Greetings, Danny and thank you for your kind words.
I've done a bit more delving and now I'm pretty certain that this is our correspondent:-
LAC Harry Thomas 2217848 released 29 03 1946 5013 squadron RAF
His "service and release book"states that overseas service was 15 months and 20 days and he was awarded the France-Germany Star. served in "RAF UR" (or could that be "VR") His rank was AC2 and his ID card for "mechanical transport drivers" states "available from 19 12 44 to 18 12 45......so this must have been issued annualy. Born 30 7 1912, he was quite old by standards of the day, so I'd guess that the W.D. were "scraping the barrel " when they called him up-all 65 inches!
Anyway, back to his diary
Jan 31 left florenze 10-o-clock Arrived Durbuy in ardennes at 3.30 via dinant-siney-avelange-maffy-durbuy.
Feb 16 had walk to barvaux johnny took some snaps
feb 17 worked until 10
Feb 18 had a rest. unburied Germans beginning to skin & smell. No time to bury them yet.
Feb 19 Special day My darlings birthday. many happy returns love. xxxx
Feb 20 Nearly bought a watch in BAYEAX * for £15-10-0 but changed my mind
*could this be BAVEAX?
Feb 21 nothing doing.....................................
Feb 28 Been to Verviers again. Got stuck in yank tank convoy going to front. Hundreds going up all day must be something big on.........................
March 11 Yanks pulling our Bailey bridge down for over the Rhine.
March 12,13,15 nothing to report
March 13 one of lads, playing with tank mine killed.
March 16 Went to liege it sure has had a battering
March 17 nothing new....................
March 21 first day of spring lovely day. Went to Liege with Johnny and Freddie.....................
March 24-28 nothing to report.
March 29 Went to Liege with Johnny.
March 30-31 nothing to report.
April1 Moving to Germany as soon as line is static.............
April 4,5. At Brussels on 48 hrs. rest.Been to see belgian show. Not so good. billeted at Toc H
April 6th. Back at zuzerian
April7th. got to pack for move to munster
April8th. Officers having a farewell party but we may not move now for 2 weeks.
April 9,10,11,12 nothing to report
April 13 went to Liege
April 14 Had good PX ration 16 bars chocolate 5 pkt. Spearmint 400cigs.
april14 Had a good pic. show.
April 15 16 packing up in readiness for Germany
April 17: 18 left ZURAINat8.30 for southern Germany via BARVEUX,LIEGE,AACHEN,LIMBOURG,STALBOURG,DUREN,ZULPICK,RHEINB ACH,Ccrossing Rhine at REMAGEN & staying night.
April 19 20 After Rem. we by passed a wood &travelled 100 miles on a auto bann through Montbarr to crossed river Main to frank fort & Nien Rodent
Aschhafenborg aeindafild tauber- eisicheishein & on to Bad -Morgenthien.
April19 Went to Wurtburg in Bavaria or at least what is left of it for ration........
Well, that's all for today. It may be that the roads were so bad, or there were pockets of Enemy, that they had to divert....but he did make AAchen!
Writing gets a bit scrappy when he gets to Germany,-He seemed to have little problem with French spellings, but the German place -names are very tediously written.
We must remember, it's likely he'd never been abroad before,so this was a huge challenge.
Last edited by cockney steve; 31st Oct 2012 at 13:01.
Reason: added more explanation