"Had briefing. Saw some lightnings take off. Shown round lightning. Saw several bedtime pictures in 3 hangar [?]. Afternoon went to RAF Rattlesden. Had coffee then charged 3d! Evening did nothing much. Listened radio. Craig Horder etc came back pissed"
[?] = handwriting unclear. "lightnings" are Lightning jet fighter aircraft, which had a very dramatic pattern of take off lifting a few feet off the ground and then shooting up at 45 degrees with a roar that even from half a mile away churned the stomach. "3d" was of course 3 old pennies, and my outrage was at being charged at all without knowing in advance. RAF camps provided free very edible food all day - vastly superior to the dreadful fare at army cadet camps. At the time a pint of bitter was about 1/7d - 1 shilling and 7 pence - roughly 8 (new) pence. Craig Horder etc had walked a mile or so to the nearest pub; I wouldn't have had the pocket money for that. Quite what 'bedtime pictures' were I'm unsure.
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