As Germany invades Holland and Belgium, and Italy takes their side, Ray is keen to get involved. He’s posted to Saltburn, does training in gas masks, limps along with 16 blisters and enjoys a dip (Ray swimming above left on an undefined date)….and Eileen promises something to him:

Wednesday 1st May: In the morning went to Grandma’s, Auntie Gracie and Grandpa. In the afternoon went to Mickie’s. Spent afternoon talking and had tea there. Spent evening at home as hoped to see Eileen or Betty but neither turned up.

Thursday 2nd May: Went to photographers in the morning. Felt terrible during process. Saw Pat on the way. Paid 21/6d to Mr New my dentist. A/c now complete. Eileen and Betty to tea. Betty rather anaemic. Went to Gaumont after tea. Took Eileen home when I got back and – hurray – I believe she is going to write to me. It will be good to have a girl to write to.

Friday 3rd May: Spent most of the day indoors as nothing today. Had tea and said goodbye at 1645. Felt very downhearted at leaving this time. Caught 1730 at Euston quite easily. Arrived at Prestatyn 2314. Walked up to guard room to report then back to billet where found bed made by Hammond.

Saturday 4th May: Back after leave which seemed like five minutes. Fatigues all morning although did nothing much actually myself. Rhyl in afternoon with Nell, Bob and Randall. Tea at the Mostyn and to the Regal cinema afterwards.

Sunday 5th May: Sorted out kit in morning. Went for walk in surrounding country with Nell. Very hot day so many stops. Had tea in WVS canteen. Slept part of evening, then listened to smashing Gala show from Palladium.

Monday 6th May: Got up 0500. Reported at mess 0615. Mess orderlies until 1800. Two settings and cleaning for each meal. Scrubbed floor in morning. 1 ½ hour break in afternoon, spent on sand dunes. Shifted from billet to new huts in comp. Wrote letter home.

Tuesday 7th May: Draughty, uncomfortable night. Working on incinerator all day. Burning rubbish and tins. Hot, dusty and smelly job. Two days of real work have made me tired. Went to Odeon, Rhyl with Turner in evening. Saw ‘Hollywood Cavalcade’.

Wednesday 8th May: On fatigues at Ration Store till 1500 hours. In morning loaded van at Rhyl with 1,000 loaves and 30 cwt sacks of sugar. Unloaded at camp. Medical inspection. Still Grade I. Went to ENSA show in ballroom in evening. Good but had seen it before.

Thursday 9th May: Mess room orderly again. Alright once as experience but not so good after first time. Went out on Ffrith???? in afternoon to read. Finished in mess at 1830. Spent evening reading science book.

Friday 10th May: On ration store fatigues again (Ed’s note: Anyone know what this means? Definitions I have found seem to refer to uniform rather than an activity). Loaded and unloaded two lorries of stores. GERMANY INVADED HOLLAND AND BELGIUM THIS MORNING. All leave cancelled. Much activity in defence measures in camp. The war has really started now. Pay now £1.

Saturday 11th May: Mess room orderly again. Tea was most leisurely meal to serve. Swimming pool in camp open today. Received letter from Mummy as she expected the developments would mean my quick posting. Went up to WVS canteen and walked round Prestatyn a bit in evening.

Sunday 12th May: Short fatigues in morning. Blazing hot weather today. Went for walk round the Ffrith in afternoon. Quite large holiday crowd. Went to camp concert in evening. Pretty poor mostly.

Monday 13th May: Holiday cancelled but camp sports started at 10am and everyone automatically downed tools. Good weather still. Green won the mile again. Tried to write letter but went to sleep. Went to camp film show.

Tuesday 14th May: Blackouting sergeant’s mess till about 3pm. Went out on Ffrith and had cup of tea. Getting fed up with fatigues. Sooner we are drafted, the better I’ll like it. Saw ‘French Without Fears’ at Scala with Nell. Very good English comedy. Raining like hell all day.

Wednesday 15th May: On sand bagging in morning. Messy job in the wet. In the afternoon had nothing to do as not enough jobs to go round. Went to ENSA show in evening. Best I’ve seen in camp. Good comedians and dancers.

Thursday 16th May: On sand bagging all day although took it extremely easily. Hour’s gas drill every day now. Today had to run ¼ mile in respirators. Nearly passed out. Wrote rough draft of letter to Eileen. First letter and rather a job to know what to say.

Friday 17th May: Mess orderly again today. Greatly increased mess staff so much easier. Sunny weather again today. Heard draft of 250 men leaving next Thursday. May be rumour but if not I hope I’m in it. Wrote letter to Eileen. Completely different to draught. Posted it.

Saturday 18th May: Laying turfs in front of Admin Office in morning. Quite an interesting job. Rhyl in afternoon. Had to walk to Prestatyn to catch a bus. Tea in the Mostyn Café with Nell, Bob Emmett and Randall. Saw ‘After the Thin Man’ at the Plaza.

Sunday 19th May: Managed to skip fatigues today. Darned pair of socks in morning. In afternoon went for walk in hills with Nell and little Vic. Hot work. Had tea in little village on top named Gwaenysgor. Germany is making big push into Northern France and into Belgium. Has most of Holland.

Monday 20th May: On turfing again in morning. Carrying sand bags in afternoon. 1 ½ hours training every day now to keep us up to standard. Disappointed that no letter for me today. Went to camp cinema show in evening. Saw ‘Dr Syn’.

Tuesday 21st May: Two periods of buzzer reading in morning. Saw Nell in Naafi. Nell, Rob, Randal and the rest of them going to Catterick tomorrow morning. Said cheerioh. Nell’s been a jolly good pal and so sorry to see them go. Wrote letter home in evening.

Wednesday 22nd May: POSTED. On check parade told to be ready for 24 hours’ notice for draft overseas. I feel nervously excited. Handed part of kit in in morning. Through gas changer in afternoon. Eyes smarted. Wrote home and to Eileen about move.

Thursday 23rd May: Issued with field dressing. Had vaccinations and second tetanus inoculation. Felt nothing. Coote and Barne passed out. Went to NAAFI show in evening.

Friday 24th May: Laying lawn in front of new RQMS office. Extension of camp being beautified. Gas drill with capes and respirators in morning. Turfing again in afternoon. Went to Queen’s Theatre in evening. Good comedy. Saw my first strip tease act. Nothing in it.

Saturday 25th May: Lawn laying again in morning. Hot shower practically every day now is marvellous after fatigues. Letter from Mummy. Went to Rhyl in afternoon. Not so good without Nell, Rob and Randall. Tea as usual at the Mostyn Café and saw ‘The Women’ at the Plaza. Not a man in the cast.

Sunday 26th May: Mess orderly today. Easy job on Sundays as a good many have meals out. Day of Nation and Prayer. Wrote half of letter home. Felt literary and wrote in humorous strain. Had interesting talk with chap named Kay who has Naval Operating Certificate.

Monday 27th May: Second time on incinerator which on Mondays is worst job in camp as several thousand tins to burn. Went to camp cinema show in evening but sound track so bad came out at beginning of big film and read a book in NAAFI. ‘The Kingdom That Was’ by John Langbourne is jolly good book.

Tuesday 28th May: Rolling lawns. In afternoon mock air raid with tear gas released. After tea told we were POSTED to Saltburn. Issued with kit which we had handed in and week’s pay. First late pass. Evening in Prestatyn with Freddie, Booper, Cutter and Dinkie.

Wednesday 29th May: Caught train from Prestatyn at 9.22am. 18 o us. Changed at Manchester, Leeds, Northallerton and Eagles Cliff. Fine scenery on the way. Arrived Saltburn at 5.30pm. Had tea at WVS. Tea ½ l per cup. Marvellous scenery went to good film at local cinema. Slept in reception office where a crowd of BEF blokes just arrived from France in Big retreat.

Thursday 30th May: Waited about all day for MO’s inspection but then didn’t have it. Randall arrived from Catterick in morning. Jolly good food here. Wrote letter home in afternoon. Moved into billets in evening.

Friday 31st May: Woken at 3am. Had to get into full marching order with rifles and march down to position near beach as air-raid alarm had been given. Nothing happened so returned to billet at 5am. Buzzer practice till mid-day with ½ hour break for tea. Drew another week’s pay of £1. In gas chamber in afternoon. Dusty Miller drafted overseas this afternoon to go tonight. Jolly sorry to see him go as he is head of the gang and a really decent bloke. It doesn’t seem ‘soniquerry’???? Had two pints which made me feel very sleepy.

Saturday 1st June: Turned out from 10-11.30pm last night guarding cliff and from 3-4.30 am this morning guarding beach road. Stand to given while in cliff at 10am when I got back to billet. Everybody gone so lay low. Wrote home. Denis should be home now. Should have turned out at 3am but nobody woke us up. Nine of us had fruit tea in café here. Went to cinema in evening.

Sunday 2nd June: Went for walk along promenade and beach with Turner, Curtis, Fuler, Freddie, Cutter and Rocket in morning. Posted letter home in afternoon. Am in U section which is a mobile machine gun unit. Doesn’t sound too promising. On MT piquet at 6.30pm until 6.30pm tomorrow. 2 hours on, 4 hours off.

Monday 3rd June: Big parcel from home. MT piquet consists of guarding ¼ mile string of lorries. Have 16 blisters on my feed caused by dirty socks. Mordecai lent me pair of his which relieved them. Terrifically hot weather lately and standing on piquet was darned uncomfortable. Went for short walk in evening. Bought some chips for supper.

Tuesday 4th June: Had whole night’s sleep. 1st work parade at 9am so that it seemed very leisurely rising. Spent nearly all morning waiting about then until tea-time we were cleaning billets and blacking out the windows. Vehicles for U section to which I am attached have arrived. Vans contain complete signal office. On piquet from 9pm to 6am.

Wednesday 5th June: Patrolling railway line and guarding signal box from 2am to 6am. Slept rest of time on seat in cricket ground. Exchanged leather equipment for webbing which is much lighter and comfortable. Got new blouse and hat. Hear we will be taught to drive which will be very welcome. Turner and Linsey made temporary drivers of new wireless vans. Wrote this sitting up on cliff facing sea. Experiencing heat wave this week. Allies have now completely RETREATED from Northern France with loss given as 30,000 men.

Thursday 6th June: Hear that 1st Brigade Mobile Machine Guns to which we are attached consists of infantry volunteers. Acting as runner in the morning but had nothing to do really. In evening at 10pm had to stand to in treads on side of hill for 1 ½ hours. Air raid warning at 1am slept through it.

Friday 7th June: Hour’s PT in morning concluding with a paddle and was quite enjoyable. Received letter from Eileen. She writes very nice letters and I wish I could get some leave to see her. Pay parade until dinner. To Middlesbrough again in afternoon to load lorries with rocks from slag heap. Nice journey but dirty work. Stripped to waist for it. Stand to on cliffs in evening. Platoon officer drunk. Café after for meal. Tying pieces of coloured material into nets for camouflaging our vehicles in morning.

Saturday 8th June: In afternoon waited from 2 to 4.30pm for lorries to take us to Middlesbrough but fortunately none came and we were dismissed at 4.30pm. It’s damned annoying, the time we have to waste here. Went to the swimming baths with Wildblood and Kipp. Brine water and warm. Small but alright for a mess about. Stand to on cliffs again in evening.

Sunday 9th June: We have to wear our equipment and carry rifles wherever we go now. Did nothing in morning except help Linsey in billet cleaning. Wrote letter to Mum and Denis returning 15/- of £1 he sent me. Went to sleep until tea time. Went on stand-to at 10pm but were dismissed. Nice walk by the sea in evening with Jack Turner.

Monday 10th June: Spent morning installing No. 9???? wireless sets into our vans. Terrific amount of equipment involved. Heard at 6.30pm ITALY ENTERED WAR on Germany’s side. Considered a dirty stab in the back. On stand to again at 9pm. Dismissed. Evening messed up again.

Tuesday 11th June: Camouflaging nets in morning. These nets are for placing over vehicles while stationary to make them look like bushes. In afternoon fixing wiring for charging batteries in vans. In evening spent few hours walking around promenade with the lads.

Wednesday 12th June: Blocking slip-ways from beach so as to hinder any landing of enemy. Also widening road block so that buses can get through. Chucking boulders and logs of wood about on slipway again in afternoon. Spud bashing from 6pm to 10pm.

Thursday 13th June: Received 100 cigarettes from Den together with letter from him and Norman. Chalked camouflage lines and filled in with black paint on wireless van. On security piquet in evening. Went on at 9pm. Keeping look out from end of pier from 9pm to 11pm then had full night’s sleep.

Friday 14th June: On pier again from 9am to 11am. Saw plane and puffs of smoke on horizon. Reported it but it was only target practice. Off duty until 9am. Stayed in piquet room. Wrote letter pm. Deposited 12/0 in Post Office.

Saturday 15th June: Working on wireless vans in morning fixing roof aerial received today. No stand-to or security piquet today so had from 12.30 free! Boring afternoon and evening with nothing to do! Went for walk on cliffs. Spent an hour in milk-bar with Cooper and Ron Curtis.

Sunday 16th June: Working on roof aerials again but rain ceased the work. Laid low and did nothing for rest of day. Heard on wireless today news that FRANCE SUES FOR PEACE. Have asked Hitler for terms and continues fighting until their conditions are received. Britain now fighting on her own.

Monday 17th June: On defence fatigues all day. Struck five bell tents, carried them to other side of ravine and repitched them on top. Spent afternoon strengthening guy ropes with large wooden pickets. Went on security piquet at 9pm. At 11pm went to Marske???? by car to escort prisoner back. Handcuffed to him. Then keys wouldn’t fit to take them off for about 3 minutes. Sat in back seat and Major behind prisoner. Major held rifle ready to hit him if he started anything. Stand-to at 3am to 5am.

Tuesday 18th June: On security from 1pm to 3pm. Enjoyable afternoon signalling to pretty girls in school opposite. But neither side got anywhere. Off piquet 9pm. Went back at 10pm to see girls!! Saw them in window but mistresses prowling round prevented any passing of signals.

Wednesday 19th June: Had haircut. Letter from home. Working on fatigues again. Digging a trench in side of cliff all day. Defence works have necessarily been speeded up as Germany expected to start attacking by air very soon. Heard volunteers wanted for job which requires swimming, non-seasickness and is dangerous. Wish to stay in signals so don’t think I will volunteer. Went to cinema in evening. Saw ‘The Man in the Iron Mask’.

Thursday 20th June: Today heard that we are MOVING TO TONBRIDGE tomorrow. Packing gear all day. Letter from Eileen and from Doug Maylett. Hope I will now be able to see Eileen soon. Air raid last night. Heard bombs and AA. Paid in afternoon. Had 1 ½ pints in pub with Turner, Kipper, Wildblood and Corporal Grey. Awfully glad to be in ???ing at last. Sent card home and sent effects by railway.

Friday 21st June: Up at 4am. Started from Saltburn 8am. Wanted to be in same wireless truck as Turner and Wildblood but unlucky. In truck in front of them and so sat in back window and could talk to them. Lovely hot weather. Had portable radio in our truck. Stopped for lunch at Doncaster. Tea at little wayside hall. Spent night at convoy halt at Lutterwood.

Saturday 22nd June: Started again at 8am. Raining all the way today. Had dinner in Newbury. Egg and chips paid for by army. Surprising to all. Travelled via Farnham which is Turner’s home town from 1pm to 8pm. Collected palliases (Ed’s note: these are bags filled with something soft-ish like straw which are used as mattresses) at Tonbridge and then had meal. Good tea made here. Felt very tired and went to bed as soon as got into billets (Ed’s note: living quarters to which a soldier is assigned to sleep) which are block of flats.

Sunday 23rd June: Up about 9.30am. Handed Part two of pay book to QM. Hung about doing nothing nearly all day. In evening went for walk with Jack and Bill. Tonbridge very nice town. Decent size with plenty of country. Met two nice girls and these showed us round the park and took us for a walk for about three miles. Wrote a letter home.

Monday 24th June: Cleaning out inside of van in morning. Heard Corporal Grey has arranged for Jack to become an IM???? and for Bill and I to stay together when we move. Corporal Grey is a really decent bloke. Bill and I met the two girls again in evening and went for another walk but I have not yet mastered the art of looking after a girl.

Tuesday 25th June: Shifted q???? set in van in morning to bring blackouts into use. Corporal Grey and Bill gave me instruction on using the q set. In afternoon Bill, Jack, the Corp, Longman the driver and myself went to a crossroads where we met a drove of officers. Got the q set working and with me sitting at the controls the officers proceeded to hold conversation with a pilot in an aeroplane above. Experiment proved successful and I really enjoyed myself. Two incidents: Pilot singing while gaining height and officer saying ‘If you cannot hear me – as you were’.

Wednesday 26th June: Did nothing in the morning. Wrote letter to Eileen. Have almost forgotten what she looks like. In the evening went to cinema and saw two very good English films. Prefer English humour to American every time. Supper in Star café after.

Thursday 27th June: On firing course in morning. Grouping on 100 yard range got 8 inch group. On 200 yard range application got 1 magpie and 4 bulls. Congratulations received and confers????. Felt proud of unexpected achievement. In evening went to cinema again. Saw ‘Dark Journey’. Very good film with Conrad Veidt and Vivien Leigh.

Friday 28th June: Personnel and vehicles of our section lined up on cricket ground for inspection by Brigadier. Went for run in vehicles. Circular route via Maidstone. Collected pay. Serjeant (Ed’s note: this seems like wrong spelling to me but Ray often uses a ‘j’ when writing this word) Macdonald smashed wing on 30 cwt lorry. In afternoon fired 28 rounds on Bren gun on ranges. Only scored 39. In evening went to swimming pool with Kip. Enjoyable swim. Rest of evening walking and in Star café.

Saturday 29th June: Start at Brigade HQ wireless today. Standing about all morning. After dinner proceeded in wireless truck to Brigade HQ and set up in grounds which are lovely with trees. Working to two groups. Control on 2450 k/c and first out-stn on 3780 k/c. Found not really nervous at all. More interference than expected. Went down to Tonbridge for while in the evening.

Sunday 30th June: Wildblood, Rockell, Longman and myself comprise personnel of station. Two go for meals at Tonbridge then relieve others for meals at HQ. Went to Tonbridge in afternoon and met Turner’s mother, father and girlfriend. Very nice people. Went down to Tonbridge again at 8.45 to buy eats. Walked there and back in under half an hour. Slept out in the open. Blanket damp with dew in morning.