1st February 1943

Fine AM. Wellington X to Leconfield. Dropped Reg & Peter at Hucknall. Brake pressure not building up. Gusty and hazy. Sherburn picked me up (Lee), flew taxi back. Did not take Tiger, too windy. Sent me back to Catfoss for Bisley. Lots of delays. V nice aeroplane. Left Grantham after landing time in Ox for Rearsby, but too dark. Landed N Luffenham. Felt a bit queer. Comfortable mess. (Ox = Oxford a/c)

2nd February 1943

Raining. N Luffenham v muddy. Took Ox to Shawbury. Harris collected me. Lunch at hut. Harvard from Walsall, quite nice, took it over with engine running. Showery weather. Roy took me to Weston. Beau not ready, tear on rudder. Finally left after 5. Lovely evening. When on approach at Cosford given flashing white. Just missed taxi. Dinner at mess there with Sillars and Nichols. Back by transport and train. (Beau = Beaufighter. Some detail not clear here, flashing white and dinner at mess. Where? Logbook shows Beau to High Ercall, presumably spent night there)

3rd February 1943

Fairly fine AM. Nearly everyone stuck out. First Seafire to Kirkbride. Quite nice. Dirty near St Bees. Spit back to Ercall. Nice landings. Hung about at Ercall waiting for others. Saw "Big Blockade" at camp cinema with Dew and Harris. Not good, seen before. 

4th February 1943

Raining AM. Spit IX to Sealand, v nice & light, very good r/of climb. Boggy at Sealand, unfit for Spits. Wimpey X back from Hawarden to Lich. Dropped landing, waited for Dominie to Castle Bromwich, lovely Vc Spit to Cosford, rolled and rolled. Good landing. Walked to Albrighton and back. (r/of climb = rate of climb. Lich = Lichfield)

5th February 1943

Low cloud and rain. Seafire from Pershore. Went down with Harris in Fair but had to turn back. Others all had Spits to Sherburn. Invasion by WW with Hurris. Got down after lunch, still unpleasant. Nice a/c. Got as far as Ratcliffe and turned back, poor vis and low cloud. Very bumpy. Mander had chipped Hurri a/s. Mustang to Lich lovely a/c, poor landing. (Fair = Fairchild taxi a/c. a/s = airscrew, here. Lich = Lichfield)

6th February 1943

Lovely day. Spit from Castle Bromwich to Prestwick. Flew up with Jim. Rolls over Irish Sea. Ht 10,000. No jobs from Prestwick. Back after lunch with Mrs Wilberforce to Kirkbride. Whitley not arrived. On in another Dominie to Cosford. P/c’s from family at Bournemouth. Early bed. (Jim = Collins, Cosford pilot)

7th February 1943

Another lovely day. Two Aussies with us for air experience. Anson to Bobb wound wheels up waited hours for taxi. After lunch, Spit to Lichfield, rolls in perfect weather. Met Burnett. US pilot had Spit for Prestwick. Took it off her, sent her back to Ratcliffe in our Fairchild. Lovely ride in Spit. Skipper annoyed. Dull evening. (Bobb = Bobbington. "Took Spit off her" = sounds a bit cavalier and discourteous! Don’t recall what happened here, logbook no help)

8th February 1943

Dull day. Spit from "B" site to A D. Shot up Burford, low cloud about. Just got into A D. Old Mk I Hurr from 20 MU. Came back straight, low, and fast along Severn. ASI overestimating. Rough a/c. Cosford party preparations. Letter from Ros. Went to flicks in evening with Stan. Quite good. (ASI = air speed indicator)

13th February 1943

Perfect day. Botha to St Athan with Aussie Ahearn. V placid type. Botha easy but wallowy. Dropped landing a bit. Difficult a/c to taxy. Master III back to Ternhill. Circled Burford. Handed over to Ahearn. Back in Fairchild with Stan. Quiet evening. (First Botha for me)

14th February 1943

Low cloud but good vis. Lovely Vc Spit from CB to Llandow. Shot up Burford in bad conditions. Engine worked inverted v well at +4, 2400. Reached Newport but turned back, cloud 150ft. Saw Mander going into M Valence, I went to Staverton, met Jim and Tony. Lunch, panic about what to do. Moss came in Anson to take us to B N for Spits, cloud too low, stayed at Kemble. Car to A D. Night at Bear Inn, room with Jim. Skipper, Roch, Tony, Jim, Stan, Mander and I. (A rather confused account, too long ago for me to clarify now. Do not know why I should fly a Spit inverted at full cruise power. B N = Brize Norton. A D = Aston Down, Skipper = Gerry Stedall, C O, Cosford, others all Cosford pilots; Tony Gibbons, Jim Collins, Stan Dew)