Wartime Brothers 1944

1944

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1944 Summary

At the start of 1944 Hugh had been in the R.A.F. for over two years, but had only been flying Lancaster bombers operationally for two months. He had completed seven missions flying with 103 and 576 Squadrons out of R.A.F. Elsham Wolds in Lincolnshire.

Joan was working for the Ministry of Food and was a volunteer Fire Watcher.

Keith, now 17, had recently left school and was looking for a job.

- Saw Hugh flying 5 operational missions:-
Berlin twice, the first of which on 1st January resulted in a combat report after an attack by a night fighters.
Stettin, on the 5th, was abortive due to a faulty rear gun turret.
the other trips were to Brunswick and Magdeburg.
In addition there was a non operational trip, on the 4th, to collect a new plane.

Hugh lost a friend on the Stettin raid of the 5th. The Lancaster of Flight Sergeant Edwin ("Nick") Nicholls, a pilot with 103 Squadron, crashed near the target.

On 8th January he was on a 48 hour pass. He made the lengthy (over 200 miles) train journey home from Lincolnshire to Surbiton in Surrey and, of course, the return journey. Joan travelled down from Muswell Hill to see him.

Keith was having a fairly quiet January, apart from trips to the dentist. He was a witness to the start of Operation Steinbock, known as the Baby Blitz, the German bombing campaign targeting southern England between January and May 1944.

In his diary for Friday 21st January he writes .. Raid. Went out on roof. 12 groups of searchlights, flames. Two 217s caught in lights (Dornier Do 217s)... Mum caught me on roof - 1 hour alert.

During this period Hugh was writing to Joan pretty much every 2 or 3 days. The letters are essentially personal but sometimes give a glimpse of R.A.F. life.

4th January ...

We had quite a pleasant afternoon today - flew down to pick up a new kite. She was absolutely brand new and was a real peach. It made a bit of a change and I quite enjoyed myself.

On the 16th January he wrote ..

It’s colder than the proverbial charity up here today and I’m sitting practically on top of a roaring fire in the flight office as the mess is both too crowded and too cold for anything. Everything is white with frost and there’s quite a breeze blowing - despite which there’s bags of fog and mist and everybody is quite happy.

and on the 23rd ...

One of the lads has just been brought into the hut very tight and I've managed to put him to bed while the bloke who brought him down has gone back to cover up for him. Apparently he was in a fight and socked someone in the eye - and he thinks the S.P.s are after him...

See letter extracts and read the log book and diary -
January
With “Operation Steinbock” the Baby Blitz continuing Keith volunteers to act as a fireguard messenger.

He also gets a job with Malden and Coombe Borough Council doing agricultural work.

His diary talks of the minutiae of his life, the work he was doing, much of it involving parsnips, his pay, colleagues, tea breaks, the bus he got to work (It was a 72) meeting a friend at the Civic Cafe for lunch, going to the cinema. He also refers to air raids and bomb damage on 11 occasions during the month

Mon. 21st
Shot off to work to find a bomb gone off at the old people's home with 4 houses badly damaged. Time bomb by the side of the parsnip field.

Wed. 23rd
Raid in night, lot of gunfire. Mum woke me up after 1/2 hour & dragged me into Morrison till 5 to 1 when I came upstairs.

Thur. 24th
DAY RAID
Raid from 5 to 10 till 11.10. Noisy. Mum woke me up & dragged me downstairs after 1/2 hour for 20".
Had lunch from 11.45 till 1.30 but was eating travelling as the 85 bus was going along Gloucester Road to Robin Hood as there were 4 D.A. in Kingston Hill. Filled sandbags in afternoon. Found that there are 5 D.A. in allotments at the Rec. & Derby Rd is closed.
(D.A. - delayed action bombs)

Fri.25th
Raid from 10-11. Got up. 1 Big Bomb. Mum counted 10 all together. Bit of shell splinter just missed me.

Sat. 26th
Dug parsnips. Bomb dropped on edge of parsnip field.

Mon.28th
Had a look at the hole made by 1,000lb bomb with it at the bottom,

For Hugh the first half of the month involves a series of non-operational flights, air tests, Monica training, and practice bombing.
(Monica was a rear facing radar aimed at detecting night fighters approaching from astern).

During the second half of February he completed 5 bombing operations to Germany in 10 days - Berlin, Leipzing, Stuttgart Shweinfurt and Augsburg.
The first four appear to have gone reasonably smoothy, but on the last, the Augsbirg trip, his Lancaster was attacked by a night fighter and badly damaged.

As usual Hugh’s frequent letters to Joan make no mention of his operational flying, but they do give occasional glimpses of his life.

17th Feb

I’ve acquired a new lot of battledress (the trousers of the old lot were practically indecent) so have had to put in a few sewing hours…
[I’m] now awfully proud of the creases in my trousers. Nevertheless I still manage to look pretty scruffy. My shoes bear irrefutable evidence as to the weather and I'm wearing that beautifully scruffy polo neck with a somewhat soiled khaki shirt poking out. and bedraggled collar (minus tie, of course) over the top. Apart from these minor details however, I guess I'd pass in a crowd - certainly in this crowd.

28th Feb

Things here have been a bit uncomfortable as there has been quite a lot of snow - and I do mean quite a lot. It is utterly impossible to use a bike as there are lots of drifts of at least four feet on the road to camp, so we have been tramping around in gum-boots for the last couple of days.

…The lights packed up in the huts yesterday so everybody spend the evening in the mess so there was barely room to stand, let alone bag a chair near the fire….I must confess that I got a lot of fun from our snow fight this afternoon.

The next day he writes
Its a wizard day up here - the suns shinning and its as clear as I’ve seen it for a long time. Its not warm exactly but there's not much wind and it's the sort of day that even a lazy dog like me can enjoy.

See letter extracts and read the log book and diary -
February

Hugh has a fairly quiet start to the month with a couple of non-operational flights followed by a 7 day leave.
2nd Fighter affiliation.
3rd - Air-sea firing and bombing.

7th - 13th Hugh is home on leave.
While on leave, on the 9th, he receives a telegram telling him he has received a commission, he is now a Pilot Officer.

The pace picks up for Hugh in the second half of the month with 6 operational missions in 16 days.

15th Stuttgart, (Abortive) - an unserviceable engine forced an early return. A flying time of 3 hours 35 minutes suggests they had got a fair way towards the target before having to turn back.

17th Hugh refers to his promotion in a letter to Joan.
…..’Up here’ , by the way is still not doing too badly, and the new mess, I must admit, is quite an improvement over the old one. Table napkins, however, appear to be reserved for the more elect - far above a mere junior and very sprog P/O. Apart from that, I haven’t any grumbles so far, and am managing to get quite a spot of table tennis in at odd times.

The rest of that month’s missions appear to have gone more smoothly-
18th and 22nd - Frankfurt
24th - Berlin
26th - Essen
30th - Nuremberg
A non operational flight to carry out air to air firing on the 27th was cancelled.

On a more personal note, Hugh and Joan's relationship is developing.
On the 27th Hugh wrote -

at one time in my life this way of living would have been pretty near ideal. A decent mess, a good bunch of blokes and enough money to be reasonably comfortable. .. now..I begrudge every moment that has to be spent away from your presence.

Keith is now settled into his life working 6 days a week doing agricultural work.
His health is not great, he had an epileptic fit on the 11th, takes 4 individual days off work (despite not, at that point, being entitled to sick pay) and complains of being tired out or dreamy on a number of occasions in his diary.
He writes letters, goes to the cinema, meets friends and has to deal with punctures on his bicycle.
Keith’s diary refers to air raids and (anti aircraft) gunfire on a numbers of occasions.
On the 25th he says it is the heaviest barrage I’ve ever heard. On other occasions he says that he slept through the alert.

Joan continues to work for the Ministry of Food and as a volunteer Fire Watcher. Her diary mentions R.A.F. raids, and social events.
Sat. 11th - Lunch Hugh, down to Surrey. Dance in evening
Sun. 12th - Ian & George in morning. Trevor & Doris in afternoon. Walk in evening. Dammed good leave.
Sun. 26th - Planted potatoes in morning. Tattoo in Hyde Park in afternoon. Essen 9.
Essen 9 refers to the RAF raid, in which Hugh took part. The 9 is the number of aircraft lost.

See letter extracts and read the log book and diary -
March
Keith's diary

1st Cycled to the Lodge, where we dug; Had trouble with Sherwood. Got my back pay. Nearly had an accident coming down Kingston Hill as Hugh's brakes didn't work. Took his bike to Tribey's. Went to the library. Bought some books, The clocks go forward an hour. Late to bed. Raining. Major General Wingate killed in an air crash. He will be a great loss, he had got the triple D.S.O.

Hugh's month starts with 3 non-operational flights.
6th Air Test
7th A trip to West Malling in Kent and back. A round trip of over 400 miles. The purpose appears to have been to ferry P/O Rollins and his crew to this Fighter Command station near the south coast. The reason is not specified, perhaps to retrieve an errant Lancaster?

On the same day Hugh writes -
7th April 1944 Elsham Wolds

You seem to be doing quite well for yourself with four whole days off at Easter. I don’t think I looked very envious when I read it... rathe annoyed that I couldn’t be with you during those four days.

2 days later Hugh has a complaint -

9th April

There is also a somewhat aggravating piece of news…we have today been told that our leave has been put back a week.

The next two days are busy -

10th Operations - Aulnoye
11th Operations -Aachen

Keith's diary anticipates D Day -
11th - Hugh's leave is cancelled, with luck we should see him next Tuesday. 900 plane raid on French rail targets. My bet is that the invasion starts within a week or two. Saw what looked like 'Hurry' (Hurricane, presumably) with 6 or 8 cannon.

The next day Keith writes -

12th - Felt tired so had the morning off. Went to the Lodge in the afternoon & put in spuds. Gave the Lugar to George for him to sell, he went this afternoon. Had haircut & shampoo. Mrs Norris, the women who helped at Dodson's is dead. R.A.F. raided Aachen.

Where did he get a Luger from?

Hugh has two days of non-operational flying
16th Bombing & local flying
17th Bombing

Hugh is home in Surbiton on leave the next day. Keith's diary reads -
18th ... Had a puncture there so rode a flat tyre all the way home. What a b-- row! George gave me some fags; he went back to-night and missed Hugh by 10 minutes.

From her diary Joan seems to be enjoying Hugh's leave.
21st Afternoon off. Hugh to lunch. Stayed in in afternoon. Down to Surbiton with him in evening.
22nd Kingston in morning. River in afternoon. Windsor in evening.
23rd Kew Gardens in morning. Sunbathed in afternoon. Went to Toby Jug with Ken Wilson in evening. Bed 2 O’clock. Good show

Was in really warm enough to sun bath that April?

Meanwhile Keith has a conversation with his mother -
22nd Mum said I might as well reconcile myself to Joan being a sister.

Hugh has to return to base after his leave, but there is a subsequent telephone call with Joan -
24th Hugh phoned. Became officially engaged.

Back at work Hugh has an operational mission

26th Operations - Essen

Joan's diary for the same day mixes war news with social activities.

26th Essen, Schweinfurt. Club table tennis

Keith's Diary

27th Went to a fire Guard Test. The C.O...failed to turn up. We were inspected. Looks as if the C.O. will catch it hot.

Following their engagement Hugh writes to Joan

28th April - Elsham Wolds

Thank you too Darling for bolstering up the old morale a bit by telling me that your Mother and Father are very pleased about it. I’m glad they are, and don’t feel that you are letting the Hodkinson name down too badly! It’s rather funny in a way, I suppose, but I’ve always had a sort of horror of getting engaged, even until quite recently. but now that we are engaged and the idea has really sunk in, I must confess, Dearest, that it’s not a bad feeling at all, and really doesn’t make me feel so much older or more decrepit - as I’d always imagined it would.

Sun 30th The month ends with an Air Test for Hugh, while Keith's diary records -
Stayed in bed late. Mr. Head & his son Peter came to lunch. Trevor, Doris & David came to tea. They took Mum & I for a ride. Lovely day. R.A.F. raid Bordeaux. Burnt myself with a fag.

See letter extracts and read the log book and diary -
April

In the build up to D Day the focus of Bomber Command activity switched away from German targets. Hugh’s month began with an air test and 3 missions to France in the first week.

Hugh's logbook: -
1st Air Test and Operatons Lyons


Hugh finds time to write frequent letters to Joan,

Elsham Wolds
2nd May 1944

Regarding their recent engagement:-
I was rather glad to hear that your parents don’t think that you are bringing too much disgrace on the family name…


and concerning the prospective purchase of a car:-
I’ve not yet had a chance of seeing the M.G. so don’t know very much more about it than I did on leave. However, I hope to be able to get hold of it - or something...

Keith continuous with his agricultural work, but his health isn’t good.
On the same day he complains of a “pain like a stitch in my side."
The following day he visits the doctor and doesn’t return to work until the following Friday afternoon

Hugh's logbook: -
3rd Operatons Mailly - camp
Letter Hugh to Joan

Elsham Wolds
5th May 1944

I really should have written this last night but a few of us decided we’d earned a night out (well, evening anyway) so we went to a bit of a do at a local army place where we drank quite a lot their booze, ate their food, and shot then some wizard lines in payment. In fact a very pleasant time was had by all and we returned to camp (I’m speaking for myself, at least) in a comfortable frame of mind and a nice mellow feeling to help it.

7th According to his diary Keith has a busy day. He watches a cricket match, is taught the rudiments of poker and later goes to the Youth Club where he Played table tennis, had a discussion & finished up with a sing song.

Hugh's logbook:-
7th Operatons Rennes St. Jacques - airfield

8th Keith has an epileptic fit, but is back at work the next day.
Letter Hugh to Joan

Elsham Wolds
10th May 1944

An unusually downbeat passage in one of Hugh's letters.

the “it can’t happen to me” idea is all washed up these days. Quite apart from that aspect, however, I hate thinking about prospects after the war, whenever that “after the war” maybe. You see, Darling, (I'm) not one the brightest lads … at the best of times ... no particular training and - what’s worse - no idea of what he wants to do.

Hugh's logbook
11th Air/Sea firing. H.L.B. mission (High Level Bombing)
12th Air Test
13th Air Test
Hugh's logbook
18thAir/Sea firing. Local Firing
19th Operations - Orleans.
Letter Hugh to Joan

Elsham Wolds
19th May 1944

Sorry to hear that you are having so much trouble finding a ring … I’m glad you weren’t too tempted by the solitaire at £95 - that might have shaken me a bit! I hope you do manage to find something that you like, though, otherwise I can see my next leave, when it does eventually come along, spent on a walking tour of all the jewellers shops in greater London.

Hugh's logbook
21st Operations - Duisberg
This is Hugh's final mission with 576 Squadron. He and his crew have completed their tour of operational missions and have been 'screened', that is withdrawn from operational flying and rotated on to other duties. This typically lasted six months or so before being redeployed operationally.

23rd Hugh gets his name in the papers - P/O Thomas is named in the News of the World as one of those having taken part in the raid on Orleans on the 19th May.
Keith's diary
25th Woke up this morning to find Hugh in the next bed! He had finished his tour & has been screened .... Hugh has bought a car (A.G.S. [?])
The car that Hugh bought was not the M.G. he talked of earlier in the month but, in fact, an A.J.S.
Hugh is on leave for the rest of the month. He and Joan spend time together.
Both Keith and Joan record in their diaries that the weather has turned hot.
28th. Sunday Joan - Stayed in all day. Sunbathed in morning afternoon and evening. Awful nice.
While Keith - mended a couple of deck-chairs with Hugh. Went to the Youth Club. Had a set of table tennis ...lazy evening. Mum went to the 'Castle' with Mr. Jones. Felt sour. Very hot, reached 96oC in the Straits.
30th Joan goes back to work.
Hugh visits his old school, Surbiton County Grammer
Keith's diary records Mum woke me up at 5.15 instead of 6.15 but I went back to sleep. Mum didn't wake me again so I had the day off. .. Aunty Alice & David came for the afternoon - it was nice to see them.
31st Joan gets her engagement ring.

June

The month starts with Keith having a minor accident in which his bicycle is damaged.
1st Going to work I bent my front forks by going into an electric milk cart.

Hugh and his crew have been on leave following completions of their tour of operations with 576 Squadron
Hugh returns to Elsham Wolds and on
4th Sunday he writes.

Dave and I arrived back at Barnetby about half past five yesterday morning to find that the car had a most beautiful flat tyre, so had to set about finding someone with a pump… we did eventually borrow one and arrived back in camp around seven.

He goes on to write

As far as I can see, the crew is going to be pretty well split up and from the gen I can get so far I shall be going to another station not so very far from here - and still in Lincolnshire. I’m a bit cheesed (off) about it although I’m told that there’s a pub not very far away from the new place where you would be able to put up. I had hoped, as you know, that Dave and Dick and I at least would be able to keep together, but it doesn’t seem very probable at the moment. Still, I’m keeping my fingers crossed and one thing on the credit site is that I shall still be on the same kites, and I don’t think the leave situation will be too bad.

"Dave, Dick and I" - Dave Arlott, flight engineer, Martin ("Dick") Elliot, navigator. and Hugh ("Tommy") Thomas, pilot.

Hugh is heading to No 1 L.F.S. ( Lancaster finishing School) at R.A.F. Hemswell. This was a training post for new Lancaster crews immediately before they went to an operational squadron. It seems from his logbook that Hugh was coaching pilots in evasive flying.

6th Keith records D-Day
The 2nd front started at 6 A.M. this morning. Landings on the Normandy area & between Cherbourg, Caen, & Le Harve. Paratroops made the initial assault. 4,000 ships in-volved & many thousands of L.C. Naval barrage by the Anglo-American & allied navies including battleships. All seems to be going well. H.M. the King spoke at 9 P.M. Heard recordings of Eisenhower, Montgomery & Le Gaulle, who has arrived secretly.

Joan's diary entry was rather more succinct.
Grandma's for tea. Invasion began.

8th both Joan and Keith record in their diaries that Hugh has been awarded the D.F.C.

11th Hugh describes the journey to his new base

I did arrive quite safe and sound in wind and limb and was in the mess by seven o’clock. This, I might as well confess right away, was entirely due to Blackie (the bloke with whom I travelled up). As you know, I had intended going to Lincoln and hoping for the best, but he had heard that Gainsborough was the gen place, so at Grantham I had to beetle down to the guards van and sling back my kit bags as fast as they slung them out. He turned out to be right and we picked up a mail van (R.A.F.) which deposited us and kit right on the doorstep.

The mess is quite comfortable and although just now it is a trifle chilly without any fires. Food doesn’t seem too bad either, so far, so we ought to be reasonably happy as far as physical comfort is concerned.

Following D-Day attacks on the south east by enemy aircraft had almost, if not entirely, ceased but the respite is short lived. On the 13th June the first V1 was launched against London and landed in Grove Road, Bow in east London.

15th Joan noted in her diary

Turnpike Lane unidentified robot plane bombing

16th Keith writes

Heard one of these radio controlled 'planes blow & saw (one) over later in the day.

The next day the threat becomes very real.
17th Keith's diary

At 2.10 radio controlled 'plane came down directly behind us about 300yds away, saw the buggering bastard coming made a mess about 8 dead. Lounge door busted & top bedroom door lock jammed. Several alerts. 1 Spit (Spitfire) came along behind one & tried to shoot it down but couldn't go fast enough.

. . . Bloke who was acting last night was killed.

The attacks continue, as recorded by Keith

18th Mum slept in my room. Went down twice to Mr. Jones' room, got to sleep about 4 a.m. Slept until late. We have had alerts all day. One bomb came down the other side of Tolworth Station

19th Alerts all day & in the evening. Mrs. Bevin is very scared. Saw another of the 'planes this evening. The Wellington Barracks Chapel got a direct hit yesterday, 200 killed. Mum has made a bed up for me under the stairs but I shall only occupy it if things get hot.

22nd Alert during the night, one down near the lagoon. Didn't like to leave Mum as there were some close pilotless bombs, so had the day off.

23rd Had an alert. Bomb landed at Doc. Cooper's created a hell of a mess. Mum dragged me under the stairs. Got to work at 9 a.m. Went to the Rec: weeded. Mum went to Stotts and helped clear up the mess

24th Pilotless plane landed at the back of fields, but it is reported that there have been none over since 6 a.m.

29th Alerts all day. Saw a flying bomb glide right over the house about 200ft up, it was bloody awful! Have seen my 7th & 8th flying bomb. Bomb landed just behind Yvonne's house.

30th 2 flying bombs came 1,000 & 2,000 yds away. Must be about 11th one. Mucked about in the garden with Hugh & Pete. Hugh sees his first flying bomb.

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