Daily Diary
No. 33 Air Navigational School,
Mount Hope (Hamilton), Ontario
May 1941
I am working on this transcription. it may take a while.
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20 May 1941
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27 May 1941
- On the “Circassia” both officers and airmen spent a very comfortable and agreeable time. Relations with the R.W.R.N.R., and R.N.V.R. were most cordial; while Master-at-Arms did much to make the voyage pleasant for the Airmen. One day, the Captain called on the R.A.F. Officers and airmen to provide four look-outs continually from dawn to dusk. Once, the ship ran into an Icefield and rumour rose that aniseable iceberg had knocked a hole in its side which necessitated continuous pumping. Otherwise, the voyage was without incident; though the news of the sinking of the “Hood”, the escape of the “Bismarck”, and the subsequent destruction of the “Bismarck” added much interest to the trip.
27 May 1941
- H.M.A.M.C. docked at Halifax – or, as the draft had been told to say ‘at an eastern port of Canada’. There, a secret train took the draft westward – one to DEBERT and the other (a small advance party of the WEETON draft) to HAMILTON.
At TRURO, sixty miles west of HALIFAX, the train – the departure of which had been a strict military secret – was met by a host of girls from the Truro Commercial Travelers’ Association. They presented Airmen – and Officers – with an apple apiece. And some of the officers were given two.