Diary of Wing Commander Edward Lloyd Fleming, January 1944- January 1945 - Part 16

OCTOBER, 1944

Sunday 15
I had a late breakfast & then we

all went into town & climbed Arthur's

Seat. There was a beautiful view

from the top and we saw several

lochs. We came down about two

and I met Mrs Keddie who showed

us all the interesting things in

Holyrood Palace. I saw the spot on

which Rizzio was murdered & the

supper room of 2. Mary. There were

some fine paintings & tapestries

there. I cam We walked up the Royal

Walk & Mrs Keddie made it very interesting

by pointing out the places

of interest. We saw John Knox's home &

tomb, the old city wall site (1571). & all the

old stores & wynds. We came back

home & after tea talked. Anne Burgess

came late & we had supper then I hit

the hay.

OCTOBER, 1944

Monday 16

I got up earlier & caught the flying

Scotsman to Newcastle. It wasn't a bad

trip & we arrived about midday. I

went to the YM & booked a bed and then

phoned Pat. I went to Whitley Bay in

the afternoon and didn't wear my cap

& got shouted at! I had tea & went to

see Pat in the evening. We went to a

show called "If I had my way"

with Bing Crosby & Gloria Jean & it was

xtra good. We had supper & then went

for a short walk that took till 0230

to do it! I got back to the YM. & had

a wash & hit the hay.

OCTOBER, 1944

SIXTY TWO

Tuesday 17

32 39.

I got up at 0630 & caught the train back

to London. It was a slow trip but I 

was with Mick Davis. We caught the

u/ground to Paddington & then waited

a while for the Oxford train. It was

slow & even slower from Oxford to

Kingham anyhow I organized

a bus at Kingham. I got out to L. Riss.
safely only to find that I

had been granted a further 7 days

leave! I got my mail - a large pile

too, and then hit the hay.

OCTOBER, 1944

SIXTY-TWO

Wednesday 18

I got organized with a new leave pass

and collected my pay then set forth

for Kingham. I had to walk because

a nasty little WAAF wouldn't take me

in her truck. I got a thro' train to

London and looked in at Victoria

League then had tea at the Boomerang

club. It is very lavish & quite as

good as any Yank club. I went to the

Strand theatre for Arsenic & old Lace

& it was a wonderful show. I went

up in the god's but didn't notice the

position as so bad because the play 

was xtra. I made my way back to

Vic. League & wrote home & then hit

the hay. Wrote Syb & David.

OCTOBER, 1944

Thursday 19

I got up & after breakfast set off

from Victoria league to Victoria

stn. then past Buckingham

Palace thro St James park to

Admiralty arch & Trafalgar Sq, then

I found Charing X. after looking

thro the Art Gallery. I walked to

the embankment & met an old

bloke who took me to the blitzed

part of London around St Pauls.

I went to the Boomerang Club and

met Ken & we arranged to go to

a dance at Wood Area. I contacted

Aunty Lenore & arranged to go out there

but arrived a bit late. I had a

shave & dashed back to town & we met

the girls & set forth. I had a marvellous

time & we saw a thing called a 'boat-race!
I took a small kid called Elsie home

& then got a bus to Edmonton but

had a terrible 8 mile walk from there. I

rang Aunty at 0110 & arrived at 0400!

OCTOBER,  1944

Friday 20

I was up about 0915 and after breakfast

we all went to town. We collected

Margaret from the C.O.R.B. and went

to dinner at the Monsignor Café! It

was xtra good & then we went to

see "The Hitler Gang" which I quite

enjoyed. We had dinner at Euston

Station and then waited on the

platform with Uncle for his train

to leave. He got a beaut sleeper 

and at 0915 set off to Glasgow. I

came back home with Aunty 

and Margaret and after a

little supper. got off to bed.

OCTOBER, 1944

Saturday 21

I got up around 0900 & had some grub

& then went into town. I took the

trolley-bus & got off at Aldgate & went to

see the Tower & Tower Bridge & the Mint

I caught the train to Charing X and

walked along the embankment past

Cleopatra's needle & I had lunch at the YM

& looked at Scott's 'Discovery'. Then I had

a long time in St Pauls Cathedral & saw the 

Whispering Gallery & Crypt. Then I

went to Cheapside & down to the 

Bank U/ground station. I caught

the train back home & walked out

from Ilford. I met F.E. Baum the

"Truth" reporter in Strand today.

Wrote Betty Willis, Margaret & 

Pat Cranwell. Saw a doodlebug.

OCTOBER, 1944

SIXTY-THREE

Sunday 22
I had breakfast & then went to the Clarendon

Gardens Meth. Church & met two chaps who

knew Alan Cornell! The windows have

been rather badly knocked about. I came

home to dinner and spent the afternoon

listening to the wireless to Beethovens

Symph. No 4 and the Flying Dutchman

and I wrote to Mrs Cranwell & Beth & 

home. I showed my photos around &

also had a look at some of Cameron -
Margarets Canadian husband. Aunty
Jenny was there & we talked & had tea.
In the evening we had a "seance" and talked
a bit in the back room & had tea there before

the fire. After an apple for supper I went

to bed. Im having super grub here with Aunty
- whoever heard of tinned peaches, cheese,
strawberry jam, sardines & butter etc?
We had beautiful chicken this afternoon!

OCTOBER, 1944
Monday 23
I got up at 0815 & had a bath & went
to breakfast & then on to town. I took
the bus to Aldgate & U/ground to Bank
& walked to Newgate St. where I bought a
badge for ₤4.17.6. Then I went to the Hill
place but couldn't get the books so I
walked back along Strand to Arundel
YM for dinner. In the afternoon I got
the U/G at Temple & went to Regents Park
then walked down Marlybone Rd. over
Harley St to Madame Tussards. It
was a brilliant exhibition and I
was taken by an attentant who was
imitating the models then moving
suddenly. He was fooling everyone. I
went to Paddington. & then along
Praed St & looked at the bookshops & then
home. I got a recall from the police &
telegrammed L. Riss. Later he called & I went
to the station & got the gen on the message
& phoned L. Riss. We had supper & then
I got off to bed.

OCTOBER, 1944
Tuesday 24
27,28,29,30,31
I got up for an alert but didn't see anything
then rose again early for breakfast.
I said goodbye to Aunty and Margaret &
caught the bus & train to Paddington. I
got a good seat for the journey out which
was very quiet & uneventful. A tender took
me to Riss. where I had to wait for ages
before I saw anyone but I found I'm
posted to 21OTU Moreton-in-Marsh.
I got cleared then a man brought me
over to Moreton where we had the
usual preliminary center & I got my
bedding etc; I had tea & the mess is
small but good. The colours of the trees
now are wonderful especially here in the
Cotswolds. I got letters from Margaret
home, Audrey, Dad, Reardens & Freda
Plumeridge, Shirl (3) Alan Windmill, Ian
Parkin, Sue Wainwright
I wrote Aunty Grace.

OCTOBER, 1944
Wednesday 25
I got up early and had a wash then
went to breakfast. I then went on
parade & in the morning we were
given the preliminary talks by the
various bosses. Then came F.F.I. &
dinner. Then we paraded once more
and went to lectures. After that I
had tea and in the evening did
quite a bit of work in addition to
mending a few things & doing some
sewing. I had a shave & got off
to bed. I have got a Bombadier -
Brian John Torr of Farrell's Flat S.A.
He seems a bit irresponsible but
I hope he'll work out O.K. I did a fair
bit of work on my corresp. course
and wrote Margaret.

OCTOBER, 1944
Thursday 26
I got up & had breakfast then went
on parade. We did a little drill & had
some excellent lectures. Then I went
thro' the decompression chamber
& we got up to about 25.000! It
is hard on your ears but otherwise
is perfectly normal feeling. I had
dinner & gamed a bit then we had
our dental parade followed by
one for clothing at which we got a
whole lot of new stuff. I packed up
& then went to tea. After that I had
a shower & shave & went to town
with Frank Acland to a social at
the Congregational church. I sent off
my corresp. course papers, had quite
a good time but got to bed late. 

OCTOBER, 1944
SIXTY-FOUR
Friday 27
I had breakfast & went on parade &
we did a little marching. I have
two lectures but the 3rd & forth were
scrubbed so we bludged a bit. I
had dinner and in lunch hour
did a bit of Phys. In the afternoon
we had an interesting set of
lectures altho' I drowsed a lot. I
had tea & collected yet more ration
coupons from the mail. I came
back to the hut and did a bit of
work & also wrote home then I had
a wash and got off to bed. I
did a little work there before turning
in.
My W/op is Len Harris (O.W.) from
Victoria.

OCTOBER, 1944
Saturday 28
I got up & after breakfast went on
parade & then went to lectures.
I got an O.K. and after dinner we
had more lectures. I got the rest
of my crew so am O.K. now. At
night I had my tea & wrote a
list & did a little work.
My A/Gs are Alf Birt from Warragul
and Hal Parkes from
Sydney and my Nav. is Glen
Buffett from Ripponlea in Melb. 

OCTOBER, 1944
Sunday 29
There was no parade so we went
straight to lectures. I had dinner
and in the afternoon we had our
four lectures as usual. I did a 
P.T. test & got on O.K. After tea I
got all dressed up and went in
to church. I had a good time there
at the Congregational church & we
sung. "The Day thou gavest' which
was 1st rate. I came home &
did quite a bit of work then hit
the hay. I wrote Pat Wade &
Photographers.

OCTOBER, 1944
Monday 30
The usual parade followed by drill
& then lectures. P.T. before dinner was
good & we played Basket-ball. I had
dinner then went to the hut & wrote
a bit & then came back to lectures
which proceeded as usual. I got
word that my Nav. has been taken
by a 93 course bloke so I'll have to
find another. I had tea and in
the evening we had a kit inspection
and cleaned out the hut. I had a
shower & went to the YM then back
to the hut where I packed up my
parcel for home and then had a
shave & washed 3 pr. sox. I then
got off to bed & did a little work
before turning in. 

OCTOBER, 1944
Tues 31
40. 41.
Got up & had breakfast & went
on parade as usual. I got in
O.K. then in the afternoon, after
dinner we did lectures & P.T. Next I
had a great game of Badminton
with Mac. then had tea. Then I
had a bout of letter writing &
also did quite a lot of work. I
got mail from home, Betty
Willis and Margaret & I wrote
to Margaret too & Dad.

NOVEMBER, 1944
Wednesday 1
I got up as usual and went to parade &
later we had lectures ending up with
P.T. After dinner, which was very late,
I went to lectures once again & we
had an easy afternoon then I went to
tea. We had an xtra airmanship
class & I took Bluey Torr along to it
then came back to the hut & copied
up a whole lot of notes. I had a
shave & got off to bed. 

NOVEMBER, 1944
SIXTY-FIVE
Thursday 2
I got up and as usual went to
lectures & ended the morning
with P.T. I had dinner & came
back to the hut & wrote home
then went to lectures again. After
P.T, Thompson & Peter Stafford
& I went & got some sage
from the Italians & wheeled
it back. We got a huge amount
much more than we'll ever need.
I had tea and then came
back to the hut where I got stuck
into some work & also letters to
Sue Wainwright Alan Windmill
& Shirley. Got a letter from Pat
Wade.

NOVEMBER, 1944
Friday 3
I got up and went up to breakfast
but stayed there & went to pay
parade. I collected ₤11 & banked
₤7 of it then went to lectures
& got along O.K. I had dinner &
called at the P.O. for some stamps
then came back to the hut. Went
to lectures again & we had an
airmanship lecture but they just
told smutty yarns. I had a
wash & a shave and went with
my crew to tea at "The White Hart"
We had a quiet but happy
time & then three of us came home
we came across a pranged wimp
over the road. He overshot on his
landing but no-one was hurt.
I got letter from Margaret
today.