|
Extract from
the diary of Leo O'Connor, 430394, W/O Pilot of Northcote, Vic.
"Thursday 9 March 1944. Our lectures for the morning were PT and
swimming. PT went off all right, although no-one was particularly enthusiastic
about it. At 10 o'clock we dressed and marched after a fashion up to the
Brighton Baths (built in 1870 and still going strong). The term 'swimming'
was a bit misleading; it was dinghy drill!
One jumps off the diving tower in flying suit and swims to a one-man dinghy,
rights it, drags oneself in, flops out and turns it over again. Then one
swims across the baths, rights a massive crew dinghy, climbs up a rope
ladder into it and unofficially collapses. Then you stand on the edge,
grab a rope running across it and pull the whole thing over on top of
you. Then you're supposed to swim out from under it - a physical impossibility.
I don't quite remember how I did it, but eventually I climbed out of the
baths and stripped. With ruthless pleasure I watched the efforts of those
following!"
(Mrs Ellie O'Connor-Risch
of Canberra, widow of Leo, sent us this item after enjoying a browse through
our Odd Bods internet site. Thank you, Ellie. It will bring back memories
to many airmen, especially those who ditched in unpleasant circumstances.)
|