A Story of War

Yesterday I do two recces in my Hurricane over the Bilin-Thaton area. The first time I see nothing, and then I drop two messages on a company of KOYLI’s who are cut off at Yimon. Later heard this successful and the KOYLI’s got away. Not very successful at the time as I seem to be going too fast and I don’t see anyone in the village.

Today I go out to John Haig as Nobby Clark is doing the recce. I start organising the squadron and arrange to lead a flight in a raid when the bombs arrive. Then I am ordered on a recce as Nobby falls sick. I go over to Duyingeck river and see two rafts and a boat load of troops crossing the river. I dive down and surprise a platoon of Jap troops marching to the rafts. They are in threes and I see them dash for cover, but for some reason I don’t open fire at them.

Then near Thinzeik I see a few lorries and some motorcyclists or horses on the road. I then recce the Bilin river and see a few logs, boats and an undamaged bridge. Got back and had to take my kite to Johnny Walker where I waited an hour for transport and got back here about 8.30pm.

We give a drinks party last night and a most beautiful girl comes at C.O.’s invitation called June, who works in the Group HQ as a typist. I talk to her for some hours, until Pete Jennings takes her home, not returning until about 5am? Jack Moulding gets rather affectionate and very confidential before leaving, after shaking me warmly by the hand. He lost most of his worldly belongings in the fall of Singapore. (JDW: which had happened four days earlier). I find Dickie’s keys and a few buttons amongst the wreckage of his Lysander.