A Story of War

I fly out in an Anson with Blain, Malcolmson, Raynor and George to 2 squadron, and arrive to find Bert Mann still there. There is a continual clamp of snow and fog on, and I get as far as taxiing to the runway today but no further, to do an air test. On arrival we are greeted by a good view of a V1 at about 1500’ and more all through that day. I also see a couple of V2 trails in the sky. We live in a Luftwaffe Mess which is fairly comfortable, and there is lashings of booze – too much in fact, and I seem to be up to my neck in it every evening with Bert.

I share a pigsty with F/L Chin and Selkirk of 2 squadron, and there is a hot shower in the billets. My washing is well done by a Dutchman for a bar of soap and 20 cigarettes. There is much snow, and I go out and let off my revolver, but without much success. Bert and I go and visit 135 Wing Mess at the invitation of one S/L Patterson, O.C. of a New Zealand Spitfire squadron, and meet Group Captain Walker. I get rather intoxicated on champagne and stout, but feel better than Bert the next morning. Today we are visited by Commander Brabner, Under-secretary of State for Air (JDW: to be killed two months later en route for Canada), but he does not seem particularly interested in us. There is nowhere to go when off-duty and nothing much to read in the Mess. Some people even play chess.