A Story of War

The scheme comes to an end and Bill Beaman, self, driver and Bill’s bearer leap into our jeep and climb the hill to Ooty, staying at Dunmore in Coonoor (JDW: Now an Indian Navy holiday home), which I had known of. We drink in the Club with the locals at the hostel, including a navy type who detonates mines for a living, and then returned home to some liar dice. That night Bill snores so much I make arrangements to sleep elsewhere the next night. Saturday morning we go up to Ooty Club to lunch with a friend of his, one Marcelle Gauvain, who turns out to be the wife of a chap in the 5/15th who is missing in Singapore. Then to the Club in the evening for a dance, which I don’t particularly enjoy as I get a bit warm in my battle dress, which is all I have.

Next morning down the hill back to Bangalore. I find nothing particular to do as usual in the office, and meet Purcell and go and see the film “Spitfire”. Tony Wagstaffe also appears today at lunchtime and says I should be the ideal fellow to lecture at Staff College in place of W/C Fox who is a Catalina flying boat pilot. Much hotter now down here. Am due for some malaria now any time.

Before I forget:

225 Group Bangalore Air Staff

Air Commodore P.H. Macworth CBE DFC
S.O.A. – Group Captain Howard DFC
SASO – Group Captain J.E.W. Bowles DFC
Air 1 – Wing Commander W. Beaman
Fighter Ops – Squadron Leader K.A. Perkin
Army Cooperation Ops – Joe Soap DFC
G.R. – Squadron Leader Babineau
Training – Wing Commander T.A. Vigors DFC
Armament – Wing Commander G. Knyvett
Intelligence – Squadron Leader Green 

and some others not really worth bothering about.