Diary of Wing Commander Edward Lloyd Fleming, January 1944- January 1945 - Part 17

NOVEMBER, 1944
Saturday 4
Breakfast as usual then parade. I
went on sick parade with a boil
on my neck & got treated. We had
our Airmanship exam & I did quite
well. I then had dinner & went to
treatment again. In the afternoon
I didnt feel terribly good but
lasted out O.K. then we knocked
off and I had more treatment and
then tea There was a dance in the
mess tonight but I have a great
bandage around my neck so
I stayed in and wrote a few
letters to Uncle Harold, Ian, Freda,
Betty Willis, Mr Thighe & I got
letters from Ian (2) Pat Cranwelll
and Beryl Ballard. I collected
my shoes & laundry from the
store. Had a good wash &
shave then went to bed.
AIRMANSHIP 84%.
NOVEMBER, 1944

Sunday 5
After breakfast we dressed for the
big church parade which was held
in very windy conditions on the
terrace. I enjoyed the service very
much. I went to lectures & then
had dinner but missed P.T. we
had the band for the big march this
morning. went to treatment as
usual and then in the afternoon
we had one big swim. I did
rather well & got most done. I
had tea after being informed about
being put back a week & Blue [[Tase?]]
has been taken by F/O Rowlands. I
have backed Jack Coffey as my
Nav, I went to church & after it
the social hour. A Dr [[Hills?(?doc.)]]
who is [[?]] played the piano
beautifully. I came back & got right
off to bed. I wrote Mr Stewart
today.

NOVEMBER, 1944
Monday 6
42.
Got up & went on parade but
we were dismissed & told to get our
huts tidy & changed. I did a Sigs &
a bombing exam then we had
a CI's parade & were informed that
ours was Moreton's shabbiest course.
I had a lot of trouble in getting my
leave pass but after getting my
luggage in the store, I got it &
went off to Windrush. I got a
private car to Stow-on-wold & a
RAF truck to Northleach then a
private truck to Windrush. Chips
had left but I saw Blue Britain

& John McBeatty & several others &

Jack Lindsay who is just back

from the field. We had a game of 

cards & I looked around for my

bike & eventually got off to bed in

Blues nest as he is paying another

visit to Cheltenham. Got [[?]]

from Margaret & a little from home. 

NOVEMBER, 1944

SIXTY-SIX

Tuesday 7
I got up and went to breakfast &

picked up my bike and then went

off via [?] & [?Bouston] & [?]. It

was a beautiful ride with the leaves

deep everywhere & more falling. I got 

a few things at Moreton for my 

bike and came out to the camp. 

Put a new chain on the bike & did

a spot of repairing then had

lunch. I then did some more

work and wrote a bit. I had

tea & saw the new B/As and then

went had a shave & lost my

tie. I went to YMCA later after

sitting around the fire. Got off to

bed as soon as possible. Went

home & Pat Cranwell.

NOVEMBER, 1944

Wednesday 8

Got up usual time had some

breakfast & then saw the new

fellas about [?] up but

they weren't too enthusiastic so I

saw C.G.I. & he suggested Walsh. 

I then got ready to leave after

dining but gave up the idea of 

[w?] because it was raining

all afternoon so caught the1.57

train to Oxford. Tried to ring the

Bridge without joy so I looked

in at YMCA and in the evening 

went to see Dear Octopus at

the Playhouse & it was 100% to

fill my time while waiting for 

the show. I wrote Pat [?]. I 

Beryl Ballard. Letters today from 

Aunty Grace and G.W.R.

NOVEMBER, 1944

Thursday 9

I got up about 0800 & had a wash then

went to breakfast. I spent the morn-ing

shopping & doing a backshop

scrawl. Left four rolls of film at

Kodaks. I had lunch at [[?]] &

then rang Miss Bridge again & she

O.K.ed it so I got my bag & stuff &

set forth. Miss Bridge got me to buy

some bread on the way out and I

arrived in due course. When Mr

Bridge came in we had tea then

yarned for a whole long time

& had supper & eventually went

to be about 2215. I did some

writing to G.W.R and to my dear

Margaret.

           NOVEMBER, 1944

               Friday 10

DAVID TWENTY-ONE TODAY.

I got up late & had a bath & a 

shave then had breakfast. Mrs 

Bridage went to [[?]] so I played

the piano awhile and then went

to do some shopping. I spent the

afternoon in Parkers bookshop. I

came back & we had tea then I

rode down the hill ti try to find

Simon but he got back of his own

accord. Met Lucie Corktown from

Gibraltar (Anthony's sister) & boy oh

boy - out with her tomorrow

night. I went in & had a yarn

with Miss Harrison & then came

back to supper. We listened to

the wireless & then Mrs Bridge

went to bed. I had a yarn and 
Mr Bridge them we too made

tracks. 

      NOVEMBER, 1944

        Saturday 11

I got up as usual & then had

breakfast. It was a dismal wet

day but I went into town in the

morning and did some shopping

& collected the wireless and then

came back home. I had dinner &

started to write some letters but

Susan came in and I went into

Harrisons & had rough house

with her all the afternoon & stayed

there to tea. Then I raced back &

changed and went to the Pictures

with Lizzy. We saw the "White

Cliffs of Dover" & it was exceptionally

good. Had to walk home &

still [[?]] then went to

bed.

            NOVEMBER, 1944

                SIXTY-SEVEN

                   Sunday 12

I got up and we had breakfast then

I changed and rode the bike into

St Aldeley church (C of E) in town 

where there was a very good service

by some professor chap. They sang

Stainey 7 fold Amen to perfection

came back & had dinner in the

afternoon it rained so we sat

before the fire and red & wrote.

I listened to the wireless a bit &

then we had tea. We stayed in

there & heard [[Himonater/]] speak &

I did a bit of S.W. work & read a

whole lot more. I had supper

& after a little longer, had a 

wash etc, & got off to bed.

 

          NOVEMBER, 1944

           Monday 13

Had breakfast & Mrs Bridge went out

so I did the electroluxing upstairs &

then played the piano for a couple

of hours. I started to do a bit of

gardening but it was very cold

& I shouldn't grip the weeds properly. 
I had dinner when Mrs 

Bridge came in and then went

to town & did a little shopping.

I came back after a short while

& got tea for Mr Bridge as Mrs

bridge was out. In the evening I

went to Brett's school of dancing

with Mary Bennett & Jean & we

had quite a bit of form. We rode

in & met some of their friends

in there & I enjoyed it quite a lot.

Had supper at the Bennetts & then

more up here then hit the hay.

           NOVEMBER, 1944

               Tuesday 14

I got up & had my breakfast & then

did a bit of tidying up & played a

while & then went out. I bought

quite a bit of music and had

lunch in town. Also had a yarn

with the bike man. I came home

& then went in & yarned awhile

with Lisey and then got Mrs

Cardona's permission to take her out

to the town-hall dance but didn't

do much on account of not knowing

the slow F/TG tango. I tried

to get a taxi but no use & so we 

had to walk home again. Said

goodnight & then had some supper

& went to bed. Sent a cable home

re 1945 diary.

 

       NOVEMBER, 1944

           Wednesday 15

43 hrs

I got up as usual & attended the

daily chores then went & played the

piano & then said goodbye to Lissy

& Mrs Carona. Saw Mrs Bridge as

I came up the hill & in town I collected

Margaret's badge & had

dinner & also said goodbye to Mr

Bridge. I caught the 1420 train &

had quite a nice WAAF [[?]] [[?]]

to talk to all the way back. Went

to the mess & collected my mail-

2 from Margaret, home 2, Ian 3,

Frida 1, Mr Mold 1 and G.W.R £10.

I had tea & got my kit out then

in the evening I wrote a few letters

& went to the YM. for supper. I

also wrote Ian & Mrs Bridge.

        NOVEMBER, 1944

         SIXTY-EIGHT

            Thursday 16

34 35

I carried on as usual but after the

parade I saw CGI & then got the

rest of my kit but my harness

was missing so I had a lot of

chasing about to do without any

result. I had dinner and then

went on parade again & in the

afternoon wrote to Margaret

then went to town & posted the

letter by airmail 7 while in town

bought a tube & a letter pin. I

tried to get some sort but didn't 

have any stock so went to the

mess & had an early tea - quite nice

with powdered egg no real egg.

Spent the evening putting in the

new tube & also writing. We all

went to the YM. for supper. I had a

shower earlier. Wrote [[?]] home 

& airmail to Margaret Mail from

home & Margaret.

 

  NOVEMBER, 1944

          Friday 17

I had breakfast & in the first period

went to a pyrotechnic display & then

yarned up in the "G" box. I became

back to the hut & later went up for

dinner. I stayed in the hut all the

afternoon and did my correspondence 

course & later posted in 

my answers. Went to tea and

then we all went to the EAGA show

"The Spice of Life" which was a bit

corney altho there was a saxophonist

which was very good. I

wrote a bit then got off to bed.

                  NOVEMBER, 1944

                    Saturday 18

Got up usual time & had breakfast 

etc. Went on parade then

came back to the hut & did a bit

of work & wrote a bit. I went to

dinner and collected my mail

In the afternoon, Jack Coffey & I

went over the G box together &

then knocked off. I went to tea 

and came back. We tried to

light the fire but the coke would 

not catch. I packed up a few

things for home & for Margaret.

We went to the YM. & later found

a [[?]] of mice in Peter [[?]]

but bug to drowned them. I

wrote Jack & Mr Mold. I got them

from Ian (2), Margaret, Shirley,

Pat Cramwell, Stella & Graham.

 

     NOVEMBER, 1944

         SIXTY-NINE

        Sunday 19

I got up and breakfasted then went

& saw Cooper. I did a bit of writing

and then saw the C.G.I.  had lunch &

in the afternoon submitted a report on

my parachute harness. I Saaw the CGI

at 1830 & got the gin that I'm in "A" fit

and my [[?]] is

Navigator: No44 F/S. Coffey E.J. Mentone

Bonhomie: 434877 F/S. Watch E.F. Carlton

A/operator:- 430619 F/S/ Harris C.T. Finky

A/Gower:- 434267 Sgt: Brit A.M. Willagel

A/ lower:- 435663 Sgt. Parks M.H. Sydney

We shifted up to our new huts &

have been granted 5 days leave. I

had tea & shifted more stuff. I'm

N.C.O.:1/C Hut and we ate a happy

mob. I had supper at YM C Mess.

Then had a shave and shower. Wrote

Ian, Pat Cramwell. home, Shirley, Sheila

Graham and Margaret.

 

117

               NOVEMBER, 1944

                 Monday 29

I got up a little later because we

are nearer the mess. Had breakfast &

went on parade then, we messed

about in crew assembly & I saw

about subsistence. I had to go on

the parade for 95 wave & got ticked

off for wearing a pearl. Got

there OK but weren't allowed to go

so I had lunch & later we all went

to the station. I came down with

Bud, Styman, Jack Coffey & Bd Wakel

to London where all went to the

Whitehorse Theatre & saw Phyllis Dixy

in "Peek-a-boo" but it was really

obscene. I had supper with the other

boys then came down to Kings to [[?]]

& [[?]] for the [[?]] to Newcastle. I

changed with battle dress. 

 

       NOVEMBER, 1944

           Tuesday 21

I had a seat the whole way and 

slept quite a bit and then at 0730

we arrived in Newcastle. I went to

the Y.M. after a bit of a wash & left

my kit there & booked a bed then after

breakfast, went around to Pats

office and had a yarn there all

morning. I came back & washed

etc. Then we went for a walk

thru Jesmond Down. After tea Pat

and I caught the bus to Durham

and went to stay with Mrs Frenes,

Pat's Aunty. They have most of their

primitive fellows without a bathroom.

We had a bit of a yarn

then I went to bed.

          NOVEMBER, 1944

               Wednesday 22

Got up usual time and after getting

ready Pat took me to town and we

walked first thru the shopping part

then had a mook over the castle. Was

intrigued by Drury home leading to

the river & a very steep stepped back.

I took Pat to the Waterloo Hotel for

dinner and then we went over the

cathedral, a lot of which is 11th century.

We went down to the river and then

made our war back to the French's

for tea. We yarned for a bit & I met

Mrs Kidd and Uncle John. I

caught the bus back & I went to

YMCA & changed & picked up Pat

& took her to the Oxford ballroom. It

was a smashing dance and the

floor was [[?]] but there was a

big crowd. We came back to supper

& took quite some time saying good

night, then I went back to the YM for the

night.

 

         NOVEMBER, 1944

            Thursday 23

Got up quite early & called around

at Jesmond & Pat & I set off for

a place called Hexham. We got 

there by bus & I bought some

razors & tooth brushes there & we

had a look at the castle & abbey.

We had dinner at the Royal Hotel

and then walked down to the

river and mooched along to the

skating pond & spend a couple

of hours in a hut there. Nothing

serious, came home & Pat got tea

& we then went to see "Wing & a 

Prayer" which was jolly good.

Went back to Jesmond Rd for a 

while & then we went to the 

station & I said goodbye to Mrs

Wade & Pat & just caught the

train to London. I had to sleep

in the corridor owing to the crowd.