Wartime Brothers 1944

December 1944

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Hugh

Keith

Joan

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December 1944

Logbook entries December 1944
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Keith's diary 27th November - 3rd December 1944
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Keith's diary entries

December

Fri. 1

Went to the Lodge. Did odd jobs. Daphne's husband coming home to-morrow on embarkation leave, so she won't be in for a month. Sherwood a bit cussed. Singed my hair at a bonfire. Gibson's come, sleeping in the double room. Pay day. Had a bath. Coldish this evening. Raining a bit. Very dreamy. Holed my gumboots badly. Card from Peter Wilson, who is a P.O.W., very cheerful.

Sat. 2

Went to the Lodge, cleared up most of the time. Went to the Odeon in the afternoon. My parcel of stuff came from the I.C.S. Had a haircut.

Sun. 3

Got up around 12.30. Worked in the afternoon and most of the evening. The Home Guard is officially stood down to-day. H.M. the King gave a short address thanking them. A very wet and windy day. A lovely sunset.

Keith's diary 4th - 10th December 1944
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Keith's diary entries

December

Mon. 4

Was already to go to work but I was very dreamy so I had to stay at home. Very dreamy all day. Worked most of the day evening. Very blowy. Allan Besant is in Greece. The Left Wing Party is fighting the police in Athens. No workmen came to-day.

Tues. 5

Went to the Depôt. Sawed wood all day. Walked home. Pumped my bike tyres up. Short alert, but nothing happened. Doris and David came but they didn't stop long. Miss Lucas in bed with her asthma.

Wed. 6

Went to the depôt. Sawed wood all day. Starts to rain in the evening. Cycled to work. Had a bath. Did some work in the evening. I wonder if I will pass my Matric. It worries me. Joan ran up. Miss Lucas ill.

Thu. 7

Went to the depôt. Sawed wood. Wet Miss Lucas ill. A rocket fell this evening. Cold.

Fri. 8

Started to get up but had a fit. Slept most of the morning. Stopped in bed until about 4. Did work in the evening. Mum bought a tea cosy for us to give to Margaret. She is going to help with the cost. Miss Lucas still in bed, she is getting up to-morrow.

Sat. 9

Tired, so had the morning off. Went to Stotts. Telegram from Pete to say he would be home to-night. Went to Kingston in the afternoon to do some shopping, didn't buy a thing. Pete arrived home about 10.15. Pete, Mum & I had a gin and lime each, my first. Parcel from Ian. He sent me some nice cuff links.

Sun. 10

Got up early, or early for me. Worked afternoon & evening. Had a Christmas pudding. Short alert this evening but heard nothing. Mum has had an attack of indigestion. Big Ben has been out of order for 18 hours. a very wet & cold day.

Keith's diary 11th - 17th December 1944
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Keith's diary entries

December

Mon. 11

Went to the Depôt. Sawed wood. Collected my back pay. Got home to find that Timothy Lowe, a cousin's sone of Uncle Jim, is coming for a few days. Cold. Tired. Mum not too well. Fell over at work and bruised my leg rather badly. Also bang my jaw in another fall. Big Ben out of order again.

Tues. 12

Went to the Depot. Sawed wood. Warning last night. Managed to bust a cross-cut and a barrow - nothing said. Timothy turned up. Jolly nice at first view. Warning in the evening. Tim's sleeping in my room.

Wed. 13

Went to the Depot. Sawed wood. Sherwood pretty lousy in the morning. Had a bad attack of dreaminess about 2. Fog came down about 3.30. Mr Weston let us off at 4. Tried to do a puzzle, but it had me beat. Pete & Timothy played Tri-Tactics. Pete won. The fog is still down when I came to bed.

Thu. 14

Fog gone. Went to the Depot, sawed wood. Dreamy. Gave Pete a book for Christmas, he gave me a nice tie. Tim & I saw him off O.K. after quite a bit of mucking about at the Station. Big Ben still not working.

Fri. 15

Started to get up for work but had a fit. Slept most of the morning and some of the afternoon. Did some work at night.

Sat. 16

Didn't get to sleep until after 2.30. Had morning off. Went with Tim to Kingston. Got a book for Mr. Jones. Queued up for oranges in the afternoon. Made up a crossword puzzle. They managed to do but for one word. Mum made the Christmas puddings. 100 m.p.h. gale in the Straits of Dover.

Sun. 17

Did some work this morning. Ian rang up to say he was on his way home, got here in time for dinner! Settled down to do some work in the afternoon & George Allan turned up in hospital blue! He had jumped a party; he had jumped a party, he had to be back by 9.30. Did some work in the evening. A very wet & windy day.

Keith's diary 18th - 24th December 1944
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Keith's diary entries

December

Mon. 18

Couple of alerts in the night. Went to the Depot. Raining. After breakfast we were told to go up to the Lodge. Cut holly. I use a long pruner. Got my back pay. It was good to see Margaret. I got the men into trouble. Germans are making a strong attack. Italian P.O.W.'s make an escape from a Scotch camp. A german escape was foiled.

Tues. 19

Went to the Lodge; sawed & chopped wood most of the day. Just before we went home I had a dreamy attack & after a lot of fuss Margaret made me go home by bus. Foggy, very thick at night. Wrote some of my cards. Wrote off for some gen to the I.C.S.

Wed. 20

Went to the Lodge; sawed wood. Foggy. Lights gave out so I shall got by bus tomorrow. Dreamy. Had indigestion all day, became very bad in the evening and I had to make a 'strategical withdrawal' to bed with a hot water bottle.

Thu. 21

Fell asleep, but woke up about 11 last night, wanted to sit down so charged downstairs, but Mr. girson was in the lavatory, charged into the bathroom, very dreamy all the time, mad w a mess all over the floor & in the basin & pants. Got Mum, who sat me on pot & cleaned up. Slept downstairs for the rest of the night, but had to get up twice. Had day off. Hugh due home. Did some shopping. Borough Surveyor came to assess damage.

Fri. 22

Mum wouldn't let me go to work until (. Went to the Lodge. Gave Margaret her presents - she didn't see as pleased as she migh have done. Did odd jobs, got off at 4.15. Pay day. Hugh home till Thursday.

Sat. 23

Woke up, had a fit in bed; slept for a bit. Got up in time for Mrs. Jackson to clean up my teeth. Saw here to the Station as she is going away over Christmas. Went to Kingston & did some shopping. Saw Hugh, browned off. got 2 presents for myself. Went to the Odeon. Hugh went to see Joan to day , but have not arrivedback (10.50) Short morning alert. 2 rockets to-night.

Sun. 24

Got up late. 3 rocket last night. Had a bath. George turned up, good show. Did my parcels up in the evening. George helped me. to bed late.

Keith's diary 25th - 31st December 1944
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Keith's diary entries

December

Mon. 25

Had a good X mas day. Gota couple of book tokens, 21/-, 12/6, tie, four books & various odd things. Had a smashing turkey dinner, and a Christmas pudding. Drank Guiness & a gin & lime. Very foggy. Touch of toothache.Played Ian at Tri Tactics, I won. To bed late. Jolly good day.

Tues. 26

Got up lateish. Joan goes back. Hugh is spending to-day & to-night at Joan's place. Played Ian a game of Tri-Tactics, Ian won. George went back about 3. Very frosty, and a bit foggy. Read in the evening. Had a very bad tough of toothache, put some T.C.P. on the gums & it's lots better. Hess gone mad.

Wed. 27

Didn't go to work. Slept late. Lazed about all day. George turned up in time for the evening meal, this time in R.C.A.F. uniform. Brought his kitbag with him which we went through in the evening. He gave me one or two things. Touch of toothache.

Thu. 28

Woke up late & had a fit in bed. Woke up about 12.30. Hugh went about 2. Ian left early to go to Folkstone & George left. He came back again about 5.30. Mrs Jackson came back. I spent the evening in her room. Frosty, foggy & jolly cold.

Fri. 29

Didn't go to work. George went back around lunch time. Went to Kingston in the morning. Letter from Pam. Frosty & foggy. Churchill & Eden back in England after Athens conference.

Sat. 30

Got up late. Fog clearing up & the frost thawing, but I think the frost is coming on again. Went to the Odeon Tolworth. Late to bed. Mum not so hot, a cold. I've got a cold & that damn toothache.

Sun. 31

Got up late worked in the afternoon & evening doing my Test Papers for the I.C.S. A Regent has been appointed for Greece. Not so cold. Thawing.
Earthquake tremors felt in North of England.

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