Back to Aberdeen
After all the old timers had returned from well deserved leaves taken after VE day, the younger air-crews, including us were given a ten day holiday. I hitched a flip up to Aberdeen where I spent six great days before meeting Bondy, my old New Zealand pal in Edinburgh. The streets there were jammed as hundreds came to gather on world famous Princess Street to see Edinburgh Castle illuminated for the first time since 1939. It was sure nice not to have to stumble around in the dark any more. My holiday ended down in Keswick with Little Joe Manuel where we spent a few days on the golf course and just lazing around. Joe told me most of the Canadian boys on 407 were on their embarkation leave.
Upon arriving back at the station, we happily went back flying, while expecting to receive our orders to fly East any day. A number of times we acted as messengers on flights to Holland, Denmark and Germany, either delivering aircraft parts or picking up planes that had been repaired. On one occasion we took a detour over cologne and Arnhem and took several aerial photos. If you look closely at the two attached prints you can see the extensive damage as well as one of our aircraft. It was amazing that the Cologne Cathedral was not damaged in allied air attacks. From the air most of the German cities appeared to be badly damaged, while the towns and cities in Holland and Belgium seemed, in the most part, to have been spared.
We heard via the grapevine that most of the other Coastal Command Mosquito and Beaufighter Squadrons had been disbanded, however at 254 we kept busy with a couple of hours flying each day while awaiting future orders regarding possible travel plans. A trip to the far east would be a great opportunity to see the world, with good pay and the best life a fellow could wish for. Most of the squadron personnel were now on regular office hours of 9 to 5 with the weekends off.
As I had five weeks of leave coming to me between the first of June and the middle of August, I wangled a flip up to Dyce airport which is just north of Aberdeen thereby saving about fourteen hours on the train. As usual I had a great time - swimming at the "Y" in the morning, golfing in the afternoon (managed to break 90 one day) and courting my favorite Wren, Rene Burnside, most evenings. On her off day we spent the afternoon at the beach, and she fell in the North Sea while paddling. It took us the rest of the day to get her dried out. The next night some of the chaps staying at Mrs. Wood's Dormy House were invited to a welcome home party for a returning POW. It was held at a mansion and all the top society names in Aberdeen were there. The place reminded me of a high class antique shop. The cup and saucers dated back prior to 1800 and I was about as nervous holding them as before my first solo.
Upon arriving back at the station, we happily went back flying, while expecting to receive our orders to fly East any day. A number of times we acted as messengers on flights to Holland, Denmark and Germany, either delivering aircraft parts or picking up planes that had been repaired. On one occasion we took a detour over cologne and Arnhem and took several aerial photos. If you look closely at the two attached prints you can see the extensive damage as well as one of our aircraft. It was amazing that the Cologne Cathedral was not damaged in allied air attacks. From the air most of the German cities appeared to be badly damaged, while the towns and cities in Holland and Belgium seemed, in the most part, to have been spared.
We heard via the grapevine that most of the other Coastal Command Mosquito and Beaufighter Squadrons had been disbanded, however at 254 we kept busy with a couple of hours flying each day while awaiting future orders regarding possible travel plans. A trip to the far east would be a great opportunity to see the world, with good pay and the best life a fellow could wish for. Most of the squadron personnel were now on regular office hours of 9 to 5 with the weekends off.
As I had five weeks of leave coming to me between the first of June and the middle of August, I wangled a flip up to Dyce airport which is just north of Aberdeen thereby saving about fourteen hours on the train. As usual I had a great time - swimming at the "Y" in the morning, golfing in the afternoon (managed to break 90 one day) and courting my favorite Wren, Rene Burnside, most evenings. On her off day we spent the afternoon at the beach, and she fell in the North Sea while paddling. It took us the rest of the day to get her dried out. The next night some of the chaps staying at Mrs. Wood's Dormy House were invited to a welcome home party for a returning POW. It was held at a mansion and all the top society names in Aberdeen were there. The place reminded me of a high class antique shop. The cup and saucers dated back prior to 1800 and I was about as nervous holding them as before my first solo.