Saturday 2nd December 1939

Eileen on Thursday and last night at the dance. All the “snakes” there – Ron Dean hopelessly infatuated with a Dolcie, Sid Pond having a pleasant platonic friendship with a girl who made a good dancing partner, the quiet Stan Ling suddenly interested in a rather nice girl called Doris.. Cartwright amused today. Says he watched me last night and noticed that I was “obviously attracted” to the girl with whom I danced most. “You, of all people!” he said.

Wireless exercise this morning for seven of us. A not-too-successful rehearsal for a job we are to do tomorrow. Breakfast at 5:15 a.m…

Went to bed this afternoon and had an hours doze. This refreshed me greatly!
Nothing to do in the evening so I went to a dance with Dick Cartwright. The third dance in a week! My dance shyness has gone forever. Why the hell didn’t I start dancing sooner? Eileen wasn’t there of course, but I had quite a nice time. Four tango dances but the floor was rather too crowded to get the full swaying rhythm. I can’t understand their rum local notion of a tango. Everything and everyone moves forward and backward in a uniform manner.

Phew! It gets damn hot there! Must try a dance at a decent place in Nottingham, before we go away.

Five to twelve now; and the alarm is set for four o’clock.
Rumour: I shall get my Christmas (and embarkation?) leave in the New Years Eve period!