Hugh
Keith
Joan
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Keith's diary 31st January - 6th February 1944
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Logbook entries 3rd - 25th February 1944
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Keith's diary entries
FEBRUARY
Tues. 1st.
Didn't do anything all day, except go to Stotts for more pills. Met Kathleen Dumper there. I said I would be a messenger for a fire guard practice on Thursday.
Extract of letter from Hugh to Joan
SERGEANTS MESS,
R.A.F. ELSHAM WOLDS
NR. BARNETBY
LINCS.
1st February 1944
My Ever Dearest One, -
I want to thank you for a very grand leave from the moment I heard your voice on Tuesday until I said goodbye Darling.
After I finished speaking to you yesterday I ran into Dave on the platform so didn't have too much time to feel sorry for myself. We managed to get seats O.K. and arrived up here about ten oclock - & I started thinking This time last night and wondering what you were doing and thinking.
Hugh
Wed. 2nd
Went to Lukes, had another tooth stopped. No pain. Collected some fertilizer for Mr. Jones from T. Whites. Bought a 'Dumpey' book - 12/6. & 'The Royal Marines'(H.M.S.O.) Stott sent a liquid to take in the evenings in place of pills.
Thur. 3rd
Got up late as I had a bad night. We booked seats at the Wimbledon Theatre for 'Blythe Spirit'. The material was good but the acting was not up to scratch. Mum & I got back late. Acted as a Fireguard messenger at Dumpers'. Volunteered to be a regular one for as long as I am free. Raid, woke up. Not much.
Hugh's logbook
3rd February
Air Test, which lasted 1hr 50 minutes.
Fri.
4th Had a row with Mum. Went to Labour Exchange, they gave me an introduction to Malden & Coombe Boro' Council Offices. They want a boy for a piggery. got several books ... from the library. Had a fit in the evening.
Hugh's logbook
4th February Monica Training, flying time 1hr.
Monica - a rear facing radar system designed to warn of aircraft, particularly night fighters, approaching from astern.
Sat. 5th
Went to Malden but the Chief Surveyor was out so made an appointment with him for 10 o'clock Monday. Went to the dentist and cancelled my appointment for Tuesday. Went to Coronation. Met several blokes from school:- Cole Halnow, Boggles, & Wright. ......Mum got some oranges.
Hugh's logbook
5th February Air Test, which lasted 30 minutes.
Sun. 6th
Got up late. There was a raid last - night didn't hear a thing. Trevor, Doris & David came. David is behaving himself a lot better. Hugh might have a 48 starting Tuesday.
Extract from letter from Hugh to Joan
Elsham Wolds
6th February 1944
Ever Dearest One -
I guess I boobed when I said that I wouldnt be home again during February and that there wasn't much chance of even a 48.
Because my flight commander is a nice kind man and thinks Im a deserving lad, so if you care to listen out for a phone call on Tuesday night...
It's rather a pity that it's in the middle of the week, but we were lucky last time - and Im lucky to get it at all. Besides, if my calculations are right, Ive a feeling you've still half a day left - and if you could possibly be spared, say, on Wednesday afternoon?
Hugh
Keith's diary 7th - 13th February 1944
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February 1944
Mon. 7th
Applied for the job & got it at about £2-15-8. start to-morrow. cycled over to Collins to collect the mack they borrowed, went to see Mrs. Cheel. Bought a tobacco pouch. Sylvia living with her beau.
Tues. 8th.
Got up at 6.45 was at work by 7.50. Had tea breaks at 9.30, 2.50. Had hour off for lunch. I went to Civic Cafe. Nocked off work 4.45. Going home I got stared at a bit because of breeches and gaiters. Dug parsnips all day. Hugh turned up on 48. Dont feel tired but went to bed early. Letter from Peter.
Wed. 9th
Got to work early. Dug parsnips. Met Box at Civic Cafe, he is still at Luff's. Darky & Paddy two N.F.S. men came. Rained about 4.15 so we stopped work. We have finished parsnips as we can't sell any more. I may be on tractor to-morrow. Timbrey came. Ian home on 4 day. Mum Hugh & Joan go to play. Joan is stopping night.
Thur. 10th
Went by 72 to work. Used the tractor but the bar on trailer bust so had to give that up. Snowed a bit. Hugh went back & so did Joan. Had a row with Mum. Had a bath. Margaret thinks I ought to do alright on a farm.
Fri.
11th
had a fit last night. Late for work this morning. Giles took four of us off. I am working at Margret's house. Stopped at 3.15 & went down to Warren Gate for pay got 18/3. Fireguard test. I acted as messenger. Regional Inspector came round our sector passed. Short alert. Sylvia came but I missed her.
Sat. 12th
Working at same place as yesterday: George Lodge. got to report there Monday. Went to Granada. Mr. Jones on firewatching. Ian goes back. Rumour going the rounds that we've mucked up Nettino bridgehead. Short alert. Nothing happened.
Hugh's logbook
12th Feb 2 flights, the second with F/O Wood flying as first pilot.
Sun. 13th
Got up at 12.45 read in the afternoon & wrote to Fidler & Mary & Margaret. Read in the evening. Alert. Heavy gunfire.
Keith's diary 14th - 20th February 1944
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February 1944
Mon. 14th
Still working at the George Lodge. Getting cheesed off there. Margaret not very well. did a bit of digging and clearing up. Pete 'phoned up last night to say he hopes to be on leave by is birthday.
Tues. 15th.
Still at George Lodge. Heard some home truths about Harry & Jock from Margaret. Took a key to Rawlins down at Keswick. Made sure how to stop & start the tractor. Letter from Hugh and Aunty Alice. Latter has had heart attack. Wrote off to Pam & Milly. Mum went to Aunty Bess. Very dreamy early this morning & evening.
Hugh's logbook
Operations. Berlin, with F/O Wood as "second dickie" along with the usual crew
Wed. 16th
Rained. Went up to George Lodge. About 10 Giles came along and took us off to the Depôt. Sawed wood all day. Going to the Civic Cafe met Timbury. Had a bath & shave. Bought a couple of paperbacked 1/3 books. Rose did my room. Heavy raid on Berlin. 43 missing.
Thur. 17th
Went to George Lodge. Giles came along and took me to Keswick Avenue. Margaret was there. Dug parsnips. In the afternoon - rush order for a ton of them. 3 men helped as well as Weston & Giles. Told Margaret about Grand and Petit Mal but not fully. Snowed a bit. Bed early.
Extract of letter from Hugh to Joan
Elsham Wolds
17th February 1944
By the way, Darling, ... Ive 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 and am 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.
Fri. 18th
Dug parsnips. Sherwood was bloody awful. Paddy & Darky came. Talked with Jos. Got pay packet: £2.12.4. Snowed but not settling. George Allen a neighbour of Uncle Herberts came for 3 days. He is a corporal in R.C.A.F. Snowed tonight. Iced.
Sat. 19th
Heavy raid in night, slept thru' it. Dug parsnips & leeks. Margaret was away so I was in charge of Sherwood & he was lousy. Took George around Kingston. He took a couple of snaps of the King's Stone. Bought a book. Talked late.
Hugh's logbook
19th February. Operations - Leipzig.
Sun. 20th
Woke up late, took George to Hampton Court, he took 6 snaps. He went by 4.43 train to Woking.Played Pete at Tric Track: he won. Raid not very heavy but quite a lot of gunfire. R.A.F. raid Leipzig over 2,300 tons dropped. 79 'planes missing.
Hugh's logbook
20th February. Operations - Stuttgart.
Keith's diary 21st - 27th February 1944
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February 1944
Mon. 21st
Raid this morning, nothing much. 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 so Sherwood, Margaret & I went up to the Lodge. Darky came later & we dug. Heard from Weston that 1,000 D.A. bomb at back of Atkinson, just across the road from Garage. went to flicks with Pete at the Odeon. Heavy raid on Stuttgart. 10 missing.
Tues. 22nd
Raid in night, heard nothing of it. Few minutes late for work at the Lodge. Digging again. Met Box at the Civic Cafe... Mum went to Liphook. Pam's got a new boyfriend. Snowed a bit. Went to the library but it was shut. Got my War Certificate 'A' & my discharge from the Cadets. I shall send the discharge back 'cause it say nothing of instructor.
Extract from 2 letters from Hugh to Joan
Elsham Wolds
22nd February 1944
I meant to write a really decent one [letter] in reply last night. In fact I started a letter to you - but I was so darn tired I couldnt even think straight.
I had hoped that I would have an opportunity today to make up for the time I spent in be, but Im afraid that, after all, this will have to be yet another of the just a few lines which seem to be getting quite a bit more frequent than I had expected.
Elsham Wolds
22nd February 1944
Owing to circumstances beyond my control, I find that after all I have time to at least try to thank you adequately for your letter.. So, having purchased a stock of cigarettes and with a full half pint at my elbow Ill see what I can do.
one of the the other letters was one you wrote before my last leave but for which you had no stamp. I had to collect it at the village post office, so I guess we did not fool them this time. Nevertheless. it was well worth the ride to get it.
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. Early for work. We fill sandbags and build blast wall for Margarets Anderson. Put earth on & so on & so forth. Late for dinner, missed my usual bus. Home at 5.1. Miss Lucas got me a couple of pipe cleaners. Pete goes to flicks. Mr. Jones fire watching. Had a bath.
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". Went to the Lodge. Dug. 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. Had haircut. Broke plate at
Civic Cafe. Found that there are 5 D.A. in allotments at the Rec. & Derby Rd is closed. Parcel from Canada. I got a silk scarf.
Hugh's logbook
24th February. Operations - Schweinfurt.
Fri. 25th
Raid from 10-11. Got up. 1 Big Bomb. Mum counted 10 all together. Bit of shell splinter just missed me. Went to the Dept. Sorting parsnips & cutting savoys. Bought an incendiary fuse for 3d found 2 others and a timing device 7 3 bits of paper. Paid 2.12.4. Early to bed. Found the bit of shrapnel that shot pst me last night. Sylvia came to visit. I missed her. Margaret told me Mr. Weston was satisfied with me.
Hugh's logbook
25th February. Operations - Augsburg. The trip was not incident free. See combat report below.
2 MESSERSCHMITT BF 110s
also known as ME 110s
Sat. 26th
Went to the dept found I had to report to Keswick so I had to go back to Kingston & get an 85. About 1/2' late. Dug parsnips. Bomb dropped on edge of parsnip field. Margaret away... Pete has had his leave extended. Went to Dumpers found out that the F.G. scheme does not come into operation till 3rd March. Opened P.O.S.B. (Post Office Savings Bank)account, put in 1 - R.A.F. raid Augsburg twice in night.
Sun. 27th
Got up late. General Forces Programme comes into existence in place of forces, it seems lots better....Had a bit of a tiff with Mum.
Mon. 28th
Got up early as I thought the 7.30 week started to-day but I was wrong. Had a look at the hole made by 1,000lb bomb with it at the bottom, dug parsnips all day. Margaret still away. bust my pipe but bought some adhesive tape & mended it. Mr Jones home with quinsys. Timbray rang up. Went to the Odeon with Pete. Ran my face into the door.
Extract of letter from Hugh to Joan
Elsham Wolds
28th February 1944
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 a least four feet on the road to camp, so we have been tramping around in gum-boots for the last couple of days. It did just start to thaw this afternoon but didnt make very much impression. 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. However things are a bit better today - and I must confess that I got a lot of fun from our of a snow fight this afternoon. Maybe those grey hairs of mine arent as significant as I thought!
I think Id better take a spot of time off now and catch up on some sleep. Happy dreams. Shall I put the light out?
Tuesday
Its a wizard day up here - the suns shinning and its as clear as Ive 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. I did do a spot of work this morning - believe it or not - shovelling snow. I guess Id better confess that I'm beginning to feel a bit stiff already, though that may be a result of wandering around in gum-boots with three pairs of socks to fill them out.
I think its the sort of day when we should walk ( you can guess it must be good when I start suggesting exercise) and quite probably get our feet soaking wet. And then we would go have a terrific tea in front of the fire with bags of hot buttered toast.
Tues. 29th
Can't remember much. Went to the depôt. Prepared 2 ton of parsnips. Started to lop trees in the afternoon but I had a fit. Came to in a householders house with him opposite. Clarkson took me home in his lorry. Raid, nothing much.
Keith's diary 28th February - 5th March 1944
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