These are entries from my Father’s diary for 1942, which covers the time from when he was first notified that his application to be posted overseas had been accepted, until he was well settled in the RAF base at Koggala and had got his d/f station working.

I have transcribed and edited it with a light touch, in an attempt to retain the overall essence of his feelings while at the same time making it more easily readable.

In particular:

  • He wrote times in both 12-hour and 24-hour formats, seemingly interchangeably, and in various styles. I have not attempted to unify these, but transcribed them as written.
  • He wrote in various colours, and sometimes in pencil, in both cursive and block printing. The diary originally came with a pencil in the spine, which it no longer has, but few of the entries are in pencil. One must assume it was either too flimsy or “not fit for purpose”. Given that he would have had to fill in many forms the assumption is that he would have had a pen on his person most of the time. A few entries are in green ink, and these seem to have been added after the original entries were made. I have not preserved the colours, as they appear to be irrelevant, and I have converted the entries printed in block capitals into mixed case, purely because the transcription was extremely uncomfortable to read with large sections in uppercase. Some uppercase has been preserved where it seemed relevant.
  • Each diary day had a pre-printed heading in the format “16 Mon” / “17 Tues” and so forth, followed by information such as “Candlemas Fire Insurance ceases”. As the entries did not specify the month on each day, I decided that the transcript would benefit from the each entry being reformatted in the form “Mon 16 Feb”. I did retain the supplementary information against each day as it provides an interesting record of how the calendar of the year was viewed in 1942. Some of this supplementary information such as “4th Quarter” refers to the phase of the moon and was preceded by a moon symbol, which I have not attempted to recreate.
  • Where there are gaps in dates it is because he made no entries. He was on leave until 11th January, so the first few days of the year say only ‘On Leave’
  • Notes from myself are enclosed in square brackets. It try to keep this to a minimum, however certain entries benefit from additional explanation or links.
Sun 11 Jan - 1st after Epiphany
 	On Leave
	21st birthday -> 26th Jan
Held joint Birthday party with Sheila Received watch from Dad & Ma Wallet from C F & Win [ As an orphan, he had always been told his birthday was 11th January. It was only in 1964 when he obtained a copy of his birth certificate to apply for a passport he discovered it was 26th. At some point he corrected this in his diary. It is the only mark made in ballpoint pen. ] Mon 12 Jan – Hilary Law Sittings begin On Leave – Rest Day Getting ready to return Paid visit to Old Firm Tue 13 Jan Left home 8-0 AM Arrived Camp from leave 18.15 pm. Wed 14 Jan On duty 1300 hrs No. 3 Site Lyon Engine u/s Off duty 1700 hrs. Snowing Thu 15 Jan On duty 0800 – 1300 hrs No. 3 Site Lyon Engine still u/s Snow 3 inch deep Fri 16 Jan – New Moon 9.32 pm On duty 2300 – 0800 Harold working instead Freezing Sat 17 Jan On duty 1700 – 2300 Moved Tender to No. 2 Site Sense Switch frozen Thawed out with blow-torch Lights failed Sun 18 Jan - 2nd after Epiphany On duty 1300 – 1700 Cpl Beavis took Lyon left JAP “ “ returned Lyon, took “ Mon 19 Jan – Mohammedan Era 1361 begins 08-00 – 1300 (Duty). Snow Clearing on Runway 10-30 – 1200 pm Tue 20 Jan Snow clearing on Runway 1400 -1600 Wed 21 Jan On Watch 1700 – 2300 hrs 2300 – 0800 “ Standing by with rockets 22.30 Thu 22 Jan Off watch 0800 On watch 1800 Fri 23 Jan Aoc’s low engine u/s Signals informed Sat 24 Jan – First Quarter, 6.35 a.m. Lyon Engine u/s Sun 25 Jan - 3rd after Epiphany – Conversion of S. Paul Lyon Engine running for 1 hr on one cylinder (9 amps) Mon 26 Jan Moved to “F” Block Lyon Engine still u/s New call sign CORNY LNSA concert in NAAFI Tue 27 Jan Snowing heavy Lyon Engine still u/s Wed 28 Jan Went to town. Saw “It Started with Eve”. Thu 29 Jan - Fri 30 Jan ON DUTY 1 PM off DUTY 5 pm Won 31/- at Housey Sat 31 Jan – Pheasant and Partridge Shooting end Went to Bath. On duty 5pm. All accs down; Engine u/S GLIM Lamp u/s. Motor u/s Moved to No. 2 runway Transmitter u/s Receiver almost u/s (Whole Tender u/s) SO WHAT Sun 1 Feb – Septagesima Sunday Full Moon , 9.12 a.m. 1½ inches snow Off duty 1 p m J.A.P still u/s G Summer’s Posted. Mon 2 Feb – Purification of B.V.M. Candlemas (Scottish Quarter Day) On duty 13.00 hrs Rang Sig Stores re engine. Tue 3 Feb 0200 Snowing heavy Posted overseas 2.30 pm Wed 4 Feb Arrived home 1400 hrs --- Sun 8 Feb – Sexagesima. Half-Quarter Day. Last quarter, 2.52 p.m. Quiet day at home. Getting ready for departure to camp. Mon 9 Feb Left Home 8 am Arrived Camp 6-30 pm. Like returning to concentration camp after leave. Tue 10 Feb Reported Orderly room 11 pm. Spent day in Bath. Stayed night in BATH with Cottee. Wed 11 Feb Returned camp 11-30 am Returned Bath 1-30 pm Stayed night in Bath again with one of my pals. Thu 12 Feb Visited Smithy on Tender and gathered odds and ends together in readiness for final departure. Fri 13 Feb Usual Report to Orderly Room. Nothing doing. Went to Bath. Much less doing. Sat 14 Feb – S. Valentine Usual enquiries at Orderly Room. Still nothing doing in regard to posting. Getting really fed up. Mems Continual reports to Orderly Room begin to get quite monotonous. Efforts to get a signal sent to ‘Records’ prove unsuccessful. Await reply. Sun 15 Feb – Quinquagesima New Moon, 10.2 a.m. No reply to signal yet. Day in Bath. Returned to camp at night hoping for developments early A.M. Mon 16 Feb Saw Smithy on Tender and got 1 pr silk stockings for Freda. 11 days leave pending Posting Overseas. Departed Bath 1640 pm. Tue 17 Feb – Shrove Tuesday Candlemas Fire Insurance ceases (Leave) Arrived Harrogate 05.30 am, Passed time away in canteen until 7-0 am. Caught bus home. Arrived unexpectedly. Wed 18 Feb – Ash Wednesday (Leave) Rang West Park. Spent Day at home. Thu 19 Feb On Draft Leave Visited West Park in evening. Cinema at night. Fri 20 Feb On Leave (Draft) Went to Harrogate as usual in afternoon. Sat 21 Feb On Draft Leave Sun 22 Feb – First in Lent. Ember week. Spend quiet day at home. Village exceptionally quiet. Mon 23 Feb – First Quarter, 3.40 a.m. 25 west Park 5.15 pm. Odeon 6 – 10 pm. Tue 24 Feb – S. Matthias In town in afternoon. Regal 4.30 pm. Wed 25 Feb – Ember Day Scala 3-30 pm Thu 26 Feb Opera House 7-15 pm to see “Peg ‘o’ My Heart”. Pretty good show. Fri 27 Feb – Ember Day Left home 7.50 am Arrived camp 6.30 pm. Sat 28 Feb – Ember Day Posted Blackpool Left Colerne 6 pm Left Bath 7 pm Sun 1 Mar - 2nd in Lent. S. David Arrived Blackpool 5-30AM Billeted 34 St Chads 6-45 AM Parade 1045 pm Wrote Home and Freda. Mon 2 Mar Parade 8-45 am Kit inspection 2-30 pm Met Dick Jones – a pal of my training days at Compton Tues 3 Mar – Full Moon, 12.20 a.m. Parade 8-45 am Route March Issue of Tropical Kit Wed 4 Mar Usual parade 08-45 am Spent morning in Casino. SS. Ice Skating at night. Thur 5 Mar Usual morning jaunt to Casino. Bath Parade. Afternoon in town. Fri 6 Mar Boxing on Tower in evening. Supper in “snack bar” adjoining amusement hall. Sat 7 Mar Casino as usual. Covering of snow. Ice Skating at night, at Ice Drome. Mems Showers of snow on and off all week. Continual cold, Although bright spells occasionally. Sun 8 Mar - 3rd in Lent Went to tower to “Halle Orchestra” present “Tom Jones” Mon 9 Mar – Last Quarter , 10.0 p.m. Usual morning march & Casino. Ice skating at Ice Drome. Supper in Pleasure Beach. --- Mon 16 Mar – New Moon, 11.50 p.m. Arrived Liverpool. Embarked 6.0 pm Arundel Castle. Tue 17 Mar – S. Patrick. Bank Holiday in Eire and Northern Ireland Awoke from worst sleep ever experienced. Dashed on deck for fresh air. Hung around dodging fatigues for rest of day. Wed 18 Mar Much dissatisfaction among the lads. Conditions terrible. Still dodging fatigues. Airmen and army still coming aboard. Rumour that we are sailing at midnight. Thurs 19 Mar Previous rumour proved wrong. Still in port. 200 merchant seamen leave ship, refusing to sail because of overcrowding:- more seamen come aboard. Also a number of WRENs. Fri 20 Mar Caught for galley fatigues. Ship leaves quayside. Anchors in midstream. Taking on supply of fresh water (much needed). Problem of NAAFI arises. Life-Jackets Issued. Sat 21 Mar -Vernal Equinox Atmosphere below deck get3 worse. Everyone suggesting mutiny, but no-one wishing to be ringleader. Ship turns with tide, causing much excitement. Mems: Past week has been one long series of quarrels. Unless ship sails soon someone will be doing rash things. Hoping for early sailing. Sun 22 Mar – Passion Sunday Announcement of closure of postage for letters raises hopes of sailing. Everyone in slightly better spirits. Queued for NAAFI for 2½ hours without results. Lifejackets to be carried. Orders to sleep in clothes. Mon 23 Mar Departed Liverpool 10-30pm Atmosphere keeps me awake. Everyone except myself and six others on my deck unaware of movement. Tue 24 Mar Picked up convoy in early hours of morning off Scottish coast. Everyone awakes in great excitement to find convoy well under way. Most of us feeling rather bad. Wed 25 Mar – Annunciation of B.V.M. Lady Day (Quarter Day) First Quarter, 12.1 a.m. Fresh water is rationed and only available between 7-0 am and 8-0 am. Dick and I have to shave in salt water. Result not so good. Many lads hanging over side. Thu 26 Mar Dick and I again have to shave in salt water. Still not so good. Fatigue list made out for scrubbing mess table. Everyone doing his best to dodge fatigues. Not all successful. Fri 27 Mar Life-boat drill 10-30 am. Only a chosen few remain sea-sick: P.T. Commences for everyone not on fatigues or duty. Choice to be made between P.T. And fatigues. Final choice is neither. Dodging goes on as usual. 28 Sat Mar Cottee and I scrub tables, scrounge some tea, and make a bad impression on t.d. Sargeant. Better NAAFI arrangements made. Everyone hoarding choc except me. My net amount is 1/9d. Memo Cottee, dick and I are contemplating running “housey” in endeavour to raise cash. My net amount on boarding ship being colossal sum of 1/9d. Mrs. Thompson died during past week. Sun 29 Mar – Palm Sunday Weather by now is lovely. Sun is brilliant, sea calm. “Manky” and myself challenge galley cooks (Pearson and Ginger) to game of darts, which we narrowly win (2/6d richer) Mon 30 Mar Tropical clothing must be worn by all ranks. Deck covered with prostate airmen and soldiers; everyone with object of getting sun-burnt. Some with object of getting WRENs Tue 31 Mar Caught for P.T. Vengeance vowed on instructor, who is i/c our table. We run housey and each receive 12/6d (pretty good). Wed 1 Apr – Hilary Law Sittings end. Full Moon, 12.32 p.m. “Manky” and I get on very good terms with Pearson and Ginger, much to our advantage as far as galley is concerned. Thu 2 Apr – Maundy Thursday Again caught for P.T. Free issue of mineral to all on boards. “Manky” put i/c. Boat drill as usual 4-30 pm. Fri 31 Apr – Good Friday On deck fatigues. Helped Manky with mineral issue from hold. Sun unbearably hot. Planes from aircraft carrier on patrol. Destroyers dashing about more than usual. Sat 4 Apr Emergency alarm 10-30 am Submarine chasing convoy (unofficial) All clear alarm 11-30 am Usual scrounging goes on. Sharks sighted off port stern. Also schools of small flying fish. Mems: Boat drill is daily feature on troop ship and usually consists of one general mix-up. During past week, WRENs have been wearing summer clothing much to the delight of the lads. Sun 5 Apr – Easter Day Flying fish are now regular sight. Porpoises occasionally seen some distance out from the boat. Everyone hoping to sight land. Lecture over Tannoy in regard to purchase of fruit from natives. Mon 6 Apr – Easter Monday. Bank Holiday. Arrived Freetown. Land sighted and is a welcome sight. Native Bum-Boats swarm around side of ship. Everyone disregards previous lecture on fruit. Tue 7 Apr Native canoes gather around boat and natives dive for silver. Copper is scorned and left to sink. Sleeping on deck has now become common throughout the ship. Electric storm during the night. Wed 8 Apr – Last Quarter, 4.43 a.m. Minerals. Natives again all around ship shouting for “Glasgow Tanner” which is native name for threepenny-bit. Thu 9 Apr – Lady Day Fire Insurance ceases “West End Charlie” makes appearance. Natives now diving for copper. Spoons, mugs and dozens of other articles now being delightfully received by natives. Fri 10 Apr W. E. Charlie asking now for for “broken pullover”, and “broken dance band” (mouth organ). Fresh water supply taken aboard. Preparing to sail again. Pay parade (10/-) Sat 11 Apr Much activity aboard gives us notion of departure. Left Freetown 13.00 hrs Waving palms, and natives, fade from sight. At sea again. Mems The six days in Freetown were a very welcome break after two weeks at sea, but supplies of cigarettes and chocolate were extremely low, and no fresh supply was taken aboard. Sun 12 Apr Cigarettes rationed to ten per day. Choc supply runs out. Other articles also scarce in NAAFI. General tendency again seems to border on mutiny. Mon 13 Apr Convoy now smaller than at first. Aircraft carrier no longer with us. Battleship and cruiser also left us. Slight zig-zagging during morning. Tue 14 Apr – Easter Law Sittings begin Emergency alarm 9-30 am. Submarine again reported to be chasing us. Member of crew tells us of huge flash on horizon during night. All clear again 11.00 hrs. Wed 15 Apr – New Moon, 2.33 p.m. NAAFI now out of stock of practically everything. Bags of flying fish about. Gun practice in afternoon. Thu 16 Apr Continual zig-zag course all day. Sea calm. Shower of rain greatly appreciated. Lads standing out in it in great enjoyment. Fri 17 Apr Pay Parade (10/-) --- Thu 23 Apr – S. George First Quarter, 7.10 p.m. Landed Cape Town Fri 24 Apr Transit Camp at “RETREAT”. Discovered tent occupied by gang. Installed ourselves there. Sat 25 Apr – S. Mark Invited to tea at Pinelands by Mrs. Travers-Jackson. Had really marvellous time. Sun 26 Apr - 3rd after Easter Confined to camp pending departure from Cape Town. Mon 27 Apr Visited Mr. and Mrs. Travers-Jackson to say farewell. Had lovely evening. Tue 28 Apr Left transit camp. Boarded RMS Mauretania. Pay Parade (£1) Wed 29 Apr Left Cape Town 5-30 pm. Making trip unescorted. Speed 20 kts approx. Pay Parade. Thu 20 Apr – Full Moon , 10.59 p.m. At sea. Nothing doing. Still maintaining good speed. Fri 1 May – SS. Philip & James Ship sighted on port horizon (tanker). Sat 2 May At sea. Rounded cape. Passed Durban. Passed convoy of tankers 22.00 hrs. Sun 3 May - 4th after Easter At sea. Sunbathing on deck. Mon 4 May – Bank Holiday in Scotland At sea --- Wed 6 May Pay Parade Thu 7 May – Last Quarter, 1,13 p.m. At sea. Crossed equator for 2nd time. Fri 8 May Pay Parade --- Sun 10 May – Rogation Sunday Anchored off Bombay 12.30 Mon 11 May – Rogation Day Still in bay, awaiting disembarkation. Tue 12 May – Rogation Day Disembarked at Bombay. Marched to Calaba camp. Dick and myself visited Bombay. Wed 13 May – Rogation Day In camp. Dick and I again visited Bombay. Thu 14 May – Ascension Day In Bombay again with Dick. Pay Parade (15 Rupees) Fri 15 May – Scottish Quarter Day – New Moon, 6.45 a.m. Dick and I again visited Bombay. Went to Chinese restaurant with gang. Brought away chopsticks. Sat 16 May In camp. Packing kit in readiness for departure. Sun 17 May – Sunday after Ascension In camp Colaba (Bombay) Departure postponed 24hrs. Finished packing kit. Mon 18 May Left Colaba camp (Bombay) Embarked on City of Canterbury Tue 19 May Left quayside for midstream Wed 20 May In midstream (Bombay) Thu 21 May In midstream (Bombay) Reported sick 8-30 am Removed to isolation hospital 10.15 am Fri 22 May Still in midstream. Still in I.H. Sat 23 May – First Quarter, 10.11 a.m. Discharged from I.H. Pay Parade (RP 10) Sun 24 May – Whit Sunday. Ember Week. Empire Day. Left Bombay. Heat below decks getting worse. Mon 25 May – Whit Monday. Bank Holiday. At sea. Conditions on board ship terrible. Tue 26 May Heavy rainstorm. Had bath in rain. Wed 27 May Heat unbearable below deck. Slept on deck. Thu 28 May Arrived Colombo Harbour (Ceylon) Fri 29 May - Ember Day Disembarked and billeted at BSSI Columbo. Sat 30 May – Ember Day. Whitsunday Fire Insurance Ceases. Full Moon, 6.29 a.m. RAF 1000 Bomber Raid on Cologne. Rickshaw to Regal “Blossoms In The Dust” Pay Parade (RP 20) Sun 31 May – Trinity Sunday Walked around town Tram to Elphinstone Cinema to see Max Millar in “Educating Evans” Mon 1 June Had run in rickshaw Taxi to Empire Picture House to see “Men of Boys Town” Lovely spell in Dodgem Cars. RAF 1000 Bomber Raid on Rhur. Tue 2 June – Trinity Law Sittings begin Left Colombo for Koggala. Arrived camp 6.30 pm Monsoon rains in progress Wandering around jungle in search of bed for 1½ hours. (What a dump)

More entries are being added as time permits, but the story going forward of his time in Koggala is also the subject of a separate memoir. Subsequent diary entries only serve to set better timings to the sequence of events in the memoir.

This is a WIP. I will update this entry with additional information on events and people as research permits.

Notes and References

The Jones family and Mr and Mrs Travers-Jackson

Address of the Jones family, to whom my father wrote often with news of his friend Dick Jones, and the address of Mr and Mrs Travers-Jackson, whom he spent time with in Cape Town

My father met with one of his friends from training camp, Dick Jones, and frequently wrote back to his family with news, especially when Dick was in hospital with fever.

The entry reads:

R. O. Jones, “Oakwood”
47 Glynne Rd
Bangor
Caernarfonshire
Wales

He also spent some time at Pinelands with a Mr and Mrs Travers-Jackson while docked at Cape Town, and subsequently wrote several letters to them.
This entry in the front of his diary implies that his hosts would have been Mr and Mrs George Ralph Travers-Jackson, son of George Francis Travers-Jackson.

The entry reads:

G. R. Travers-Jackson
9, The Mead
Pinelands
Cape Town
South Africa

Share:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *