Wednesday 10th January 1940

Another lance-bombardier joined the squad today – Payne, a bloke of 30 or so, ex-regular. Decent, quiet sort of chap. Don’t know whether he’ll be one of the snakes proper!

Ling, Pond and I went to a dingy large café after lunch and stayed there several hours, huddled over the fire, talking sleepily. It was a half holiday, so Pond and I actually stayed there until tea time, whilst the individualistic Ling went back to his billets to change.