February 8th 1945

More snow. Yesterday I manage to get up as No. 2 to S/L Maitland, and see the gliders at Arnhem. Am pursued by some 88mm flak from Zutphen and arrive back with 5 gallons, and try and land on the wrong runway. I eventually taxi back with 2.5 in the tanks. V1s rush overhead day and night and one lands in the field the other morning, though without any damage. I hear from Marny and Bill, now at Staff College. There is English beer and stout in the bar, and Belgium beer which is rubbish. We get a ration of 20 tots spirits a month, but every hour or so the barman produces a bottle “off ration”. No eggs, but nine bars of chocolate and fire oranges a week. I give my laundry and a bar of soap to a Dutchman and it costs 20 cigarettes. Bert Mann retires to hospital with appendicitus and I cannot get a lift over to see him. My camp bed collapses and I spend one night on the floor, but now have it repaired – though for how long?