A Story of War

Follow one man's war day by day, 70 years on, from Waziristan and the North West Frontier, Habbaniya, the Burma campaign, India & the Rhine.

February 22, 2011

February 22nd 1941

Went to hospital last weekend with the crabs. Shave and put on some strong blue ointment. Now suffering from stubble trouble. Went out sailing in Braybooks’s Moth the other day. My first three attempts to ‘go about’ failed through not letting go the rudder, but soon mastered that and had a damed good day.

Flying still going strong, and had CFI’s test (Chief Flying Instructor) the other day. He said “See Y landing ground”, I said yes, so he switched off the engine and said “Do a forced landing“. Orders is orders, so down I went. I had two shots which he didn’t like, and when we got home I explained I hadn’t been taught them. Went up with the Group Captain yesterday as passenger, and circled the lake and studied the trenches at Ramadi.

Today an hour’s Audax, and some “wheeler” power approach landings. A bit of rugger, and a bit of sunbathing in the afternoons. Was out walking on the bund the other night when I met a chap who said “come in and have one”. He is W/C Jope-Slade, in intelligence in Baghdad, and he told me a lot of interesting things about Iraqi politics.

(JDW: both Charles Braybrooks (2nd may 1941) and W/C Jope-Slade (5th May 1941) were to be killed in the battle to come in May).

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Pilot Officer Colin Dunford Wood

3 responses to “February 22nd 1941”

Moggy

February 22, 2011 at 10:44 am

“Y Landing ground”

Have been trying to find out for ages how the “runaways” were laid out at Habbaniya in 1941. Looks like the “Y” patern may be the older shape still used in 1941, and the paralell tracks were the result of the beefing up of the base either after 1941 or after the war.

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Rick Beyer

February 23, 2011 at 2:26 pm

I’m fascinated by your blog, and look forward to reading more of it as it unfolds.

I am an author/filmmaker specializing in history. Currently working on a film about a US Army deception unit in WWII known as the Ghost Army (www.ghostarmy.org) I’m also working on a book that will chronicle one day around the globe during World War II. The day I plan to focus on is September 15, 1944. I wonder if your Dad had a diary entry that day/wee.month, and what he was doing at the time. I’d be grateful if you would email me to let me know.

Thanks!

Rick Beyer
Lexington, MA USA

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Editor’s Note About Iraq in 1941 « A Story of War

March 7, 2011 at 9:48 am

[…] Politics’, some of which my father must have learnt in the conversation he referred to on February 22nd with Wing Commander Jope-Slade, the Intelligence Officer from Baghdad. The AuthorC.D.C. […]

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