Sketched and read all day. Leg rather sore – did not dash about much.
DIARY Thursday 23rd May
Uncle and Aunt left and Evelyn came in evening. Did nothing much all day.
DIARY Friday 24th May
Down town by 9.49. To Taylors and Cox’s and Shoe shop.
Down to Byfleet by 2.15. Got Canoe, stayed on river till dusk.
DIARY Saturday 25th May
Paddled about all day. Coolish all day and not too hot. Ragged with kids. To kiddies show in afternoon – v good.
DIARY Sunday 26th May
I stayed from Kirk as my leg was sore. Punted and paddled about all morning. Tea at West Hall. Back in Punt. King punting. Mum to Kirk in evening.
DIARY Monday 27th May
Back from Byfleet. Punting in morning. To H & C in town and then to Hospital, collected all my things and got leg done. Home by 5.17.
DIARY Tuesday 28th May
Did nothing much all day. Got bike fixed up.
Great Hun attack at Rheims. Huns advancing.
DIARY Wednesday 29th May
Wire from Symons. Not coming. The little rotter.
Down town. To Cinema with Winnie Baker in evening _____!
DIARY Thursday 30th May
Read in morning, down town with Gin. Tennis in evening with the Farly girl. I played – poorly, leg o.k. Huns in Soissons.
DIARY Friday 31st May
Down town in morning. Ginger to Rec office. Got bike back – 5/-! Played Winnie Baker singles at tennis in afternoon v.hot. To dine at College in afternoon with Kennedy, v.nice. Sat in garden. To Chapel and then to Study. Called [?]! Biked home and took Winnie on carrier!
DIARY Saturday 1st June
Motor biked in morning. To tennis at Bakers in evening. Winnie and I won 2/3 sets. Then Gin and I to see the Apache Concert, very good indeed. But gee! Some heat! Miss Strubell apparently excellent! Wotto!
Huns got to the Marne! This is bad.
DIARY Sunday 2nd June
To Kirk and H.C. in morning: good sermon but v.funny and we in front seat! A man Lawson from Chingford came in a ‘Camel’ I went to Links with him and swung his prop.
Back to Ch: – half an hour late! Read in evening.
DIARY Monday 3rd June
Mowed lawn all morning with Dad. Then biked down town. Then biked round and round the lawn! Ginger then tried and came off crash! Too golden for words! Walked down with Gin to Soldiers Home after Supper and after short stroll came back and finished “The Red Planet”, perfectly great.
DIARY Tuesday 4th June
Uncle Jack came down for lunch. To dentist in afternoon. Read and smoked all day. Saw Uncle J off. Read in evening.
DIARY Wednesday 5th June
Planted lettuces in morning. Messed about on bike in afternoon. Went down the hill after dinner and bike conked. Pushed it up the hill!
Read in evening. Headache and sore throat. Mummies birthday, God bless her.
DIARY Thursday 6th June
Up to town with Dad by 9.49 train. Went to Taylors and Cox’s. Find I have £60. Got hat and went to the Air Board and after a lot of lip from a rotten Capt: was told to report at Croydon. Then to see “Chu Chin Chow” – wonderful spectacle but play poor. Home by the 10 train.
DIARY Friday 7th June
Heard from C.O. and F.E.C. in morning. Jack [Captain J. Gilmour] has got 2 bars to his M.C., Leitch [Captain A.A. Leitch], Peacock and Williams got the M.C. 65 has got 53 Huns since April 1st – Damn good! To dentist in morning teeth stopped and cleaned. Down town with Mum and Dad after tea. Florie left in morning and Mary after giving the most ghastly lip in evening and was hoofed out of the house on the spot! Read and stuck in pictures after tea.
Winnie Baker in after dinner and asked us to tennis tomorrow. Shall take [?] without doubt! Slight French success in evening.
DIARY Saturday 8th June
Planted tomatoes and dug bed with Dad in morning. Mrs Garratt and Mrs Landorf Smith in to tea. To tennis at the Bakers in evening. Played rottenly and lost every set! The Vicar consistently cheated and the lawn was awful! Played bowls with Dad after dinner.
DIARY Sunday 9th June
To Kirk in morning. Fair Sermon. To tea at Garratts in afternoon, raining. Saville Garratt there. To Kirk after that v.good sermon but not an “Excuse me”! “War march of the priests” as voluntary after service. Read and looked at Joe’s Bible after Kirk. Bed early v.tired.
DIARY Monday 10th June
Packed all morning. Down town twice. Got shoes and bag and a few books and things. Coldish day. Finished packing in afternoon. To tennis with Winnie Baker after tea. Played poorly, lost 2 and won 1. Ground bad and wind fierce. Ginger to Soldiers home in evening. Played bowls with Dad after dinner.
DIARY Tuesday 11th June
Eheu! Alas!
Up to Town with Mum got my new tunic. To see the “Maid of the Mountains” in afternoon. Very good show. Tea at the Troc: Down to Joyce Green by the 6.20. Posted to No 63 T.S. Withers as C.O., Vann [?] and Shanks here. Did a little flipping very tired.
DIARY Wednesday 12th June
Flipped about in morning and did a little dual after tea. Feeling fine flying again. Some Aerodrome! In a hut with Nicholson. *In ‘A’ Flt with Capt. Lee as O.C. Pretty hard work here.
* See his Book p 212 “No Parachute” (Jarrolds 1968) P.
DIARY Thursday 13th June
Instructed in morning. To Biggin Hill with Nick in afternoon to see Brian. Saw new Scout and Handley. Back contour chasing. Nick is some pilot! Instructed after but none of buses would go! Wisrlet fell off in evening! Bad omen!
DIARY Friday 14th June
Early flying at 6.a.m – Instructed in morning and then Withers and I flew off in Avro to Ware. Ran into rain, landed o.k. Got taxi up to Home. Had lunch and then at 6 Withers and Dad and I went to Ware. I was going to swing prop for Withers. Withers got in and I sucked in when the bally thing suddenly started and prop hit me on head – cut a 6” gash! Carted to hospital and bled like a pig. Skull not bust – thank God! Taken to theatre and seven stitches. Feel pretty rotten.
DIARY Saturday 15th June
Some headache all day! Not allowed to move or read or anything. All family to see me. Head stopped bleeding.
DIARY Sunday 16th June
Better. Read a bit and smoked a bit. Head still bad. Bed all day.
DIARY Monday 17th June
Bed all day. Better, v.nice here at County Hospital – v.nice nurses. Got a lot of letters.
DIARY Tuesday 18th June
Better. Read and wrote and smoked all day.
DIARY Wednesday 19th June
ditto; ditto;
Stitches taken out. Head all healed up. Just collodion dressing out, now bandage, as bald as a coot!
DIARY Thursday 20th June
Bed all day – Better.
DIARY Friday 21st June
Bed all day o.k. Getting up tomorrow.
DIARY Saturday 22nd June
Up for lunch and came home with Mum in a cab. Feeling v.groggy but all right otherwise. Back to hospl: at night.
DIARY Sunday 23rd June
Up for lunch and home. In to Hants in afternoon. Ronnie Strubell there! Wotto! Back to sleep at hospital.
DIARY Monday 24th June
Up for lunch. Home. Gardened in afternoon. Dud day and v.cold. Walked down town. Slept at Hospital.
DIARY Tuesday 25th June
Home for lunch. Up to college in afternoon. Inspection by Sir William Robertson, v.good show. Saw Lowe and others got a lift down town in Daniel’s car. Saw Winnie Baker. Slept at Hospital.
DIARY Wednesday 26th June
Discharged from Hospital. No word from Air Board. Matron to tea in afternoon. Swept paths etc and read and smoked. Chilly day rather. Mum bad gout in foot.
DIARY Thursday 27th June
Down to Hospital in morning. 3 letters, 1 from Air Board but no news of M.B. – they are rotten people! In garden fete at Hants in afternoon. Ronnie there. Awful. Felt lik
e a wet rag! Bought things I didn’t want! Mum still bad.
DIARY Friday 28th June
Went down town in morning and carried home all Mum’s things. Dad bought ‘em. That fish!! Read in afternoon and then clipped all the border for Dad. Pretty tiring work. Gally and the kids came in evening.
Bed at 12. Finished book “The Pendulum” – rather poor. Pretty tired.
DIARY Saturday 29th June
Heard from Air Board in morning. “Are you on leave?!!?” So I went up and saw Mr Blooming Findlay. Got to report at 63 T.S. and wait there for a Board. Phoned up Withers, told him what I thought of the Air Board, was Air Board phone! Findlay heard me, simply coughed blood and foamed at the mouth! Awful. That’s put the Air Board’s back up!! Lunch at Callard’s and then down to Jack. Tea at Young’s. Watched tennis – what tennis!
Then home by the 6.30 train – almost missed it. Headache in evening, rather tired.
DIARY Sunday 30th June
To Kirk in morning with Dad. Gin to College. Mum in bed. Ronnie Strubell in for tea in afternoon. Very nice too, awful pretty girl but I couldn’t say a word!
Talked to Mum in evening.
Back Home
1 July 1918 – 30 September 1918
DIARY Monday 1st July
Up town by 10.50. Met Jack and Fergus and lunched at Troc: Then to see “Tails up” – jolly good show. Splendid tea at Troc: and then down to J.C. by 6.30 train. Rather a head in evening. Made an awful noise in Mess after till 1am. I foamed at the mouth and raged and gnashed but to no purpose. Sleep na poo till 1.30!
DIARY Tuesday 2nd July
Got up late. Read and loafed around ‘drome all day, v hot. Did nothing in particular.
DIARY Wednesday 3rd July
Flew down to Wye in morning with Holland. Forced landed having lost prop. in a field. The prop started on “switch off” nearly hit it! Saw the DOC: at Wye. Up to town with H. in staff car in evening and went to see “The Boy” on a borrowed £1.10s! Dash good show. Back by 10.50. Stood up most of way – v full! Up in Withers car. Chilly night.
DIARY Thursday 4th July
Loafed around in morning. For a flip with Baron before lunch. Prop started on one bus, knocked out an A.M. Was going to Bexhill but couldn’t start engine. To a dance at Vickers in evening ‘dashed’ good show. Met Miss Baker and ‘clicked’ sat out most of time – held her hand. Going to tea on Sunday. Back at 2 a.m.
DIARY Friday 5th July
Fooled about in morning. To Gravesend at 3-5. Met by Barbara and John. Trip in pony cart! Barbara v pretty but no v bon! Up to town with John after tea.
Dinner at Frascatis – Turbot with our old friend the Waiter. A1 meal. To see Tabs’ after – dashed poor show. Down by 10.55. Bed at 1am. Gee I am tired!
DIARY Saturday 6th July
Tired with rather a head in morning. V.cloudy day. Down to meet Barbara and Nickie in afternoon but they neither of them dropped up – dashed rude of ‘em. Head worse in afternoon pains all over. Sports in afternoon quite good but I was too dud to notice them much. Bed directly after dinner: saw Doc, no temp, but feeling poor. Soaked up 5 quinines and slept fairly well.
DIARY Sunday 7th July
A bit better, 3 more quinines up at 12. Still feel sore and headachy but simply must go out this aft.!!! Withers heard from JC, poor little Eaton has gone West. Most awfully sick about it – one of the v best lads that was ever seen. R.I.P. guess I’ll skate with him in Valhalla, anon.
DIARY Monday 8th July
Up at 11.30. Did nothing much. Feeling pretty poor. Too much quinine.
To bed after had bath at 3. Stayed in bed till 6.30, then up. Feeling better.
DIARY Tuesday 9th July
Up after brekker. Down to aerodrome. Feeling better – nearly o.k. Met Prudence at Station at 5.40. Up to town. To dinner at Frascatis, then to see “Tails up” – damn good show. Then down by 10.50 and saw her home. v good day, v nice too!
DIARY Wednesday 10th July
Just loafed about aerodrome in morning and did nothing. Up to town with Baron by 6.40. Cloudy day and inclined to rain. To see ‘Fair and Warmer’ – goodish show. Then to R.P.H. till 11.30 – then bed at Charing Cross Hotel.
DIARY Thursday 11th July
To Arkwright Road for Board at 9. Sat there till 11.15. Then examined after much trouble managed to wangle 14 days leave and a free warrant to Troon! Dashed good show! Down to Sqn: and packed up and grovel a free return from Troon. Up by 5.40 and caught 7.50 train down home. Raining most of day. Gal and Leon here – v tired – bed.
DIARY Friday 12th July
Down town in morning with Mum, Gal and Leon. Sent off a few wires etc, walked up. Slept in afternoon. Mrs Young into tea and brought Gladys here. Nice wee kid. Sore throat all day and pretty bad in evening. Compress round throat at night.
DIARY Saturday 13th July
Down town with Mum in morning. Did some shopping. Back for lunch. Winnie Baker in to tea. Played bowls after tea. Pretty hot day. Throat better but a bit sore in evening. Slept in afternoon. Read in evening. Got up bike from garage.
DIARY Sunday 14th July
To Kirk in morning. Loafed around in afternoon. Kirk with Mum in evening.
DIARY Monday 15th July
Gally left. Dad and Mum and I up to town in morning. To see “Going Up” in afternoon, v good but I had a sore throat. Saw D & M home. Dinner at King’s Cross after sitting in R.R.H.
Up by 10.15 train. Awful trip – packed train. Didn’t sleep and v sore throat. 6 in carriage.
DIARY Tuesday 16th July
Arrived Edinburgh 8 am. Raining hard. Brekker at N.B. Hotel. Got book at Elliotts. Taxi to Dodds. Cleared up in afternoon. Tea at Cairn’s then to Molly’s then to Burnhead after dinn. Climbed tree and went all round house. Met Maddy. Sore throat.
DIARY Wednesday 17th July
To see Mol. in morning. Left at 4.45. Taxi to town at 2.30. Met Maddy and had tea at Mackie’s Très bon. To Troon by 4.45. Arrived for dinner. Bed at 10.30. Sore throat awfully bad. Slept rottenly.
DIARY Thursday 18th July
Sore throat better in morning. Did nothing much except loaf about house and played gramophone. Asprin at night.
DIARY Friday 19th July
Throat rotten. Brekker in bed. To tennis party at Blair’s in afternoon. Did not play, don’t like Mrs Blair! Raining later. Took Jubes for throat. Poor night. Letter from Ivy. Topping.
DIARY Saturday 20th July
Throat better. Brekker in bed. Played tennis in afternoon. Pretty badly but v good time. Big crowd in but not anything to notice. Played gram: in evening. Molly is a good girl.
Wrote letters. Molly put things in my bed.
DIARY Sunday 21st July
To Kirk with Auntie in morning. Loafed about all day. Grand day. Took 12 photos. The Boyds in for tea. Simply ragged Molly’s head off at night.
In bed late.
DIARY Monday 22nd July
Saw Molly and the Georges off. Jack to Glasgow. Raining all day. To bridge with Aunt to tea in afternoon simply awful! Aunt talked all time. Lost 1/-. Played bridge after dinner and won 1/4d.
Leaving at 9 tomorrow. Rotten!
DIARY Tuesday 23rd July
Left by the 9am train. Fairly good trip down after changing at Kilmarnock. Seat in dining car. Funny little man got in at Leeds and would pay for my tea!! Arrived London at 8.30. Caught 9.16 from Lpl St. Nightmare trip! Brox at 10.30 and got home at about 11.15 v tired! May here – how topping.
DIARY Wednesday 24th July
Rather a head all day. Down town in morning. Gally came in afternoon with Mrs Young; Binnery. All ‘family’ here except Elsie. Played bowls with Dad and Mum after dinner. Then taught girls to play “Auction” till 11pm. Bed v.tired.
DIARY Thursday 25th July
May and Eily and Mum and I down town in morning. May and Eily left at 2.30 – went for a stroll with Dad. Gin and I to End of Term cagger at College in evening v good show sat next to I. Then joined in rage and went to h
ear “carrying” in Colvin. Taxied home.
DIARY Friday 26th July
To town with Mum by 10.40. Met by Eily and Dorothie then met May. Lunch at Corner House – v full. Things went a bit wrong and rather a quibble – Also rain – To see “Tails Up” again – trés bon! Saw Mum and May off in taxi. To G. & S. Coy with watch and then down to J.G. by 6.20.
Poor old Baron killed also fellow from my room – Gunther.
Diary And Letters Of A World War I Fighter Pilot, The Page 22