Flood, Sunburn- Mrs. Chave from Vancouver.

Our living conditions changed quite drastically from Risalpur.  Our actual beds, [charpoys, made of rope for springs], were in old horse stables.  This had been an old estate, taken over when war was declared. Two beds to a stable.  There was no running water.  All water was fetched from a well and had to be boiled before drinking. All washing and shaving was done in cold water.  No showers or baths.  The rule was, to wash down as far as possible, up as far as possible, and POSSIBLE, when

possible.

We were taken to all meals by lorry a total  trip of 18 miles a day.  If requiring a shower [and who didn't?] you had to be out on the road to catch the shower lorry at 6:30 p.m. each night.  This took you to the main aerodrome where better facilities were available.  At Madras I was on a Mobile Signals Unit attached to #4 Operations Room, St. Thomas Mount.  Len Brown and I were on the same radio shift here on the R/T Tender handling all squadrons in and out, working with the control tower and giving bearings to any aircraft requiring same.

     It was a very busy station.   There was a mish-mash of aircraft here; Liberators, P38's, Mitchells, Blenheims, Beaufighters and Hurricanes.   After only a short time there, Len Brown and Alec Cox were posted again.  I wasn't to seeLen Brown again for 35 years. 

Our shifts were changed quite often from day to night and different crews came and went.  At one point Ken Yates came into my life and we had many good times together while on shift.  Ken was most interesting as he had been a reporter on a Manchester newspaper. I spent a New Year's at Madras with Ken Yates and we both said we were not going to just sit there and do nothing about it.  Along with Bill Brown, a friend named Dormer and Ken Yates we each put in Rupees 6 Annas 8 and bought one small bottle of Parry's Navy gin and a large bottle of Snowflake gin.  A large bottle of Special Whiskey and a bottle of cordial[lime] for a mixer.  We bought a pound of tongue and a pork pie. Well the four of us got quite merry and after emptying the large bottle of gin we filled it with water, tied it to a string, went outside and christened the Mobile Tender, "Gertie".  After that we took turns going over to the canteen at #41 Bungalow to see the off-duty boys [Most flights were down for the holiday], and the WAACs who were celebrating.  All the Ops Room officers were there including our C.O. Squadron Leader Noble.   Squadron Leader Noble was kissing a WAAC a Happy New Year.  I asked him if he had any more right to kiss a WAAC than I did.  He said, "No, go right ahead, and this is how you do it."  He then kissed another WAAC.  Of course he was tight as I was.  In fact everyone was loaded.  Good job operations were down for the night.

      I should say at this time, that "our canteen" was self-made.  Much had been done before I arrived on the scene of course, but  everyone took a turn at running the canteen.  We had shifts in the canteen just as we had shifts with our war work.  This included ALL RANKS, no exceptions,

so it was not uncommon to be stoking up the fires for the tea and making sandwiches with a Flight or even a Wing/Co on some occasions.  We were all equal in the canteen when off duty.  It was a nice tight little unit. To my surprise one day, I met John MacTaggart and George Thornton, posted down from Risalpur and I was to be on shift with Mac, once again.

      The things I remember about Madras are a bad flood in which many of us lost a lot of our belongings; having to drive a total of 18 miles a day for all three meals; meeting a very nice Canadian family the Chaves from Vancouver.  Getting a terrible sun burn over my entire body and being put on a charge.  I will just touch on the sun burn and the Chaves.  On February 4th, my 23rd birthday, John McTaggart and I decided to go to Elliot's Beach "to swim" and then to the Toc H where Mac insisted on buying supper.  We were fully aware of the danger of the sun and we did not sun bathe.  We undressed [wearing suit underneath] and ran into the water cavorting about for a few minutes.  There was an Indian guard, sort of lifeguard on duty who was supposed to ring a bell if sharks were spotted. 

He was just there to get some buckshee. There were two red flags up and a floating barrier area behind which one must stay because of sharks.  There was also a warning of a strong undercurrent, so we simply sat in the water up to our chins and talked.  I cannot recall now for how long, but it was not long.  We came out got dressed and went to the Toc H.  By this time we were both looking pretty red all over.  It was at this point we both began to feel very hot and a little dizzy.  We consumed lots of non-alcoholic beverage. Time passed and then I  mentioned to McTaggart that I thought I had better leave as I wasn't feeling that great and I had an appointment. 

It so happened that I had been invited to dinner at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Chave, [he a civilian surveyor], from Vancouver, B.C.