Category Archives: Uncategorized

Diary Entry: ‘Sub. Palmer came over. Caught 4.18 pm & went home’ Diary notes: KPD usually means her mother’s home in Orpington when she refers to ‘home’, on this occasion she seems to have been back at work the day after next, with no mention as to when/how she returned. So something important must have …

Continue reading “Diary Date: 17th February [1944]”

Diary Entry: ‘Southend am. Took Brig & Maj. Dryburgh to Vange for dinner, back midnight. Very dark & sick in night.’ Diary notes: A busy and long day for KPD, with two journeys and some waiting around for the officers to finish their dinner!

Diary Entry: ‘Vange am & took Maj Dryburgh.’ Diary notes: A reasonably short (around 30 miles) run in the car for KPD today.

Diary Entry: ‘Thurrock, Romford & Chelmsford Noisy raid. Duty N.C.O.’ Diary notes: Another day when KPD was clearly driving round Essex, and coming quite close to German air raids. The last short phrase ‘Duty N.C.O.’ presumably implies KPD was acting in that role.

Diary Entry: ‘Purfleet am’ Diary notes: One of the shortest entries; KPD’s diary mentions ‘Purfleet’ a few times at around this time.

Diary Entry: Grahame supposed to have c-px? [chicken pox] Left 4pm good hitch to Shenfield Diary notes: Grahame was about 18 months old, and KPD often mentions him around this time. When she says a ‘good hitch’ I assume she means a quick and safe one.

Diary Entry: Left 3.30pm for Dallinghoo. Good hitch with “blacks” Diary notes: Dallinghoo, a village near Woodbridge in Suffolk, (north of Ipswich) was where Anthony (when not away serving) and Peggy Dell lived with their son Grahame. This hitch, one of the many KPD undertook, was mentioned now & again in family chat over the …

Continue reading “Diary Date: 10th February [1944]”

Diary Entry: Gidea Park am. Hornchurch pm Stamford-le-Hope back midnight Diary notes: Assuming all one journey this is at least 80 miles; if KPD had to return to base during the day, then longer.

Diary Entry: M. Pigg & I took Brig. Brombourne & enjoyed day. Diary notes: Definitely NOT the ‘unpleasant Brigadier’ mentioned earlier!

Diary Entry: Saw “Flemish Farm” Diary notes: “The Flemish Farm” was a 1942 propaganda film based on true events during The Second World War. It’s music was composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flemish_Farm_(film) By Unknown – http://auctions.emovieposter.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=3720035, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63692481