The war is one year old and Ray reflects on how much both himself and the world map have changed in that time. And with leave cancelled, and no clean clothes due to the laundry being bombed, the path of romance with Eileen isn’t looking great either!

Sunday 1st September: Had about two hours sleep in morning. On in afternoon. Corporal Airey and Turner came up to collect old socks. Beautiful weather. Control gave ‘close down until air raids start’ at 5.15pm so that had evening off. Stayed at position by myself. Jack the farm labourer came up with his daughter who is 18 and not bad. Drove down to Goring at 9.30pm and had supper at the Harvey’s and talked until 11pm. Mr Harvey is GSM of the 2nd Worthing Scouts.

Monday 2nd September: On in morning until 1.30pm. In afternoon had a shock when Serj. Macdonald arrived with L/Cpl Douglas and kit. Thought for moment Douglas was being unloaded on us which would be very unpleasant fate. Had a shower and tea and then went down to Worthing. Saw Bing Crosby in ‘If I had my way’ at Odeon. Late back but guard said nothing. Just got to bed when ‘Action Wireless’ ‘Release Wireless’ on set and ???? at 2.30am.

WAR ONE YEAR OLD. SEPT 3RD.

Tuesday 3rd Septemer: In morning Cpl Airey came down with new face piece with microphone attachment for gas mask. On at two pm. Plenty of traffic in afternoon. After tea went down for oil. When we got back chap with car (see 30.8) was there with tea and cakes again. Terrific interference CW in evening. Nothing heard of control until 10pm when received ‘Action Wireless’. Relieved at 11pm.

Wednesday 4th September: On in the morning. Were just going back for dinner when sirens sent so back to position. Glorious air battle overhead. German bomber fell to parachutes out then it fell in half, hit hill opposite and flames gushed out. Tracer bullets splashed field next to us. Off duty but went up to station in afternoon and evening. Weird contraption on farm doing the threshing. Went on set at 10.30pm for ‘Action’. Off at 8am. Slept until noon. Wrote letter to Eileen during night.

Thursday 5th September: On again at 1.30pm. Terrifically hot still. Doesn’t seem only a year since the war started, but more like a lifetime. Changes to myself and to the map have been terrific. Cookhouse staff here take great pride in results and so we get jolly good grub here. Best yet in army.

Friday 6th September: On duty again in the morning 8am to 1pm. Collected pay, changed and went out as far as West Worthing in truck as all troops confined to barracks and on stand to. Anther O. Henry from library. Very nice girl at library. Tennis club type. Went to Plaza with Bill. Saw Sonja Henie in ‘Everything Happens at Night’. Egg and chips. Up to Goring station where brought truck down to Hardeys where Bill was.

Saturday 7th September: Wrote letter home during the night. Slept all morning. On in afternoon and evening. General alarm given in evening. All Devons standing by whole night. Poor blighters. Terrific air raid on London tonight. Indiscriminate bombing. SE London and Thames-side affected. 400 killed and 1,300 seriously injured in news on wireless.

Sunday 8th September: On this evening. Hear that a relief operator is being sent down as soon as they get one. Will be glad when he arrives. Leave cancelled. Beginning to give up hope of mine and do so want to see Eileen. Went out on truck in afternoon and evening just in case anything happened but nothing did. On ‘Action Wireless’ again at 11.30pm.

Monday 9th September: Dad goes to Wick today to start training. Slept all morning. On again at 1.30pm. In evening Peggy and her fellow worker came up to collect apples from the orchard. About 8pm air raid warning. They decided to wait a bit. Peggy sitting up front with Bill. I sat inside with the other girl who, however, is engaged. Talked till 10pm.

Tuesday 10th September: On in morning. In afternoon slept. Had shower and changed. In evening went to library and borrowed another O. Henry. Went on to Plaza where saw ‘Bulldog Sees it Through’. Just caught bus and went out to truck. On at midnight until 5.30am.

Wednesday 11th September: Slept in morning. On afternoon and evening. Listening to BBC which is on our frequency and ??? all our signals. Got really bored though and was reading most of time. Raids still continuing nightly over London and I hope they are all safe at home.

Thursday 12th September: On duty in the morning. When got back received two letters. One from Eileen and one from Mick. Eileen is looking forward to my leave and I’m sorry to have to tell her it’s been stopped. Mick now in Belfast. Asleep in afternoon. Woke to find L/Cpl Douglas had been allocated to us. Worse than a nightmare. Went to Squash canteen in evening. Paid at midnight. Received 2/6 of 3/6 in week increase which the forces have had for cigarettes. On duty til 5.30am.

Friday 13th September: Slept all morning. George and I have had a row with Douglas already in the afternoon. New schedule now. 0600-1000 and 1800-2200hrs. On at 1800. Being jammed by CW station all evening. Air raid warning at 8.55pm. Had to go chasing all over the place for Douglas who had not turned up.

Saturday 14th September: On duty in morning. Bomber dropped a few eggs on Worthing in morning and mussed up a pub next to the post office and road in front. Five warnings during the day. Saw Sgt ??? who told us Mordecai is being discharged with very weak heart. Worthing in afternoon. Went to Odeon and saw ‘Lilian Russell’. Three air raids while in there. Somehow have got a cold tonight. Went to bed at 10.30pm.

Sunday 15th September: Up with nothing to do in morning. Now have radio in our billet. Went out for air raid in afternoon. Took Douglas down to Worthing in truck after. On duty at 6pm until midnight. Want to write letters to Eileen and home but can’t get down to it. I and George had long argument with Douglas because he didn’t want to go on an evening turn tomorrow.

Monday 16th September: Douglas doing turn this morning so that he won’t have to go on in evening so I had pleasant day doing nothing. Wrote letter to Eileen in afternoon and then went to Worthing. Saw Shirley Temple in ‘The Bluebird’ which was very uninteresting. Had half pint on way back to billet to try to get rid of cold. On at midnight but ‘All Clear’ went at 2am so slept most of night.

Tuesday 17th September: Had another jolly easy day with no duty. Had a haircut in the afternoon. In the evening went out on the truck. Then Bill and I went down to the 2nd Worthing Troop where we joined in several games and finished up sweating like pigs. Went on to Harvey’s to supper and finally walked back to truck about 11pm where heard that we no longer have to go out for air raids which means more spare time.

Wednesday 18th September: On duty at 2pm today. Air raids seem to be slackening off a bit now. Down to Worthing for petrol in afternoon. Out at 6pm. It has become almost mechanical working on the set now but is still just as interesting. Our working with control is jolly good so far.

Thursday 19th September: On duty in morning. Letters from Mummy, Norman and Joy this morning. Joy seems to be able to write good long letters now, which surprised me at first. Cleaning etc in afternoon. Meant to go to Rovers in evening but never got there. Went to bed early instead but at midnight had to get up for a stand to on the set which lasted all night.

Friday 20th September: Slept during morning. In afternoon collected 25/- pay. Don’t understand amount as increase in 3/6 per week. Went down to Worthing in garbage truck which picked Douglas and myself up. Changed book at library for a Russell Thorndike. Had tea at Woolworths and then went to Plaza and saw ‘Strange Cargo’ which was a smashing film. Ian Hunter especially good.

Saturday 21st September: Letter from Dad this morning. He is at Edinburgh and is 2nd Lt. Billeted at an hotel and messing with RAF. In afternoon trying to write letter home but didn’t get far. In evening went down to Worthing in Colonel’s car as the driver picked me up. Met Bill in the Rivoli and saw ‘Night Train to Munich’. Jolly good.

Sunday 22nd September: On duty in morning. Douglas phoned Mr Arthur who said he is sending down three licences so that we can all drive at any time. In afternoon went to Brighton in truck so that Douglas could catch bus for Tonbridge. He never did so no bus back. General down in evening. On duty in evening. Working on new frequency. Good working. Mr London using Fullerphone.

Monday 23rd September: Slept until midday. Having about 12 hours sleep. Wrote a bit more of letter in afternoon. Dinner at 3pm. Letter from Dad enclosing letter from Den who is now at Nova Scotia. Evacuee ship sunk by Germans yesterday, 33 children lost. Went to Plaza in evening and saw ‘Amazing Mr Williams’. Caught truck at end of road to get back to camp.

Tuesday 24th September: Reading all morning. Went down to Worthing for petrol in afternoon. On duty in evening. Douglas should have been on relief with me on the truck but as usual he was out for the evening. Everything working smoothly. Drove truck down to station after.

Wednesday 25th September: On duty again in the morning. Have not had letter from Eileen for some time and hope she is alright. Leave has now started again. On relief with George in evening. Drove truck down to station.

Thursday 26th September: Truck ordered to follow car. Lt Colonel taken to HQ with Douglas holding revolver behind him. ???? mistake. Letter from Mummy this morning. In afternoon went down to Worthing on our truck which is rapidly becoming a private coach for taking the Devons down to town. Got a good Jefferson ??? from library. Had something to eat in Woolworths and then went to Odeon and saw ‘Gas Light’ and ‘Shop around the Corner’.

Friday 27th September: In morning Blancoed my respirator and gaiters for the first time. On pay parade collected 22/6 this week. On duty in the evening. Control sent a message and I replied ‘I can only read morse’ after which he seemed a little snooty and his signal officer rang up to say his operator could send and read 30wpm but I wouldn’t like to hear it. Bomb dropped near during evening but didn’t do much damage. Received Driving Licence from Mr Arthur.

Saturday 28th September: On duty in the morning. Down to Worthing in afternoon for petrol. Went out with George in evening as relief. Bill now going out with a young land army girl so took truck down to her house to collect him.

Sunday 29th September: Off all day today. Our laundry had bomb dropped on it so our washing is a bit delayed. In afternoon went down to Worthing. Heard that two RAs??? killed by bomb at Steyning yesterday. Went to Odeon and saw ‘Arouse and Beware’ and very boring ???? ???.

Monday 30th September: Expecting letter from Eileen but none arrived so wrote one to her. So long since I heard from her I’m wondering whether she’s found somebody else. Went on duty in evening. While there Corporal Airey and Rockell turned up with extra blankets. Corp wanted to know why I was on my own.