Diary Entry: Saw “Lady on a Train” at Kingsbury.

Diary notes: “Lady on a Train” is a 1945 American crime ‘film noir’ starring Deanna Durbin, Ralph Bellamy and David Bruce. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_on_a_Train 

Diary Entry: Took Maj. Crawford to look for billets. Maj McConnell & I went to “The Shouting Dies” at Hammersmith.

Diary notes:  “The Shouting Dies” appears not to be a film, but a play by Ronda Keane performed at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith:

Margaret Johnson’s obituary (in 2002) describes this as an “experimental” production, which rather surprises me as KPD’s taste tended more towards middle of the road culture. Perhaps the choice of play was the Major’s!

Diary Entry: Started taxi service to Eastcote.

Diary notes: Presumably a regular round trip to Eastcote (about 5 miles from Wembley). There was an RAF station at Eastcote, and Bletchely Park established an outstation there, which was a forerunner of GCHQ at Cheltenham. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Eastcote  

Diary Entry: Went to Putney with Madge & brought back 513.

Diary notes: ‘Madge’ must have been an A.T.S. colleague who helped KPD collect her car after 11 days being repaired. 

Diary Entry: Church Parade. Very wet. Back by lorry. Tea & supper Dabbs.

Diary notes: ‘Mrs Dabbs’ is mentioned several times in the diary, but who exactly she was is unclear.

Diary Entry: Got off 11.30. Went home evening.

Diary notes: Home for KPD was still her Mother’s house in Orpington. A very quick home visit as KPD was back on duty the next morning. 

Diary Entry: Joyce, Farrance & I went to “Perfect Strangers”.

Diary notes: For José, see yesterday’s diary notes.

“Perfect Strangers” (called “Vacation from Marriage” in the USA)  is a 1945 British film starring Robert Donat and Deborah Kerr. SEE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_Strangers_(1945_film) 

Diary Entry: Had supper José at Ealing.

Diary notes: José [McLelland] was a friend of KPD, and probably also in the A.T.S. KPD socialised with her, and even went on holidays with her over some years. 

Diary Entry: Spent evening Cosgroves.

Diary notes: For (limitied!) information on the ‘Cosgroves’, see the notes for 12^th October. 

Diary Entry: Out in car afternoon. Left 7.30 bus.

Diary notes: The Lewis family seem to have been well off – KPD learned to drive with their chauffeur and also drove their Bently in pre-war years!