57 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca A day or two later (September 2, 1941) he made the discovery that an important part of being in the Air Force was allowing either arm to be used as a pin cushion. He was vaccinated and pricked, it seemed, for every disease going and maybe for some not yet discovered. In time this kind of procedure got to be routine. He was “promoted” to tent city in the fair grounds. Never saw so many tents in all his life. He soon discovered that in order to escape from being “joed” for one thing or another going on sick parade usually helped (until the truth was discovered!). Thomas got his first “48” on September 12. The RCAF wasn’t so bad after all. He wasn’t late getting back! His mother’s cooking tasted better than ever. She had never heard of flavoring food with salt peter. Within a few days he was given another promotion - fire piquet. This allowed him a little more freedom, especially to the Mess Hall late at night where he could help himself to food before the cooks ruined it. On September 17, he met a young Wheat City Business College student, Miss Evelyn Jury, from Minnedosa, and he took her to a dance in the Armouries. They danced to the music of Mark Kenny. He was clumsy as a Clydesdale in his big and heavy clod hopper boots, but Miss Jury tried desperately to convince him that he was a good dancer and was not tramping on her toes. This only encouraged him to take her dancing again, as well as going to a show and just walking along Brandon’s leaf strewn streets with the sound of crunching leaves under his number tens! Time passed. He had been posted to Paulson. He hitch-hiked from Paulson to Brandon, on a 48, to visit Evelyn. He blacked out from exhaustion, and ended up in hospital with his head all bandaged up. Paulson was #5 PHU (Personnel Holding Unit). He was doing guard duty and waiting for his next posting which soon took him to Regina Initial Training School. After flunking navigation once, he finally graduated as LAC (Leading Aircraftsman). (Before Regina, he spent a spell at the RAF Station in Neepawa and became a professional at the business end of a push broom). His next move, from Regina, was to #17 EFTS, which began on March 25, 1942. The thrill of becoming a pilot soon disappeared when he got airsick every time he went up. After 13 hours and 20 minutes, he was told his coordination wasn’t good enough to pilot an aircraft so he was consequently “washed out”. That was quite a blow to his ego but he had to live with it. He reverted back to AC2 - so did his pay! Thomas was then posted to #1 KTS, Trenton, Ontario. (“Kill Time Slowly”) to remuster. He chose to become an Instrument Repairer (more commonly known as “clock winders” by the other trades). He took a crammed course on aircraft instruments and passed it with flying colors. This was a boost to his self esteem. He graduated back to LAC and because of his marks he had his choice of postings. Luck was on his side. He chose #12 SFTS Brandon (for obvious reasons). In between Trenton and St. Thomas, he got to become acquainted with #1 Manning Depot in the Queen City, Toronto. He even got to see Niagara Falls. From his diary, August 11, 1942: “Germans in Russian Oil Wells. Gandhi jailed. Riots in India. Looks bad. Large call up in Canada.” At #12, besides winding clocks, he was able to put into practice what he had learned at Technical School and as time passed he got more used to it all and better at it. All work had to be signed out by the person doing it. No room for errors; Someone’s life was at stake. Life became routine. He kept in contact with “Miss Jury” as well as home, and followed the war rather closely. By this time, he and Evelyn were engaged to be married in June 1943. (January 29/43: Pay day $22.85 - two weeks pay). Near the end of January 1943, he was given an opportunity to go overseas, so he took it. Plans to get married were hastily changed to February 6. He had to borrow Mr. Jury’s shoes as his were at the cobblers getting resoled. In eight days, he was on the train heading for Halifax, #1 “Y” Depot, in preparation for overseas. Thomas crossed the Bay of Fundy on the S.S. Princess Helena. His father was right - the Bay of Fundy is the roughest body of water in the world! He thought he would die for sure. Must have been greener than grass! In Halifax, he was issued overseas gear, steel helmet, gas mask, webbing and other unfamiliar items. February 28 found him at #31 P.D. Moncton, New Brunswick. Diary entry: “Good crop of cockroaches in Barracks”. They used to lose their footing while playing tag on the mess hall ceiling. They didn’t like our soup either. DELGATY, Thomas Neil (continued) (Continued)
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