18th June 1943

Up early to Ratcliffe, drove Ros and Bet. Given Hurr to Sherburn. Went with Ros to Wymeswold and back. She took me to Rearsby. Nice Hurricane, raining at Sherburn, rolls and nice landing. W/O. Went into Leeds with Firby, lunch at restaurant. Saw "Tales of Manhattan" at Ritz, very good film, excellent cast. Tea at Bettys, back on 5.10 train to Selby, pouring with rain, soaked. 

20th June 1943

Nice day, given Wimp and Anson to Hawarden, swopped it for Firby’s jobs. Spit V to Kinloss, Formated with Storer & Barker, rolls at Kinloss, nice landing. Dominie took us to Lossie via Evanton; seaplane base at Invergordon. Beau X to Filton, straight. Flew over Lake District, on to Ros’s - Goddard - house at Nevin, weather bad, made for stop at Llandwrog. Back over Welsh hills, landed at Colerne, – 3 point, for permission. Straight for Filton, Storer there. Beauforts to Sherburn. Circled Burford. Nice landing, lots of Rat pilots at Sher (Permission = must have been a requirement, Filton very close to centre of Bristol). 

21st June 1943

Lovely day. Nothing till 11. 3 Beauforts to Edzell, Walton, Storer & I. Climbed over cloud, came down to Edinburgh. Tried to find Ros’s school (St Trinians), chased Walton, nice landing at Edzell, back in Anson with Walton, gremlinised instruments. Walked up Benff (?) in perfect evening. Flies awful. (Gremlinised = gave confused or inaccurate readings).

22nd June 1943

Weather not v good. Nothing till PM, then Skua to Crail; first one. V straightforward, 140kts at -1. Good view, heavy controls, fumes. Mrs Metcalfe waiting in F/child. In to Donibie for Tompkins & Bettinson. Wind very strong, F/child failed to climb; turned back near St Abbs, Tea in mess at E Fort. Anson came, Radford flew us back. Was to go on refresher on 27th, but cancelled it as it interfered with leave. (-1 = boost).

23rd June 1943

Fair, nothing to do till after lunch. Anson to Tholethorpe & Yeadon, good landings, flaps up in high wind. Arranged leave alterations. F/child to Brough with Bishop. Saw Firebrand, new Sabre engined fleet fighter. V nice layout, folding wings, inward retract U/C, rads in front of c/section. Nose long Spit cockpit. Rudder well forward of elevator. Brought Lt Cdr back to Sher. Went off to Brough again with Shirley. (Firebrand = Sabre engined version; did not survive and A/C not successful as a fleet fighter, out performed by Corsair).

24th June 1943

Lovely day. Barracuda to Hanworth with 2 army officers. Flew at 6,000 over cloud, lovely day, nice A/C. Nice landing at Hanworth, small rough aerodrome. Difficulty in refuelling, 20 galls put in star and cracked off. Over Henley, Bradfield, bounced at Wroughton. Rat pilots with Seamews. Dunlavy took me to WW with F/C. Saw Fairweather, Jim Collins. Saw Capt Smith about 4+. Flew F/C to Thame, on to Hanworth for army officers, back to Sherburn. (Hanworth = small airfield about 2 miles SE of present Heathrow airport, Rat = ATA Ratcliffe pilots, Jim Collins = old Cosford mate, 4+ = conversion to US heavy twins, ie. Dakota, Mitchell etc, using Hudson trainer). 

24th June 1943 (Could be 25th?)

V fine day. Nothing to do, hours too high. Goodwin getting all the best jobs. Sunbathed in the garden nearly all day. Anson to Rat PM, with Egginton, Miss Farr, Bradley and Metcalfe driving (ie. flying it) Pulled nose up v high on T/O, dropped heavily at Rat. Met Ros, on leave, Leicester. (Hours too high = there must have been a nominated limit on hours flown, although I do not recall it affecting me at any other time. Metcalfe = F/O Ursula, only women pilot at Sherburn at this time). 

30th June 1943

Up early, cloudy. Ros took me to Grand (hotel), coach to Rat. Met Birdsell, gave me two Swordfish to get home, first from Rat to H Ercall, circled Ros’s home. Had borrowed helmet from Rat. Second Swordfish to Sher, weather improving. Late lunch, nothing more to do. Did logbook, home at 5.30. Digs empty, landlady on leave. Dinner at Londesboro with Goodwin. Saw "Moon & Sixpence" with Shirley after; quite good; supper at his digs after.