Category: 1944 Diary

Wednesday 29th March, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Caught 6.38 a.m. again, Mrs Simpson also on train for second morning. Relieved John at 7.30 a.m. says he has had a rough night hopes to go home tomorrow. Hill came round with Dad at 1.20 p.m. says we are to do Bristol transfer work commencing tomorrow. Chas arrives at 3.8 p.m. Getting worse. Just manage to catch 3.10 p.m. Went to pictures with John and Douglas. Not a bad film at all. Pat and Margaret there. Johnny not thirsty so Doug and I went on. Walked past Doug’s place then back to Salthouse for a quick one. Saw Doug’s old friend Beryl Abrahams. Packed up at 9.30 p.m. and went home.

Tuesday 28th March, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Caught 6.38 a.m. from Clevedon. Started ball rolling at Temple Meads not very busy there. George Burgi came round several times and relieved me to get a cup of coffee. Mr Hill also in evidence at different times. Chas turned up at 3.5 p.m. just enabled me to catch 3.10 p.m. for home. Had a jam session with Cedric and John. Doug looking very bored with himself. Went to Salthouse afterwards. Cedric did not stop.

Monday 27th March, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

To the office on the 11.10 a.m. train. Hill came down from Chester so in meantime went to Temple Meads and Kings[land] Road with the crowd. Hill turned up at 4.0 p.m. says we start at Temple Meads tomorrow. Caught 5.15 p.m. home then went to Badminton. Hurt my foot and could hardly walk home which I did with Pat and Doug.

Saturday 25th March, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Caught 8.0 a.m. train. Mr Hill has said we do not go to London next week but have to work at Temple Meads and Kings. Road*. No-one in office and no-one phoned for me so caught 11.27 p.m. home. Met Doug Steele home on leave when I got to Clevedon. Arranged for him to come to my place in afternoon as having a bit of a do. He came down about 2.30 p.m. but Johnny had to go out on a case so he did not see him. Arranged to go to pictures in evening so took him along. Johnny quite amazed. Met Pat [sic] and Margaret in pictures. Also when in Salthouse saw Mrs H. Had a spot of music round their place afterwards. Gave Eric a demonstration of boogie-woogie as it should be played. Says it is quite good. He has a good touch but is sadly out of practice.

*The only Kings Road in Bristol runs alongside the cemetery at Arnos Vale, but a bit of detective work suggests that he probably means Kingsland Road sidings – and there is indeed a full stop in the diary suggesting that ‘Kings’ is an abbreviation for ‘Kingsland’. It’s difficult at this date to know where he may have worked there – Google Earth imagery does not go back earlier than 1999 but shows a variety of buildings on the site – but, considering that he’d made use of various trackside huts and empty brake vans elsewhere, it need not actually have been a permanent building at all.

Thursday 23rd March, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Caught 8.0 p.m. Work in Office on East Depot. Pete Elve on train going back from leave. Made 5d at cards latter cancelled. Bob says we are not going to London tomorrow. Met Cedric in town. Paid instalment on Clarinet. Pretty good one by the heft of it. Summarising E. Depot in afternoon. Caught 4.40 p.m. home. Went to Badminton in evening.

Wednesday 22nd March, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Caught 6.38 a.m. same procedure to Depot. Train rather late. Met Mr Ritchins on same. Rees Barret got job at Yatton. Much lighter than Tuesday. Train turned up on loop at 3.10 p.m. when John’s train arrived at the Park.* 60-odd wagons on. Caught 4.0 p.m. Bristol, met Mrs Simpson as on Tuesday. Train missed connection at Yatton. Did not get home till 5.40 p.m.

Cedric and John came round at 7.0 p.m. for a spot of music. Had a good bash then to Salthouse for quick one. Met the Hobbs party in there. Had to go and play the piano at their place as latter has just been tuned. Pretty good too. Left at 11.0 p.m. and bed.

* I’m guessing this would be St_Anne’s_Park .

Tuesday 21st March, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Caught 6.38 a.m. for East Depot. Picked up 7.53 a.m. from Bristol. Not a very busy time. John arrived on 11.15 a.m. London and came to the Depot on 3.5 p.m. Caught 4.0 p.m. Bristol (bus leaves Board Mills at 3.30 p.m.). Train made connection at Yatton – just. Did not go out as felt too stiff from last night.

Monday 20th March, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Caught 8.0 a.m. and got to work on the Stoke Gifford analyses. Job squared up by mid-day. John came on 9.5 a.m. Paddington, Mr Hill on 11.15 a.m. Latter 60 minutes late from Paddington. Went to canteen for lunch then had a walk round. Charles arrived on B’gham train at 12.30 p.m. Caught 5.15 p.m. home. To Badminton in evening, very active. Nearly broke my wrist. To Old Inn for refreshment. Social to be organised at end of season. This finishes the end of this month. Home at 11.0 p.m. then bed.