14 Dec 1941, Lt. L D KILBEE HKRNVR WAR DIARY Dec 1941

Felt refreshed after several hours sleep.

Spend morning ascertaining damage — seems certain only bent prop and possibly shaft, however, can't do anything until No.11 comes off the slip. Most annoying a sheer waste of time.

Went up to the office and had tiffin in the school. Not very good - they don't seem keen to dish out too much food - why!? God only knows - the storeroom is crammed full of the stuff.

Just before sunset, enemy plane diving low over the dock dropped a  bomb which landed in the boat yard on the West side oi Aberdeen dock -Immediately setting a junk on fire, which burned for some quite considerable time. At the time we had five boats lying all together at the end of the dock – (they were just about to move out as striking  force).

Everyone was handy and in no time all guns were blazing away at the plane. We were certain the bullets were going into him - one could follow the tracers right into the plane. He seemed to wobble and lose altitude disappearing over Applichau in a South Easterly direction when we lost sight of him.

Later that night it was reported that an enemy plane was seen  to crash in our vicinity. One up to the M.T.B.'s!

We claimed having got him (subsequently there seemed to be some  doubt as to whether a plane had been seen to crash - I was never able  to get anything definite on this).

The C.O. gave me leave for the night so that I could get away  and see my wife. She and the baby were often in my thoughts these days, and occasionally I had been able to phone through to her and hear all was well.

Tommy was given leave too, and very Kindly gave me a lift in his father's car as far as Magazine Gap. (His father was driving).

Dropped into the house - found the boy there very worried and wondering what it was all about. Called at the War Memorial Hospital and found out Evelyn was staying in the Government Flats just a few blocks away.

At last found her - full of life and very cheery. Had a fine supper - felt very embarrassed among so many women however the dim lights helped no end .

They were all most anxious to know how the war was going - I of course could not tell them anything - except to reassure one and all that everything was going along fine.

Stanley was shelling the mainland that night and the whine of the shells as they passed over The Peak was most eerie.

Had a grand night. Sleep followed by a hot bath - and fully refreshed - said good bye and returned to the base.

I was most surprised at the cheeriness of our women folk - they were having a pretty nasty job - a job some of them had never had to do before - and they were doing it 100% plus. Later on they  were right in the front line so to speak and put up a fine show - there was nothing but praise for the fine work done by the A.N.S. and V.A.D.s.