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 Reggio 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 house &

tomb. The old city wall estl (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 Whitby 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

rest. sadly 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 is 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 & 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 Club. I contacted

Aunty Leonore & 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

after 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 went to town. We collected

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

to dinner at the [[Monsignor]] Cafe! It

was xtra good & then we went to

see "the [[?]] Song" which I quite

enjoyed. We had dinner at Euston

Station and then waited on the

platform with [[?]] 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 [[?]]

& looked at Scott's "Discovery' ! then I had

a long time in St Pauls Cathedral & I saw the 

Whispering Gallery & Crypt, then I

went Cheapside for dinner to the 

Bank U/ground station. I caught

the train back home & walked out

from Ilford. I met FE. Ball the

"truty" reporter in Strand today.

wrote Betty Willis, Margaret & 

Pat Beamwell. 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 Carnell! The windows have

been rather badly knocked about. I came

home to dinner and spent the afternoon

listening to the wireless to Beethovens

Symph. [[?]] and the flying Dutchman

and I wrote to Miss Cranwell & Bill & 

home. I showed my photos around &

then had a look 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. I'm having super fun here with Aunty