大象传媒

As promised here is the first extract from Bob's Diary, covering January and February 1943.

DECEMBER 1942
20 Sunday
At home with Dave. Came back in evening and visited 鈥淩oyal George鈥� in Tottenham Ct Road. Good pub!

21 Monday
A dance at Regent St Polytechnic. Met Winnie 鈥� unfortunately! She clings like a leech 鈥� will have to be firm.

22 Tuesday
Saw Mickey again, patched up quarrel. Not a bad kid, but a stupid temper.

23 Wednesday
Started off with good meal at Elephant and Castle, then decided on the 鈥淪wan鈥�, at Jack鈥檚 recommendation.
Went to 鈥淪wan鈥� at Stockwell with Dave, Mac and Jock. Got tight, but respectfully so!

24 Thursday
Xmas Eve. 鈥淪wan鈥� at Stockwell. A.F.S. named Betty Ashford. Very good evening.
Date!

25 Friday
Xmas Day at Bushey
Very quiet, but 鈥� well, restful!?

26 Saturday
Boxing Day. Dance at Oxley Parish Hall.
Girl named Elsie Roberts. Engaged 鈥� No Date!

27 Sunday
Came back to Borough. Xmas mail from Snooty, Yvonne, Deborah, Ida, Dorothy, Mrs Blythe, Mickey, Betty. Answered all mail and wrote to Elsie Roberts.

28 Monday
Back on the course 鈥� Valve Theory again 鈥� Mech Eng. Dance in evening at Regent St Polytechnic. Date tomorrow with Betty.

DECEMBER 1942
29 Tuesday
Saw Betty. Went to Balham saw Walt Disney鈥檚 鈥淏ambi鈥�. Letter from Mickey.
Looks like being an interesting course 鈥� in the evenings!

30 Wednesday
Another boring day in Laboratory. Went to YMCA for a shave in HOT water, then on to Salvation Army place in Guildford St 鈥� good place.

31 Thursday
New Years Eve. Little or no work done in Laboratory. Theory was an excuse to sleep ready for a late night.
Went to Regent St Polytechnic with Betty, Dave, Joe, Wally. Went out to 鈥淐ock Tavern鈥� and celebrated on Scotch Ale. Later on went to Piccadilly Circus and at midnight was on the Yank Station. Crawled into the billet at 2 o/c. Was not caught . Wonder where we鈥檒l be this time next year.

JANUARY 1943
1 Friday
Went to S.A. Russell Sq. and met Sandy there. Had the now famous steak and chip supper. Still learning nothing new about Radio!

2 Saturday
Weekend pass. Went to Leicester Sq. with Betty, saw 鈥淕eo Washington slept here鈥�. Very good. Got home by taxi about 2 o/c

3 Sunday
Was home, and slept until 2 o/c! Dorothy and John came to see me. In the evening went for a walk with Betty. Quite a nice evening! P.T. tomorrow 鈥� wince!.

4 Monday
Saw Betty and went to Odeon. Saw 鈥淧ied Piper鈥�. Very good film. To our disgust we had the old PT Instructor back. The swine! Radio course is a farce!

JANUARY 1943
5 Tuesday鈥�
鈥淪crubber鈥� got nasty and now we have extra pickets to do! Was on guard 鈥� caught smoking 鈥� so charged. Read Kitty Foyle. Letters from Betty and Mickey.

6 Wednesday鈥�
Wrote to Mickey, telling her it was no use continuing seriously . Another letter from Betty. Saw Betty in evening and went to 鈥渇licks鈥� seeing 鈥淜ing Arthur was a Gentleman鈥�. Awful film. Phoned up Mother. Broke again, pay parade just in time!

7 Thursday鈥�
Bought 鈥淔oundations of Wireless鈥�. Received membership card from Queensbury Club. Went to flicks and saw 鈥淎 Yank at Eton鈥�. Pretty poor film.

8 Friday鈥�
Practical dem. of Blocking Osc at Theory period, had use of logs and 2 during maths. Learnt something for a change! Letter from Ken at Grimsby. Final letter from Mickey! Saw Betty in evening.

9 Saturday
Went to see 鈥淩ookies鈥� at Leicester Sq Theatre with Dave. Met a chap named Mike O鈥機allaghan. Amusing chap. Got his Tel. No. On guard tomorrow!

10 Sunday鈥�
Heard that Tom Melling was at Wandsworth. Got a great scheme for bringing Tom, Ida, Betty, Vera, Dave and Mike together at Stormont Road on Tuesday.

11 Monday鈥�
Went to 鈥淢ajestic鈥� at Clapham with Bettie. Saw 鈥淏ig Street鈥�, pretty poor film. Got back my autograph book. Phoned Mike and Mother. Letters from Sturge and Deborah.

JANUARY 1943
12 Tuesday鈥�
Went to Stormont Road, Clapham, with Dave, Joe and Gary. Met Vera and Gladys again. Tom and Ida did not turn up. Left message asking them to be there on Thursday.

13 Wednesday
Went to Balham with Betty saw Noel Coward鈥檚 鈥淚n Which We Serve鈥�, a really grand film. Wrote to Deborah. Jock and Mac put something in my autograph book. Was told I was more than 拢2 in credit, which is good news, but suspicious, as I was about 拢3 in debt when I came here. I won鈥檛 quibble however! Started on Cathode Follower in Theory!?

14 Thursday鈥�
Went to 鈥淪tormont鈥� and saw Tom and Ida, first time I鈥檇 seen Tom for a year, and Ida for seven months. We covered our activities during 1942 in odd snatches between dances. No letters.

15 Friday鈥�
Started our 鈥淢id Term Break鈥�, it consists of three days. In the afternoon during theory, we started on a crossword puzzle and Radio simply never entered into the question!

16 Saturday鈥�
Spent the afternoon wandering around Charing Cross Road trying to stop myself buying books. I succeeded! Saw Betty in the evening.
(4 times!)

17 Sunday鈥�
Didn鈥檛 feel so well, so just lazed around and went to bed early. Was kept awake most of night by terrific gun barrage. Jerry was over as a reprisal for our raiding Berlin last night.

18 Monday鈥�
Saw a grand film, 鈥淢y Sister Eileen鈥� starring Rosalind Russell. Another air raid alert but nothing happened. People were obviously expecting an air raid the Underground was crowded. Yanks don鈥檛 like air raids!

JANUARY 1943
19 Tuesday鈥�
Expt. In Lab. on Squezzing Oscillator. Went to Stormont in evening with Dave. Met Tom who gave me my autograph book back. He managed to get Eddie Bamborough鈥檚 autograph.

20 Wednesday鈥�
Another air raid midday. Jerry bombed a school killing 34 children, 26 kids are still trapped. 4 Radio Mechs killed at Lewisham. Tubes are crowded once again just like the London blitzes of 1940.
In the evening saw Betty, who looked pretty tired having been up two nights on duty in air raids. I hope Joan is OK.
Saw two pretty good films, 鈥淒ate With An Angel鈥� and 鈥淪in Town鈥�. Newspapers were of Russian victories again.

21 Thursday鈥�
Again to the flicks, this time with Sandi. Saw two awful films, top film being 鈥淪omewhere I鈥檒l find you鈥�. Theory is becoming increasingly boring 鈥� its crosswords for me now not Radio!.

22 Friday鈥�
鈥淔licks鈥� again! Saw Betty and went and saw 鈥淭he Major and the Minor鈥�. This film was very good. Maxie and Maurice turned up amongst new chaps. Started Boxing Gym this morning.

23 Saturday鈥�
Spent day with Dave and Sandi. AFT: Went over Houses of Parliament. EVE: Comedy Theatre. Saw play called 鈥淢urder Without Crime鈥�. Very good. Finished up dancing at Queensbury Club. Very interesting and enjoyable day.

24 Sunday鈥�
Went home in morning. Couldn鈥檛 get to Queensbury Club by 4.15 because of fog, so missed Dave and Sandi. Went into club with Bolton and Win, his girl friend. Saw broadcast of Geraldo, followed by a film. Finished up at the Gordon Club (WVS) Victoria.

JANUARY 1943
25 Monday鈥�
Met two girls, Paula and Eileen, during afternoon break at College. In the evening met Betty and went to Odeon at Clapham and saw Diana Barrymore in 鈥淣ightmare鈥�. A good film. More American, 8th Army and Russian victories.

26 Tuesday鈥�
Walked, via Waterloo Bridge, to British Columbia Club, with Maxie and Sandi. Walked from there to Queensbury Club, too crowded there, so we went into the 鈥淭artan Dive鈥� of the 鈥淪USSEX鈥� a Youngers pub just off Leicester Sq. Back by tube from C.G.

27 Wednesday鈥�
Was caught in bed after Reveille, fatigues in the evening resulted! Had a letter from Ken in Egypt, his brother is wounded, must visit his wife whilst I鈥檓 in London. Main item of news is that Churchill met Roosevelt in Monaco. End of the war in sight? Decided to apply for R.A. commission when I return to New Holland.
In evening after fatigues, Dave and I visited the 鈥淕eorge Inn鈥� near London Bridge, an historic pub frequented by Charles Dickens.

28 Thursday鈥�
Saw Betty and went to the Curzon Mayfair to hear a performance of the Middx Regt. Band. A violin solo of 鈥淚ntermezzo鈥� was good, rest was poor. From there to Queensbury Club. Told Betty I couldn鈥檛 see her again.

29 Friday鈥�
Went out with Sandi, Dave, Maurice and Maxie, first to the 鈥淐larence鈥�, then on to the N.F.S. dance in Southwark Bridge Road. The only interesting part of the dance was obtaining a date with a girl named Bobby for next Tuesday.

JANUARY 1943
30 Saturday鈥�
With Maurice to central YMCA, from the L.Sq Theatre and saw 鈥淎RABIAN NIGHTS鈥�. Very good film. From there to a hamburger meal at B.C. Club, from there to Queensbury Club where I met Diana and made a date for tomorrow at the Queensbury Club..

31 Sunday鈥�
Went home in morning, had airgraph from Jim Kilpatrick. Missed Diana at Queensbury Club, so went in alone and saw Jack Payne and his band. From there to Covent Garden, where I met Stan Turner and finally found Diana and friend Joyce. Quite a good evening. Date Tuesday. Letter from Dorothy.

FEBRUARY 1943
1 Monday鈥�
Dave was taken into hospital, probably with flu. In the evening went to Trocadero with Sandi and saw 鈥淲ake Island鈥� a pretty realistic film, rather spoilt by too much Yankee ballyhoo. Feel pretty rotten, might report sick tomorrow.

2 Tuesday鈥�
Met Diana at Sloane Sq. and went to the Gaumont, Chelsea. Diana goes on leave tomorrow, made arrangement to ring her up when she comes back Monday week. After leaving Diana went to Stephens Club, Westminster. Got a hell of a stiff neck!

3 Wednesday鈥�
Went to Gordon鈥檚 Club and met a red-headed South African WAAF named Denyse 鈥� with a 鈥測鈥�! Made a date for Friday. The dance wasn鈥檛 bad but floor space was limited. Had a letter from Joan saying she鈥檇 fixed up with Foyles about my books. Good work! Wrote to Dorothy. Joe and Wally Brown contributed to my autograph book. News of the week: Stalingrad taken by Russians: Churchill in Turkey. U-boats still a menace for ships crossing Atlantic.

FEBRUARY 1943
4 Thursday鈥�
Was on guard at the billet. Read 鈥淢r Norris Changes Trains鈥� by Christopher Isherwood, a mediocre story of pre-war Berlin. Everybody talking of their post war plans as though the war is finished, me included!

5 Friday鈥�
Denyse had to go to Scotland on a driving job, so I went to the YWCA for the dance. Saw Charles, Maxie, Maurice and Joe there. Maxie and I met two ATS girls named Joan and Olwyn. Joan works at the War Office, comes from Sheffield. Made a date for Tuesday, Hyde Pk Cnr 7o/c with Joan.

6 Saturday鈥�
Weekend pass. Dined at Gordons Club with Maxie and Maurice. To Victoria Cinema to see Judy Garland in 鈥淢e and my Gal鈥�. In evening went dancing at Seymour Hall, Baker St. Then straight home. Dave came out of hospital.

7 Sunday鈥�
Met Dave, Maxie and Maurice at Queensbury Club. Saw Rawicz and Landauer play 鈥淲arsaw Concerto鈥�, also Pat Kirkwood, Geo. Formby, Jack Warner, Hal Monty, Gwen Catley, Geraldo, Maisie Weldon, Carol Gibbons. Smashing show. Finished up at Russell Sq. Canteen.

8 Monday
Phoned Denyse. Went with Dave and Maurice to E&C. ABC to see Errol Flynn in 鈥淒esperate Journey鈥�, an impossible film, but quite entertaining. Finished up having supper in the YMCA on Waterloo Stn. Letter from Tom Melling.

9 Tuesday
Phoned Denyse and home. Air raid sirens early morning, another school bombed. In the evening met Joan at Hyde Pk Corner, walked to B.C. Club, then to Queensbuury Club, where we met Ted Fielding and Audrey, his sister in the WRENS, and Sid Bolton and Alvina his girl.

FEBRUARY 1943
10 Wednesday
To Gordon鈥檚 Club with Sandi, Dave, Bolton and Fielding, had a really good meal, then went upstairs to the dance. Denyse wasn鈥檛 there, her Corporal told me she was on another three day drive. Air raid sirens around tea time. Question asked in the House by Emmanuel Shinwell about food supplies, Churchill鈥檚 answer was that we are now drawing on our emergency supplies. Apparently this U-boat menace is indeed a menace!

11 Thursday
Dined at Gordon鈥檚 Club with Maxie. Maxie and I met Joan and Olwyn at Victoria and went to the dance at Streatham Locano. Quite a good dance hall, but much overrated. Joan鈥檚 a nice kid, seeing her again tomorrow. Wrote to Tom.

12 Friday
Letter - 15/- from Foyles. Answered mail. In evening met Joan and went to British Columbia Club, from there we walked to Queensbury Club. Saw Bolton and Winifred there. Dave, Maxie and Maurice were also there. Seeing Joan again Tuesday.

13 Saturday
Dined with Maxie and Maurice at Gordon鈥檚 Club. Met Sandi & Dave in the Strand and went with Sandi to Wyndham鈥檚 so see the play 鈥淨uiet Weekend鈥�. Marjorie Fielding was excellent. Finished up in the canteen in the Crypt of St Martins.

14 Sunday
Dined at Gordon鈥檚 Club with Sandi. Met Dave, Maxie and Maurice at Queensbury Club. Show was compered by Helen Drew, Paramount Film Star. She鈥檚 great! Geraldo and his band were there as usual and several big stars. Show followed by 鈥淲ho Done It鈥� with Abbott and Costello. Very funny. Supper at St Martins.

FEBRUARY 1943
15 Monday
Phoned Joan. Went with Dave and Sandi to Union Jack Club in a frantic effort to swot up 10 weeks work in ten minutes, because of our final Exam tomorrow. Studied 10 minutes, then fell asleep reading short stories!

16 Tuesday
Went with Sandi to see 鈥淭hunder Rock鈥� starring Michael Redgrave. A finely acted film, which leaves something to think about. People in the Elephant & Castle obviously didn鈥檛 understand it, and so chatted throughout the film. Went to Waterloo YMCA for supper.

17 Wednesday
Went to Gordon鈥檚 Club with Maxie. Met Joan and Olwyn at Victoria and went to the dance at Rochester Hall, Bayswater. Prizes for fancy dress 鈥� has this war really been on 5 years!?
Heard results of the final examination taken yesterday. Ouch! I certainly paid for my 10 weeks of painting the town red. But it was worth it. Starting on 14 days leave tomorrow, during which I鈥檓 going to live every minute as I expect to go abroad.

18 Thursday
Arrived home in temper after carting my kit through London and accidentally hitting 90% of the population with my steel helmet! Spent a restful day reading 鈥淭he Barber of Putney鈥� by Beachcomber and 鈥淭he Bride wore black鈥� by John Drummond.

19 Friday
Spent afternoon in Charing X Road, firstly buying 鈥淢rs Miniver鈥�. Met Joan at Hyde Pk. Corner, went to B.C. Club where we met Maxie, Maurice and Oliver. From there to Queensbury Club. Came home by way of Liverpool where I went to YMCA for supper.

20 Saturday
Dined at Gordon鈥檚 Club with Maxie, Maurice and Oliver. Went with them to Metropole and saw 鈥淗appy Go Lucky鈥�. In evening went with sister Joan, Ron and his family to a dance at Winchmore Hill. Bought book by H.G. Wells. Wrote to Ken and Dorothy.
FEBRUARY 1943
21 Sunday
Met Joan at Victoria. Dined at Gordon鈥檚 Club. Went to Broadcast show at Queensbury. This was followed by a better show by the Pioneer Band. Explained the 鈥淢r Hyde side of my personality鈥� to Joan who seemed rather shaken. Nicely though!

22 Monday
Visited Elsie, Ken鈥檚 wife, and took her to his mothers. Saw Albert who is now a Cpl in RAF, Peggy and Derek, now young man and woman, how time flies! Wrote off to Ken and told him of evening. Bought 鈥淗ow green was my Valley鈥�.

23 Tuesday
Joan鈥檚 birthday. Went with her, Mother and Ron to Wood Green Empire and saw 鈥淭he Gestapo鈥� a show. Ernie Lotinga is not funny! Sorted out Joyce鈥檚 letters for salvage, they make interesting reading 鈥� now!

24 Wednesday
Dined at Gordons Cub, met Denyse who has injured her arm. Met Maxie, Joan and Olwyn at Victoria and went to Streatheam Locarno. Edhibition dance by Alex Moore and Pat Kirkpatrick. Supper at St Peter鈥檚, Victoria. Goodbye Joan!
God knows what New Holland or at the best Grimsby will seem like after this course and leave. I shall apply for an RA Commission, volunteer to go abroad, all at once when I get back, if only to keep things moving!

25 Thursday
Met Denyse at St James Park. Went to Gordons Club, from there to Tott. Ct. Rd to see 鈥淪quadron Leader X! a fine film with Eric Portman. Afterward went to Gordon鈥檚 Club for evening. Deny is rather an interesting conversationalist.

FEBRUARY 1943
26 Friday
Met Albert at B.C. Club, went dancing at Paramount, Tea at American Eagle Club. In evening went with Albert and his family to dance at Hornsey Town Hall, Met Babs, a friend of Peggy鈥檚. Made a date for tomorrow. Slept night at Mrs Guryones.

27 Saturday
Met Babs at Wood Green. Went and saw 鈥淣ine Men鈥� a really great film. Babs is only 16, but 16 with a difference! Good luck the girls of 16 didn鈥檛 know damn-all when I was 16, a matter of 6 years ago!!

28 Sunday
Gran and Grandad came in morning. Joan was ill. Made a few bargains selling old books and pre-war stories. Read 鈥淲inter of Discontent鈥� by Gilbert Fontane. In evening went down to see Mother at B.O.

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