 |
NOVEMBER 2ND 1944 GIBRALTAR
|
 |
NOVEMBER 4TH 1944 MALTA
|
 |
NOVEMBER 11TH 1944 ALEXANDRIA (EGYPT) |
 |
NOVEMBER 14TH 1944 MILOS (AEGEAN SEA)
|
 |
DECEMBER 2ND 1944 PORT SAID (EGYPT)
|
 |
DECEMBER 4TH 1944 PORT SUEZ (EGYPT)
|
 |
DECEMBER 12TH 1944 COLOMBO (SRI LANKA)
|
 |
DECEMBER 15TH 1944 TRINCOMALEE
(CEYLON)
|
 |
JANUARY 4TH 1945
ARRIVED AT FREEMANTLE HAD A NICE RUN ASHORE |
 |
JANUARY 9TH 1945
LEFT FREEMANTLE FOR SAMARTRA & PALEMBONG |
 | JANUARY 18TH 1945
CROSSING THE LINE
|
 |
JANUARY 24TH 1945 PALEMBANG (INDONESIA) |
 |
FEBUARY 4TH 1945 FREEMANTLE (AUSTRALIA) |
 |
FEBRUARY 5TH 1945
LEFT FOR SYDNEY |
 | FEBRUARY 11TH 1945
ARRIVED AT SYDNEY |
 |
FEBRUARY 28TH 1945
LEFT AUSTRALIA |
 |
MARCH 7TH 1945
ADMIRALTY ISLANDS |
 |
MARCH 11TH 1945 MANUS (PAPUA NEW GUINEA) |
 |
MARCH 16TH 1945
TWO LETTERS FROM HOME AND PHOTOS OF RONNIES WEDDING |
 |
MARCH 17TH 1945
LEFT ADMIRALTY ISLANDS FOR JAP ISLANDS. 21 BATTLESHIPS, 47 CARRIERS, 75 CRUISERS,
OVER 100 DISTROYERS, WELL
OVER 1000 SHIPS AND SMALL CRAFT, ON INVASION 1500 |
 |
MARCH
18TH 1945
STILL ON WAY TO OPERATIONS |
 |
MARCH
19TH 1945 ATTACKED
SAKISHMA ISLANDS BY CARRIER PLANES. EVERYTHING
SUCCESSFUL |
 |
MARCH
21ST 1945 LEFT
ULITHI FOR OPERATIONS AGAINST SAKISHMA
OR FORMOSIA |
 |
MARCH
30TH 1945 INVADED
ISLANDS BY CARRIER PLANES TWO
CRASHED IN MID AIR IN FLAMES ON ISLAND AND IN SEA |
 |
MARCH
31ST 1945 ATTACKED
BY DIVE BOMBERS. ONE
CARRIER DAMAGED. TWO DESTROYERS DAMAGED. 40 MEN ON INDEFATIGABLE |
 |
APRIL 3RD 1945 LEAVING OPERATIONS TO OIL. EVERYTHING SUCCESSFUL. |
 |
APRIL 17TH 1945
MET OILERS FOR OILING UP AGAIN |
 |
APRIL18TH 1945
STILL OILING AND MAIL BROUGHT ON BOARD FROM DESTROYER |
 |
APRIL 19TH 1945
MADE ANOTHER STRIKE AT JAPAN AND WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO LEYTE |
 |
APRIL 20TH 1945 TWO
LETTERS FROM WIFE ONE FROM VIOLET |
 |
MARCH 23RD 1945 ULITHI (SW OF GUAM) |
 |
APRIL 23RD 1945 LEYTE |
 |
MAY 1ST 1945
LEFT LEYTE TO ATTACKED SASKISHMA. WE HEARD HITLER IS DEAD " I HOPE SO" |
 |
MAY 3RD 1945
MORE STRIKES TODAY. 2 CARRIERS HIT, |
 |
MAY 4TH 1945
STRIKE OK TODAY OUR BOMBARDMENT SUCCESSFUL |
 |
MAY 5TH 1945 ON
OUR WAY TO OILING |
 |
MAY 6TH 1945
MET OILERS TODAY, WROTE LETTER TO WIFE |
 |
MAY 7TH 1945
OPERATIONS, BAD WEATHER. TWO CARRIERS HIT BY DIVE BOMBERS. ONE HIT INDEFATIGABLE MANY WOUNDED |
 |
MAY 8TH 1945
MORE STRIKES. ATTACKED BY 14 DIVE BOMBERS. WAR WITH GERMANY
FINISHED. WHAT A GOD SEND |
 |
MAY 9TH 1945
BACK TO OILING AREA, DESTROYERS CAME ALONG SIDE WITH OUR MAIL AND FURTHER ORDERS |
 |
MAY10TH 1945
SASKISHMA GROUP MAYAKS ISHIGO |
 |
MAY 11TH 1945 OILING
AND PREPARING FOR MORE ATTACKS. NOW ON WAY FOR ATTACKS |
 |
MAY 12TH 1945
MADE MORE STRIKES AGAINST BARRACKS, AIR FIELDS AND PLANES DAMAGED |
 |
MAY 13TH 1945
STILL MAKING STRIKES ON JAP AIR FIELDS. ON ONE OF OUR CARRIERS 56 KILLED AND WOUNDED. CARRIER REPAIRED AT SEA |
 |
MAY 14TH 1945
BACK TO OILING AGAIN |
 |
MAY 15TH 1945
ON WAY NOW FOR MORE OPERATIONS AGAINST JAP ISLANDS. RECEIVED TWO LETTERS FROM WIFE |
 |
MAY 16TH 1945 STILL
MAKING STRIKES. DAMAGED JAP BARRACKS, POWER STATIONS. TWO JAP
BOMBERS CRASHED ON INDEFATIGABLE |
 |
MAY 17TH 1945
MADE MORE ATTACKS TODAY. ONE OUR FIGHTERS RETURNING CRASHED ON VIC ( HMS
VICTORIOUS ) |
 |
MAY 18TH 1945
MET OILERS, WE WERE TOLD TODAY THAT WE ARE EXPECTING TO GO TO SYDNEY AFTER TWO MORE STRIKES. ONE MORE LETTER WROTE TO WIFE |
 |
MAY 19TH 1945
HAD TROUBLE WITH FIRE ON CARRIER IMPLACABLE. 38 PLANES DAMAGED AND PLANE LIFT |
 |
MAY 20TH 1945
OILING SHIP. CARRIER AND DESTROYER RAMMED EACH OTHER WITH BAD WEATHER, DESTROYER RETURNED TO
BASE |
 |
MAY 21ST 1945
WROTE LETTER TO WIFE. GETTING READY FOR FURTHER OPERATIONS AGAINST ISLANDS OF
JAPAN |
 |
MAY 22ND 1945
ON WAY NOW TO OPERATIONS.
BAD WEATHER |
 |
MAY 23RD 1945
SUCCESSFUL BOMBING BY AIR CRAFT |
 |
MAY 24TH 1945
OPERATIONS DONE WELL. NEWS RECEIVED ON NEWS THAT FAR EAST FLEET STAY OUT HERE
UNTIL THE END |
 |
MAY 25TH 1945
LEFT OPERATIONS FOR GUAM |
 |
MAY27TH 1945
EXPECTING TO ARRIVE AT GUAM TOMORROW |
 |
MAY 28TH 1945
ARRIVE AT GUAM, GOOD WELCOME. SPEECH BY ADMIRAL NIMITZ |
 |
MAY 29TH 1945
BEEN ASHORE TODAY EVERYTHING WAS FREE. TINS OF BEER, SWEETS. A GOOD SHOW AND HAD A TRIP
AROUND ISLAND |
 |
MAY 30TH 1945
LEFT GUAM FOR SYDNEY. PRACTICE SHOOTS ON WAY LEAVING GUAM |
 |
MAY 31ST 1945
STILL ON WAY TO SYDNEY. WROTE TWO LETTERS |
 |
JUNE 2ND 1945
WE OILED AT SEA TODA, AND ARE NOW PASSING PHILIPPINE ISLANDS |
 | JUNE 5TH 1945
ARRIVED AT SYDNEY. WROTE HOME |
 |
JUNE 8TH 1945
EXPECTING TO ARRIVE SYDNEY |
 |
JUNE 9TH 1945
WROTE HOME |
 |
JUNE 12TH 1945
GOING ON FOUR DAYS LEAVE. WROTE TWO LETTERS HOME |
 |
JUNE 16TH 1945 CAME
BACK OFF LEAVE. HAD A NICE TIME AT MR & MRS SURS. MADE
VERY WELCOME. WROTE LETTER HOME |
 |
JUNE 17TH 1945
RECIEVED FIRST LETTERS FROM WIFE FOR QUIET A WHILE |
 |
JUNE 18TH 1945
SENT WIFE A COSTUME AND JUMPER |
 |
JUNE 19TH 1945
HAD A BAD TRAP WITH MY HAND, HAD TWO STITCHES IN IT THIS MORNING. WROTE LETTERS HOME |
 |
JUNE 23RD 1945
WROTE LETTER HOME |
 |
JUNE 26TH 1945
LEFT SYDNEY FOR SHOOT |
 |
JUNE 27TH 1945
CAME BACK IN SHOOTS OK. WROTE ANOTHER LETTER HOME |
 |
JUNE 28TH 1945
LEFT SYDNEY FOR OPERATIONS |
 |
JULY 1ST 1945
WROTE LETTER HOME |
 |
JULY 2ND 1945
WE HAVE NOW DONE OVER SEVENTY THOUSAND MILES SINCE WE LEFT U K.
THAT IS OVER TWICE ROUND THE WORLD. IT IS JUST OVER 25 THOUSAND MILES ROUND
THE WORLD |
 |
JULY 4TH 1945 ARRIVED
MANUS |
 |
JULY 5TH 1945
BROKE BIG TOE. WROTE LETTER HOME |
 |
JULY 6TH 1945
LEFT MANUS FOR FURTHER OPERATIONS, TOKYO |
 |
JULY 7TH 1945
HAVING SHOOTS ON WAY " GOOD" SHOT ALL TARGETS DOWN |
 |
JULY 8TH 1945
STILL ON WAY. WROTE ANOTHER LETTER HOME |
 |
JULY 9TH 1945
TWO PIECES OF BONE BROKE OFF BIG TOE BONE |
 |
JULY 10TH 1945
CAPTAIN GAVE SPEECH ON FUTURE OPERATIONS MEETS THE YANK 38 FORCE |
 |
JULY 11TH 1945
STILL ON WAY TO OPERATIONS, AGAINST TOKYO. I HOPE WE GIVE THEM HELL. WROTE ANOTHER TO WIFE AND SON |
 |
JULY 12TH 1945
WROTE TWO LETTERS HOME |
 |
JULY 14TH 1945
STILL ON WAY TO OPERATIONS. TODAY WE OILED WHILE ON WAY TROUBLE WITH OIL PIPES CRACKING |
 |
JULY 15TH 1945
FINISHED OILING, NOW PUTTING ON SPEED TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME. I,VE
JUST FINISHED WRITING TO WIFE. GOD BLESS HER |
 |
JULY 17TH 1945 WROTE
LETTER TO WIFE AND ONE TO MOTHER |
 |
JULY 21ST 1945
WROTE TWO LETTERS HOME. FINISHED OILING NOW ON WAY TO MORE STRIKES |
 |
JULY 22ND 1945
STILL ON WAY NOW TO JAPAN AGAIN, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A FEW MORE THINGS FROM A CARGO SHIP FOOD STUFF
WHICH WE BADLY NEEDED |
 |
JULY 23RD 1945
LEAVING OILING FOR FURTHER STRIKES. WROTE LETTER HOME |
 |
JULY 24TH 1945
STRIKES WITH AIR CRAFT AND BOMBARDMENT OK. HIT JAP CARRIER WITH BOMBS,AIR BASES, HANGERS, FIGHTERS
AND BOMBERS SHOT DOWN |
 |
JULY 25TH 1945 MORE
STRIKES LOTS OF DAMAGE DONE. WE LOST 8 PLANES THIS GOES FOR THE YANK FORCE AS WELL WE ALL BELONG TO 38TH STRIKE FORCE LOST EIGHT AIR CRAFT |
 |
JULY 26TH 1945
WHILE ON WAY BACK TO OIL WE HAD QUIET A BIT OF TROUBLE
WITH JAP TORPEDO BOMBERS, BUT WE GOT THEM DOWN OK.THERE WERE QUIET A
NUMBER OF SUICIDE DIVE BOMBERS AS WELL. STARTED OILING AND ARMOURING |
 |
JULY
27TH 1945
WE HAVE GOT QUIET A FEW 14 " SHELLS ON TODAY READY
TO SHAKE THEM ON SUNDAY, WE HAVE NOW STARTED ON OUR WAY TO WHAT WE CALL THE
STRIKING POINT. JUST OFF JAP COAST |
 |
JULY
28TH 1945
RECIEVED ONE LETTER FROM WIFE YESTERDAY DATED
4TH, LOST EIGHT PLANES THE OTHER DAY. TWO DESTROYERS CRASHED TOGETHER
IN BAD WEATHER. |
 |
JULY
29TH 1945 WROTE
ANOTHER LETTER HOME |
 |
JULY
31ST 1945
BACK TO OILING AREA, WE ARE WAITING NOW TO CARRY
ON WITH OUR NEXT OPERATION. WE HAVE DONE 69 THOUSAND MILES TODAY SINCE
LEAVING UK. |
 |
AUGUST
1ST 1945
WROTE ANOTHER LETTER HOME. OPERATIONS
HELD UP WITH TYPHOON. |
 |
AUGUST
2ND 1945
WEATHER STILL VERY BAD. JUST
LOST ANOTHER PILOT
|
 |
AUGUST
7TH 1945
ON WAY TO MORE STRIKES TO NEW OPERATIONS |
 |
AUGUST
8TH 1945
SHIPPING & AIR BASES, POWER HOUSES DAMAGED, LOST
11 AIR CRAFT ,SHOT DOWN 17 ENEMY |
 |
AUGUST 9TH 1945
STRIKES THE SAME AS YESTERDAY PLENTY OF SHIPPING DAMAGE AND STRUCK YAMATO. 1 DESTROYER SUNK 1 DAMAGED 1 SET ON FIRE. 48 PLANES DESTROYED MATUISHUIO
NAGATA |
 |
AUGUST 10TH 1945
ON WAY TO MEET BOMBING STRIKES THAT DAY. NEWS FLASH, JAPS OFFER PEACE TERMS 21.35. WROTE ANOTHER LETTER HOME |
 |
AUGUST 11TH 1945
OILING WITH YANKY OILERS. NO MAIL EXPECTED. MEETING WITH YANKY FLEET. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD WE HAVE TO STAY WHERE WE ARE, AND TAKE OVER JAP PORTS |
 |
AUGUST 12TH 1945
STILL WAITING FOR JAP PEACE TERMS TO BE CONFIRMED |
 |
AUGUST 13TH 1945
ANOTHER STRIKE DAY AGAINST TOKYO. NO REPLY FROM JAPS YET |
 |
AUGUST 14TH 1945
STILL WAITING FOR JAP REPLY AND HAD ANOTHER OILER ALONG SIDE |
 |
AUGUST 15TH 1945
MORE STRIKES AGAINST JAPS THIS MORNING NEWS RECIEVED JAPS PACK IN GOOD OK TIME COMING THROUGH 11" O CLOCK. AT 11: 20 WE WERE ATTACKED BY JAP BOMBERS. ALL SHOT DOWN . |
 |
AUGUST 16TH 1945
WE ARE NOW WAITING TO TAKE OVER TOKYO |
 |
AUGUST 17TH 1945
STILL STEAMING AROUND WAITING TO GO IN |
 |
AUGUST 19TH 1945
WE ARE 4700 MILES FROM
OUR BASE SYDNEY |
 |
AUGUST 21ST 1945
WROTE HOME |
 |
AUGUST 23RD 1945
WAITING FURTHER ORDERS WROTE HOME |
 |
AUGUST 25TH 1945
TYPHOON HELD UP GOING IN TODAY WROTE HOME |
 |
AUGUST 26TH 1945
TYHPOON STILL HELD UP GOING IN TODAY |
 |
AUGUST 27TH 1945 TWO JAP OFFICERS COME ON BOARD SOUTH WEST OF TOKYO BAY ( SAGAMI ). RECEIVED E,F,M, FOR BIRTHDAY WROTE HOME |
 |
AUGUST 28TH 1945
STILL IN JAP BAY TUSI YAMA MOUNTAIN SAGAMI BAY. SHORTYS BIRTHDAY. WROTE HOME |
 |
AUGUST 29TH 1945
HUNDREDS OF AIR CRAFT CARRIER TROOP PLANES TAKING PRISIONERS
OF WAR BACK HOME. 190 SHIPS IN BAY |
 |
AUGUST 30TH 1945
MOVED IN TO TOKYO HARBOUR, WROTE TWO LETTERS HOME |
 |
AUGUST 31ST 1945
PROVISION SHIP ALONG
SIDE IN TOKYO HARBOUR " OR TIDO" CITY OF DIEPPE. WROTE LETTER HOME. RECIEVED BACK MONEY 45 POUND. RECIEVED TWO E.F.M. FROM BOTH MOTHERS |
 |
SEPTEMBER 1ST 1945
PROVISIONING SHIP. FEW PRISIONERS OF WAR ON BOARD, AND THEY COULDN'T REALISE THAT THEY WERE FREE, THEY TOLD ME, IT WAS LIKE A DREAM, THEY WERE TAKEN OVER THREE YEARS AGO. |
 |
SEPTEMBER 2ND 1945
STILL PROVISIONING SHIP WHILE OFFICIAL PAPERS WERE BEING SIGNED. HUNDREDS OF BOMBERS AND FIGHTER AIR CRAFT, WERE FLYING ROUND, THE SKY WERE BLACK. WROTE TWO LETTERS HOME. SURRENDER DOCUMENTS SIGNED; NIMITZ SIGNED FOR UNITED STATES, FRAZER FOR BRITAIN, BLAMEY FOR AUSTRALIA, DEREYANKO FOR RUSSIA, YUNG CHANG FOR CHINA |
 |
SEPTEMBER 3RD 1945
15OO THREE AIR CRAFT CARRIERS GOING OUT OF BAY TAKING PRISIONERS OF WAR OUT OF TOKYO BAY
BACK HOME. THEY ALL CHEERED AND WE DID CHEER THEM HEARTILY. IT WAS GRAND TO SEE THEM |
 |
SEPTEMBER
4TH 1945 NOTHING
MUCH TO SAY TODAY EXCEPT, A FEW RELIEVES
HAVE COME ON BOARD FROM U K FOR RELIEVING MEN UP 22 GROUP. SAT
DOWN TO WRITE LETTER, BUT I FEEL SO IN
THE DUMPS TO FINISH IT |
 |
|