Diary of Denis Patrick (alias Rupert Bert Patrick), 1941-1945 - Part 6

Conflict:
Second World War, 1939–45
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
AWM2020.22.223
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

withor talk 2 sile. Here sow sour purs drank it drenk ths but smeeted at when the ended the RAA & the Kot were sey unsohe but the mrians still ste sab and muttousha sta son The days, dragged a bit but will the ad of a fe concests supplied te mrsh slat compa e parrest wesaw some good towe and one of two plage; sella in inpeats came with is and Gayslattd, geneally, what the then he play washeced sy wilh the gave as o an but one acted thus pasts aned m to su stand ands al we alaole and am site h eed also a t uga boots Thes had the slave peatures fi catue een losked h held donces at thi Hall of Cutture wht was a lone unter word buld decoated inside entirely, by pslogrph & antens Stlin & laun- shell two hi ient in guat proenst One soom contained sowe of uneformed s of the court dud s t ite pace s6 te an w a ms of tt would sutude the 12R Sitprature sld was forbidder them ty could not see aman sut seught se fitus for wn ed to alst them for admitted ever the is but is s sood thee suple t aot educted wad wt bought se t ed this liv clothing barracks 5 and it and yet ngh Sewen of the d inbocted with sheuel staalder is very sparcety popatite Fillages Ie aenst t reul slibstance. such and doe wer came te ged anre kingers to deay alsot lade awceftt The srians with avs yah & mgs & Pr an of thee acest of read enough deugn to sobat better gunan a 2u81 the ces was a yoo 0 109 acrft i ont they had very fast of thm - The gengs bombed the plan with rcultant do often onr alorsft so well to ete Beskees
sent Out of the theity fifteen whed after loses on the way we and damady saids catduck (1900 lead) 2 Sann fia and cw wer uxanue for sate we found that sog an ev bad bee find don and was enteened in se sawiny sac and cew wre all ritted and we coned with fill untils der H evens of 125 oyd Ccaped eviden and was repatiated by hedd ge of the st a daity reppe wite b hand-it publicted all the social events, bits of picted up by an anceft ene listence in to middle cast atitiong It was called Tack pot and was reputed to bae allest circulation in the world after the record month the ruman absut set a c -itt way out to pisk us up.- aa was spened and people speculated whch we would entark o ng f tespet we were paid lable at the rate new twenty fece per day a lavant- 241 I nd $200 went at pote an om bock to the esue threet a dadt fo the reuble is that it is pmt on goort papes Then the ns came of the perding ar o the cse rewe ae Hepdes to the sumans, ahowed then hew to wok then o ndceeded a interpeater, they the bend wish the by pretty lan you we left the enran gul little weep we gate to 32 chars to auga ter west d la they baid fut duly soed and we boase conetle it was a bualt er didnt get but the e put sut to gd eeded the anscest for to 22 picted the sed an and demsed out in spe strangely on his w/t nough the deil looks after bes an for i gave and reapscal can the captain told us to stand by for eve to pads aact withn due Go tit s passed between s came we Spbe and went Irland and ath t ro 79N& a strangs pale glaory atic atosple preve the- Itid the closest I lid ane
been to the north, pole I4 spra in the how pop on the pcastle w ndler to say pleased to see const of Ireland t up Great Hoss witl cliff faus coured wth of tee thousan feet to t from the watter edge we aleamed coms fond and remained the fo have while a tanke sumped ento on the tacks of a ms & th two destodyes– Smade whaught wch was the lity I the sid light Cures- The hand le of the vay was an insportion I realsed has sasy on let was, we always i a conble to return to was son was comportable too ntt one had to hav cais all the time to keep wpright Isand a cabe with the s sept on the and be sline had the benk. He kept us from sea sickieps with all sat of patient remedies of his own when the tanks wre replaushed i at seel e easfully andn I am sur menefilds, we will makens that nots at the way to eepa flon and a leavg sea is whch didn't lepp any I was a bet sick at this stage as the ship was nibrating badl and we were extered right at the stem ind of shep a naw was wased subosed but it was too lett to stop, so he was yet left to a wattery grang, I often thought of the despais be bust have felt to clet slip said aut of night and he cue in the wich wide sead, He wate was vry cold soI sant suppose be depaired lang and then the leng langed for stows of scotland bowed up we all looked foudh them as though they werl an cal heve thy lasked very friendly in the evening cale seft green bills do coubler, io fatlers to to u she anchd slid oue t ad in seap flow and we said goodlge to an noual callers, wee told us thy would not be able tever came adddre as they bed and the big jol on I heard late that they had gou htato teb asban as a hadd fighing t e ble apont the night on an officers but ethingo the man in chars d that i Isigned a pase be rtish subjectswe explained that this didt ca angtoclians, but be do see the point a we filled the in to preseve the pase ye ay the ws onry the shief cook to at suchas hill the fatted calf for our situ
The fatted calf was duly killed and i wade a trphant return wl an svene wih the nas utted $1100.00 p an distruste I dont thik they got any change out of the yever send seed to be the prias consideration from then on and in the following day we aet sayl or send with tyo & a balf months pay in it as as tois in bank- m we c. A ditepodited old Austi a istntion was to go is for as York sut engine tranble I sogald one poy so we decided to plak t in a gaodg and go on I bught Luiss kilt there saw it in a baildrs idaw and sesid to have ne made like it fothwith sled to past up with sulteen cepor the thing, but bust it was ina wlill in Edubs Goad cause chesed, a swell watersld, & a a dogs head- I had it set tele& md te wis in on edelig have + strangely eneug the kett is of the fraze clan s de uual t aoed in the megh and I disk tendon a so san becked other 2 ppet willno we mere ntil the Fe pt as 7 hen a lang ding i though to find at lto my le it was. The mang adn wd and used a bit of high stayed The place rewed to be seffer by woren itore sght dale field spece of the put with the aad glean on thousand 20 the nake a ste on the bank fad an t naned to the Cuntesland Hetl and martele cac we led a ruperl compay nt with pinate oath breakfout in let all mad con telephone etc_ The lme was a great suyes I had a great time mussed to pad $4500 we vay 2 wetle it bt lawell I dont regret a pen s littefor to gearge kinks in laids be then wal have garge bed bust sunk a sub I loil had been patials be pesland & saws Iceland day back afe Beth were delighte to be yo but tond one bee faily anouls an allen Retehies wegn, the atto all the acn led m on rte 9 was Fran y friends 4 t asd a soyal everg and with
tusty supp- Hhe post had but te sam the m consquently ale was pleased to have us about to red us of old times all had two wigzerd y daughters, one (man) is angaged to san office when we all se Chailott town Pld_ we bed aweal good nights the stariy the right and your blck to the city in the te d at streatlar common Iwas so the leave was w me but couldn't affoid to son th any longe so we chine buot to bush wise but not, sadde but indea y day o/4 ant ifter two I ayself were prent to syse to OCnnd do a ld aprac land coune engans sipstem of dety and daste which watl one to lcate and land on ans in th t and all toge in a npeben of advise weath de wo anadian ctusted dos to a putty good plece with plety of evned 2 went Pol to and liste we setout in a toe fedt Dasport al ta self - After t was I lost the faratii seber is to thak exrim clords te ted ten the chepeto to cvuse sice to te sast of as it wa flew right on the rtes t by and was seghted as avoid detectid atp we returned in the dak bring a topel and and wity when we std Htwas the sighst coast and conequently bed t of differelty by etng e sou a land for 200 hundred Chax wte - wting was foy tound and we get a nt max to poved to Dyo and we aid and landed wd and sad of a wal tyld formetio will cal ston returned ine kept a good close fomlidun at well bull_ ends flosts that ito seen pghte is ae wfttistly d not h fone pattal to Ie is woied tut be son ut the - th at walls of nEdg be clowed pitally ast men on the rquado tut tem to get coasky at the s at as spemit alas potal sont bee I hs aver ther lies eebe the along and hav sold th live dear all ata s mo
2112 his sage fom the lang the wo sulch hatt t l auu ftera hs no of lite pottety schan eprang to lifewith a vengupe aso anners tpes and what with I am thatful dag place little toped be ow o is colde than wy hee ut and the ail iso uw ill lop e bet the mer came week late I have a to same to, snte into book, an llame macichen - sland office whon I not at lude tll cans fa bayking to fith pnone it was dee te and has not been biled of fo a a sever with put net the vry chaning ledy when I came back from usis and wnse then we have been goy abu together to slows sle- He same into te anfardry afteror and Edenber that au int to e g senver den all the se people Reslard Tanbr was there too a is playy in Chelve the old selio be in Clerbugh looks just like his pistes le and alost atenis live to a couple af jons popes apparently fom his shew be dims is good tyke place with encellent chest a good dause Ho will good food Dot tllen a ketylis wife came too and we all be a very good evening sated nall the bed septed of stl alle and arm of the lede ome fshers. the ath wen pt well the Austalians plape Dt se put up a goos shew tost Wwar prectied & yu bealg y ad i it all one plae o Edenburgh went bad to lnses today, gud dan left benft dave. In apsid I fell if lo with the ye of be bt tthe lave what would be the point in getteng mond when we would have to is the save oldi ported to another staton and what then I go out in leave bound for summeuth but I dont thi I sell get any pitte thl this 124143 senis cone bust twre acbeg after the alone arr a dars at the He stayed & soul stial we weat dane at no a saw the sight also it was too goo the de
to last my heave ended and I hav shia good by and put be on the odar boud ta Poms t see be again aloutly. My leggest enery is the Prince of Conali andie Broughton who has ben ao a bet of a lee too wen I am alg petly good so I wh I get taak to suches bang uot without regret that & was porgl the caheaben up the cosst of asey se on to t lauss stand by injedictely 1//r we were befed and to a ylight sake a a god attleshp the informatio an too late and by the tie we get awoue it was almost dack & whith Welligton the said would locale Iillemluste the so get with flaus ee the watte was so bed all the weelmaton twed beck cres a bons plaahed niles of rainill & ai clad to naway ally to fen o tls ted rot ifect tl sdepe tse an w an Dr Sena back cosseed after lake off the s quires was latter but te the rest cocaped with tooken bnty te tlle ah siled wt a bill wl nga seta ast mantire e& he vge titer the was guires & wop dee bodl bocked bat- The gue recieved secial ingure and lad to levve be uded tte alled for t la had be two soal distand E before getteg help- wa evend yet the wof is still elive t leted was that stiky & infotunck and of all, you lets pibreed aland the sistich coast by night the grousige wentas die as be an sapt to thee gudet as bene it diff filed dons tell bes Bet affides yoor lads t affe b it all gou to de say tell ble the e was you Geff sullesk to be a pie by th se if was we in case swge the newd les te ssto hs caue ad cl ot and and is tag o St Smithers 16/1/43 e w a
died of injoier toda above egid d so patal to the Dand cosst Loy the wat w enter sanal gd to good infast and feet ane eto seeed To tts out wat the first and last took ratling wao sighted except on d an a for oruge and as me she ffere moothly walland guu w the bp cav about 700 miles of oan can we were glad to ay the ble sow aapped bills of sidhend & cockpit after an havs in all se d at by back early swe att Dampat cay and his fomation attacked a sytmo other seep of the nemergen coast caly md Do ptialo go out as regule as clockwark The als Hamp dens one uncomptible but they have tthe range mtl can of and i ts aboutt whele 3t an enoft would not al mentt wte ti t a gual t are Calllang the dompden and slip w ay ll now oe his slip sent the diete a shipt of ecpurt a Dea ungated and ag weless arristand waed y effirt today 2/ps test weith was indged a buse ane yo the anbaust Engin ane Ia destayes tnee actrupted to 9 now d the sean in edex & so up to hanes to nously the sssede bound conveys- We recieved a sighting spet Hon 26// frind Hampus case ibcept the comembre off (Continou I was in the last Niin of theee as him was petting we left leavy adwetand in con claud & an o te n of us be dititched from
the fots ae a expecting t find litte weathr firthe iRain wristen the 250 rules Ime had been blaven us off thit - nd we what the const It ce and I ten0 instead secewed the coast an to sister well we san i consentaations flak what we avarded interfully after gettyng some near mese at this, pant we sighted a il was too meall Tospedo ao let it bey 5: ting wene whanhaust to be bet ad De soons at 2 and desided ao flew, back against thb fifty wiles Dastmness, bad falln lad to il an an on with wit iel down an fois lan e w we wese indeed at oase thankful Itauch don again an the dst of the forated but the t of presee & led the will in hand and s situstion again stuck but fieled are day we will get be gd rund erph to return and ar te se that night a that de ve ithe they fle into ad visiblity land low sumpl s to m very good frens who shall a e we bad a letter from soph qunter who is now a preste was and be enploined tt had been be by tey ship and had what the bate in in enaked tldmes - Ho and bs gies but som agoore on the wop we heed the as office commending can yesterday and bld to me i low impoal was a i the destruction you are wde wiffe andof dist with the neagos nto was a a on wtels as fget
m wn as weth pots and annnoually get a sill 20/3/43 to the 16/245 we at serway by the bught light tot a full Imoon - ansteal of hul wen topedor we cord 200o lt bombs - very iffectie again M/C it a sercant ie h coast Thoway duly shoued up dearly and me followed it down to Lista whl we turned and and the found nitterson ships a little best of werhent p & dooppe so we did a en onr bombs amongs Felem sista spoung sappldly into life thing at and aled was the Ketshen Trenk is did som pietty sapped wasn artion and got dway without trauble & couldnt tell any whithe o got we dausged it but +Plospest e said e like a rea! again on the 14h we took and bombs by w ltt I will a deltir but this te canrequetly we flew at fifty quite a ast Lt be D visitutely and in the montig t tp Lenclo nature 1 of fe pitiel to Cluhiansand to egs Ete to the sear in and from then sine a righted several ships through out but I as we had a sot to bomb merhant vireet o cousand this we of ln had to erustan t beg said he pose altoual wouldit implodly sost m s sailors inte a see such as was e that night so we complete the patial of almoxt 1000 npel in lngth and returned to base with n bottens after ssh a long I must say, any oatle sawes engire I have neve had an inglire get and dont anticipated me

SUNDAY, MARCH 2 1941
neither talk nor smile. Here sour puss
drink this. sour puss drank it
but smiled not - When the night
ended the R.AAF & the RAF were very
unsober but the Russians still ate
salmon and muttered rusha sta Rovia
The days dragged a bit but with
the aid of a few concerts supplied by
the Moscow Ballet Company we passed
the time – we saw some good Cossack
stuff and one or two plays; Bella, the
interpreter came with us and
translated, generally, what the theme
of the play was – The acting seemed
very much the same as our own
but over acted their parts according
to our standards
Russian women all wore shawls and
either high heeled shoes or knee high snow
boots - They had the slavic features of their
latitude, some even looked Chinese - They
held dances at their Hall of Culture which
was a large unpainted wooden building
decorated inside entirely by photographs &
paintings of Stalin & Lenin - These two
birds were in great prominence - One
room contained rowes of uniformed unsmiling
hero’s of the Soviet Union – no other
pictures decorated the place – The
people knew little or nothing of the
 

MONDAY, MARCH 3 1941
world outside the U.S.S.R. - Literature on the 
world was forbidden them – they could not see
American or British films.
The Navy bought over some films for our
entertainment, they agreed to show them for
us but no Russians were admitted, even the
doormen stood outside - How can these people
be intelligent if they are not educated? I
asked myself. What has their Communism
bought them - with this food shortage poor
clothing & poverty. Whow ants to spend their lives
at communal restaurants - line in barracks
and think only in terms of "Vusha" - and yet
they seemed happy enough The "women of the Red
Army" sang as they marched with Shovels
and picks over their shoulders.
The country side is very sparsely populated
everybody lives in Villages. Timber seems to
be the only plentiful substance. Birch and
Spruce - patches of Reindeer moss cover the ground
Reindeers were used to drag sleds laden
with bombs to the aircraft - The Russians
were flying British Hurricanes American
Kitty Hawks their own yaks & migs & PE2.
None of these aircraft were of modern enough
design to combat the better German
ME 109 or J.U. 88 - The P.E.2. was a good
aircraft very fast - but they had very few
of them - The jerry's bombed the place
so often with resultant damage to
our aircraft as well as those of the
Ruskies. 

 

TUESDAY, MARCH 4 1941
Out of the thirty aircraft only fifteen
remained after losses on the way over
and damaging raids.
Jimmy Catauck (SqDN. Leader) & Sanny
Smart and crews were unaccounted
for. Later we found that Jimmy an &
crew had been forced down and had
been interned in Germany – Sammy Smart
and crew were all killed and were
“Buried with full military honors in
Sweden” – P/O Evans of 144 sqdn. escaped
to Sweden and was repatriated by
[[?Hedron]] -
One of the sergeants ran a daily newspaper
written by hand - it published all
the social events, bits of news (picked
up by an aircraft receiver listening
in to middle East stations) It was
called Jack-pot and was reputed to have
the smallest circulation in the world.
After the second month the rumour
go got about that a carrier was
on it's was over to pick up. - A sweep
was opened and people speculated
upon which day we would embark
for on shilling per ticket
We were paid Rubles at the rate
of twenty five per day. I managed
to spend four on a nair cut – The
remaining 800 went at poker and
 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5 1941
the rest I gave back to the cause - all that
can be said for the rouble is that it is
printed on good paper.
Then the news came of the impending arrival
of the cruiser so we gave our transponders to
the Russians, showed them how to work them via
an interpreter, they then proceeded to
smash them up being pretty ham handed
When we left the Russian girls all had
all a little weep - we gave them all our
stores, including chocolate sugar tea meat
& flour, they said: specibar
Our Cruiser duly arrived and we boarded
her from a corvette it was a bright
moonlight night. but the Jerries didn't
spot us and we put out to sea at great
speed - we evaded their aircraft for two
days but on the third an 88 picked
us xxx up and hammered out our speed
& direction on his W/T - Strangely
enough the Devil looks after his own
for he gave our reciprocal course
However the Captain told us to stand
by for enemy torpedo attack
within three hours. but it never
came - we passed between Bear
Island and Spitzbergen and went
north to 70° 78° N. - a strange
pale gloomy arctic atmosphere prevails
there - it was the closest I had ever 

 

THURSDAY, MARCH 6 1941
been to the north pole – the spray
from the bow froze on the forcastle
We were needless to say pleased to see
the coast of Iceland loom up. -
Great Fjords with cliff faces covered with
snow rising to two or three thousand feet
right from the waters edge - we steamed
into [[?]] fjord and remained there for
five hours while a tanker pumped oil
into on the tanks of our cruiser & the
two destroyers – I made some good friends
on the Arganught which was the latest
of the Side light cruisers - The hard life
of the Navy was an inspiration - I realised
how easy our lot was, we always had
a comfortable mess to return to - Their
ward room was comfortable too but
one had to hang on the chair all the
time to keep upright – I shared a cabin
with the Doc he & I slept on the floor and
Les Oliver had the bunk. He kept us from
sea sickness with all sorts of patient
remedies of his own -
When the tanks were replenished we
set sail once more, carefully avoiding
Jerries & our own mine fields, we were
making thirty knots on the way to
Scapa flow and a heavy sea was
running which didn't help any.
I was a bit sick at this stage as the
ship was vibrating badly
 

FRIDAY, MARCH 7 1941
and we were cabined right at the stern end of
ship. A man was washed overboard but
it was “too late” to stop so he was just left
to a watrey grave. I often thought of the
despair he must have felt, to see his ship
said out of sight and he alone in the wide
wide ocean, the water was very cold so I dont
suppose be despaired long.
And then the long longed for shores of
Scotland [[?]] up, we all looked fondly
at them as though they were our real home.
They looked very friendly in the evening calm
soft green hills, no bombers, no fighters to torment
us & the anchor slid over the side in scapa
flow and we said goodbye to our naval
cobbers, who told us they would not be able
to even come ashore as they had another
“big job on” I heard late that they had gone
straight to Mediterranean to the big advance
yes they are a hard fighting lot the lads in Navy
blue.
We spent the night on an officers Rest
or something - The man in charge
insisted that we signed a paper headed
non British subjects. We explained that
that didnt concern Australians, but he didnt
see the point, so we filled them in to
preserve the peace - We rang the mess
at Leuchars informing the chief cook to
kill the fatted calf for our return

 

SATURDAY, MARCH 8 1941
The fatted calf was duly killed and we
made a triumphant return with an evening
which the mess devoted £100-0-0 for our [[?]]
I don’t think they got any change out of
their money
Leave seemed to be the primary
consideration from then on and on the
following day we set sail for London
with two & a half months pay in the
bank – I went as far as Hawick in
Murphy’s car. A delapidated old Austin
Our intention was to go as far as York
but engine trouble dogged our program
so we decided to plonk it in a garrage
and go on by train.
I bought Inis’s kilt there - saw
it in a tailors window and decided
to have one made like it forthwith
I had to part up with seventeen coupon
for the thing, but trust it was in a
good cause – While in Edinburgh
purchased a swell [[?]] of a
a dogs head - I had it sent home to
mum. The artist was an Edinburgh
man named Frazer & strangely enough
the kilt is of the Frazer clan.
After the usual journey Murph and
I struck London at one o’clock in the
morning with no room booked and
no prospect of getting any. Further more
we were almost broke. until the
 

SUNDAY, MARCH 9 1941
banks opened next day - Eventually after trying
all teh known pubs an jails we found
a large dingy place and were very pleased
to find at least a bed humble though
it was. The manager wanted his money in
advance which we couldn't pay but we
stayed - The place seemed to be staffed by
French women, whose bright chatter contrasted
with the dark gloomy atmosphere of the pubs
one thousand rooms. - In the morning we
made a sortie on the bank, paid our bill
and moved to the Cumberland Hotel
Marble Arch - We had a superb compartment
with private berth, breakfast in bed
all mod cons. telephone etc - The leave
was a great success. I had a great time
managed to spend 45-0-0 one way & another
however I dont regret a penny of it. - Met
Eric Rutherford & George [[?]] in London
they were on their way home - george had
just sunk a sub & Eric had been in
Iceland doing patrols to Greenland & Norway
Both were delighted to be going back after
a fairly successful tour over here.
Also saw Allan Ritchie, wearing the ribbon
of the D.F.M. - He had just finished his
tour of opps & was going on rest - Some
of George's friends took us home &
we had a royal evening and with 

 

MONDAY, MARCH 10 1941
turkey supper - The Host had lost her
son in the middle East consequently she
was pleased to have us about to remind
us of old times - she had two Wizzard
day daughters, one (Mary) is engaged
to an officer whom we all knew at
Charlotte town P.E.1 - we bed several
good nights there staying the night and
going back to the city in the morning
They lived at Streatham common -
I was sorry when the leave was
over but couldn’t afford to stay there
any longer. - so we came back to Leuchars
wiser but not sadder but indeed poorer
After two ot three days F/Lt ‘Butch’
O’Connor & myself were sent to Dyce to
do a Blind Approach Landing course - an
ingenious system of dots and dashes
which enable one to locate and
land on aerodromes in thick fogs
and all forms of adverse weather
conditions – Dyce is a very good
aerodrome situated close to Aberdeen
a pretty good place with plenty of
everything.
29/12/42 Went on River Patrol to [[?]]
and sister - - we set out in a box
of four. Jack Davenport Col Starry
Phil Baker & myself – After two
hours I lost the formation when we
 

ran into thick cu nim clouds – so had
to continue on the course to [[?]]
thence down the coast of Norway to [[?]]
We flew right on the water to try and
avoid detection – no shipping was sighting so
we returned in the dark bearing one torpedo
It was very dark and misty when we struck
the Scotish coast and consequently had a
bit of difficulty in establishing our position
not having seen land for 300 hundred
miles – Leuchars was fog bound and
we get a w/t message to proceed to Dyer
which we did and landed very tired
and glad of a meal – next day I
returned in formation with Col Storey
we kept a good close formation right
at water level - rumour floats that
144 is going onto Beau fighters

[[? ?]] & crew unfortunately did
not return from a patrol to norway

It is assumed that he ran into the
sheer cliff walls of a fjord - [[?]] and
Ian [[?]] his observer were probably
the two keenest men on the squadron
Keen to get cracking at the Jerrys - But
his spirit alas probably cost him
& his crew their lives - We shall
remember them along with lots of others
who have sold their lives dearly
and shall return no more 

 

3/1/43
I am writing this page from ^in the lounge
of the north British hotel, on leave again
after one or two weeks of hectic festivity
Leuchars sprang to life with a vengeance
and what with mess do’s dinners & parties
I am thankful though a little boored
to be away from the place
Edinburgh is colder than ever, Snow
fekk yesterday and the air is almost
freezing outside now. We were all hoping
for a white xmas but the snow came
a week late.
I have a new name to enter into 
book, One Shoina macichan – Shoina
is a waaf. Officer whom I met at Leuchars
she comes from Hong Kong – her father is
a prisoner of war over there, and has
not been heard of for six or seven months
I first met this very charming lady
when I came back from Russia, and
since then we have been going about
together to shows etc. – She came into
Edinburgh on Friday afternoon and
that evening we went to De [[?]]
Dinner dance – (where all the best
people go) Richard Tauber was there
too. He is playing in Chelsea [[?]]
or The old Chelsea here in Edinburgh
he looks just like his pictures
wearing a monocle and shooting
a terrific line to a couple of
 

Young [[?]], apparently from his show
De Jeines is a good type place with an
excellent orchestra a good dance floor
and quite good food. Doc Bilton & Betty (his
future wife!) came too and we all had
a very good evening.
Saturday night we had booked up
a skittle alley and some of the lads
came up from Leuchars. The match went
off quite well. The Australians playing the
rest – We put up a good show too but
were beaten by the more practiced players
of Edinbugh – and now its all over. Shoina
went back to Leuchars today, and I am
left bereft alone – I’m afraid I fell in love
with this girl, but whts the use – of being
in love what would be the point in getting
married when we would have to juts
go along in the same old way – She
is being posted to another station and
what then!
I set out on leave bound for Bournemouth
but I don’t think I shall get any farther
south than this
13/1/43
Shoina came back twice.
to Edinburgh after the above session
She stayed several days at the
North British – we went dancing
at night and saw the sights in
the day – Alas it was too good 

 

to last My leave ended and I kissed
Shiona good by and put her on the
London bound train Promising to
see her again shortly - my biggest
enemy is the Prince of Romance
Archie Broughton who has been
trying to do a bit of  line too
however I am doing pretty good so
far.
When I got back to Leuchars I
learnt not without regret that
the Scharnhorst was proceeding
up the coast of Norway - I went
on to 1 1/2 hours stand by immediately
and xx on 12/1/42 we were briefed
for a daylight strike on a  German
Battleship - However the information came
too late and by the time we got
airborne it was almost dark - Whitley 
& Wellingtons they said would locate
& illuminate the target with flares
however the weather was so bad
all the Wellingtons turned back
consequently our boys ploughed 
through 350 miles of rain ice &
cloud to Norway only to find
no illuminated target infact
no target al all - I developed
engine trouble and was forced 
to turn back - Sergeant Vincent
crashed after take off

the rear gunner was killed but he &
the rest escaped with broken limbs
P/O Hill & crew crashed into a hill when
returning (or rather a mountain west of
[[Mantrou?]]. He & his navigator were killed
the rear gunner & WOP were badly
knocked about - the gunner received
facial injuries and had to leave his
wounded mate who had to two badly 
shattered legs - He walked for 40 hours
before getting help - we havent yet
heard of the w.o.p is still alive - It
was the sticky & unfortunate end
of all those who proceed inland
from the Scotish coast by night - The
Grampian Mountains have as many
aircraft to their credit as have the 
cliff faced shores of Norway - Hill & Rees
were two men Pilot Officers, good lads
keen & efficient, but it all goes to show
that you never can tell when the
time comes - Geoff Gunton was reported 
by the German Wireless to be a pris
prisoner of war - we are eagerly
awaiting to hear if the news is
confirmed and if the rest of his
crew are O.K. and such is tonight
grim summary.
16/1/43. Sgt Smithers who was near
gunnies in the crash mentioned

 

above, died of injuries today.
we did another [[?]] patrol
to the Danish coast today - The
weather was extra specially good -
Too good infact - and we had to 
keep our eyes skinned for enemy
fighters - six of us went out - I 
was the first off and last back.
nothing was sighted except an 
upturned dinghy & a mine we
flew O for Orange, and as ever she
flew very smoothly without giving
a moments anxiety the [[?]] covered
about 700 miles of ocean, consequently
we were glad to see the blue
snow capped hills of Scotland
after six hours in the cockpit.
All the other aircraft turned 
back early owing to lack of
cloud cover - Jack Davenport
and his formation attached a 
submarine mother ship somewhere
off the Norweigan coast early
this morning - 
Our patrols go out as regular
as clockwork - xxx The old
Hampdens are uncomfortable
but they have the range
and consequently we can go
many miles abroad, where
other aircraft would not
venture - Tonight we have aircraft
operating with bombs 350 miles
from base - Even if our actual
attacks are not numerous although
the Hampdens have sunk six or
seven ships in the last month
our presence which presumably  is
known to the enemy, is hindering
his shipping ways causing them
to require heavier escort, thus diverting
sp shipping & aircraft from other spheres
of activity - 

Joe McIvor navigation and Reg's
wireless assistance worked very effectively
to day.
8/2/43 Last month was indeed a busy
one. Once again the Scharnhorst - Eugen
& a destroyer screen attempted to get
across from the "scan" in Denmark
to Norway & so up to harass
the Russian bound convoys - We
received a sightling report  from R.R.U
and on 26/1/43 nine Hampdens
set course to intercept them
somewhere off Christiansand and I was 
in the last [[?]] of three - as
we left heavy rain was pelting
down and in low cloud & 
heavy rain two if us became
detached from the rest of

 

the formation - we carried on on
our own expecting to find better
weather further on - Rain persisted
for the 250 miles - A gale
had been blowing us off track
all the way and we hit
the coast a [[Egiro?]] instead
of X w I then turned and
followed the coast around 
to Lister where we ran in
heavy concentrations of flak.
which we avoided successfully
after getting some near misses
at this point we sighted a 
ship which was too small
to torpedo so let it like -
by this time we estimated the 
Scharnhorst to be behind the
booms at X and decided
to return so flew back against
the wind & rain for three hundred
& fifty miles - Darkness had
fallen then so we had to 
fly on an on with water
running down our faces for 
hours - however the rain stopped
at base and we were indeed
thankful to touch down
once again
The rest of the formation
had gone on but - the Jerries
knew of our presence & had the
situation well in hand - and so
once again we struck but failed
one day we will get her.
My very good friend K J Murphy
and his crew failed to return
that night. We rather fear that
they flew into the sea in the 
low coloud & bad visibility
I miss old Murphy as I do
many other good friends who shall
come no more
We had a letter from Geoph
Gunton who is now a prisoner of
war and he explained that 
they had been hit by a flak
ship and had hit the water in
flames - He and his gunner escaped
but Tom [[?goose]] & the w.o.p
we killed
The Air officer commanding came
up to see us yesterday and told 
us how important was our job
in the destruction of the iron ore
trade traffic which germany
did with Norway - and of course
the major units of the german
fleet was also out pidgeon
so we do our patrols as frequently

 

as weather permits and occasionally 
get a kill
17 +6/3/43
On the 16/2/43 We set off for
Norway by the bright light of a

full moon - Instead of our usual
torpedo we carried 4 x 500 lbs
M/C bombs - very effective against
ships of merchant class - The coast
of Norway duly showed up clearly 
and we followed it down to
Lista where we turned up
Hitterően Fjord and there found
a little nest of merchant ships
do we did a run up & dropped
our bombs amongst them - 
Lista sprung rappidly into life
and hurled up every thing at
us bar the kitchen sink
we did some pretty rappid evasive
ace action and got away without 
any trouble - I couldn't tell
whether or not we damaged the
ship but Joe said it looked
like a near miss to him
Again on the 18/2/43 we took
out bombs by moon light x
but this time with a delay - 
consequently we flew at fifty
feet which was quite a safe height
considering the visibility and
moonlight - This trip was in the
nature of a patrol from Leuchars
to [[Egerio?]] - thence to Christiansand
and from there to the [[?]] in 
Denmark - we sighted several ships
through out but as we had orders
not to bomb merchant vessels be
of less than one thousand tones  we
has to reluctantly let them
pass althought as Reg said he
wouldn't willingly cast xxx any poor
sailors into a sea such ws
running that night - so we completed
the patrol of almost 1000 nautical miles
in length and returned to base with
sore bottoms after such a  long trip
Pegasus engines I must say, are reliable 
I have never had an engine failure
yet and dont anticipate one

 

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