This morning our work consisted of judging distances and then fire orders, with a NAAFI break in between.

   Just before J.D. [judging distances] I saw a pair of Buzzards wheeling and gliding overhead with effortless ease. I saw my first Buzzard on Tuesday while we were journeying between Pembroke and Castlemartin. We were on a high spot and looking down, I could see a large, dark-brown bird, about twice the size of a Sparrow Hawk, perched in a stumpy oak-tree. It was a scene not easily forgotten.

   After a sandwich lunch we saw a demonstration of a platoon attack. Two or three lorries took boys to Broadhaven Bay for swimming this evening. I was in the rear truck when it broke down but after half an hour we got a lift and eventually had a ten-minute bathe.

   When I got back I played rounders for five minutes and then at 9.30 we all had a big sing-song outside Tent No. 1.

   This morning the platoon saw the equipment carried by members of a section in a Platoon at War Establishment demonstration. For second period of the morning we went on a four-mile route march during which we had three five-minute rests. We had period of marching at ease and at attention.

   After dinner we were free for almost the rest of the day. I took charge of a swimming party to the bay during the afternoon and I had a very pleasant swim. Broadhaven Bay is the only spot where there is safe bathing. Elsewhere, the currents are dangerous and the cliffs crumble beneath one’s feet.

   At 9.0pm we paraded for our night operation. 93 platoon had to stalk a lamp in a field defended by 992 pln. I posted myself as a sentry & stopped four people. We got back at 12.30 and had buns and tea.

   Reveille was half an hour later today at 7.0pm. For kit inspection (inside the tent as yesterday) we got 6 marks. We had 5 marks on Friday & again yesterday. We are now joint holders of bottom position.

   Today’s main event was Church Parade at 10.30am. Earlier on we had a contingent photograph taken. The service wasn’t an awfully good one. It was held in the open with all the other schools. We sang two hymns — Onward Christian soldiers at a ridiculously slow speed for what is normally a marching tune, and Through the night of doubt & sorrow for which the band played one verse too many. After the service there was a march past.

   For the rest of the day we were free. I went swimming during the afternoon. I got my ration book back. No coupons had been removed at all. [Food rationing is still continuing seven years after the end of the war.]

   Much of today’s work has been new to me. First of all we did location of the enemy. Later we had a demonstration of the ‘crack’ and the ‘thump’ of a rifle in connection with this. Finally, we did section attacks, returning to camp at 4.0pm.

   During the evening, I did all my cleaning etc. and then took part in a sing-song. In today’s inspection we got top marks 9/10 and this has pulled our position up.

   [I had separate letters from Dad and Mam today. Dad writes:—

      153, Circular Rd

         Acock’s Green

            B’ham 27

                   3rd Aug

Dear Brian,

   Just a few lines to let you know that we have not forgotten you. I am writing this letter as I lay in bed Sunday morning still resting as much as I can, so that I shall get by when I start work on Monday or Tuesday week. Your mother, myself, Clarice and Julia have missed you quite a lot, in fact the TV and wireless are nearly out of use.

   My leg is much about the same, up and down, just like the weather. Friday morning it rained hard until dinner time, then it cleared up and was warm. Saturday was very showery, with the sun in between. Sunday morning was bright, rather windy, and a little cooler. All at home hope you are missing the showers and that you and Kipper have settled down to enjoy yourselves. In any case it is all experience and will do you no harm.

   There was no rush for the Sunday morning papers this week, which arrived at 8.30am. John Winrow came to see you on Saturday. He did not know you were going camping, unless he had forgotten. Wants to see you one afternoon, when you come back.

   Your school report came Friday morning. I am afraid you will have to use a new plan of attack if you are to get near the top for the next term. If I were you I should drop most all issues from which you will get no benefit, and fill your head with your school work only. I think it was the school report that brought John round.

   With this being a new experience for most of you boys, I hope you are putting yourself out to make it enjoyable for them. Hope you enjoyed the camp concert you spoke of, and have done a little yourself. All of us are well, and hope to see you soon. Remember all at 153 to Kipper and anyone we know. Must close now for Rose has called me for dinner. To a safe journey home,

            Clarence.

Mam writes:—

      153 Circular Rd

         Acocks Green

            4th Aug 52

My Dear Son,

   I do so hope this letter will find you quite happy and contented. I have thought about you each day especially at meal times wondering how you were managing with your food. I can imagine your dislike at the way in which your crocks etc. are washed, it certainly is a filthy way to go on and a bad example to such as you, however one must make the best of such a situation. It appears from your letter Brian that you are, or were, counting the hours to your return home. However, it will have been a good experience for you and have given you an insight into army life.

   Well, my Son, we have had good weather but the last day or two has been a little showery and cooler. Your fish have missed you and I caught them breaking their hearts and believe it or not they have wasted away to evening shadows. Needless to say, Clarice and Julia, including myself and your Dad, have missed you. Your father I see has been writing to you while in bed. I expect it has taken him a week to put it together. He is just copying it out. He is going back to work after the holiday. No doubt he told you John had called, and wished for you to go down at your convenience one of the afternoons. He said he had received his report and it was not so bad as he had expected. Yours I must say is not deserving of you for I know you can do better, but you must try and do better next term if it’s only to please me (your mother). The headmaster has got a poor opinion of you so you must look out and put everything you have got in you for your next term’s work.

   I have put an advert in Gills’ for an exchange and I hope with all my heart we get what we want, the sooner the better. I am making flakey pastry today for a plum and apple tart for when you return.

   I forgot to mention your fish have been neglecting themselves at your absence, so I have had to give them a good scrubbing down and while I was scrubbing them clean your fish spit in my eye, so I spit back, and the result, they have only one eye each, so I have named them Nelson. They will be Christened on Wednesday.

   I had a fellow call for the accommodation. He was exceedingly tall, about 6’4”. He was either a German or Pole. He came on a motor cycle. I did not have him because he wanted a room to himself as he had a lot of studying to do.

   Well my Son your time is nearly up as regards your holiday, so make the best of it and do what you can to help others, and I hope your tent will be the best one. Remember me to Kipper won’t you? Until Wednesday then (God be Willing) all the best and all our love from your Mam and Dad, Clarice and Julia, and the three Nelsons.

   P.S. had a letter from Bob Thursday.

The letters are both postmarked “Birmingham 7.30pm 3 Aug 1952” but Mam’s is wrongly dated. Dad’s has a KGVI 1d blue and 1½d green stamp, and Mam’s a 2½d red. There are still no stamps for the new reign.]

   I’ve had some opportunity to study the Natural History of this place. There are very few Black-headed Gulls, some Common Gulls, and hosts of Herring Gulls. These are round the cook-house most of the day but appear from nowhere as soon as we get our midday sandwiches. I’ve seen them mob a Jackdaw and I’ve also seen a one-legged gull. There are also one or two Lesser Black-backed Gulls here.

   Last day of camp! This morning C.S.M. Sankarayya gave us a lecture on platoon attacks. Our officer-cadets left yesterday. Later we did a couple of attacks as the climax of our camp training. This has really been a most enjoyable camp. We’ve had good food and fair weather and I’ve been swimming. I’ve also seen five new birds.

   Continuing my notes on the Natural History of Castlemartin and district, I think one of the most noticeable features is the abundance of thistles. I’ve noted several species. Also very abundant is one of the convolvulacae, the Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) but apart from these, much of the ground is too poor to support many other large plants. I have noticed though, several tiny flowers which I haven’t been able to identify. At Broadhaven Bay there is a lot of Cross-leaved Heath and this is much visited by the Gatekeeper butterfly.

   At last I am beginning to feel civilised once more. When we got up at 4.0 this morning, it was still dark and pouring with rain. Breakfast was at 4.45 but before this we had to hand in groundsheets, paillasses [sic] and pillows having emptied them of straw, blankets and so forth. Eventually the rain stopped at about 7.0am but not before a huge lake had formed in the rounders field. Soon the water broke under the road and there was a river flowing across the bottom of the camp to the cook-house! I took one or two last photographs and then at 7.45 we enbussed for Pembroke. We then had a long wait. Our train, all 1st Class, should have left at 9.15 but it didn’t arrive until 10.10am. I sat opposite Kipper on the train but none of us talked much — we were all too tired. I thought about what I should write in my diary & then went to sleep. [Captain Buttle came along the corridor and admired my tan, but I had not washed that morning. Kipper said I should wash my face, which I did.] We got off the train at 6.22, 45 minutes late. [Some parents were waiting on the platform. As I got off the train, Derek Benson marched very smartly up to his father and saluted him, then they shook hands. I was greatly impressed. Derek is Company Sergeant Major.]

   Nothing much has happened today. I did not get up until 10.30am. During the day I read more of my Peter Cheyney novel. I also spent some time in writing up part of the events of the last week.

   Had the weather been better I would have spent the day at the County Ground where Warwickshire are playing the Indian touring team, but there was only a couple of hours’ play yesterday owing to rain and the weather has been as bad today so I dismissed the idea altogether.

   I was very nervous about my report but it was not too bad:—

PHYSICS   He works but does not achieve the results he deserves. When his written work, which is always very neat, contains more detailed fact his marks will go up. (Mr. J.B. Whinnerah)

CHEMISTRY   Does not get the reward his efforts seem to merit. He finds difficulty in memorising the fact of the work at this level & will have to maintain the hard work throughout the next year to achieve “A” level. S.D.W. (Mr. Woods)

BIOLOGY   Good work during the term. More speed and fluency under examination conditions will be necessary. (M.E. Monkcom)

FRENCH   A steady and consistent worker. (Mr. A.C. Gosling)

ENGLISH   A strange mixture of very good and bad performances. Slow at developing his ideas. (Mr. T.R. Parry)

MATHEMATICS   Generally satisfactory. (Mr. J.C. Roberts)

FORM MASTER   He is a very conscientious and neat worker, but he seems to lack confidence in his own ability during examinations. (M.E. Monkcom)

HOUSEMASTER   He has continued to play an enthusiastic part. (J.D. Copland)

HEADMASTER   The bad examinee must not settle down in self-pity for his fate, but must by constant practice become at least a better examinee. R.G. Lunt.

This is the first time Mr. Lunt has signed my report. What exactly must I constantly practise? I notice that “practise” contains the word “praise”.

   It was a real pleasure to listen to the radio last evening. From 7.30 until 8.15 we all listened to Ronald Shiner in Act One of “Seagulls Over Sorrento” by Hugh Hastings. The play is being presented at the Apollo Theatre, London. Tonight, when I had taken Ginger out (first time since July 28th) I listened to “Long Distance”, a play of suspense, in “Thirty Minute Theatre”.

   We all got up rather late today. After breakfast I made a valiant effort to get my holiday diary up to date, & went to the library.

   After dinner I had a headache but it went after an hour or so.

   Mam and Dad did not go out this evening. We listened to “Up the Pole” at 8.45pm.

   This morning I washed up and then cycled to John Winrow’s. He played me some of his gramophone records.

   In the afternoon he came to our house and heard some of our records. At 6.0pm I went on my bike to the Robin Hood to buy a copy of this month’s ABC Film Review.

   On television tonight I watched the second part of a new serial play “Eight to a Bar”, “Aqua-Rendezvous” and “Saturday Night Short Story”.

   I have five goldfish now because Clarice and Julia today bought me two more for my birthday.

   I spent over an hour this morning doing a couple of crosswords in ABC Film Review. After dinner I wrote some letters. After tea I played some gramophone records. While Mam and Dad watched the television play I went out with Ginger.

   This morning we did not get up until eleven o’clock. After having breakfast I went to the library and then to the barber’s for a haircut. We had some rain in the morning but the sun came out and I was able later to mow both the lawns.

   I now have two aquaria. Dad discarded an old accumulator today [used for the old wireless before we acquired the TV set with its four pre-set stations] and I have converted the jar into an aquarium. I got some elodea from the park and planted this in half a pound of silver sand which I put in the bottom of the jar. After filling it up with water I put a few green hydra from my stock tin into it.

   Mam and Dad went to Aunt Daisy’s this evening. I watched a floodlit cricket match — Middlesex v Arsenal at Highbury — from 7.30 until 8.0 and again from 10.0 until 10.30. This unusual match, which included many sixes, was in aid of Jack Young’s benefit.

   We got up at about 9.30 today and at 10.15am I went round to John’s. We went to school for a swim and this also gave us an opportunity to inspect the aquaria. I took back the air-pump and oxygenated each aquarium. They were all much the same as we left them except one which had become completely overgrown with spirogyra. All the fish were alive. Mr. Monkcom had left a copy of Helen Mellanby’s Animal Life in Freshwater for me to borrow.

   Nothing much happened in the afternoon. I went to Cubs this evening. Mr. Winters did not arrive until 7.45 so I organised football and then some packwork. When I got back, Mam, Dad & I watched “The Black Eye”, a play by James Bridie, from the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow. It was very well done.

   We got up rather late this morning so instead of having breakfast at eleven we had dinner at 12.0.

   After dinner I went to John’s and together we went pond-dipping in a canal. It was quite a profitable afternoon and we got quite a large number of specimens including corina and nepha cinerea, several small beetles and four or five fish-lice (Argulus). These fish lice were very common indeed and probably account for the large numbers of dead fish in the canal.

   Mam, Dad and I listened to a “Blackpool Night” at 9.15pm.

   Before breakfast today I went down the village with Ginger to buy today’s Picturegoer. I also went to the Library and got a book by John Creasey, author of the Toff books. This book is called Thunder in Europe.

   Nothing much happened all morning. After dinner, John came and we went to the park and gave Ginger a run.

   This evening I went to the Tyseley cinema to see the MGM technicolor musical Showboat, starring Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner, Howard Keel and Joe E. Brown. I didn’t like the film at all. The action takes place in 1893 mainly, and the pace was much too lethargic as was the tempo of the songs. The acting was convincing enough but if this film (a remake of an older film(s)) is typical of other pre-war musicals then give me the Lullaby of Broadways every time.

   Nothing particular happened this morning.

   After dinner John came and I played some of our gramophone records.

   We all decided to go to the Springfield cinema this evening to see At War with the Army. After waiting in a queue for some time, Mam and Dad got on the ’bus and went to the Olton. Clarice, Julia and I waited for a little longer before returning home. Them when we had only been home a few minutes, down came the rain. Mam hadn’t a hat on, and Dad had no coat, so at ten o’ clock I went down to the Olton with a coat and hat.

   This evening’s newspapers [the Birmingham Mail and the Evening Despatch] tell of great devastation and floods in North Devon and Somerset following great storms last night. Lynmouth and Lynton have been hit worst. In Lynmouth, the West Lyn River, swollen from the flooded streams of Exmoor where nine inches of rain fell in twenty four hours, burst its banks and raged through the town. Many lives have been lost and bridges, houses, garages and cars have been swept away. Everywhere, boulders and rubble tell the story of a night of havoc. The whole town was evacuated today and, all over the country, funds have been started but it will be a long time before Lynmouth recovers from its night of terror.

   There is nothing more to record today. After last night’s downpour (0.645 ins), it has kept fine all day.

   Nothing much happened this morning. It kept quite fine and I took Ginger to the park. In the afternoon I read more of a bird book obtained from the library last week. Grandad came to tea.

   After tea I mowed the front lawn and then cut down most of the privet dividing our and Prentice’s garden. It is only a few inches thick now and there is a huge stack of privet on the lawn. Granma and Grace came at about 7.30pm. Grace is marrying Arthur [Williams, coincidentally] next year, all being well.

   Dad started back to work this morning. He’s been away since February 26th.

   I had a letter from Peggy Bacon [Head of Children’s Programmes, B.B.C. Midland Region] this morning. She asked me to send in a script for “Schoolboy’s Choice”, a programme of gramophone records, and told me I can go ahead and draw up a “K.E.S. Variety Show”.

   This afternoon I went to John’s.

   At 7.0pm I went to the doctor’s to get two notes for Dad. We didn’t listen to the radio this evening, but we did watch the return of “What’s My Line?”, though of course we couldn’t tell what was being said.

   We went to town at midday today. We went to Smith’s bookshop, the Midland Educational, Marks & Spencer’s, the Co-op, Lewis’s and Grey’s as well as the Stamp Shop in Union Street. In Lewis’s we first met Clara [Thompson, from the Mission], and then Mrs. Harris. We got back at about 5.30pm.

   After tea I did some more hedge carving till after dark. This time I did part of the hedge facing the front window.

   I got up early today and within an hour I had burnt the rest of the privet. Later on, I cycled to John’s but there was no one at home. I then went down the village to meet Mam shopping and we got me a pair of shoes from Blindell’s.

   Mam and Clarice and Julia went to Granma’s [236 Millhouse Road, South Yardley] after dinner. While they were out, I cut down the hedge on Webb’s side and then burnt it on the rubbish heap.

   Tonight Clarice, Julia and I played out [in the street] with Barbara and Audrey [Leek]. Later on I took Ginger out and it is now 10.15pm. A few minutes ago I listened to Terry-Thomas in “Blackpool Night”.

   Mam took Clarice and Julia to town this morning. John called for me so we went my favourite walk via Warwick Road, Golden Hillock Road and Coventry Road [then back home along Yardley Road to Acocks Green village, up Shirley Road to the junction with Olton Boulevard East, up tiny Wetherby Road, and round the corner to 153 Circular Road]. It took us just four minutes under two hours and we stopped on three occasions to look in shop windows. We got back at 1.50.

   I went up town at 2.30 and met Mam outside Smith’s as we had previously arranged. We went round a lot of shops and looked at a copy of Mr. Hutton’s History of King Edward’s School, Birmingham, 1552–1952 [but didn’t get it as it costs 25/-.

   At the Stamp Shop] I bought the set of three stamps of the Tokelau Islands. These islands, once known as the Union Islands, are three tiny atolls, four square miles in extent, situated in the Pacific, north of Samoa. The thousand-odd natives make a living by growing copra—small coconuts used to make waxes like shoe-polish.

   [As there is no reference to the Tokelau Islands or Union Islands in my Wanderer Stamp Album, I have used one of my loose leaves to make a page specially for them, writing the description at the top of the page before affixing the stamps and inserting the page in the spring-back album. The ½d, 1d and 2d stamps, showing local scenes and tiny maps, are very colourful and pleasing and make me want to see the world.]

   I called for John this morning and we went to school for a swim. We also had a look at the school aquaria and I put up a notice, about our school B.B.C. show, in the lower dressing room. A large number of insects and beetles get drowned in the swimming bath and I was stung on a finger by a wasp [which I was trying to rescue] while I was swimming.

   After dinner I took Ginger for a walk down the village. John came at 3.45 and we exchanged some stamps. This evening I have been looking through some of my copies of Picturegoer.

   There wasn’t a cloud in the sky at seven this morning and the sun shone all day — a nice start to the football season. 1,130,000 people watched the opening games. Blues drew 1–1 at Rotherham, Villa lost 2–1 at home to Arsenal, Albion beat Spurs 4–3 away, Wolves beat Cardiff 1–nil.

   Nothing happened all morning, During the afternoon I listened to commentaries on the Warwicks. v Yorkshire match and a football match. At the close of play Yorkshire had made 42 for no wicket in reply to Warwickshire’s 3 ... [space left for the score]. Dollery made 169, a fine innings.

   Don and Ron came while Mam and Dad were out. They took the TV set away to repair it.

   This evening we listened to “Music Hall”.

   I find I’ve got little or nothing to write about today. I have spent most of the day reading and tonight we listened to “Variety Bandbox”.

   Nothing in particular happened this morning. I went to [the Bank to get £4 out, and also to] the library.

   After dinner I cut down our back hedge on Webb’s side. Mr. Webb [a rather portly man who drove ’buses on the 31A route: we were sometimes on his ’bus] beamed all over his face — his expression was a delight to see. This hedge proved to be the most difficult of all mainly because of the rose trees which were in the way.

   This evening we listened to “Forces All Star Bill” introduced by Terry-Thomas. He gave some brilliant impersonations of singers and it was a very good show indeed.

   Mam took Clarice and Julia to Kidderminster today. I stayed at home to look after Ginger. After breakfast I washed up, took Ginger out and then cycled to Stoney Lane to get some horse-meat. I called at John Winrow’s on my way home and stayed an hour.

   After dinner I got out my stamp collection and sorted out a few hundred stamps which I had had in a tin for three years.

   When Dad had had his tea we went into the garden and burned all the privet I cut during yesterday afternoon. Mam and Clarice and Julia did not get in until about 9.30pm. They certainly had a fine day as regards the weather.

   I got up at 7.30 this morning and spent most of the morning and some of the afternoon sticking stamps in my album or re-arranging one or two countries. I went to the library as well and went shopping for Mam after dinner. Later on, I sorted out the waste paper and took down a month’s weather readings.

   After tea I played the piano for an hour. Rain had been threatening all afternoon but none fell until about 8.15. It had stopped within half an hour so I took Ginger out and then we listened to “Blackpool Night”.

   I didn’t get up until about ten this morning. Then I went down the village to get today’s number of Picturegoer and I also bought 208 Magazine for September as we are having our set tuned to Luxembourg.

   Mam took Clarice and Julia to town. I stayed at home and took Ginger for a walk just before, or rather just after two. It was a hot day and I didn’t feel particularly energetic but Ginger looked at me so appealingly that I decided it was worthwhile. We went down Warwick Road, along Grange Road and into St. Bernard’s Road, and back home via Streetsbrook and Shirley Road. I heard three Robins singing in Grange Road and saw one of them. The Robin resumes his autumn song this month.

   Tonight we listened to “Prisoner at the Bar” and a thirty minute play.

   This morning I completed three B.B.C. scripts and sent them off before going to John Winrow’s.

   After dinner I went shopping and then I spent the afternoon writing up Biology notes. I cycled to the Robin Hood [cinema] at 5.45 to get ABC Film Review.

   This evening I have listened to “Up the Pole” and read a little of a book I got from the Library tonight.

   I finished reading my book Death Leaves a Diary by Harry Carmichael this morning. It was extremely well written.

   I went to St. Andrews this afternoon for Blues’ first home game of the season v Fulham. B’ham City:— Merrick; Green, Martin; Boyd, Badham, Watts; Stewart, Purdon, Briggs, Murphy and Cox. Blues lost by 4–1. Fulham gave a very fine display but Blues forwards were never in the picture and the defence was at twos and threes. Fulham forwards on the other hand always looked to be dangerous especially Bobby Brennan and Mitten. Scorers were Briggs, and [for Fulham] Robson 2, Brennan and ... [space left]

   Don and Ron brought the TV set back today but although we can use the radio [part of it], the sound accompaniment to the TV is inaudible. We listened to some of “Music Hall” in the Home Service.

   We didn’t have any breakfast today because everyone got up late except me.

   Mam and Dad went to the Mission in the Moores’ car after dinner. I broke up a large bowlful of bread for Ginger’s meals. [The stale bread, wherever we got it from, got baked in the oven whenever we had a fire. It was laboriously crushed to a powder, usually by me, then mixed with the horse-meat.]

   We tried to listen to 208 tonight but for the most part we could hear a German orchestral concert rather better.