On Saturday 2nd May 1942 1st Air Landing Squadron was training on the Bulford Ranges, Salisbury Plain and on Sunday Dick had his first flight. The squadron diary records ‘Night flying’.
(From the War Diary of 1st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew and ‘Chotie Darling’)
3rd May 1942 – the Japanese land on Tulagi in the Solomon Islands.
5th May 1942 – the Japanese advance into China along the Burma Road.
The British attack French Vichy Madagascar (the battle continued until November 1942).
(From WW2-net Timelines)
6th May 1942 – The last of the Allied forces on the Philippines (13,000 troops on the Island of Corregidor) surrender to the Japanese.
Wednesday 6th May 1942 – the Commanding Officer and four officers of 1st Air Landing Squadron flew in gliders with 80 O.R.s (Ordinary Ranks) taking particular note of any air sickness.
On the same day Browning met Churchill and requested 96 aircraft to get 1st Airborne Division battle ready. The RAF agreed to supply 83 Whitleys and 10 Halifax bombers to tow the larger Hamilcar gliders.
(From the War Diary of 1st Air Landing Reconnaissance Squadron, National Archives, Kew and Wikipedia)
5731671 Tpr Williams RK
1st Air Landing Sqdn
Recce Corps
HOME FORCES.
My Darling Chotie,
Many thanks for letter received to-day (Wednesday). Your letters always seemed to cheer me up just at the right moment. I also had a letter from home, so I'm feeling particularly cheerful.
Well, I made my first flight here, on Sunday last in a glider - and go up again tomorrow.
Flying in my humble opinion is much overrated and can't be compared to Sailing. I said my humble opinion... However, I must admit it does make a break in the ordinary routine, but I should not like to be up every day. The country-side looks marvelous from the air, except where it's spoiled by Army Camps and tracks of vehicles, etc. Altogether not too bad on the whole.
I'm glad to hear you've started a little First-Aid. Should you meet Eric* on this subject, just ignore him, - he knows nothing about it, and may tend to have a harmful influence on your work. Unfortunately, First Aid Classes always seemed to pay particular attention to fingers, arms etc, and leave the rest of the anatomy - where you are usually seem to get hit - to the care of Mother Nature...However, we mustn't grumble.
Glad to hear you still love me, Darling - keeps my head above the water.
Fancy old Monica** pulling a fast one like that - and after she swore blind I'd be the only father of a child by herself. Ingratitude ...
I have to get up at 5 am to-morrow for this flying, curse it, so must close here.
All my love, Precious
Your adoring
Dicker
*Eric was a close friend mentioned in Chapters 1 and 2
**Monica, Dick’s former girlfriend, apparently now 'with child’.
© Chotie Darling
7th and 8th May 1942 – Battle of the Coral Sea (lying between the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and NE Australia) between the Allies and Japan. This was the largest naval battle ever fought off Australia’s shores and the first naval battle fought by aircraft carriers. America lost the carrier Lexington and the Yorktown was also hit; the Japanese carrier Shohu was sunk and the Shokahu disabled. The Japanese withdrew without landing as planned at Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea). American Naval codebreakers had deciphered a Japanese signal revealing the destination, enabling their taskforce to intercept the invasion.
8th May 1942 – the German Army began its offensive on the Eastern Crimea; Soviet forces experienced terrible losses. On 10th May Churchill warned that Britain would use poison gas on Germany if the Germans did so in the Soviet Union. (From WW2-net Timelines)
10th May 1942 – opening of the German death camp, Maly Trostenets, near Minsk. Thousands of Jews lost their lives there.
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