With mechanical failures and driving into ditches becoming a way of life Ray (middle row above, 2nd from left) excels at taking things apart and putting them back together – and enjoys the ride. He’s told to get his active service kit together but nearly gets laid low with the local cider.

Friday 1st November: In the morning altered aerial by slinging it by a guy about six foot from the mast so that mast is now out of the way. In afternoon taking Mordy up for pay when the truck conked out. Had to take the Autoure??? to pieces and clean it and then she travelled like a racing car. In evening went to Lady L’s for coffee. Left at 10.30pm.

Saturday 2nd November: Jack Turner and Linsey now on control stn. Dr Bulstrode who owns our billet gives us a new laid egg each every Saturday. Every Sat morning he goes driving in his carriage and pair. In evening tried to write letter to Eileen but talking to Nick most of the time. Went for our usual coffee afterwards.

Sunday 3rd November: Now writing part of Eileen’s letters every day and will send it off when her’s arrives. Day off today. Lot of rain lately and mud everywhere at billet and HQ. In evening went to Chi (Ed’s note: Chichester). But had to wait hour and a quarter for train and then ¾ hours in cinema queue but saw Bing Crosby and Ned Sparks in ‘Star Maker’ which was a jolly good show.

Monday 4th November: On set in morning but batteries had run down. Drove truck into Chi in lunch hour to collect batteries. Jolly good run which I enjoyed. Slept all afternoon. In evening listened to wireless. Wrote part of letter to Eileen. Went down to Lady L’s. Have laid line down to her house so that we can take remote control with us.

Tuesday 5th November: Letters from Mummy and Terry. Denis now home on leave (Ed’s note: Terry & Denis are two of Ray’s brothers). He just dodged a lump of shrapnel walking home. Dad now a Lieut. In morning tried to use Lady L’s lawn mower. Mended it but put it back together backwards. In evening wrote more to Eileen and then went to L’s where had fish cakes and jellies. Knocked Lady L’s out of her hand.

Wednesday 6th November: Day off today. Put lawn mower right in morning. In afternoon got ready and then went to Chi. Had a haircut and then had tea at the YMCA. Jolly good place which serves cooked meals. After went to Plaza and saw ‘Crimes at the Dark House’ with Tod Slaughter which was real old fashioned melodrama. Coffee.

Thursday 7th November: On set in the morning where working was quite good for a change. In afternoon was just going for tea when Jack Turner turned up with two other chaps and two trucks. Collected our II set. Went for petrol and led convoy as the other three were going same way. Lovely speed on journey.

Friday 8th November: On set in afternoon. Collected £1 pay again. Eddie Pollett arrived with another gin palace, without roof aerial. Took ours away and left his which has better engine but terribly stiff steering. Letter from Eileen which was best yet and was really good to get. Posted my letter to her which was eighteen pages long.

Saturday 9th November: Day off today. In morning shovelled mud from drive to get a bit of exercise. Letter from Dad and 100 cigarettes and letter from Den who is now getting a berth on ?????. In evening went to Chichester to buy peaked cap but none in stock. Had tea at YMCA and back to Lady L’s where had supper.

Sunday 10th November: On set in morning. In afternoon three new chaps arrived and we had to hand over everything to them and get ready for the lorry to pick us up. New lot seem quarrelsome. Got kit ready and went down to Lady L’s. Waited until 8pm and no lorry so Nick phoned up. Lorry not allowed to leave Portsmouth because of air-raid. Had supper at LL’s and then slept in her front room for the night.

Monday 11th November: Caught other chaps going up to breakfast in truck and went with them. Waited about until around 11.30am and then lorry arrived. Stopped at Chi for lunch at YMCA. Arrived at Steyning about 3pm. Convoy went in morning. Having to wait until lorry arrives to take us on to Floxfield???. Billeted at town hall meanwhile. Spent evening at canteen. Met Singer who was in same depot squad at Prestatyn.

Tuesday 12th November: Started writing to Eileen in the morning. Spent about an hour with the chaps at Green’s restaurant for tea in morning. In afternoon spent time in a little café round the corner. Heard that two trucks lost out of convoy. One which went on yesterday lost and one sent for us lost. None has turned up yet. In evening went to Shoreham with Mick but had seen films so came back. Evening in canteen.

Wednesday 13th November: In morning loaded batteries onto ton lorry and had rest of day off. In morning had tea in café. In afternoon we went to the cattle market where the auctions always have a fascination for me. Tea in the café which was paid for by a chap who came from same town as Mick. In evening went to dance which was held downstairs in town hall. Mick and I just watched but we enjoyed it a lot.

Thursday 14th November: In morning got into lorry with about a dozen of us. Started about 10.30am. Through floods first part of journey and climbing most of the rest of it. Army truck piled into ditch as we passed. Snow on ground most of the way. Dinner in YM. At Winchester. Arrived at Floxfield??? about 6pm. Right out in the wilds. Only one shop, Post Office, pub, Workhouse and a few houses.

Friday 15th November: Billeted in stables. In a stall with Mick, George and Mordy. Freezing cold in morning with thick frost. One tap for everything. Adcock doing cook and making good job of it. On fatigues all day. Collected 24/- pay. In evening went down to the ‘Pelican’ where three ciders nearly put me out.

Saturday 16th November: In morning ‘interior economy’, now shifted to stall with Linsey as I am in No 1 Troop and the others over in No 2. Scrubbed walls in the morning. On inlying piquet but George relieved me for evening and Mick and I wandered to Hungerford. 3 miles each way and in pouring rain. Went to cinema. Café after. Back about 12.

Sunday 17th November: Terrific billet and rifle inspection in morning. Capt Campbell our DC, old Sandhurst man and pretty hot. Off in afternoon but not allowed out till 4pm. Posted letter to Eileen yesterday. In evening with Mick to a café in a house near here for supper and then to the ‘Pelican’ where cooks were making merry.

Monday 18th November: Lecture by OC in morning. We are pretty certain to go in tanks as ‘gunner operators’. Scrubbing Serjeant’s mess in morning. In afternoon interview with OC. Told would take class for elementary German, learn to drive 3 ton lorry and take BII soon. Writing. ‘Pelican’ for ½ hour.

Tuesday 19th November: On morse first thing. Freddie and I talking about 20’s from Eddie Pollett. Went for a 3 mile run which did me good. On morse and map reading in afternoon. Nick in charge. On guard in evening. Sjt Macdonald told me to be ready with active service kit to move off at 10am tomorrow. Six going but no hint as to where or for what. Mordy on medical being discharged from army. Started letter to Eileen.

Wednesday 20th November: In morning piled into lorry and travelled to Bradford on Avon. Interviewed by Capt ‘Spud’ Murphy who seems to be the biggest ‘basket’ in the army. Billeted in big house. Went to cinema with Freddie and John Pallister in evening.

Thursday 21st November: Going with these W/T trucks to 1st Armoured Div for W/T scheme. In morning paraded with 3 Squadron and cleared out trucks. In afternoon paid two weeks’ wages. In evening polishing brass on equipment until 11.30pm. Sleeping eight in a room with rain pouring through ceiling.

GREEKS KNOCKING THE STUFFING OUT OUF WOPS (Ed’s notes: apologies if any offence but it feels that the diaries should be kept true to how people talked at the time).

Friday 22nd November: In morning had terrific rush to be ready for special parade ready to move off. Spud told me to double with pile of blankets and I refused which seemed to shake him a bit. Started about 9am. In afternoon we went into a ditch and the truck following went also. Had to get breakdown lorry to pull us out. Our truck conked out on every hill. Arrived at Betchworth nr Dorking at 7pm. Here for three weeks although scheme only lasts 5 days. Billeted 18 in small room.

Saturday 23rd November: Air like a London fog in morning. Huge great house with NAAFI inside. Got a tank to pull trucks out of mud in parking place in morning. Practicing R/T. In afternoon had to go in lorry to see football match but everybody got out at Dorking and lorry went on empty. Went to cinema with Freddie and saw ‘Busman’s Honeymoon’and ‘Blondie on a Budget’. Canteen afterwards.

Sunday 24th November: On charge parade in morning. As we make our own way to church not many arrived there. Eight of our twelve went home. I caught train from Dorking. Arrived home at 1pm. Joy (Ed’s note: Joy is Ray’s sister) went and fetched Eileen. We spent marvellous time together until 5pm. She seemed a lot different to last time we were together. We discussed lots of things and got to know each other better although she is still a good bit of a mystery to me. Arrived back at Dorking at 8.45 pm. Rotten job travelling through London nowadays as transport all messed up. Mummy going to Bradford to see Dad tomorrow.

Monday 25th November: Lecture on a set in morning. In afternoon on R/T scheme. First time. Travelled about a bit round Dorking and Reigate and worked on move most of time. Very successful. Lecture on it when we got back. Spent evening in NAAFI and started writing letter to Eileen.

Tuesday 26th November: This morning the four of us started out early on our truck for 3 Squadron where we have been transferred for a week. HQ at Hindhead which is one of the best places for scenery in Surrey and has a marvellous view over the Devil’s Punch Bowl. Billeted in a café. Have to sleep on mess room table owing to lack of space. Went into Haslemere wih Freddie in afternoon. Saw ‘Daytime Wife’ and ‘The Man Who Wouldn’t Talk’. Tea at the YMCA and back to billet where wrote letter to Eileen.

Wednesday 27th November: In morning tried a little morse practice. Got fed up with it and went for a cup of tea at café. Went for another run in the truck afterwards. In afternoon went in lorry to RAOC depot for a bath which consisted of showers over duckboards. Rest of afternoon in café. In evening wrote letter to Dad and then had supper in café.

Thursday 28th November: Spent nearly all day drinking tea in the usual. In morning explored the ‘Devil’s Punch Bowl’ with Freddie and Skelton. Winter weather has really started now and it’s very cold up here. Greeks still pushing Italians back out of Albania. Some bad air-raids on provincial towns lately.

Friday 29th November: Paid only 15/- this week but as paid two weeks’ wages last week; shouldn’t have been paid at all. After dinner went to Godalming with Freddie. Got two lifts in cars on way. Did some shopping. Nicest town I think I’ve been in. Went to cinema. Saw ‘Mortal Storm’. Smashing film. Went to YMCA after for supper. Met Lissey and Pallister in there. Jolly good place. Bus back to Hindhead. Will have to start buying Christmas presents now.

Saturday 30th November: Long lecture in morning on forthcoming manoeuvres. In afternoon walked down to Haslemere. Had tea at YM and then got chucked out for them to clear hall for dance. Went back later and spent evening talking to chap running the amplifier. Waited for bus back when WAAF told me it was too late so I walked along with her and she showed me the way back but she was a bit out as I walked five miles through desolate country till came to a village about five miles from Hindhead. Got a lift from officer part way from there and walked rest. Got back at 11.45pm.