Wilfred (Pip) Hill's Diary 1940/1941 - Extract 3 Wilmslow, waiting to be posted

Wilfred Hill was known to his family and friends as Pip (from the children’s cartoon ‘Pip, Squeak and Wilfred’). He was born in Blackpool, Lancashire in 1922 but moved south with his parents and elder brother, Harry, at the age of 10. A few days after his 18th birthday he volunteered for the RAF. His diary begins the day he enlisted (4th Sept 1940) and covers the training period in England, the long and hazardous sea voyage to the Middle East and his first few weeks in Iraq.

These diary extracts were transcribed and submitted by Anne Hill, Wilfred’s widow, and Margaret Hill, his daughter. Editing has been kept to a minimum. Notes enclosed in square brackets are their added comments or queries.

Wednesday 16 Jul 1941
Off 7.00am from Manston. Caught 7.35 Westgate-on-Sea, arrived 15.50 at Wilmslow. Bastard of a place. No leave. Out one in five nights, 5 mile limit. Will I ever see my folk before I leave again?

Thursday 17 Jul
Yes. We have been told we may get a 48hr before the draft leaves. Had a parade at 9.00am, a flight lieutenant inspected us, after which we had a lecture on “Keeping Mum”. 1-4 huts are going on leave or something. Our hut has taken over the duties allocated to 1 and 2 huts. Wilmslow is a partly temporary camp about fifteen miles from Manchester. The strict regulations are because previous drafts caused much trouble in the nearby towns. So now only two hundred men from each squadron are allowed out each night which works out to six out of one hut. Weekdays we must be in by 9.30pm, weekends 11.00pm. We were kitted out for the Tropics, topee, half drill etc. As yet we have only one set of drill and a deficiency chit for another. I have just swapped with someone for fire picket so tonight I will have to parade at 17.30 with respirator and helmet and stay somewhere for the night. Fire picket turned out to be a bit rough. Firstly we had to polish the offices and secondly only three of us at a time were allowed out of the orderly room where we slept. In the evening I was able to see about forty minutes of a show in the hangers, Ivor Moreton and Dave Kaye were on.

Friday 18 Jul
Left orderly room about 7.45am, had breakfast, washed and got ready for morning parade at 8.45am. On the square about five minutes, came back and have spent all the morning painting rings round our two kitbags. This afternoon there is a show in the hanger by the cast of the Palace Theatre Manchester. If we are doing nothing tonight I’m going to see if I can manage to go. I did manage to go. It was a very good, if short, show. The main stars were Revnell and West and ‘Hutch’ and a very good xylophone act. It started at 3.30pm and finished in time for tea at 4.30pm. I hope this 48hrs leave materialises. By Christ I can do with it. The reason why this book is getting so much attention is because we have little else to do all day except hang about all day in these billets. To cap it all today Friday it has been raining heavily all the morning and half this afternoon. I’m longing for the time when I can get out of here one way or the other. This waiting around has shot me down completely. How dumb I was to join up. I’ve been looking through the scribble book and thinking of what Harry said when I wanted to join. “You’ll soon get browned off with the service”. How true it was. Stayed in the billet all evening except for a couple of trips to the NAAFI.

Saturday 19 Jul
11.40am. Raining heavily from the time I woke up. No morning parade. Went over to NAAFI at 9.45am. Came back to my hut and fixed up my blue webbing. Every time the hut door opens everybody turns and looks who is coming in. We are all browned off and want to get out of here for a while. After dinner had nothing to do, just stayed in the hut. Received three letters, one from home, one from Bunny and one from the ‘Pearl Assurance’. The one from the Pearl had a paper which I signed and returned. I spent most of the afternoon writing to Bunny. After tea, now at 5.00pm, I wrote home and posted it. I then went to the NAAFI. Had something to eat, returned to the billet then went for a bath and washed a collar and a pair of socks, had a shave, made my bed and got into it.

Sunday 20 Jul
Got up, had breakfast, came back and cleaned up. Had a parade. Some of our hut got fatigues. Just come back from NAAFI. Underneath they are still playing ‘Nap’. Sergeant came in here before dinner and gave us our passes and we are allowed out at 1pm. Decided to make for home. Caught bus at Wilmslow for Manchester at 1.50pm, arrived at 2.40pm. Got lost in Manchester and didn’t catch bus for home until 3.50pm. Home 5.15pm. Found Dad had called at Wilmslow on way up from London. Had tea and then went down to see Granny before going back to camp. Back at 9.30pm.

Monday 21 Jul
Nothing special today. Parade at 8.45am, another inspection by 6.00pm. Did nothing all day. In the evening had a haircut. Went round to NAAFI and had some supper with Mul and Freddy.

Tuesday 22 Jul
Parade at 8.45am but no inspection. Stayed in the billet all day. Parade at 4.15pm for volunteers for a blood transfusion [donation] as they are starting a blood bank in Manchester. I volunteered.

Wednesday 23 Jul
Parade at 8.45am. Our flight was not inspected for a change. After break we, in 1 Flight, went for a route march which finished about half a mile from the camp and we lay on the grass for about half an hour. After dinner we went and watched a football match between our hut (6) and next door (5). Had a supper in the NAAFI with Freddy and Mullinder.

Thursday 24 Jul
Still no news of what will happen to us. 8.45am parade, no inspection. Half blood transfusion volunteers taken off parade. After break we got collared for square bashing. Another soccer match this afternoon. I suppose we will be watching that this afternoon. Yes, went to the soccer but did not see much of it, was reading ‘Dr Syn’. Went to see a concert by the station entertainment doshanks [?]. Came out and got a supper in NAAFI. Freddy and Byford came with me. Told that we are confined to camp tomorrow night. My night out it would be.

Friday 25 Jul
Had our names called and told to pack our gear and put numbers on our kitbags, A6591/D4/0. In the afternoon went to see Dougie Walkfield and His Gang. It was a very good show.

Saturday 26 Jul
Given our shipping tickets and gave in our deep-sea kitbags. Did nothing after dinner, I just wrote letters. Have to leave at 10 o’clock tonight.
Supper 9.00pm
Parade 9.45pm
Off to ________ 10.00pm

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