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On December 1st “B” Flight (Henry was in that Flight) threw a party. Joe was visiting me at the time. We went to the party and Joe said to me, “What’s all this water running across the floor?”.
I replied, “That’s not water (altho English beer/wartime was only about 2% alcoholic) – that’s Beer! Someone has left the tap on the keg to run.” There were 3 absolutely huge kegs of beer with a “help yourself tap” in
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each of them.
Henry was about 3/4 way through his Tour of 30 ops at this time, and 460 Squadron was sending out A/C nearly every night, and now, as the Second Front proceeded during the day also.
On December 16th the Group Captain, Hughie Edwards V.C. was farewelled in the party to end all parties. “Foggo” – the intelligence officer did his “stuff” on a table with a glass of beer on his head. As we all gathered round and sang the ditty “The Muffin Man”, Foggo gradually took all his clothes off (except his red and white stripped underpants). As he undressed, he went round and round – still with the mug of beer on his balding head. It was always the centre-piece of any party.
Groupie Edwards, who had won his V.C. on a daring low-level attack, had lost a very good friend on ops. When he died, Groupie Edwards married his wife. Later in Civic Street he became Governor-General of W.A. – but unfortunately the “grog” had got him and he didn’t last long in that post – rumour was that he had tried to set the Governor’s residence alight . He died soon after that.