Diary of Wing Commander Edward Lloyd Fleming, January 1944- January 1945 - Part 11

JULY, 1944
THIRTY THREE.
Friday 7
D. A/G.
I got up & had breakfast & went to the
flight by [[?]] as I was duty sgt. I
opened up & went for a flip to
Faringdon, Cirencester, Chippenham & home.
I then had another [[?]] period of
aerobatics & then had lunch. In the
afternoon I did an X/C to Salisbury,
Cirencester & Reading, & we saw Stonehenge
& the Aussie rising sun on the
plains. We also saw the earthworks at
[[Anglesea?]] near hear. Flying stopped at
1600 & I came back & wrote home. I
got letters from David & Frida
Plumridge & two from Margaut. She
is the best darling in the whole wide
world & I hope we feel the same way
about each other when this is all over. I
wrote to her & to home. After tea I wrote to
Mrs Slade & then slept a bit because
I'm on night flying.
JULY. 1944
Saturday 8
I stayed in bed all morning then got up
& shaved & washed & went to dinner. We
went to the flight at 1330 & I did a
lot of flying. [[?]] aerobatics a/c to
[[?]], bath, [[?]] [[?]] &
[[?]] & [[?]] solo 25. I got letters
from Ian, Frida, Shirl & Sid [[?]].
I had tea & then cleaned my bike &
we went mushrooming & found a [[lot?]]
more than a dozen. We had supper &
they are going to cook the mushrooms for us
in the mess tomorrow morning. I
had a wash & got off to bed & wrote a
bit. I wrote Margaret.
 

JULY 1944
Sunday 9
I had breakfast & they cooked our mushrooms
for us. They were very nice. I went on the
big [[?]] [[parade?]] then taxied a kite down
to the flight but I only got in a couple of
circuits as the weather came very low. I
had dinner & we stayed in the huts till
1400 & then we paraded (under protest) &
saw some films. We went to the flights
but there was only a bit of [[?]]. I
rode back early but we didn't do to church.
After tea I wrote for a while & then went
to the intelligence library & looked at the
news. I played the piano for a while
then had a wash & got off to bed.
I wrote to Ian, Judy, Sid [[?]], Frida
& Shirl tonight.
JULY, 1944
Monday 10
I got up & taxied a kite down & flying was
dual only, & tried to get into unit but it was
occupied so I played the piano for a while
much to the delight of an old charwoman. I
went down again then came up for a
haircut but he was closed so I went & had
another play on the piano. I went down &
first arrived for a B program so
got in a bit of solo. I went to dinner &
in the afternoon had two hours up but
it was very rough & unpleasant. The boys
all made rabbit snares with pieces of
wire today & so far have caught two rabbits.
I had tea & spent the evening quietly in
the hut & down at NAAFI & in the intell.
library. I had a wash and got off to bed.
First thing that [[worked?]] like an accident
today when I skidded a wing on the ground
whilst taxying. I got a [[?]] from
Mr (Dr) [[?]] today. The mess cooked up
rabbits & the boys brought them back to the
hut in a big tray to eat. Salt & bread & plates etc.
 

JULY, 1944
THIRTY FOUR
Tuesday 11
I got up & after breakfast taxied on  ekite
across & as the keys weren't at the flight,
I came back & took another kite over.
I went on a marvellous X/C up the
Wye Valley today low level. I went
with a [[Nav?]] [[?]] to France & [[Hungerton?]]
& after dinner did one to [[?]] & Oxford
& [[?]] low over [[?]]. I saw
Chipston Castle from the air & Tintern
Abbey too. I had a solo flip & then
tea. I played the piano & read at
the intell. library a while & then
went to the ENSA show, I love Leather"
& it was exceptionally good. The troupe
has travelled all over the world. I
had a wash & got into bed. I wrote
home then went to sleep. The lads
caught a rabbit today but some
of the civilians are pinching them.
JULY, 1944
Wednesday 12
I had breakfast & went to the flight &
did an X/C to Westbury, Warminster to Rising
Sun & [[??]] & base. I did
some solo aerobatics & had dinner. [[?]]
played a dirty trick on me with the kite & I
fear I'm a terribly unpopular bludger. I
went to Wallingford, Winkfield & Oxford.
We landed at Twyford & asked some Itie
where we were then took off again. We
refuelled & formated with Max [[?]]
back home. We circled [[?]] Castle &
Oxford. I came to tea & then reported for
guard & got first shift. I reported [[?]]
all the places & then had a shower &
got off to bed.
 

JULY, 1944
Thursday 13
I got up at usual time & there was a great
panic for kites & I was briefed to go to
Worcester but a D. program came up so
I did front seat flying & got swell.
I topped the [[?]] with hours. I had
dinner & relieved the duty pilot then we
had our FFI & handed in earphones &
maps. I packed up.After tea I rode
in to [[?]] & despatched my bike
by rail. I walked around there for a
while & then caught the bus out here.
I had a shower & then came to  [[?]].
Got letters from Ruth, Alan Windmill &
two from Margaret to which I replied
immediately. This is the best gal in the land.
JULT, 1944
Friday 14
I got up & had breakfast but our departure
was put off till the evening so we spent
the day reading & writing & then at
1930 we left [[??]]. It was a
wild