[transcription and transcription annotations have been provided by the collection donor]
Sat Aug.1, 1942:
No sleep last night. We caught a truck into Grantham just in time for breakfast. I walked into Croxton village to catch the bus to Melton Mowbray. Here I changed for Notts. getting in at 12:30 am. After lunch in the Empire Service Club I went pricing a bike with the assistance of an A.T.C. boy. Eight pound -19-5 for new Raleigh Sport model. In the evening I went to take the Black Boy as I didn’t see Laurie there. I roamed around and dropped back a little later. We had a short reunion then I headed for bed.
Sun Aug 2, 1942:
Up early to get the 10:00 am bus to Melton. All the buses were crowded. When we got to Melton it started raining and continued most of the day. That meant no flying. Alex Ramsay and Cy Webb crashed at Cottesmore last night. Heavy rain and thunderstorm.
Mon Aug 3, 1942:
Still raining a bit. No flying. Just put in the time. Played a little Black Jack, coming out on top with 27 shillings.
Tues Aug 4, 1942:
Still no flying for me. Put in the time as usual. I went to Grantham where I took in a dance. Missed the bus and had to bunk in the Police Station.
Wed Aug 5, 1942:
Flew to-day. A four & half hr. trip. Base - Fernhill - Prestatyn - Port of Aye I.O.M. - Mull of Galway and back. We had a full load of 250 lbs and were supposed to drop two (one alive) on the Wainsfleet target, however there was a haze over the Wash so we didn’t bomb.
Thurs Aug 6, 1942:
Scheduled to do some high level bombing, but didn’t as most of the kites were U.S. The day was put in somehow. Pick up 8 shillings playing Black Jack.
Fri Aug 7, 1942:
B.B. Hosick and I did a high level bombing trip this morning - score 200 yds. The electric supply went u.s. And the pilot wasn’t sure whether the landing gear would lock. Pay day.
Sat Aug 8, 1942:
Nothing much to do to-day. High level night bombing. This was washed out at midnight.
Sun Aug 9, 1942:
Some rain to-day. Being clear to-night we did some high level bombing - score 250 yds. Experienced searchlights. As we approached Base, Jerry dumped some bombs near Grantham. A large fire, ack ack were visible.
Mon Aug 10, 1942:
Caught the 10:50 am bus from Croxton village to Leicester. Roamed around town all day and queued up for a show at night.
Tue Aug 11, 1942:
Back to camp at noon. I was told that O’Connor (obs.) and Davies (pilot) had died last night in a crash near the bombing target. They were doing low level bombing and crashed just north of Bourne. I am doing a night raid over the North Sea.
Aug 12, 1942: - Aug 15, 1942:
no record
Sun Aug 16, 1942:
Up on a H.L.B. (high level bombing) this morning - incomplete as there was too much cloud. Did a line overlap. In the afternoon we were told we’d be going on an exercise. At 6 pm we were briefed and told we’d be Infra-red bombing London (Westminster Bridge). We took off and headed for Reading, then out over the Channel and attack London from 12,000 ft.
Mon Aug 17, 1942:
We were caught in several searchlight cones after overshooting a bit. We attacked the target, then set course for home. Picked up by more S.L. (search lights) also had a Beaufighter skim over top of us. Down at 2:15 am and to bed. Up again at 9:00 am and ready to catch the 11:40 am bus to Croxton. Took train from Grantham to London. Took Sheila Dodd to the show and stayed at their place.
Tues Aug 18, 1942:
Caught the 10:10 am train out of Kings Cross for Grantham, arriving too late for noon hour bus to village. Finally arrived at station and introduced the boys to a little game of Crown and Anchor.
Wed Aug 19, 1942:
Monk and I did some high level bombing this morning. We did nothing in the afternoon. Did some pix printing at night.
Thurs Aug 20, 1942:
O’Brien and I were on high level glide bombing this morning - score 111 yds. A mess meeting in the afternoon, during which the mess officer heard what we thought of the food.
Fri Aug. 21, 1942:
No flying for me this morning or afternoon. I was H.L.B. at night, but owing to bad weather that was scrubbed..
Sat Aug. 22, 1942:
Up late to-day. On high level bombing to-night. We were up for an hour, the clouds were too low. We waited around til one o’clock before it was scrubbed. A grand way to celebrate a 29th birthday.
Sun Aug. 23, 1942:
As they wanted some volunteers for church service, I went, but after waiting half an hour for the padre it was scrubbed. On high level bombing again to-night, but this was scrubbed. We are standing by for a long raid over Germany.
Mon Aug 24, 1942:
Went to Cottesmore to get my chute and harness. On the way back our truck was struck by another. An observer of the new course suffered head and back injuries. This is usually my day off, but all leaves are cancelled due to forthcoming raid. O’Brien and I went to a show in Grantham. The moon is just about ready.
Tue Aug. 25, 1942:
The weather is still pretty bad. May do some high level bombing to-night. All the kites here are supposed to be ready for the big raid, but one crew tried out 5 of them last night finding them all U.S.
Wed Aug. 26, 1942:
Weather getting warmer. Full moon to-night. Still no flying for me.
Thur Aug 27, 1942:
Eight crews are going on a mock raid over Liverpool. Tried hard to get in a daylight bombing exercise, but had to be content to get in 2 at night.
Fri Aug 28, 1942:
Dragged out of bed to do a high level bombing this morning. This will complete my flying here.
Sat Aug 29, 1942:
No flying. Joe Brien, O’Brien Hosick and I went to Grantham to-night. During the course of our travels we ended up in the Maltsters Arms.
Sun Aug 30, 1942:
No more flying. Nothing to do around the “Flights”. O’Brien and I borrowed some bikes and pedaled to the village of Woolsthorpe. We soon returned as it was getting very dark and we had no lights.
Mon Aug 31, 1942:
O’Brien and I went to Grantham. We’d seen the shows and most of the pubs were closed through lack of beer so we just roamed around. A couple of fellows, Budd and Shellmit were sold Hootch for whisky at the Maltsters Arms. Shellmit was quite badly affected by it.
