{"id":6448,"date":"2020-11-14T10:28:21","date_gmt":"2020-11-14T15:28:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=6448"},"modified":"2020-11-14T10:33:30","modified_gmt":"2020-11-14T15:33:30","slug":"episode-168-part-3-victor-poppa-story-1943-1945","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=6448","title":{"rendered":"EPISODE 168 PART 3 VICTOR POPPA STORY 1943-1945"},"content":{"rendered":"
EPISODE 168    PART 3  VICTOR POPPA STORY  1943-1945<\/p>\n

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Alan skeoch<\/div>\n
november 2020<\/div>\n

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Begin forwarded message:<\/div>\n


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From: <\/b><\/span>SKEOCH <alan.skeoch@rogers.com<\/a><\/a>>
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Subject: <\/b><\/span>PART 3: THE VICTOR POPPA STORY<\/b>
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Date: <\/b><\/span>November 7, 2019 at 4:56:26 PM EST
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To: <\/b><\/span>Alan Skeoch <alan.skeoch@rogers.com<\/a><\/a>>, johnricker23@gmail.com<\/a><\/a>, Marjorie Skeoch <marjorieskeoch@gmail.com<\/a><\/a>>
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PART 3: THE VICTOR POPPA STORY<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Above is a post card Victor sent me shortly before he sent his diary <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

manuscript written in 1984-1985 based on the detailed  diary he kept<\/p><\/div>\n

during World War Two.
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When Victor sent me this story in 1984 I was still teaching history at Parkdale Collegiae<\/p><\/div>\n

Institue, a Toronto downtown core high school.   Parkdale was  and remains a gritty<\/div>\n
place where many students have faced poverty and social dislocation..  Tough kids.<\/div>\n
Realistic kids.  Nice  Kids.  The  kind you would want as a son or daughter.<\/div>\n
Even so, I did not think they could handle the Victor Poppa story without <\/div>\n
some laundering.  And  laundering the historical record  is a very slippery slope.<\/div>\n
So I never told the full story.  I told the story of the day HX 313 was shot down<\/div>\n
but I did  not put that in its full context.  I used the voice of Vera Lynn whose<\/div>\n
wartime singing was used to boost morale.  White Ciffs of Dover, I\u2019ll Be Seeing<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

You and other songs.
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I’ll be seeing you
In every lovely summer’s day
In everything that’s light and gay
I’ll always think of you that way
I’ll find you in the morning sun
And when the night is new
I’ll be looking at the moon
But I’ll be seeing you<\/p>\n

Note:  The pop music of  World  War II has endured…<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/lyrics><\/defer-compile><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Today I think I would not be  so afraid  of using  the \u201cF\u201d word.  Everyone else<\/div>\n
is using it.  Netflix uses it so often in its films that the word has no shock value<\/div>\n
any more.   I might explain diplomatically that \u2018Bless \u2018Em All\u2019 is fake news.<\/div>\n
The  real song makes a lot more sense.<\/div>\n

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And, once free of inhibitions, I could tell the Victor Poppa story in a<\/div>\n
real  gritty, tragic, compassionate and  humorous way.<\/div>\n
Stick with me if you can.  If you can\u2019t just press delete.  Do not<\/div>\n
bother to phone me.   I am on a roll.
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<\/div>\n
BLESS \u2018EM ALL\u2026THE LONG AND THE SHORT AND THE TALL<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
alan skeoch<\/div>\n
Nov. 2019<\/div>\n
beginning Part 3<\/div>\n
The Victor Poppa Story<\/div>\n

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“Bless \u2018em All” is the laundered version of a very popular World War 2 song.<\/div>\n
The song\u2019s origin is a bit misty.  Maybe written in 1917 during that horrific<\/div>\n
war.  But more likely written later.  Certainly popular in World War 2 and<\/div>\n
made so by  George Formby and  Vera Lynn.  The laundered lyrics do<\/div>\n
not make much sense.   Ordinary  NCO\u2019s were very unlikely to Bless their<\/div>\n
sergeants and  officers, especially if they \u2018crawled off to their billets\u2019<\/div>\n
when the real fighting began\u2026i.e. when to bombers rolled along<\/div>\n
the taxiways…<\/div>\n

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Now take  the lyrics and substitute one word.  Suddenly the song<\/div>\n
makes sense.  What is that word? The word is \u2018Fuck\u2019. Go ahead<\/div>\n
sing it both ways and  you will see  what I mean.  And I bet $10 you<\/div>\n
will be humming and singing the unlaundered tune all day.<\/div>\n

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Bless ’em all<\/i>,
Bless ’em all<\/i>.
The long and the short and the tall<\/i>,<\/font><\/div>\n
Bless all those<\/i> Sergeants<\/a><\/i> and WO1<\/a>‘s<\/i>,
Bless all those<\/i> Corporals<\/a><\/i> and their blinkin’\/bleedin’ sons<\/i>,
Cos’ we’re saying goodbye<\/i> to ’em all<\/i>.
And back to their<\/i> Billets<\/a> they crawl<\/i>,
You’ll get no promotion this side of the ocean<\/i>,
So cheer up my<\/i> lads bless ’em all<\/i><\/font><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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NOW I just wonder if the RCAF flight crews<\/i><\/font><\/div>\n
sand this song while cursing Bomber Harris?<\/i><\/font><\/div>\n
I like to think they did.<\/i><\/font><\/div>\n

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SOME of the crew of HX 313.   Ken Sweatman, Bob Muir (?), Eric Mallet, Victor Poppa.  And The Blonde Bomber\u2026HX 313, 424 squadron, RCAF, 1944<\/div>\n
Victor looks like so many of the kids I taught in high school which is a reminder that the airmen of  World War Two were just recent high school graduates .<\/div>\n

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The aircrew of HX 313.  Hank Freeman (George) on far left, and Victor Poppa<\/div>\n
on the far right.<\/div>\n

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THE VICTOR  POPPA STORY, PART 3<\/p><\/div>\n

(Feb. 21 to May 27, 1944)<\/div>\n

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\u201cFebruary 21, 1944:  Hank and  I did an inspection of \u201cP\u201d Peter then went to Stores to trade in my old bots for a pair of shoes<\/p>\n
and changed my damaged electrical slipper for a new  one.  Hank and I then gave ourselves the afternoon off.  We had a bath.<\/div>\n
Hank, Ken, Wilf, Eric and I headed for town and drank it up. The crew now seems closer together for we are now fully<\/div>\n
\u2018blooded\u2019 after our Leipzig experience.   Leipzig was Hand\u2019s first mission as it was for Maurice, our engineer and our<\/div>\n
spare Navigator, Ozzie.  Ken told me later that Ozzie sharpened his  skills and we made our way accurately to target <\/div>\n
points marked out by a Pathfinder Squadron.\u201d<\/div>\n

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\u201cFebruary 22, 1944:  Hank and I reported to Flights  and  were assigned another inspection of \u201cP\u201d Peter.   I skipped ou<\/div>\n
Flights and went to our billet to light our small stove.  The coke they gave us was hard  to light so  I pulled the flare<\/div>\n
portion out of a Very Pistol Cartridge, slipped the explosive into the bottom of the heater, lit it and that got the coke<\/div>\n
going in no time at all.  Must tell the crew about that trick.  Later i went up to the mess and  saw  Joan.<\/div>\n

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\u201cEric was always volunteering for other things than flying.  One of  our gunners  had a misfortune and was killed. Terrible<\/div>\n
One of our aircraft was following the gunners\u2019 aircraft and could not stop.  His propeller chopped  up the gunner of<\/div>\n
the lead  plane. Eric tried to enlist me  as a pall bearer.  I refused with a strong \u2018Oh, No!\u2019  Eric  had to find someone <\/div>\n
else.  Think for a moment about that accident.  Grim. \u201c<\/div>\n

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\u201cHere is another instance about Eric and  his volunteering.  One night we were to go  on a mission. On A long trip<\/div>\n
there was always the problem  of urinating.  I kept a can  just outside of my turret in the fuselage.  when the urge came<\/div>\n
upon me I just used that can and when the urine froze I threw the ice lump out my rear window which  I kept open<\/div>\n
for better visibility.  Then Eric got the bright idea to use me as a urine volunteer.  He was given a device which <\/div>\n
looked like an overlarge condom.  I  was supposed to put it around my penis which was  in turn tied  around<\/div>\n
my waist to  prevent it from falling off.  I could urinate to my hearts content just so long as the thing  did  not overfill.<\/div>\n
I declined this   magnificent gift saying \u2018why don\u2019t you wear it yourself?\u2019  So he  did\u2026for a while.  He disappeared<\/div>\n
for a few minutes  while we were going for a briefing and I said, \u2018Where did  you go?\u201d  He said the device kept rubbing<\/div>\n
on his penis  and as a  result he had  an erection that would  not go down.  We had a good laugh over that one.<\/div>\n

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\u201cFebruary 23,  1944: Hank and I reported to Flights and did another inspection of \u201cP” Peter.  We find we are too<\/div>\n
late to go to Leeming to get our pay.  The  rest of the crew went to Harrogate except Hank who had a date<\/div>\n
with Kay.  I stayed in the barracks.<\/div>\n

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\u201cFebruary 24, 1944:  Hank and I went to Leeming for our pay and hitch hiked a ride to Thirsk and then to Leeds.<\/div>\n
Had a few  drinks  then caught train to London.  We  arrived in our usual beat condition, straightened  <\/div>\n
ourselves  out at Queens Garden  YMCA.<\/div>\n

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\u201cFebruary 25, 1944: Hank and I made  a snap visit to the Beaver Club and I was surprised to run into Dick Schott<\/div>\n
We trained together in Canada. Dick had been posted to an  English squadron flying Lancasters.  (Later Dick<\/div>\n
was shot down and turned up in Stalag Luft VII with me.)  Hank and  I went to London\u2019s Latin Quarter, boozed  <\/div>\n
it up and back to YMCA before we fell down.<\/div>\n

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Note:  Readers who have read Parts 1 and 2 might assume Victor\u2019s consumption of beer so often would<\/div>\n
make him an alcoholic  if he survived the war.  When I met him in 1984 he did not drink at all\u2026gave it<\/div>\n
up.  Young men in their twenties often drink a lot of beer which does not mean that alcohol  consumption<\/div>\n
is a lifetime phenomenon.   Hank and  Victor became very good friends.  Victor survived the war.  George<\/div>\n
Hank  Freeman  did  not.   When  Victor was told of Hank\u2019s death in HX 323, he cried.  And  the, 40 years<\/div>\n
later , I sent a  letter to Victor, he  also cried.<\/div>\n

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\u201cFebruary 26, 1944: Hank and I left London for Caterham to visit my brother Max.  We took Max and his<\/div>\n
friends out boozing and then dancing. What a wild night.  Met a girl and that\u2019s rhe way she stayed.<\/div>\n

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\u201cFebruary 27, 1944: Got up late, ate at the snack bar and went to corny movie after which revisited the Valley<\/div>\n
Hotel for a few beers then back to sleep on the floor at Max\u2019s billet.   Hardwood floor and two blankets.<\/div>\n

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\u201cFebruary 28, 1944: I ran into a fellow I knew casually, Joe M\u2026forget his last name.  He recognized me<\/div>\n
first.  We  went out dancing again and were thrown out of the dance hall.<\/div>\n

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\u201cFebruary 29, 1944: Hank and I left for London after saying goodbye to Max and his  pals.  Then on to Leeds,<\/div>\n
ate  at the  YMCA and went girl hunting.  We met a couple of nice prospects.  Pub crawling as  usual.<\/div>\n
The only place for love making was in the cemetery.  My girl would only venture in a  few yards but Hank\u2019s<\/div>\n
girl was willing to go further.  The girls  I was with was too nervous  about her surroundings and no matter<\/div>\n
what tactics  I used my efforts  were to no avail.  A  considerable amount of time elapsed and  my girl<\/div>\n
and I  were getting cold so she said she was staying at Hank\u2019s girls house. \u201cLet\u2019s walk there and<\/div>\n
wait for them.\u201d  It was a  long wait.  About 3.30 a.m. they had still not arrived.   So I left and told  my<\/div>\n
girl to tell Hank I  would  meet him at the railway staton.   Some time later Hank came storming into<\/div>\n
the station.  Raging mad.  \u201cHold your breath and then tell me what happened.\u201d It seems Hank and  his<\/div>\n
girl were having a  great time and  thought they were in Heaven.  On one occasion they were  making<\/div>\n
out with her sitting on a tombstone and  the girl had her legs  off the ground and around Hank\u2019s waist.<\/div>\n
At the crucial moment the  Tombstone \u2018shifted\u2019  which scared the daylights out of them.  They thought<\/div>\n
the ground  was about to open up and swallow them in a grave.  Back at the girls\u2019 house  things got<\/div>\n
worse.  My girl  got tired of waiting outside and went into the house and was met by the father. \u201cWhere is<\/div>\n
my daughter?  He got really angry and got the local constable.  Both looking for the daughter<\/div>\n
in the cemetery.   Hank spotted the constable and  the girl\u2019s father first.  Ducking from tombstone to<\/div>\n
tombstone they managed to work their way out of the cemetery and  made a  run for it.  This  episode<\/div>\n
brings  a smile to my face every time I think about it.  Life does have its\u2019 beautiful moments.<\/div>\n

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Note:  Sounds hard to believe?  But it fits.   Victor\u2019s diary has so  many similar stories  with<\/div>\n
names, dates,  place included.    Lucky George Freemans mother, my  aunt Kitty, has died long<\/div>\n
ago.  She might not approve of Hank\u2019s womanizing.  On the other hand ??  I was surprised to<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

learn that Hank was never mentioned at the Freeman home after his death.  His sisters children,<\/p><\/div>\n

Doug and Christopher , did not even know George existed until they were adults. The hurt was<\/div>\n
that deep.  \u201cI remember  asking why Grandma was crying one day snd  Mom  said, \u2018This would<\/div>\n
have  been  George\u2019s birthday.\u201d  I said, \u201cWho was George?\u201d \u201cMy brother, killed in the war.”
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\u201cMarch 1, 1944:  Hank and I arrived  back at Skipton on the 5.18 out of Leeds.  Had  baths,<\/div>\n
opened letters and parcels.  Nice to sleep  between clesn linen sheets.<\/div>\n

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:March 2,  1944:  Not much doing.  Practiced shooting with my .38 Smith and  Wesson.<\/div>\n
Ammot for the .38 is hard to come by.<\/div>\n

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March 3, 1944:  Reported to flights and were assigned \u201cQ\u201d Quance to inspect.  Hank and  I were<\/div>\n
asked if we wanted to apply  for a commission.  We  said \u2018sure\u2019 and got busy  filling in the forms<\/div>\n
and presented  same.   We felt we could do what we  do and still be gentlemen\u2026just need to refine<\/div>\n
the rough edges a  bit.  We are going on a night Bullseye, my 5th, from Base to Redding, London,<\/div>\n
Dagenham, Sait Abbots Head, Glasgow,  Catterick, Manchester, Birmingham and  back to base.  <\/div>\n
This trip  took 6 hours and15 minutes<\/div>\n

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NOTE:  Interesting comment \u201cWe could do what we do and still be gentlemen.\u201d  The great charm<\/div>\n
of  Victor\u2019s diary to me is its\u2019 lack of pretence.  No phoniness.  No snobbery.  Just great joy stripped<\/div>\n
of all caution.  Underneath, however, is constant fear.<\/div>\n

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March, 4, 1944:  We slept till noon then reported to Flights.  Did  our inspections  of \u201cP\u201d Peter.  Took<\/div>\n
rest of the afternoon off.  Went back to our billet and lit the stove with a cartridge from a  Very Pistol<\/div>\n
(a flare gun) .  Not too worry as I took all the precautions.  Then we had toast and sausages and<\/div>\n
tea.  We talked  for a while.  Ken is lost somewhere.<\/div>\n

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March 5, 1944:  Reported to Flights and were sent to inspect \u201cH\u201d Harry. We were supposed to do<\/div>\n
some fighter affiliation but the aircraft was declared  unserviceable.  Back to our billet, lit the stove<\/div>\n
with the help of the flare gun. Had toast then went to a  movie.<\/div>\n

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March 6, 1944:  Reported  to Flights. Operations are in for tonight.  We are to bomb the marshalling<\/div>\n
yards in France.  Seems to be an easy target but we are alert.  The  target is the town of  Trappes<\/div>\n
which is my 1th mission.   There will be 346 aircraft on the raid, all of them four engined  heavy bombers.<\/div>\n
Our gross load is to be 11,500 pounds\u20268 x 1,000 pound bombs, 7 x 500 pound bombs, <\/div>\n
The trip went smoothly as all of  our squadron made it back safely. Time was 5 hours and 50 minutes.<\/div>\n
Happy debriefing.<\/div>\n

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March 7, 1944: Awoke around  noon hour, had lunch, cleaned  billet, then back to the mess for beer<\/div>\n
I  wrote Mary a letter , read a bit and fell asleep.<\/div>\n

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March  8, 1944:  Hank and I  went to Flights  then gave ourselves the  day off at our favourite pub.<\/div>\n

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March 9, 1944: Hank and I inspected \u201cY\u201d York.   Operations were supposed to be on but were <\/div>\n
cancelled.   Wilf went to town with his sailor-boy brother in law.  Wilf was full of alcohol before they<\/div>\n
left the base.  <\/div>\n

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March 10, 1944:  Reported to Flights\u2026we are \u2018on\u2019 for tonight\u2026then a few  hours later it<\/div>\n
was called of,  Flew out to the North Sea where a smoke float was thrown out and Hank and I<\/div>\n
shot the float from a broadside position.  We used 2,000  rounds apiece.  Very low  flying, close<\/div>\n
to the water.   Flying time 2 hours<\/div>\n

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March11, 1944:  We reported to Flights and were assigned \u201cP\u201d Peter to do complete job checking<\/div>\n
from guns to turrets.  Then we were of to the Sam Hutton pub for beer.  Had some trouble<\/div>\n
walking home.<\/div>\n

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March 12, 1944:  Same\u2026assigned \u201cP” Peter to check after which we did some \u201choming on our<\/div>\n
radio beam\u201d  and some 3 and 2 motored flying.  Later Hank  and  I did some Skeet shooting and<\/div>\n
I got 14 out of 20.  <\/div>\n

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Today a new Mark VI Halifax landed,  a new  replacement.<\/div>\n

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March  13, 1944: Usual routine and  checked \u201cP\u201d Peter again. The special equipment and<\/div>\n
bombsight were declared unserviceable.  Then  some 3 motored flying.<\/div>\n

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Maurice pissed me off and  just as I was going to settle things with my fists Bob intervened<\/div>\n
and pushed me aside.  Maurice will never fit in as part of our crew.   Missions were on for <\/div>\n
tonight but we were not on the Battle Orders.<\/div>\n

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March 14, 1944:  Reported  to Flights.  Another air test which took 5 minutes doing evasive <\/div>\n
action practice.  Special equipment checks out.  Then  sent out on a Command  Bullseye, my<\/div>\n
6th.  Took off at 2015 hours..base to Cambridge, Norwich, Lincoln, Newcastle,  Leeds,Hull, Peterborough<\/div>\n
and  Base.  We were coned by searchlights once for 4 minutes.   The whole exercise makes<\/div>\n
me feel good.  Took 4 hours and 10 minutes.<\/div>\n

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March15, 1944:  Operations on for tonight.  Target is  Stuttgart,  my 11t mission.  We  are sending<\/div>\n
788 aircraft all 4 motored heavies.   Bad  night for we lost 40 aircraft and 280 crewmen\u2026some killed,<\/div>\n
some  captured snd  some wounded.   Our bomb was 4,000 pounds of  incendiaries<\/div>\n
plus 2 x 250 lb bombs.  At briefing  we  are given our winds, altitudes, turning point which  is<\/div>\n
redding, North of London.   The  wall map points out all the flak positions and the concentration<\/div>\n
of their 88 mm. anti-aircraft gun.   Also what potential  night fighters we may  meet.   <\/div>\n

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On the raid we did not have too much of a problem, plenty of flak though.  We fly south<\/div>\n
and make our turn over the Swiss Alps just short of the border.  The firing of  flak  guns<\/div>\n
defines the border for us. There is not much distance between us  and the snow capped mountains.<\/div>\n
 Stuttgart suburbs the worst flak.  We are getting banged about. <\/div>\n
Ken is now in position getting ready to drop the bombs.  Hank yells as another aircraft above<\/div>\n
us is dropping his bombs.  Eric quickly moves \u201cP\u201dPeter  as bombs pass on our side.  The<\/div>\n
whole city of Stutgart is illuminated by our fires and their searchlights.  I can  see bombs<\/div>\n
exploding and  new fires  starting.   Down below Hitler\u2019s people are getting their premature<\/div>\n
view of  Hell.  Shells are bursting close and we are taking some hits from Flak shrapnel.<\/div>\n
Hank and I are keeping both eyes open for night fighters.   This is some night.  Ken  has<\/div>\n
dropped  his bombs. Eric is  now flying straight and even until our photo flashes go of and<\/div>\n
our camera catches our bombs bursting.  Then Eric is given his new course and  we are on<\/div>\n
way home but everyone is alert because this mission is far from over.  We do not make it<\/div>\n
home and have to land at a Typhoon fighter base on the south coast of England.  We pick<\/div>\n
our location to land using the \u2018Nemo\u2019 emergency call and the corresponding  \u2018Darky\u2019<\/div>\n
response.   As we  circle  the field the outer lights are in water.   Is this a dummy airfield?<\/div>\n
\u201cDarky\u201d responds by  flashing lights on  and  off.  We spot the runway lights and make your<\/div>\n
final run, touch down and park \u201cP\u201d Peter at a dispersal.  since this is a fighter base the dispersal<\/div>\n
points are not too large.  We got what rest we could and in daylight found our hydraulics were<\/div>\n
unserviceable.   We had a  hole in our flap and the bomb bay doors also had holes. The flaps<\/div>\n
for landing are set at 90 degrees but we could  not raise the flaps hydraulically for takeoff.  Rather<\/div>\n
than hang around for repairs we elected to push the flaps up manually into takeoff  position, leave<\/div>\n
the landing gear down and fly to base at Skipton.   This  worked out fine.  Sttuttgart took 8 hours  and 40 minutes.<\/div>\n

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Each bombing raid  was horrific for German civilians as seen above<\/div>\n
\u2026the  picture may have been taken after the HAmberg raids  but<\/div>\n
could apply to other raids. <\/div>\n

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Note:  There were 53 raids on Stuttgart because of the heavy industrial plants. Only partly  successful<\/div>\n
because the  city had deep valleys and heavy defences.  Allies lost 300 aircraft and 2,400 crewmen.<\/div>\n
Death toll on ground  was 4,950 people.  Death toll lighter than the Hamburg raids that killed<\/div>\n
35,000 to 45,000 people. The bombing created 15 million cubic metres of  rubble<\/div>\n
and damaged or destroyed 39,125 buildings.  <\/div>\n

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March 17, 1944:  Hank and I did  a little Skeet shooting.  I got 9 out of 10.<\/div>\n

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March 18, 1944:  Operation are on.  Target is Frankfurt on the Main River.  This will be<\/div>\n
my 12th mission. At briefing we were told what to expect as we were given our weather, altitude ,<\/div>\n
route as well as the flak positions.  This time we are carrying 4,600 pounds of explosives.<\/div>\n
There will be 719 planes, all heavies.   We lost 22 aircraft and 154 men.   We took off at 1850 hours,<\/div>\n
Over the English Chnnell.    Our airspeed indicator quit working as did our compass.<\/div>\n
Bob does  not want to continue\u2019   We still have  our magnetic compass and  Eric  can get Quite close<\/div>\n
to the air speed required.  Bob rofuses to navigate and  the rest of the crew are pissed off at him.<\/div>\n
So Eric makes a turn to return to base. A new decision needs to be  made.  Should we  dump our  bombs\u2026.<\/div>\n
a danger below as some troops are practising for the coming invasion of Europe in.  We did not know this<\/div>\n
but we knew there were our ships at sea.  Or should we return to base with our bombs  which is always a danger<\/div>\n
especially when we had  a load of fuel.  We decided to fly around  and burn up fuel and then land.  Nobody is<\/div>\n
happy about this situation for it means we will face another mission to make up for the aborted mission<\/div>\n
at the end of our 29 missions.<\/div>\n

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March  19, 1944:  We slept until noon and then reported to Flights.  I played checkers with Hank and Rennie\u2026lost.<\/div>\n
We  are giving the job of trying out \u201cM\u201d Mother for an acceptance test.  Over the North Sea with the airplane\u2026seemed <\/div>\n
fine .  Hank and I fired off 1,000 rounds apiece at the water.  silly.  Landed at 1800 hours.<\/div>\n

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March  20, 1944:  Hank  and I do our usual inspection of \u201cP\u201d Peter but did not finish due to rain.   Mission is on for<\/div>\n
tonight laying mines north of Kiel in the Baltic Sea.   but mission was cancelled.   It is much easier on the nerves<\/div>\n
to go on a mission rather than  plan for a mission that is then cancelled.  The led down is terrible.<\/div>\n

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March 21,1944:  We were supposed to be on a mission tonight, again mine laying in the Baltic Sea. And again<\/div>\n
it is cancelled.  The excuse this time is that Eric and Ken are on another course.  Eric is going on an Air Sea Rescue <\/div>\n
course and Ken is on a course on the Mark 14 bomb sight.  I ent over to see Mary at Dishforth for some Tender<\/div>\n
Loving Care.<\/div>\n

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March 22, 1944:  We flew twice today ferrying aircraft  to Croft and returned with another newer Halifax Mark III.<\/div>\n
Only firing today was using the flare pistol cartridge to light our stove.<\/div>\n

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March  23, 1944:  Hank and I got up early to go to Leeming to get some overdue pay\u2026my share was 11 pounds <\/div>\n
and four shillings then went over to the mess and had some gin and bitters along with beer.   Hank and  I took<\/div>\n
Kay snd  Betty.  Betty and I have never really got along well together.    Hank decided to end his relationship with<\/div>\n
Kay after all this time.  <\/div>\n

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