Wednesday 16th
… In Chemistry we had a happy little sing-song with Oscar [Hughes], starting with carols, and gradually descending . … zsw ztc zmu
[We were given] essays to comment on—I liked Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Soul of Man Under Socialism’—however bad an advertisement Oscar Wilde may have been! zbp zpn zsw
Thursday 17th
… we went out carol singing. Our party was very lucky, we did all Dartford … [We] sang two long carols with a circular stair crowded with Dartford above us. … Our total, for bombed and distressed areas, was 27/3¼, the other party got 24/-; not a bad total earned very enjoyably … zmu zch
Friday 18th
… I spent the morning doing various jobs on stage and auditorium [preparing for ‘The Blue Comet’]—surrounded by nicotine inhaling and generally decadent youths. zth zmb
After lunch we changed and made up. The audience at 2.30 consisted of about 100 wounded soldiers—quite attentive and appreciative but not very quick on the jokes. However they enjoyed it. zth zwc zop
… 2nd performance—general visitors from Newquay—quite our best audience so far—and quite our best performance. … zth
Saturday 19th
… Usual routine performance in the afternoon (!) to an elderly, quiet, but appreciative audience. It went pretty well. Then off with moustache—no regrets! and into civilian clothes again. Tea, and then a general tidy up in preparation for the do [a dance as a reward for the cast of the play]. zth zso
At eight o’clock the first girl arrived—I was introduced, and was astonished to find that she knew me (as a small boy) … by name (S)Cylla … now at Dartford, living with her mother in Newquay. zso zgk zfr
