No.3 Squadron week-end off. Jana and I drove up to Huntingdon to collect some of our luggage from store. Spent the next day being lazy and playing tennis. Wizard weather.
Now heard a rumour that I may be derailed to go to Penthos as Peter Corbishley is posted to P.D.U. at Heston. Nothing certain as they are waiting for a new establishment.
Monday, 4 May 2009
Friday, 1 May 2009
May 1st 1940
Worst blow of all we hear that for the sake of 207 Squadron 5 other flights have to completely revise the training syllabus - this is the last straw as we only did it a fortnight ago! Only concession W/C Anderson would apparently make to S/Ldr Southwell was that we might finish the pupils we had on the old chart. We were fed up. The flight got 477 hrs. flying last month, Henderson 75 hrs. I got 40hrs.
During the last week Jana and I found a house after months' of searching - but it was too big although a delightful place with a grand garden. At the last moment when we were about to go and tell the owners we could not afford £3-17-6 (fully furnished) we heard that S/Ldr Knocker was looking for a house and wanted to share it. We went along with them and things were more or less fixed up then and there - we had neither of us met his wife or children (2) however it looks as though it will be a saving (or more spending!) of money.
On Monday the 29th Jana started to have driving lessons from Jenkins garage in Wallingford -at last.!
Henderson and I went to Farnbrough to collect a Battle and spent some time looking round particularly at the Westland Whirlwind two engined fighter, about the ugliest thing I have ever seen, and the Bristol Beaufout G.P. aircraft which is already in use in several squadrons.
During the last week Jana and I found a house after months' of searching - but it was too big although a delightful place with a grand garden. At the last moment when we were about to go and tell the owners we could not afford £3-17-6 (fully furnished) we heard that S/Ldr Knocker was looking for a house and wanted to share it. We went along with them and things were more or less fixed up then and there - we had neither of us met his wife or children (2) however it looks as though it will be a saving (or more spending!) of money.
On Monday the 29th Jana started to have driving lessons from Jenkins garage in Wallingford -at last.!
Henderson and I went to Farnbrough to collect a Battle and spent some time looking round particularly at the Westland Whirlwind two engined fighter, about the ugliest thing I have ever seen, and the Bristol Beaufout G.P. aircraft which is already in use in several squadrons.
Monday, 27 April 2009
April 27th 1940
More re-organisation! No flying today; had to move all equipment to a new office in "B" hangar. Still "E" flight No.3 Squadron aircraft all changed - colossal shambles. No. 207 Squadron became No.1 Squadron "A" & "B" flights. Mertas No.2 Squadron "C" & "D" flights and S/Ldr Knocker No.4 "G" & "H" flights. Got fully settled in by the end of the day and then on Monday 29th moved again! Got a little flying in that day; completely new ground personnel N.C.Os etc…
April 24th 1940
Put in an application to see the A.O.C. over the gratuity business. Rogers has got his. Had to alter this into an application to obtain the gratuity - to higher command.
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
April 22nd 1940
Learnt that the station commander, W/C Nixon and W/C Payne were to be posted immediately! No. 207 Squadron arrived from Cranfield to join up with us into No.12 O.T.U. They had been training on Battles with No.35 Squadron and the latter transferred to Blenheim's. Complete chaos again as no one knows how they are to be fitted in. P/O McKenzie and Foster went on navigational courses to the St. Athans or the long and short one respectively, Mackenzie will probably not return. Henderson took over the Navigation Section for No.3 Squadron. W/C Anderson ex 207 Squadron will now command training wing and G/C. Dunn the station. Got in really successful nights' flying tonight. Jana and I had at last found a house furnished but it was larger and more expensive than we wanted or could afford.
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
April 15th 1940
Started work as "E" flight No.3 squadron under the schedule. Flying immediately fell off due to the maintenance side of the schedule and we proceeded with a hectic week's work getting very little done. Sgt Edwards came into the flight as a screened pilot and Martin and Barr went down to "D" flight under "Daddy" Swain, the following week drove most people nearly mad.
April 12th 1940
So far a grand week's flying - exceeded all previous records last week by doing 150 hrs in a five-day week. At last some information came out about the big re-organisation. Station to be divided into 3 wings - Training, Maintenance and S.H.Q Wing. Training wing to be three squadrons of two flights each, commanded by a squadron leader with three flight lieutenants under him. So far after some argument Rogers and I stay together with practically all our screened crews in No.3 Squadron under S/Ldr. Southwell (replacement for S/Ldr. Young). Nothing absolutely definite yet - spent the afternoon "conferring" over the training syllabus, as all flights will now train pupils of each type from beginning to end, elementary and operational.
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