xmas eve we had a marvellous time, because we organised it ourselves. We all had a good beer up in the canteen, at our party, then bowled down to the WAAFs recreation room. They are allowed to invite one fellow each but the whole crowd of us just swarmed in there, & took the place over. We started a dance with the juke box & it was bang on.
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I think I got to bed about 3AM. On Xmas morning but got up rather [indecipherable word] for the Xmas dinner. This was rather a nice meal, but what a fiasco it was. The officers & NCO’s were serving us & it wouldn’t have been so bad if they had laid off the liquor before hand. Instead of that we had to sit at the tables for about three quarters of an hour before they finally rolled in. Boy! They were certainly well heeled, the officers had NCO’s tunics & vice versa, the little Sgt B/A who came back from England was wearing one of the large fur hats we could just about see his face. Anyway they tried to serve it, the meal, I mean, & there was nearly a riot. They dropped quite a few & were playing about the rest of the
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time.
As everyone was nearly starving, the boys began to eat up, an officer jumped up to try to make a speech but was howled down. Then the Orderly Officer & Orderly NCO came in, & the NCO tried to shout at us, & someone hit him in the eye with an apple, & he hit him good & hard. That started the fun there was a shower of apples that were provided on the tables. It was great while it lasted, then things quietened down & we finally got our meal, which was good, although my taste was rather spoilt by the effect of the previous nights hang over.
Xmas night what a night, there was no tea, because the mess was still in the shambles it was from the dinner, so we had to forage around
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& get what food we could. Then we looked for some amusement, the officers were having a hell of a party with bags of liquor, lots of women. The N.C.O were doing likewise in their mess everyone was having a whale of a time – except the airmen. We drifted along to the WAAFs recreation hall to see if there was a dance, but it was practically deserted, all the WAAF’s had been invited to the parties. After disconsolately playing a couple of records on the juke box, we thought , oh! Well we’ll go in the canteen & just sit there drinking, so off we went. When we went there, we found a notice to say it wasn’t opening as there was no beer. No drinks to be had on Xmas night at least for the airmen, NCO’s & officers were gorging it down & there wasn’t a
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drop for the other ranks. Pretty poor arrangements on the CO’s part, in fact the whole attitude was let the airmen take care of themselves. Some said there should have been 12 barrels of beer for the airmen, but it mysteriously disappeared into the other parties, whether, this was true or not I don’t know, anyway we were out in the cold.
The YMCA took pity on us & screened a couple of travel films in Norway, & the place was full, it shows what a degree of apathy had sunk to. On the wireless we could hear the fellows at Mossbank having a marvellous party & the English fellows broadcasting home to their families, & we were going to bed at 10P.M – Merry Xmas.
Today I did my last two gunnery exercises, one with [indecipherable word], everything went O.K. so my B & G course is now over.
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[underlined] Thursday Dec 31st. [/underlined]
1942 has almost gone & it has been quite an eventful year for me, I guess we will be up when the – New Year arrives. Speaking of new things we are now at our new station, Rivers Manitoba No 1 Central Navigation School. Back at Dafoe we kept binding the others to get their gunnery exercises in as there might be a chance of leave. They finally got them in & our graduation party was set for Tuesday the 29th. We spent the day packing our things & getting everything ready for our journey. Then in the evening we assembled promptly in the YMCA hut for the proceedings. The C.O & the officers arrived & after a few speeches & the usual bull about being one of the best courses etc, though this time they quoted figures and
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we had beaten all previous courses records. Then came the awarding of the certificates, old Smithy came top, everyone expected that, it shook me that when the final results were out, of both practical & theory work, I had come fourth in the course, I didn’t expect that.
Afterwards there was some drinking & a sing song but we didn’t get canned or anything, then around midnight we bowled along to the mess for a special supper that was provided. I had two lots of toast eggs bacon tomatoes & chips, with wizard coffee, I was really starving. When that was over some of the boys [indecipherable word] off to a recent cache of beer they had & were certainly heeled. We got to bed around 2 A.M. & we were hardly asleep when we were awakened at 5A.M. to get moving.
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After a quick breakfast we bundled our kit bags in the back of the lorry, then found we had to climb in on top of them. The back of the lorry was open, there was a blizzard raging & we had a 30 mile drive across the prairies to Raymore where we were to catch the train. So we said cheerio to all our Canadian friends on the course who were going to Regina & off we went.
I find it impossible to describe that ride, no mere words on paper can conjure up the intense cold we suffered. Cold is a thing that always strikes me & it nearly did them. We were laying there on the kit bags huddled together like sheep for a little warmth. Before long my feet had gone dead & I couldn’t move them so I had to
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get Taffy to punch & pummel them, because I was frightened of frostbite. About every five minutes he did this, & I think that was all that saved them. I was in agony with the bitter cold, & thought the ride would never end, on & on we jolted until at last we reached the little township of Raymore. I fell out of the lorry & so did quite a few of the others, & got into the bare waiting room of the railway station for warmth. When we had unloaded the kit & placed it on a truck, we found out our train which [deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted] was then due was snowed up & hadn’t left [indecipherable word]. There was only one hotel in the place so we went there, to have coffee. After a while we decided to have breakfast as well, & got cracking.
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The hotel appeared to be devoid of customers but us, & I didn’t see any people staying there, heaven’s knows how they made it pay. The old chap who owned it didn’t appear to take to us at [deleted word] first, but he thawed out [deleted word] later. We plunged back through the driving snow to the station to see what the position, but the train still hadn’t started out, so we ordered dinner at the hotel. As it turned out we spent all the day there & never have I experienced such complete boredom. There was nothing at all in the hotel, just one room with an old piano, which Smithy banged on, but as he played mainly by music & the pieces there were pretty old & grim, there wasn’t much amusement in that direction. In the town there wasn’t one shop we could
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look in, or a cinema, dance hall, absolutely nothing. Some of the boys discovered an old barber’s shop with a pool room in the back & played there for a while, but that was deadly.
After dinner the bar was opened, & we sat there most of the time drinking, then the station rang to say the train would be in at 5P.M. Pat Smithy & myself wandered off & found a little café The lady came from London Eng [sic], & we had quite a chat. Then there was a panic because we found the boundary of Mountain Time & Central Time ran between the café & the station, so we didn’t know whether the station had meant 5P.M. their time or what was in the café, what a topsy turvy town. As there was an hors difference we dashed to
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the station in a panic. There we found the train still hadn’t arrived& would be later than they thought. Back to the hotel for tea & we were sitting in the bar when we heard the whistle, the train was coming through we dashed out & there she was in the distance her headlight glaring and her whistle screaming how we cheered it. She was 13 hours late.
Soon we were heading away from that desolate spot, & one step nearer to England again. When we reached Rivers there was a truck waiting & out we went. We had to book in at the guard room, it was then 1.30am. they gave us a light meal & then tried to find billets for us. The fellow who knew where they were, was apparently away & the
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Cpl. Who showed us didn’t. We stumbled into huts in the pitch black switched on lights got furious howls from the occupants & dived out. Eventually we found the hut we had had odd beds amongst a flight of navigators that were sleeping there. They had only just moved in for weeks they had been sleeping in hangars, & we had to wake the poor devils with the lights.
We were in bed about 3AM. & they sorted us out at 8A.M. to get weaving on the schedule of signing in FFI’s & the usual routine. With hardly any sleep for two nights we certainly feel tired now. Today we met our instructor had a look round at the place & received the usual welcome address, and so have begun our Navigators course it lasts 6 weeks. Ah! Well it has just struck midnight so Farewell 1942 & Greetings 1943 – Happy New Year.
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[underlined] Sunday 3rd January. [/underlined]
I’m afraid this place isn’t as good as Defoe though it is a fair bit easier for us, being as Air Bombers aren’t taken seriously, it is almost purely and simply a Navigation School. Our huts are O.K. only I wish the blasted heater in our room would work constantly, when it fails, & it invariably does in the night the place is like an ice berg come morning & a supreme effort is needed to leap out of the sheets. The kit bags arrived the day after we did & mine was missing, it’s the one with flying kit, I’ve bound about it, but so far without result. I think the biggest laugh is our classroom, it is in a huge drill hall, that is still under construction, & I guess our classroom isn’t constructed yet. It is a ramshackle
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affair of wood, all knocked together. The floor is rough planks, & ends before it reaches the far wall, there lies a large hole in which all sorts of rubbish is dumped. There is no heating & not much electric light, the one bright spot is that the walls are literally covered, with women that themselves are far from covered. Represented are the Queens of Hollywood in their most glamorous & revealing poses and photographs from various nudist magazines, it is a superb collection. A Flt / Lt bought the Sqdn/Ldr along see them and have them removed. Gesturing he said to the Sqdn/Ldr “you see what I mean,” the latter surveyed them in silence & said “yes, but mind you, they’re damn fine women.” The best part was when the padre came to the room for his chat, but even he couldn’t keep his eyes off them.
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The food as whole is pretty grim here, & the mess isn’t so hot, although we had a really smashing dinner on New Years Day & didn’t bother to go to classes in the afternoon. Our instructor is a decent chap, he’s only been a P/O a couple of weeks was an LAC like us then. He is rather easy going, keen, & tries hard, I’m afraid we take advantage of him. When looking at some out of date reconnaissance books the other day, there was a diagram of a battle fleet at sea. It was obviously pre-war with the destroyer screen in a beautiful Vic ahead of the rest & four aircraft carriers bunched together all on their lonesome at the rear. I remarked “They’d be a sitting target for U. Boats,” at which he gazed hard at the diagram & rather vaguely said “I don’t see any U Boats.” Before I realised it I said ‘no, they are under the water.” I couldn’t resist it, he really asked for it, guess he has drawn the bead on me now.
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[underlined] Thursday January 7th [/underlined]
We have commenced our flying here, I went on one trip Tuesday, ostensibly we are there for Map Reading, but actually we are ballast. Nobody bothers about us we sit up by the pilot & heroically wind the undercart up & down, every now and again the Navigator pushes us aside to read the astro compass. Should we be very conscientious & map read diligently all the way, then offer the Nav a pin point, he looks at you with deep suspicion, still I guess they have every right to be they get so many duff pin points. Their cross country trips last about three hours & we are supposed to drop one bomb at the end. What good one will do I don’t know, but most pilots hate it, & will do anything rather than carry out the bombing, they find wizard excuses too.
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P/O Grand gives us logs to keep in the air, pin points recce reports etc, I blush to say most of them are cooked. We have to prepare flight plans too, actually though we don’t do a lot of ground work here, the photography is the most binding I think. Certainly there isn’t the study at night like at Dafoe, the navs [sic] work hard though, I pity the poor guys. The cinema is the same as Dafoe though not so clean & it is more crowded, not bad though. There is a fair sized canteen opposite with a bar one end divided by the partition. They sell hot dogs for a nickel each & I generally get a quarters worth I love them. Generally they have a good selection of commercial goods, shirts and everything. There is a small YWCA by the gate where they sell lovely coffee, we don’t do so badly.
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[underlined] Tuesday 12th January [/underlined]
I have been on two more cross countries here we are gradually getting our hours in. My flying kit bag turned up after all so, I didn’t have to wear borrowed kit again, God knows where it had been, halfway across Canada again I reckon. We had a 36hr which we were going into Brandon for, over the weekend. After queuing at the gate & in a mad rush we arrived in there safely, but after back & forth along Main Street we figured we had seen [deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted] [inserted] everything [/inserted]. I splashed out & bought a Rolex wrist watch for $65 (£15) it really is a lovely thing though. Afterwards we went to a cinema to see “My Sister Eileen,” quite a funny film. Although we had been in two cafés for snacks already, we were still able to wade through a large dinner in the Hotel.
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After that we were absolutely at a loss so we went to a cinema again. It was a grim little dive really & the films were pretty poor. I happened to be sitting next to a Canadian Flt/Lt. & his wife, & she noticed my ATS cap badge, that I had worn ever since somebody stole my badge at Manchester. I could hear her whispering to him “ask him what it is,” & I was all set to [indecipherable word] out Air Training Scheme as I told an S.P previously, but he didn’t. after the show we figured there was absolutely nothing to stay for, Jock, Butch & a couple of others stayed & went off to find some women, but we caught the last bus back to camp.
Our Wings Parade is due the beginning of February, the day we have waited for all this time is getting pretty close now. Ah! Well I’ll be glad its [sic] all over.
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[underlined] Sunday January 17th. [/underlined]
Life is still the same, fairly uneventful, some days it snows, & some days it doesn’t some days we fly & some days we don’t - [indecipherable word]. We went into Rivers this afternoon, we started to walk but hell! It was so cold that we were mighty glad when we got a lift half way. A good hot meal in the drug store & we felt like new again. That’s the thing I like about Rivers it may small & dead, but boy! You can get a good meal pretty cheap. We generally come in on the bus, straight into the drug store, & there have, coffee, rolls & butter, steak, two eggs, green peas, French Fries, with lemon pie that just makes my mouth water all for 65 cents. Afterwards we see a film at the tiny “Four Star Theatre” or the other one, then time for another meal, & just time to catch the bus back it really is a pleasant evening.
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There is only one general store to wander round but they stock almost everything, what a thrill it was when we first had bananas there, they really tasted good. The new snack bar on the camp is now open, its [sic] a real flash affair, red leather stools, with chromium fittings & red leather settees, some café for an Air Force camp. The drill hall or games hall is nearing completion, its [sic] a wizard floor & quite a size, the Canadians certainly look after their men.
I went on the open air skating rink the other night to try my hand, the chaps who could skate said it was pretty grim, but I’m no judge. As I have done a fair amount of roller skating, I was able to maintain my balance & not fall down at all, & whip up a little speed on occasions, but it really made my ankles ache, afterwards.
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[underlined] Thursday 21st January. [/underlined]
It really has been cold lately, and we have had to cease lectures over in the class room, because there is no heating, and one simply can’t pay attention. So just lately we have moved the classroom to our billets because they are warm, at least the one next to us is, our own heater keeps breaking down.. On Monday the temp. was 48˚ below zero, boy! That’s getting down some, I hope never to experience cold like it again. One has difficulty in breathing, & your eyelids gum up, every tooth in my mouth aches, & the skin on the face feels as though it is being torn off in strips, its [sic] really grim. I never thought I should see the day when it got warmer when it started to snow. We also flew Monday, luckily there was an inversion, & it was only -32˚ but that was cold enough.
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The other day on a day cross country our track took us across Winnipeg, it was well worth seeing from the air. The tall buildings, I dont [sic] think they are big enough to be called sky scrapers, stood up very clean & the mass of cars in the streets looked [deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted] like hundreds of beetles crawling along, in fact the whole place resembled a large ant hill. Easily the most fascinating part was the railway station & goods yards, they looked like little toy trains puffing in & out of each other, it was well worth seeing. We spent our 48 hrs. there & had a good time, apart from the fact I collected a frost bitten ear, which became the size of a young foot-ball. I was able to see May’s Aunt & was made very welcome. We went in on the “flyer” Friday afternoon & came back Sunday night, it is a nice town, & it made a break, I really enjoyed myself.
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[underlined] Tuesday January 26th. [/underlined]
The flying programme really has been moving these last few days, I have flown three days running now, as there was a good break in the weather. Lets hope the weather continues to be O.K. & then we wont be held up after Wings Parade to complete our flying hours. The results of our Mid Term Exams, which we took last Wednesday came through, & we all passed, it was pretty easy so I guess we all should. Our final exams come off tomorrow & Thursday, & we will all pass by hook or by crook & mainly the latter. The whole class will be cribbing most of their written exams, & I make no excuses in fact I say its [sic] the right thing. The stuff they teach us is all obsolete, & we will never use it when we leave here, both the instructors & pupils know it consequently there is no effort made to learn it.
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We have done a couple of night cross – countries & I can’t see they are much training. If the trip is East it is invariably by Winnipeg & as soon as we climb to 6,000ft the glow of Winnipeg can be seen in the distance there is no chance of losing it. Even if the navigator gives a duff course the pilots fly towards it, so they don’t have to stay up longer than they can help. It is pretty cheesing for us, we just sit there in the cold, see a town lit up on the ground, shine a dim light on our map then on our log to make an entry. Invariably the pencil or log falls on the floor and we grope around for it, whilst the pilot curses about the light flashing. The other night I saw the pilot laughing heartily at something so I crawled into the bombing hatch & put the ear-phones on, they were listening to Bob Hope, so I discovered a way to relieve the boredom.
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[underlined] Sunday 31st January. [/underlined]
Well our last exams are over & passed, we have no more to take now before we get our wings, that should be pretty soon now. The exams weren’t too bad, & we didn’t have to do a lot of cribbing, the aldis & a couple like that we couldn’t possibly crib, still we all made the grade. Now we are trying to get our 30 odd flying hours in I thought it would be a rush for them. We flew yesterday & today & only need three trips now & our flying programme will be completed. 65 course who were at Defoe with us, left for Moncton except one chap who had to stay behind to get his flying hours in. Riches the chap I used to work with has gone on the 4th Vector course so I guess hell [sic] do his OUT over here.
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I don’t think we shall get any leave after our course, the last lot of fellows didn’t, they certainly have twisted us out of the five days leave we should have had for Xmas or the New Year. Our life is the essence of laziness now, as there is nothing for us to do in the way of lectures. We write, read & yarn most of the day, & toddle along to the cinema at night. It gets rather packed now & we have to queue about a quarter of an hour outside to make sure of getting in for a seat. ‘Red’ Sollis and the rest of the navigators that are passing out with us have just about finished wading through their pile of exams, they certainly have some to get through. More & more I thank my lucky stars that when I washed out as pilot I wasn’t made a navigator I just wouldn’t have stood it.
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[underlined] Sunday February 7th. [/underlined]
Its [sic] arrived at last, almost a year to the day of entering the R.A.F we have our tapes and I am now Sgt Geach. The big day was yesterday & it was about three days overdue, we flew Thursday, & twice on Friday in order to get our flying finished in time. Old Grand wanted us to fly on the first night cross country on Friday, come down get into another kite & fly on the second one in order to get our time in, that was on top of flying 3 hrs. in the day time. It would mean 10 hrs flying in about 16 hrs, anyway when I returned from my first night cross country I told him what he could do & walked off, so did some of the others, a few flew again. When we got to the mess for a midnight meal they wouldn’t serve us because we were wearing flying boots. So we all took
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them off, one of the Canadians had red & yellow hooped socks, some of us had blue & some grey, it was quite a sight, anyway they had to serve us.
They sprang this wings parade on us the day before and we were frantically bulling for it. It took place at 2P.M. yesterday, & there were two flights of navigators passing out beside we Air Bombers. There was bags of bull, a terrific long march out to the Groupie, I wasn’t looking forward to it. Suddenly my name was called, & like a robot away I went, “attention, one pace back, turn left, march smartly, head up, left, right, bags of bull. Getting near the Groupie now, get ready for a smart halt not too near him, & not too far away.” Then horror of horrors as I came to a real crashing halt the steel tips on my heels made me
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slip, the whole room held its breath as I tottered & even the Groupie smiled when I managed to regain my balance, it shook me. A handshake, pin on the brêvet, a few words, then it was all over & I was marching back. So I had graduated at last into a trained Air Bomber.
That afternoon we were all queuing up at the parachute section getting our tapes and brêvet sewn on, they certainly made some money there. Now we have been packing all the time & throwing out all the unwanted junk. We leave tomorrow to Moncton & should have a two day break, at Montreal I guess. That is a start of our journey back to England, & home again, this place doesn’t seem so bad now, stations never do until you are on the point of leaving them, anyway cheerio! Rivers.
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[underlined] Sunday 14th February. [/underlined]
Here we are back in Moncton, as some wit put it “Brother, this is where I came in.” We had quite a pleasant trip back here, we left on the Monday, the train was a few hours late owing to snow storms. It wasn’t too good a coach but at Winnipeg we changed onto the train that was taking us across to Montreal, and we climbed into our bunks there. On the whole we slept fairly well, the one thing that cheesed me was every time the train stopped there was a colossal clanking & jarring as each coach hit the other. The Canadian railways lead ours in many ways, but I certainly think they would be wise to use spring buffers. Our coloured attendant was quite a good sort & cleaned our shoes if we left them out.
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Our journey back across Canada was quite a lot different from the journey out. Before it had been summertime and maybe just a tinge of autumn creeping in, but now the country was really in the grip of the winter. Snow storms would rage & the fine powdered snow would filter in under the edges of the doors. The scenery was really lovely in its majestic beauty though. The pureness and [indecipherable word] of the snow is certainly something & as we raced through forests along the edges of frozen lakes one couldn’t help but be impressed. Although our coach on the train was the old wood & leather type, the meals were everything one could wish for, with excellent service. To cap it there was a tourist car next to it, at least I believe that was what it was.
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It had huge soft armchairs on swivels, with enormous windows allowing the maximum vision. Such a lazy existence to sprawl back & gaze at the panorama flitting by. We had a little break at Ottowa and took a few snaps, & then on to Montreal. The snow had been very heavy around there & was up above the fence tops, quite a few telephone wires were down as well. I don’t think I’ve ever got over Canadian telephone poles, having twists & bends in them, whereas ours are dead straight & creosoted! No doubt it is because so many come down that it is only worth while lopping the branches off trees and sticking them up. However at about 6 P.M. on Wednesday we came rolling into Montreal. We reported to the RTO, got everything fixed up, dumped our kit & set off for a place to stay.
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Ronnie Clureman & I set off for the YMCA but got lost & had a hell of a job finding it. I was surprised to find the pavements and roads were coated with a solid sheet of ice a foot thick. To make matters worse the temperature rose suddenly & it rained forming pools everywhere, then just as suddenly it froze. It was exactly the same as walking on an ice rink. At the YMCA they said they hadn’t rooms there but they could fix us up. I’m afraid we were more out for a spree than anything, consequently we didn’t want to stay in a persons house and come in pretty early, So mumbling excuses we crept out & started to look for rooms, we soon got fixed up, in a place owned by a Frenchman, a decent chap though. Following this we went back to the YMCA for a meal.
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Jack Benny was in town with his show Rochester, Don Wilson, & the rest, they were giving a show in the Y.M. that night so we went, it was pretty good. Afterwards there was a jam session we were able to stand it for a while but with our heads absolutely splitting we tottered out. The next day we were mainly sight seeing and shopping during the day. Gangs of men were chipping the ice off the side walks, because people had been going down like ninepins the night before & I guess there were a few bones broken. We lunched at Dinty Moor’s we had nearly all our meals there, & I saw Noel Cowards ’In which we serve,” it was very good. The Y.M.C.A gave us free seats for any film show that we wanted to go to. After tea we started a real round of the various night clubs & dives.
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Our first call was at the Beaver Club, because that was the only place we could find where the price of beer was reasonable. It was 45 cents a quart, so we would quaff a goodly sum, & then bowl off to the dearer places, well heeled. The Beaver really was a dive though, the grimmest excuse for a cabaret I ever saw & a really grim lot there at times. Still it served its purpose then off we would trot to the Astor or Music Box, we hovered around both places, but I know we finished at the Astor. Harry Jamieson & Corrie were really gone & had a couple of women with them, as up came a photographer & snapped them & charged them $5 a copy. The cabaret there wasn’t too hot, anyway we remained till the end around 3A.M. and we wended our way back rather staggeringly to our bed.
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The next day was much the same as the previous ones, silk stockings & cosmetics, being purchased at Eaton’s, & a general tour around. We went to Lochi’s to see a film, & then wended our way to the station, we were very sorry to have to leave, I should have liked a fortnight there, two days was far too short. The train journey to Moncton was pretty uneventful, the sun was shining brightly on the snow, & we took quite a few photographs.
At 4P.M. yesterday afternoon we drew into the familiar station at Moncton, & took a taxi to the camp. They hadn’t been expecting us which annoyed us, because we could have had a few days more leave, Jock Creighton hasn’t come back yet anyway. Now we are settled in our billets and are getting quite comfortable again, I love this central heating.
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[underlined] Wednesday February 17th. [/underlined]
The weather has taken a turn for the worse now when we arrived the streets were clean but we’ve had a couple of snow falls since. Things have tightened up here since we were last staying, there is more of a check on you. We parade in the morning after breakfast, if we can get up for it. The trouble is we have to queue right round the hall, because there are quite a few N.C.O’s here, it shook us having to have our own knives & forks again, most of us had thrown them away.
After parade they march us to lectures they have just started, they are more or less a farce, not a lot of gen given us. There is quite an amount of square bashing on a huge parade ground they have built, what a life, could be worse.
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I have been into town once, everything is much the same, a new restaurant has opened, & is packed out always. As there has been no troopships leaving for a few weeks there are tons of RAF chaps & the town is crowded. Once I went to the Camp Cinema its [sic] really is the finest I’ve seen a real luxury effort. Red plush armchairs, covertly staggered, velvet curtains, everything done in modern style. Beside this there is an ordinary camp cinema, which is free. The bar is a good one, and we have a decent café, with oranges & milk available, so we are pretty well off. Our food isn’t too bad, the majority of our meals are ate in the town though. On the whole Moncton must get 50% of its business from the RAF.
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[underlined] Sunday 21st February [/underlined]
A week of waiting has passed, with bags of rumours flying around regarding postings home. Never before has the camp been so crowded, owing to the active U Boat campaign no RAF chaps have sailed for [deleted] [indecipherable] [/deleted] six weeks, & the camp is jammed, all the huts are full. The other day a huge bunch of Aussies & Canadians arrived from Halifax as they were overflowing there as well. It is really grim in town trying to get in at a café or cinema, its [sic] air force air force everywhere, & we vainly hunt for a place to eat. On a course one doesn’t notice the time passing but here on the last lap home, it just seems to drag. Another thing we don’t get mail now because we told everyone at home to cease writing when our course was finishing at Rivers. In this way
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it obviates bundles of old letters chasing you to England. However we tramp hopefully to the Post Office each day just in case, & sometimes there is an old one that has been chasing all over Canada.
We are in a different hut now, it was a bind lugging all the kit across. The old ‘F’ flight at Manchester, (65 course at Defoe) are in the next room, its [sic] funny how after all this time we are still together. It has just come through who are getting commissions, they are Stan Cross, Pat Kinsella, Smithy, Wade, Jock Crighton, Hunter, & a quiet chap in another class Walker I believe his name is. Most of them were expected, Jock Crighton was a shock he had had more detentions & charges than all the course put together, he arrived here quite a few days leave. Some of them deserve their commissions thoroughly though, its [sic] a pity we are split up now.
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It was a humorous but tragic sight here the other day. The weather was quite warm when most of the fellows went into town around 5P.M. at 8P.M. it dropped terribly in temperature, & as they only had thin RAF caps, there were well over 50 fellows walking about with a bandage on their head & two great pads over their ears. After my dose of it I was truly sorry for them. They try to put in an amount of square bashing here, its [sic] a bind, W/O Libby is one big b- & thats [sic] no lie as the Canucks say. He is the station W/O & really likes aircrew – I don’t think.
It is May’s birthday today, but I’ll have to deliver her present when I arrive home. These various items have travelled some miles already, & will be travelling a good few more before they are ultimately delivered.
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[underlined] Monday March 1st. [/underlined]
One more week gone & it really seems as though something big is moving now and I sincerely hope so. Some of us popped of to New York for a few days leave. We managed it by forging letters from imaginary people down there, as this was necessary, I think everybody knew they were faked including the officer, still we had a fine time. Lots of times we have been warned of the Fifth Column over here, & we have had ample evidence of it. From bags of people we have had “authentic” gen regarding our ship, port & sailing date. Most of them seem to favour the Queen Elizabeth from New York, I hope they are right from the point of comfort. Regarding the sailing date it is sometime during the next fortnight, and that seems feasible enough.
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The Fleet Air Arm chaps had a party last night a regular beer up, they finished up with women in the billets, one could hear them shrieking of laughter all over the camp. So a few officers were Joe’d to go along & turf them out. Our hut has a real handy location for getting out of camp, instead of walking right across to the main gate, we have a hole in the fence at the back of our hut. Here we slip through & catch a bus right into the centre of the town, it is most handy returning at night [deleted] bef [/deleted] being dropped off almost at the doorstop.
Some of the commissioned lads are acquiring their kit, seems strange to see them in cheese-cutters. I don’t exactly know if I wanted one or not, so can’t tell if I’m disappointed. I know I wouldn’t take that commission Grand spoke of to go on the 4th Vector course.
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[underlined] Wednesday [deleted] 4th [/deleted] 3rd March. [/underlined]
Things definitely are moving and its [sic] homeward bound we’ll be in a few days, it seems too good to be true. Not much has happened but we have been warned to stand by & get all our kit assembled together, & chase round to the various places, if we have any boots or shoes etc. anywhere. We came across here with webbing & two kitbags although we didn’t need it all, we kept the webbing with us, & the kit bags were stowed in the hold. Now we are only allowed one kit bag & webbing & we keep these with us all the trip there being nothing stowed in the hold, I don’t know why. We are handing in our flying kit here, but we still lose a lot of room, as flying kit could go in 3/4 of a kit bag and the rest of the room could be used for something else.
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So it has come to the question of room for service stuff or for our presents, & the answer is emphatically presents. After lugging them this far we certainly aren’t going to leave them behind now for some service gear.
We had the job, one night of waiting up through the night for an intake arriving here from England. They were pretty late & we kept waiting in the empty huts listening for the whistles of the trains in the sidings. We found a tramp fast asleep in one empty hut in the old RAF blankets. He said he had been sleeping there every night for a fortnight, we told him to beat it in case the S.P’s came along & boy! Did he move. The intake arrived at 7A.M. full of questions, about training & everything, we were exactly the same when we got here.
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[underlined] Sunday March 7th. [/underlined]
We have said our last goodbyes to the part of Canada we are in, not that Moncton is representative of Canada thank heavens but that is the only place available. Tomorrow morning will see us moving off heavily laden, bon voyage & then England & home yippee! This has been a pretty frenzied week on the whole, hurried rushed parades for some new gen. Being put into our embarkation flights, roll calls over & over again, tramp around in a huge straggling column, continual threats that offenders will be “taken off the draft” it really is a hustle. I met Fred Price the other day, a chap I knew back at the YMCA club in civvie [sic] street. He is a [indecipherable word] Nav/W. we had quite a chin wag over the old times, I was pleased to see him.
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There was an enormous pay parade we had to wait a hell of a time before we collected the filthy lucre. Most of us went into town & bought up bags of things that will be unavailable in England. Chief among these was cosmetics, the manager in Eaton’s was saying he had never seen anything like it, three days running now he has had his complete stock bought up. That is one of the most obvious signs that there is a draft moving out, this terrific orgy of last minute spending. Also all the chaps that are well in with their girls in town will be saying goodbye, yes! If there’s a person in town who doesn’t know we are all moving out tell me. Still I guess the powers that be are fully aware of this fact & have taken it into account, I hope so anyway.
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Jock Crighton put a fast one over on some of the boys, he owed quite a few of them packets of money. When he first arrived he kept putting them off, & now the draft is going he has suddenly gone sick, got moved into hospital, & refuses to see anyone. Consequently he is missing the draft & his creditors, he never had any conscience in those matters though.
Tomorrow morning we have our final parade with full webbing, I really hate the stuff now, I’ve put it on & off so much lately. Every available inch of it is crammed with presents, it is a masterpiece of packing, bags of 664B though on the next clothing parade.
Naturally I shall be very glad to get home, but I would have liked time to have looked around Canada more. Although one thing I shan’t be sorry to leave is the snow, I’ll never want a ‘White Christmas.’
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[underlined] Tuesday March 9th. [/underlined]
Once more I am writing afloat, though we aren’t under way, we are on the boat but she is still moored to the dockside. The old grapevine was pretty bang on with their ‘gen’, the boat we are on is the Queen Elizabeth & just outside stretches Lil’ ole Noo [sic] York. Their date of sailing wasn’t so far out either, we leave tomorrow.
We paraded yesterday morning in the drill hall at Moncton, with all regalia. The customary period of waiting ensued, during which we sagged with our webbing & finally threw it on the floor. At last we began to move off flight by flight, down past the buildings along the huge drill square & to the railway siding where we sat & waited for the train. Hell! It was cold my ear nearly froze again, still the train hove into sight just in time.
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A wild rush began for seats with chaps getting entangled with each other’s kit, everyone settled down O.K. though. I could have wept for one chap. Like a lot of fellows he had bought a large blue kit bag in the town so he could get more stuff in it than the service kit bag permitted. It’ was made of inferior material however & split right down the side as he ran along. Presents fell out right & left cosmetics strewn around, and silk stockings in abundance. It looked grim, but when it was collected he had only lost two small jars of cream broken, and one box of powder. All the train journey he was busy sewing it up with string, & lashing it with straps.
Off went the train with the customary lurch & series of bumps, then became lost in a maze of sidings around Moncton
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before beginning its southward journey. On & on we went with the afternoon lengthening into evening, then with the dark out would come the cards & the groups would get going. There couldn’t be much security about the movement, because all along the way, even when it was dark, lots of people would come out to their doorways to wave at us passing. We were the fifth troop train to go through so quite a few people must have known. That is one pleasant thing here, the hospitality & friendliness of the people, everyone turns out to wave at you passing. At one place there was a long stop and we all streamed out to get something to eat, but they chased us back again. Cooked meals were served in the old dixies [sic] & steel plates while we were travelling, they were a bit grim though.
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When we awoke in the morning we were well on our way, the sun was shining it was much warmer, & wonder of wonders the good earth was showing without a snow covering. Yes, we had crossed the border & were in the States again. We followed the banks of the Hudson River for a while, taking bags of photographs. The guard warned us about taking snaps of a submarine yard further on, as he said a guard fired at a chap with a camera. It was quite a large place, with several sleek black shapes around. The Hudson was really broad here & later we crossed an enormous bridge & pulled up in Newhaven. There was a wait of over an hour an hour here, and all the other troop trains were also standing there. At this point the electric trains came into use with the overhead trellis & cables like our trolley buses, they were lovely jobs.
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On we went & clattered into the suburbs of New York, everyone waved & we waved back, all were happy & life was grand. There was a brief halt in Pennsylvania Station, then back & forth across Long Island until we drew up at the dockside. Then we were right on East River, with the skyscrapers towering above, to proclaim Manhattan. No doubt about it, it certainly does impress you, I guess we Londoners get used to the five storey buildings etc. as the main thing. It really does look thrilling from the river to see the Empire State, the Woolworth, Rockefeller Centre, Chrysler, & others towering up to the sky, certainly better than they look when one is underneath. The ferry boat pulled in & on we went, I could never stop thinking of the old Mississippi days & old Man River, when I saw these. They were so identical in shape to the old paddle steamers that plyed [sic] back & forth.
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We slowly moved up East River, past the skyscrapers, wharves, docks & shipping, I know one thing struck me that I hadn’t noticed before. That apart from Manhattan, New York is pretty flat. There was the hulk of the old Normandie [sic], at the French wharf, she was lying over on her side, half submerged with wooden islands all around & over it,& gangs of men swarming like industrious ants. The Cunard Quay was next & there towered the Queen Elizabeth in her sombre grey war paint. We docked & filed up a narrow gang plank with our kit bags, one chap had one so heavy he overbalanced & fell into the water. It was crammed with presents & with stoic determination he refused to let go, but gripped on it tightly. With that & full webbing he was nearly on the point of drowning till a lively boat man secured him with a boat hook.
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After being checked in carefully at the gate we filed on board received our berth & meal cards & set off to our room. I was unlucky enough to get a bottom berth again, but it wasn’t so bad. We dumped our kit & set out for our meal. The mess isn’t so decorative as the Queen Mary, none of the boat is, because she is finished as a troop ship, & the Mary was completed in peace time. I’ll say more about the ship later. Tonight we sneaked up on deck though we weren’t supposed to for the last look of New York by night. Although it has a supposed black out it still resembles peace time Piccadilly. Late workers in the skyscrapers had various windows lit, & now & again, one would go out as they packed up and went home. Multi coloured lights were visible up & down the river with hurrying craft, whilst on the roads streams
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of taxis whizzed back & forth. Bright lights were twinkling everywhere, & I would have given anything to just be starting a months leave there, still if [deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted] wishes were horses –
They were loading some cargo or something in the forward hold, & it seemed strange to see the huge arc lamps glaring down on the ship. It seems funny that after this time we are at least going home. Tomorrow morning we shall be under way to England, in a way I shall be sorry because I have enjoyed myself over here. Still I got a bit homesick and had to come down from the deck, & there being nothing doing I decided to write this. I wonder how long we will be aboard, before we dock again, it all depends on the route. Well, I’ll turn in now, & see if I can sleep, so farewell States & Canada.
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[underlined] Thursday 11th March. [/underlined]
Once more we are afloat on the Atlantic, & it is no smoother than it was before, a little rougher if anything. At about 10A.M. yesterday we cast off from the quay, & a small flotilla of tugs nosed us out into the river and slowly took us out to sea. There is nothing like the freedom, on board this ship, that there was on the Queen Mary. They wouldn’t allow anybody on deck & all portholes were supposed to be shut. Naturally everybody was jammed at the narrow opening to get the last glimpse of New York & the States. It was a pretty cold morning & there was some ice floating around. After a bit the famous Manhattan skyline faded into the mist & the next land we would see would be good old England. Suddenly came the beat of our engines the tugs cast off tooted a last farewell & we were on our way.
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They allowed us up on the Boat & Promenade Decks then, the land was completely out of sight. We still had an escort about five coast guard cutters or something & up above cruised us a U.S. Navy Blimp. Backwards & forwards she went, but after a while it ceased to be a source of interest & was taken for granted. We went down to the cabin for awhile, & when we came back on deck the escort had gone, we were on our own. Then certainly isn’t so much freedom on board we cant [sic] go to a lot of places, all the decks around the guns are out of bounds. With all the troops on board, they estimate there are 25,000 it gets a bit crowded especially at the canteens. There are two one for cigarettes etc and the other for chocolates, sweets & oranges. They open at selected times during the
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day and long before opening time arrives, there is a large queue stretching right down the corridors & up stairs. Quite a few go over an hour before & sit & play cards, naturally we are all buying chocolate to take home, the bar takes American, Canadian & English money & must make a hell of a packet.
We certainly need to patronise them, because owing to the number of troops aboard, they can only give us two meals a day, though they are serving all the day. Our two meals are 8 A.M. & 5 P.M. & boy! We certainly get hungry in between. There is a terrific queue for each meal up the staircases & along the corridors with everyone shuffling forward. They scrutinise the meal cards very carefully at the door, because they just haven’t enough for seconds. The water is also rationed, fresh water only being obtainable before 9 A.M. & after 5 P.M. guards are posted at water ports.
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[underlined] Saturday March 13th. [/underlined]
We thought as we were N.C.O’s we wouldn’t have to work this trip, but they had other ideas. Our gang of chaps were made guards two hours on and six off, it was a bind at first but I rather like it now. The main reason being that at night it is really sweltering down in the troop decks, & I have a wizard post on the sun deck. This is reserved for Wing Cmdrs. & above, & is situated craftily between the two funnels, there are vents in the front smoke stack, allowing the warm air to blow back along the deck, so it is never cold. I love standing there at night with the wind blowing & the old ship racing along it really streams at night, & the sparkling phosphorescence shows up marvellously. It certainly is better than being down below.
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I think if anybody is sea sick it is beneath decks, with the heat & crowding for meals, there staircases are jammed, when it is time to eat. Also there is a queer sickly smell like linoleum inside the ship. Looking along a terrific long corridor it gives every impression of being on land, then suddenly heels over it really is queer. This ship rolls terrifically, because there is no ballast in the hold, they have temporary troop quarters there, every piece of space is utilised, that is the reason that we had to keep our kitbags with us.
I would like to see the route this ship takes across the Atlantic I bet it certainly goes places, way south then up again. It is fascinating to watch the wake as the ship zig zags about every couple of minutes, we have seen no action by day however.
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[underlined] Monday 15th March. [/underlined]
We must be best part of the way across now I thought the journey would only take four days. The other night they said we came up with a convoy that was being attacked & we had to turn right round & beetle back, I don’t know how true it was. Yesterday the weather was fairly squally & the strength of the wind was phenomenal, it absolutely drove the rain against the ship. From the height of the boat deck the grey waves didn’t look so large, but by jiminy they were, I should just hate to be in an open boat. It is a funny thing but looking around the horizon with the waves rising one could swear they were ships on the horizon. I think it is quite a significant fact that a huge ship can cross the Atlantic unescorted in the middle of a big U Boat campaign.
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This afternoon I was up on the [deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted] sun deck on guard watching the gun crews, when the Tannoy blared for action stations at the guns. They often used to have dummy practises with imaginary aircraft, and I though this was another one. However there was an aircraft way out on the horizon very small but distinct. All guns were trained immediately, swivelling around & following it. When it came nearer we were able to distinguish the shape of the good old Sunderland, coming out to escort us. What a welcome sight she was it meant we were approaching home at last. She started to search all around in case there was a lurking U Boat. It would have been a sight, should it have been an enemy, there are 73 guns aboard, that helps to make the ship roll as she is so top heavy, & with no ballast in the hold.
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This ship certainly has a variety of armaments, the 6 inch in the stern should give any U Boat a hot time. For ack ack, there are the 40mm. Bofors & 20mm. Oerlikon, & they also have two sets of 12 rocket guns, it would be quite a sight, in air attack.
Well I guess with the Sunderland reaching us today we should be docking tomorrow sometime, that makes 7 days, the same as our outward journey. Twice crossing the Atlantic that isn’t bad I never dreamt before the war I would ever cross it. Out of the two journeys I think I enjoyed the outward one more, mainly because there was more comfort I think. The next time I write I will be in England once more, as I won’t be writing tomorrow so one more stage of our travels’ are over & tomorrow we will be saying ‘Hello England’.
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15th MARCH 1943
CONCLUDING BOOK 4
AND ENDING MY.
EXPERIENCES IN.
CANADA.
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
Book 4, Continuing my Overseas Training
Description
An account of the resource
Fourth of David Geach's diaries describing the final part of his training in Canada. He writes of his service and personal life training as an air bomber. He describes his ground and flying training experiences, social life both in camp and in local Canadian towns and New York. He details train travel across Canada and the United States and his homeward voyage across the Atlantic in the troopship liner Queen Elizabeth. Covers the period 12 December 1942 to 15 March 1943.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
David Geach
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1943
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Handwritten diary
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
YGeachDG1394781v1
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
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Canada
United States
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Saskatchewan--Regina
Manitoba--Winnipeg
New Brunswick--Moncton
New York (State)--New York
New York (State)
New Brunswick
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
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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
Steve Christian
David Bloomfield
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12
1943-01
1943-02
1943-03
air gunner
aircrew
Blenheim
Bolingbroke
bomb aimer
bombing
entertainment
ground personnel
military living conditions
military service conditions
navigator
training
Women’s Auxiliary Air Force