Wednesday 19th February 1936

Jellicoe class is now reaching the Passing-out zone. We have never been keener.
CPO Ingram is a good man for stimulating enthusiasm. The original five are still in the show. Cooper has not missed a drill yet. Guess he takes it too seriously; not very popular.

Williams, who lives at Woking has served in the merchant service. Transferred from another class and knows damn all about the present course.
Baxter, a supercilious, self-possed young man, has a faint air of reckless ness.
Tong – he’s a real cockney.
Foster, very neatly dressed and straight standing – they’re all decent men.

I love the way we “number”. Down the line goes the call, seeming to signify our keen alertness, “One – Two – Three”. I reckon I’m in the “first flight” as far as general efficiency is concerned.

Came down by the 9.57 and found John sitting in the same carriage. He beamed and said “Bai gum” I said “Aye”. As we parted near John’s new place he said, “I’ll now go in and drink of watery cocoa, heated on the gas at my own expense!” “Yes” said I, “Whilst I have my cocoa in the kitchen. Doubtless there’s someone asleep in my sitting room already! These digs!” (That’s my only objection to Ferndale.)

Feel happier tonight than I did two days ago. Reason; I’d been struggling to keep five shillings in reserve for the week-end’s expenses. Have now abandoned the attempt and am smoking as much as I like, with the fatalistic thought that, “Tomorrow I may be – myself with yesterday’s seven thousand years”.

Am writing this in bed. Although it must be quite late, I’ll have another cigarette before I settle down!