1 Nov Wed

Not a bad day though cold and misty at first.  Nothing much happening in the Ops line on 1 Corps front – we are in Knocke!  Ops on Walcheren going well.  Here we may move to the Ghent area – good show if true.  Some V2s landed v close – one about 1500 yds away at 5.30 pm – some cas.  Busy day but quite enjoyable.  Only mail being welcome letter from Gerald.

To AJA (L.C.)                                    From G.

2 Nov

Infm Room – v dull day, long periods with sweet FA to do.  No news – KNOCKE entered!  Walcheren nearly clear.  Saw Doc who gave me more tablets for my p-ing disease.  Tim & Charles away to Brussels for their 48 hrs leave.

To A                                                    From A

3 Nov

Not awfully satis day.  Am in Charles office at 11.15 am – then to stamp dealer & drink at Century prior to lunch in C’s Mess – v comfortable.  After lunch went to see Pimpernel Smith but bloody thing cancelled out half way through.  Tea at Excelsior.  Haircut, couldn’t get a bath, saw end of P.S.!  then to start of dance & hitchhike back!  Back of bogwheel, shanks pony, jeep to door.  Arrived 8.45 dinner, ****, then on duty at 9.45.

To A                                                    From ECS, Men Only, L

4 Nov

Not a bad night – worked in about 3 ½ hours sleep – Went over to 104 (Timberwolf) US Inf Div HQ in the morning with Lyall – back here for lunch, a lot of V2s during day.  No mail.  Slept from 2 ocl – 5.30 then up and wrote A & BHK before dinner – after dinner finished off my letter to A and then had a fairly early night – no mail again today.  Bit chilly.  Tim & Charles back from their 48 hrs in Brussels.

To A                                                    From Nil

     BH Kent

5 Nov Sun

On duty at 9 ocl – not much happening – went to Church in evening – still ping ad infinitum.  Steve going off on an SD course at Camberley.  Battle practically all over now – big regrouping due at any minute.  Wrote L and then to bed pretty early.  Lot of V2s about.

To L                                                    From A, L.

6 Nov (Mon)

Absolutely sweet FA to do all day.  No excitements.  Not feeling too fit thoroughly fed up and far from home.  Long chat with Lyall in Mess after dinner and wrote A.  We move tomorrow for certain to area just South of Tilburg.

To A                                                    From Mrs TKD, Books AV.

7 Nov

Up at 8.45 having rather overslept – burnt my mouth at breakfast!  Tomato caught me on the wrong foot.  Left Brasschalt at 12 ocl after v early lunch.  Charles and I now fixed up a treat – got hold of super desk.  Terrific regrouping flaps in office.  New place not too bad though Tilburg very dull spot.  Charles & I went in there at 3.30 for an hour & had a look round.  Wrote A 5.30 – 6.45 then wash, dinner relieved John R – then on duty at 10

To A                                                                L

     JB                                                              B

8 Nov

Nothing much on today – slept very cold night in office & during day took things very quietly.  NTR in our part of front – Slept 2 pm – 4.45, relieved JR for dinner then to bed early.

To A                                                    From G

     Aunt Vi                                                    ECS

9 Nov

On duty all day – NTR.  To do most of Traffic Officer’s work for them – early start tomorrow am, at exactly 8 pm drank my W.W’s health – left office at 10.15 & had drink and chat with Tim.

To Nil                                                  From A Strand A.

10 Nov

Up at 0620 & out at Tilburg ‘East’ br at 7.30 after a good b’fast.  Very cold wet & miserable.  Got back to camp at 2.45.  Pottered – tea with Geoffrey Armitage.  Wrote after tea – drink with Tim in B Mess.  Feeling like death warmed up – must snap out of it.  on duty at 9.45 pm.

To A                                                    From Mags L

     Mrs TKD (£5)

11 Nov (Sat)

Fairly quiet night – pottering sort of day.  Wrote up notes on 1 Corps since D day for Wilson – G2 Educn – took whole morning.  After lunch walked over to Rear & back.  Then slept from 3.30 – 5 ocl.  After tea wrote A & L.  After dinner chat with Lyall then early to bed.  Wet day.

To – L                                                 From L

        A                                                         J. James

12 Nov (Sun)

On duty at 9 ocl – Sweet FA doing.  Wrote few days of War Diary.  Church in am.  Off from 6.30 – 8.15 – bath, wrote A & dinner.  Super letter from A.  Wet day.

To A (not finished)                           From A

13 Nov

On duty all day – very quiet – finished off letter to A after dinner, otherwise absolutely NTR – on duty at 10 pm.

To A                                                    From L

14 Nov

Quiet night – slept from 0130 – 0630 hrs – record.  Pottering sort of day.  Frigged around this morning – lost 18fr to Edward Rice at patience.  After lunch visit to fangsnatcher – tooth temporarily stopped.  Bought stamps in Tilburg from Poste Counter – after return super bath & hairwash before tea – wrote A before dinner.

To A                                                    From Nil

15 Nov

On Ops all day, absolutely Sweet FA to report – no mail from A – 12 Corps attack started & is going very well.

To Nil                                                  From PR, B.

16 Nov

On all day – Sweet FA to report again, no mail, poor show.

Must write to L, G, B, AD, PR, KD.

To A                                                                DF Baccy

London Opinion (L)

17 Nov

Left here for Brussels at 9.15 arr there at 11.30.  shop, lunch, shop, News Reel, Tea & then home in the pouring rain at 4.45 arr here at 7.30 – changed, dinner, and so on duty at 10 pm, very quiet night, slept from 1.30 – 6.30 nea so bad, lad.  Frightful atmosphere & got snorting headache.

To A                                                    From Nil

18 Nov (Sat)

On duty 9 – 10 pm.  After lunch excellent game of hockey v TILBURG.  We lost 7.3 (3) though they scored 3 in last 10 mins.  Shower & wash then back on duty – naughty mail.  Came off early at 8.30 – patience with Charles before a spot of letter writing.

To L                                                    From G, Ben Kent

19 Nov (Sun)

On duty all morning.  Excellent game v Tilburg again in afternoon.  Slightly scrappy at times.  We drew 1-1 (1) – Duty again after tea for short time then off to dinner.  Wrote A and went on til 10.30.  News very good, anything may happen.  MAIL at long last.

To A                                                    From A, L, JB, ECS.

20 Nov

Feeling very stiff again today.  Off during pm – letters, bath.  On between tea and dinner.  Off after dinner when I had excellent game of poker with Tim, Lyall, ‘Snatcher’, Ken and Fitz.  Won 80frs but had to pack up at 10 ocl for night duty.  Nothing much happening.  French on the Rhine near Basle.

To L                                                    From Mrs TKD

     Barclays Bank                                         B

     A (Parcel)                                                 Parcel L

Argosy L

Mags L

21 Nov

Inoculation.  Arm very stiff after it.  Went over to Army in morning & slept in afternoon.  Bath after tea.  Wrote good whack of letters before bed at 10 pm.  rained most of day.

To G                                                   From Nil

     A

     Peter Rawson

22 Nov

Filthy day – never stopped raining.  On duty all day – no news from our part of the world.  Alistair Gold & Ronnie Tilmi to tea.

To Nil                                                  From A

23 Nov

Martin away on leave 2 wizard letters from A sg.  Foul day & our hockey had to be cancelled – just as well really as Tim away with impetigo, Miles att to Civil Affairs & new G1 is going to Comd Essex (56 Bde 49 Div).  Off after tea – wrote A.  At 10 ocl came off duty – poker ruined by tight G1 etc didn’t win or lose.  Bed at 12.30 am.

To A                                                    From A 2, G.

24 Nov

Filthy day though it cleared up slightly at the end – Went down to Turnhout this am purchased flask 4711 E de C and Scent, apples and some stamps.  Got new b’dress from Q Stores.  Patience with Edward before & after lunch then to cinema with Charles & Edward.  Back at 6 pm after seeing v good film ‘ Adventures of Mark Twain’.

To A                                                    From Nil

25 Nov

On all day – Maps & info Room – not very much happening.  Tim relieved me at 9.15 pm and I got in a game of poker with ‘Snatcher’, Lyall, Duck, Tim and Ken Hurll – lucky last hand won me 105 francs.  Foul day again – rained all day – Martin Bunch new G1.  G1 left today.

To Nil                                                  From L, ECS, 2 lots paper L

26 Nov Sun

Lovely day for a change – on duty all day except for pm when I had excellent game of hockey against Tilburg.  Our team was John Wilcox – Tresling (Dutch LO – International), Burch, Douglas, Goodbody (OU) – Charles – friend of Charles, Hopkins, Franks (RN), Wilson (Edn), Self, Ted Woasdell.  Score at half time 0-0 – beaten 5.2 after excellent even game – scored 2.  New G2 either John Roberts (Martin’s choice) Jim Bingham (BGS choice) – self (old G1 choice) ? – Off at 10.15 pm – letters afterwards til midnight

To A                                                    From A

      L                                                               DF Baccy

27 Nov

Off duty and had lazy potting day.  Still no news of who will be new G2 – Slept in afternoon and attended Traffic conference from 6.30 – 7.30 pm.  On duty at 10 pm after ‘patience’ with Charles.

To Brian                                             From Nil

28 Nov

Bloody awful day.  Relieved at 7.45 am – b’fast and then out to BEST for Traffic control – out until 4.30 – no future in riding motorcycle this weather.  Got back soaked to skin at 6.15 good hot bath then on duty after dinner ‘til 10 pm.  Letters from home but nothing from A.  off for 48 hrs tomorrow.

To A                                                    From  L, G, B

29 Nov

Left T at 10.30 and got lift with Van Lacre.  Stopped for lunch at LOUVAIN and eventually arrived at Brussels at 2.30.  went to 214, Avenue Laurie where the Hs and Maurice Geeraerts were delighted to see me – Maurice will give me bed & b’fast the Hs other meals.  Went to films then excellent dinner and chat.  Film I had seen ‘T D &  Harry’ – Ginger Rogers.  Was shown some of the ‘sights’ of Brussels on way there.  Dinner – Soup – sardines, cold chicken, ‘cake’ sweet, coffee & brandy, wines with same.  Back at 10 ocl with Maurice, sleep after seeing his house – v dilapidated now, poor old M, so full of tales of woe but meaning none of them

30 Nov

Up at 8.45 – b’fast at 9.15 – porridge, toast & jam & tea.  Went to Credit Auvensoise & drew 1000 francs from bank.  Caught train with Mrs H & M at 11.30 for Waterloo – super lunch partridge each & chips – v good.  Excellent game of golf won 3 & 2 & 15 francs – wet under foot but a lovely day.  Back for dinner at 6.30 pm – soup, super mushroom omelette – mushrooms on toast then to Music Hall which was very good (second half better) – beer at a Sing Song place – & so back to 15 Rue Van Eyck.  Wrote A before going to bed.

To A

Locns HQ 1 Corps

LA DELIVRANDE

DOUVRES

BIEVILLE

Just S COLOMBELLES Factory

QUATRE PUITS (5 m W of ST SYLVAIN)

LA MOTTE (4 m W of LISIEUX)

LA MOTTE (12 m E of LISSEAUX)

BOIS INGER (just W BOURG ACHARD)

FOUCART (S of FAUVILLE)

MANDEVILLE (5 m W of BOLBEC)

SMERMESNIL (SE of DIEPPE)

Harbin area – SW of VALENCIENNES.

KEERBERGEN.

SANDTHOVEN.

TURNHOUT.

Camp de BRASSCHAET.

TILBURG.