One from the AIR records covering an exchange between NLO at Coastal Command - Captain D V Peyton-Ward and VA(S) Vice Admiral Sir Max K Horton. From the NLO Log - May 12th 1940 "1225 VA(s) rang up to ask if there is any truth in the rumors that parachute troops have been landed at Canterbury? Told him that large numbers of Reverend gents in gaiters and shovel hats in Canterbury are all considered to be authentic, except possibly the Dean! .... 1250 VA(s) has now heard that parachute troops have been landed at Broadstairs, and the Chief of Police says they are hiding in the woods! I am beginning to think that VA(s) belongs to the Fifth Column." The proof that P.W. wrote it in the log for all to see - page from AIR 15/897 from the TNA (Cheers Andy) Regards Ross
In all the years I've been going to Kew those CC Log books are the first files I occasionally stopped to read, which was followed by me laughing out and everyone in the immediate vicinity giving me a disapproving look - I'll try and grab a few more for you next week Ross. Have you got to the Torch under the table entry yet ?
I copied three of them and I would go as far as to say they up there with the best of the stuff I've seen at Kew. The page Ross posted doesn't do all of it justice. Many of the pages have notes, doodles, jokes and sarcastic comments scribbled through the logs in red pen. Not wishing to hijack Ross's thread and I hope he posts some more but another that springs to mind was just after Dunkirk with some of the BEF at Cherbourg. I can't remember the comments verbatim but they intercept and Luftwaffe message that 6 Stukas had taken off to bomb a BEF column in Cherbourg so they contacted the Fighter Command so they could be attacked and they reply they got was something like 'We're not interested thanks'
That's because they are scared of Helga. I've laughed out loud or uttered a loud Yes when I've found something really good and just glared back if someone does not like it.
Feel free to post away on this thread Andy. Another from Peyton-Ward on the Norwegian escapade. 19th April 1940 2055 ALO enquired whether there was any truth in the rumour that an enthusiastic airman had broken a distinguished General's neck landing at Hatston? This, fortunately, is somewhat exaggerated. It appears that General "A", who was to have flown to the frozen north, fell down the steps of the "Senior" last night and was replaced by General "B", who was crashed along with 3 colonels, two of whom also severely concussed and one with fractured jaw, in due course at Hatston and is now in naval hospital, suffering from severe concussion. It appears on the face of it that the Almighty is somewhat opposed to the idea of British Generals proceeding to Norway by air, but the War Office, undeterred, are believed to be intent on dispatching (or despatching) General "C" AIR 15/897 Ross
