Lots of amusement here, especially the centipede
. You poor chaps.
Mr WHBM Senior, navigator, RAF Topcliffe, snowy winter 1942, on Halifaxes. Apparently notwithstanding national shortages outside, things for aircrew were maintained notably well. About 2 miles outside the village, but the paper boy from the village shop would bicycle out on the icy lanes each early morning before school with their newspapers. The men, of course, appreciating this, rather took him under their wing. "Would you like to come in past the gate for some bacon and eggs in our mess before going on", along with putting him and bike into base transport to go back along the ice to the village. All irregular, but what the hell. Until one morning when suddenly an unusually early Op was announced. When this was done base was locked in sterile to stop any news of what was going on leaking out. With the paper boy in the mess. A decision for the CO, who happened to be passing. An exception was made ...