Category: 1944 Diary

Friday 18th February, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Got up at 8.0 a.m. good breakfast. To work in Inspector Reynolds’s office under Up side water column. Right hand door. Key hangs above it. Started work on summaries West Yard is a mess. Unable to get far with same. Mr Hill phoned from Exeter at 12.0 nn says will we send forms up addressed to him. Packed up same in parcel and put on first available train viz. 1.40 p.m. Taunton*. Way billed sealed marked value and also for immediate delivery. Had lunch at Floods [?] then caught 2.35 p.m. home. Missed connection at Yatton after carriage door came open. No blind and older type handle. Foreman Hill took me into his office and made a cup of tea. I caught 4.33 p.m. to Clevedon. Met Bob Day on the station is looking much thinner. Says he is on 10 days’ leave. he had a puncture so caught train home. I then cycled home. Went to Johnny’s but had slow puncture in my bike so he mended same. Phoned up Cedric but he has to look after the kids as Jim has been posted. Had a jam session till 9.15 p.m. then went home.

*Presumably this is a mistake as he was at Taunton himself and sending the parcel to Exeter. The train may have been heading for Paignton instead.

Thursday 17th February, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Got up at 8.30 a.m. too late to go to Tiverton or Minehead met Blizzard at East Yard walked up to West Yard. Same has 6 Double Ended roads and 21 others in two sections 6 and 15. Stayed until 10.15 a.m. walked up to Fairwater Sidings could see Silk Mills in distance. Walked back to station then caught 10.55 a.m. train for Chard. Arrived 11.35 a.m. busy place bitterly cold. No restaurants or decent cafes. Returned to station for 12.15 p.m. for Taunton. Train warm nearly slept in same. Arrived Taunton 12.50 p.m. on time. Went to Milk Bar the other end of the town and had lunch. Plenty of people there mostly Yanks. Bought some sandwiches for the evening then returned to digs. Waited until dinner over then sat by the fire. To work at 3.45 p.m. not very busy until 6.30 p.m. Very cold snow trying to fall. John came at 10.30 p.m. Had late supper at 11.00 p.m. Talked till 11.30 p.m. Girl there by the name of Chris obviously a bad type. Bed at 11.45 p.m.

Wednesday 16th February, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Woke up and read in bed until 10.0 a.m. Got up and played piano and read till 11.30 a.m. Dinner then went out to catch 12.23 p.m. for Taunton. Met Pete Elve on the way, talking to a crowd of chaps. Walked back to the station with him. Met [illegible] Cook in train. Met Guard Steer on Yatton platform also Mr Ralph who installed me in the foreman’s room by the fire. [Presumably it was raining.] Says young Hatch from Clevedon is in goods office at Yatton. Good worker. Got to Taunton 3.05 p.m. Dry. Relieved Chas. Very busy for most of evening. Many trains through-runners. John arrived 9.0 p.m. when I was out left his case and returned at 10.15 p.m. Mr Aplin Yardmaster gave us the use of his office which has wireless, electric fire and gadget at left hand side for opening door. Went back to digs at 10.15 p.m. Supper at 11.00 p.m. then bed.

Tuesday 15th February, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Did not get up till 10.0 a.m. phoned Kiddle have an appointment for 3.0 p.m. on Saturday. Read book till 11.0 a.m. then got my own dinner. 11.30 a.m. set out to catch 11.40 a.m. bus. Caught OK but it left at 11.35 a.m. Swing bridge against us at Ashton as ships going by. Got to station at 12.45 p.m. before Chas train arrived. Caught 1.5 p.m. train OK & 2 Yanks. [?] Arrived on time John and Mr Hill, Freeman and another inspector (Blizzard) drinking tea in rooms so we joined them. Went over Yard recognised several faces. Prior St people able to fix us up. Had a walk round Taunton for Chas benefit back to station at 3.30 p.m. John caught 4.12 p.m. back to London and I caught 4.35 p.m. home. Missed connection at Yatton so caught 6.5 p.m. in Arrived 6.15 p.m. left mac at station and thence to pictures. John arrived about 10 minutes later. Spring broken in car delayed him. Saw Will Hay in Old Bones of the River and Things to Come. Went home after collecting mac read till 11.0 p.m. then bed.

[N.B. Presumably these are two different ‘Johns’ as the first one would have been well on the way to London by the time Alec got to Clevedon!]

Monday 14th February, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Caught 8.0 a.m. for London played cards won [twopence halfpenny] so payed my share in the coffee stakes. Train delayed 15 minutes at Bath (since found out due to hot box) but got into Paddn. at 11.45 a.m. Lunch at Club Charles had sandwiches so did not come. Went to Whiteleys’ to have glasses seen to. Fixed me up OK. Back at 1.30 p.m. and finished Mr Hill’s engine working for him. Sent wire to Mrs Stone as advised we go to Taunton tomorrow. Caught 4.12 p.m. Paddn. for Bristol. Chas catching 4.15 p.m. for Chippenham. Got to Bristol at 7.10 p.m. well on time but had to wait for 4.18 p.m. which did not arrive until 7.45 p.m. Picked up Dad in his office so he carried my case home for me from Clevedon station. Had to wait at Yatton so we missed the connection. Went to Badminton Club, quite a few there. Did not play as had no kit. Had practice with Basil. Walked home with John Cedric Kay and Polly read book until 11.0 p.m.

Sunday 13th February, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Home Guard at 9.0 a.m. had a sitting down job at HQ nothing to do but chat with Wilf Hammond and Jack Gooding till 12.30 p.m. then packed up. John came down in afternoon but had to go away again to attend to a horse with a broken leg. Came again at 4.0 p.m. till 5.0 p.m. had some music. Called again at 6.0 p.m. so we took back his double bass. Walked up to the Pier* but not open yet so went back to local. Met Mrs Hobb [?] and Pat also our Yankee friend and one other. Stayed till 8.30 p.m. then went home too crowded. Read till 10.30 p.m. and bed.

*The Wikipedia article about the Pier Hotel could do with updating; it is now flats/apartments and the Pier itself has had an expensive face-lift which includes a new restaurant ingeniously placed half above and half below the deck. The paddle steamers Balmoral and Waverley still call at Clevedon Pier occasionally, and there is (or at any rate was) a plaque there commemorating Alec and his parents. Last time we looked, we couldn’t find it.

Friday 11th February, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Caught 8.43 a.m. Finished off Laira and continued with Bristol Diagram. Finished the Mondays to Saturdays. John started Mondays only and Saturdays only. Charles and myself doing other work for Mr Hill. Paid for tea and buns in the morning. To the club for lunch not too good. Glasses have arrived but they seem to be all frame at the moment, have worn them all the afternoon. Caught 5.5 p.m. Charles has permission to go to Birmingham on 6.10 p.m. Sprats for tea, managed about half of them. Hope they won’t repeat. Siren at 7.50 p.m. Planes and a little gunfire. Dark as pitch out but moon rising. All clear at 8.40 p.m. Nothing about for last half hour. Finished off one novel and will start the next. Bed at 11.0 p.m. no more sirens.

Thursday 10th February, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Caught 8.43 a.m. Paid for paper and cigarettes. Finished off Laira first day and started on second. Paid for buns at 10.00 a.m. John bought coffee. Lunch at club then to Whiteley’s no glasses yet. Bought a couple of books. Had tea at 3.30 p.m. John bought same. Mr Gillett did not come out. Caught 5.5 p.m. stayed in and listened to Buddy Featherstonehaugh and Orchestra. Played One O’clock Jump, Muskrat Ramble, and George Chisholm joined in with the blues. John sang, rather a good voice. No siren.

Wednesday 9th February, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Caught 8.43 a.m. Unable to pay for cigarettes or Telegraph so newsagent let me have them on tick. Got to office Chas says we have to go to London Docks. We met Mr Philips of the Paddington DGMO and took a train to Whitechapel then caught a train for Plaistow. Arrived Plaistow about 10.00 a.m. and caught 699 bus for the Docks. Met Mr Williams of Victoria & Albert Goods Depot who wrote out passes to admit us on to Docks. I took GWR [illegible] of the north side of Royal Albert John and Charles the south. Mr Philips did the King George V Dock. Finished at 11.40 a.m. and made my way back. Was searched at the Police Barrier which produced a couple of buns. Mr Philips took us to a pub where we had lunch rather good chops and jam tart. In the afternoon took GW [illegible] of Victoria Docks and of the yard at Vic & Albert. Left at 4.00 p.m. caught train for Aldgate East. Changed there for train for Paddington. Got back at 4.40 p.m. Caught Mr Hill for a cup of tea then handed my information over for Mr Godfrey. He asked if we were quite warm out there. Caught 5.46 p.m. home with Mr Clifford and Mr Hill. Mrs Stone out so made my own tea. Did not go out. No siren.