This is where we start, with Alec Donald William Atkins, born on 28 June 1922 in Keynsham. We meet him here as a young man of 22, skinny and bespectacled, kept out of military service by colour-blindness. He was an only child, and at the time of the first diary entry he was working at the Traffic Analysis Department, Traffic (E), Superintendent of the Line’s Division, Paddington, W2. He seems to have been lodging somewhere in London with a Mrs Stone – she turns up in later entries – during the week, and going home to his parents at Clevedon, near Bristol, at weekends. His diary isn’t very exciting, for the most part, but here and there he includes some fascinating details and insights into his life.

[I intend to retain his punctuation, or lack of it, unless I find it annoys me too much!]

February 6th 1944 – Sunday

Gordon called before I got up returning trumpet. Went to Home Guard in morning. Did not change or go out in afternoon. John called round at 2.30 p.m. and again at 7.00 p.m. Went to Salthouse and met our Yankee friend. Packed up at 9.30 p.m. place getting too crowded.

Since heard goods broke away in Box Tunnel.