Date |
Sgt David S. Gray's Notes, July - August 1942 |
| July 2 |
Chick {Ewing} went to London. had good time. |
| July 4 |
Hung around Bill went to Hull. Went home with gal for chow usual thing. Big party at De La {Pale}Hospital. |
| July 9 |
First of the planes. 2 of ours. Lt. Smith + Mathis Five of HDQ's came in also. |
| July 10 |
First Mail from States. |
| July 13 |
Folks at home heard from me. usual duties |
| July 19 |
H. Hunt = squad photo took my picture at the abbey. |
| July 24 |
Air echelon arrived from Iceland + Scotland. |
| July 25 |
Sgt Caudell gave us ground crew line men a pep talk assigned to crew with Settergren |
| July 26 |
Planes arrived. Found my new ship. Will {Gravitt}. Coghlin. me and Settergren. |
| August 1 |
Made Corporal |
| August 3 |
Usual duties working on the plane when not on some damn detail guard etc. |
| August 20 |
Went down to New Holland with Fitzmorris from Portland Me. bought Fish + chips |
| August 21 |
Went to dance in New Holland. boards went up and down with your weight. trip over the cracks. Met a blonde named Ethyl. Everyone calls her gasoline. or petrol. |
| August 22 |
Went down to New Holland. |
| August 23 |
(New Holland) the blond |
| August 24 |
8 - 24 - 42 Turned in barracks bags. packed kit bags and marched to the train Left Goxhill at 9:30 A.M. Went thru town of Boston. pretty good size. airdrome near it. passed several Flying Fields on the way down. Went thru London but as usual. never see much from a train. Arrived at Ringwood near our new field at 7:00 P.M. Fooled around for an hour with heavy kit on our backs and had no food. Waiting for Officers to make up minds |
| August 25 |
Slept last nite in a stretcher in an ambulance I was lucky to find it. Thanx to a W.A.A.F girl working in the hospital. Most of the fellows slept on a floor or in hay stacks. Never saw such inefficiency among officers in my life. All they can do is argue and snap each others head off. Then a flying officer about 22 comes along and straightens everything out. I've done so little writing + reading I've forgotten how to spell. Someone hooked my pen. |
| August 26 |
Finally found a place to sleep. that is a bed. The first Sgt. got sore and told a Major where to go. Got a truck and we got our own beds. Major told the 1st Sgt. he'd bring him to trial. Cook said go ahead he'd rather be a private anyway. Took off at noon with Rick and Bill + went on a 20 mile bus ride to Bournemouth a beach resort. The best town we've seen, plenty to eat. too much to drink. saw a movie the raid on Dieppe. |
| August 27 |
Stayed in YMCA last nite + had breakfast. Had a great time last nite. went to the Pavillion a big dance hall. Met lots of U.S. fellows in the R.A.F. They wish they were with us even if just privates. came back to camp at noon. Caught hell because they had a roll call. Planes came in. found mine. Settergren the crew chief stayed at Goxhill till plane left. Put tools + candy in the baggage compartment for me. Wells [Lt Richard Wells?] the pilot. was glad to get here. took little over an hour. wanted me to [cont'd on August 28] |
| August 28 |
[cont'd from August 27] go out + get drunk with him. but I had to go on guard that nite 8 PM to 11 P.M. then 2 A.M - 5 A.M. One man on guard for every 2 planes. All the privates are doing K.P. and other shit details so no Corporals pull guard. First package from home today. long awaited for gum. boy was that good. also writing paper that must be a hint. Pulling guard tonite 11 - 2 AM. 5 AM - 8 AM. 2 or 3 raid warnings but no planes. |
| August 29 |
Slept till noon today went swimming in a small river. ate black berries rode back into camp found out there was a restriction on us. can't go out of the field area. go on guard tonite from 8 P.M. - 11 and 2 A.M. - 5 A.M. Couple of raids while on guard but couple of Spitfires from nearby drove em off. There is a big 40 MM. antiaircraft gun behind our planes. I'd like to see it let loose. |
| August 30 |
Slept till noon. shaved shower. letter to folks + one to Ruth. went swimming again. watched 2 P-38's take off to get a Jerry "recon". but their waste gates on superchargers stuck and they couldn't go above 38000' Spitfire chased him off. what humiliation. Meeting of all 71st tell us why we're restricted. some move underfoot + their afraid we'll talk. Guard again to nite 11 - 2 A.M. 5 - 8 AM. English rations = means food is lousy still. |
| August 31 |
Slept till noon. pay line at 2:00 P.M. finally got paid at 4:00 P.M. Because all draftees get paid before we do. burns us up. For being a sucker and enlisting. Saw my first Boulton Paul Defiant on the ground today. Not bad but underpowered. Rick + I went swimming. There are going to be 96 fellows taken for special form of commando training. to take over the airports in France, Hope I get picked. We all go to bed at 9:30 up at 4:45 A.M. no liquor. few smokes. |
WWII Notebook Journal of Sgt. David S. Gray