Don’s Diaries
Whilst clearing dad’s house a few weeks after he passed away, with my younger brother and a good friend John, I found an old black, metal box with a white sticker on the side with the word ‘Coburn’ written on it. It was locked, but thankfully the key was in the lock. I called my younger brother and John and together we opened the box. We found, neatly stored inside a number of little red memo books with a round dot stuck on numbering and dating them in order. A quick flip through showed they were diaries.
Soon I was reading out loud random snippets from some of the memo books and found myself hooked.
Donald John Redhead, my dad, started writing his diary in November1938, one week before his 14th birthday and one month before he left school. This was obviously just before the start of the Second World War, one of the most momentous moments in history and therefore his diaries are an amazing first-hand record of his and his families lives, just before, during and for a few years after the war. The diaries detail life in the blitz in the East End of London, Fire Watching, the life of a Radar Mech in the RAF, postings to France, Belgium and in the BAFO British Air Force Overseas in Gutterslosh Germany.
Alongside the treasure of dads diaries were also many letters to and from home during his time in the RAF. He also kept many photos, mementoes and keepsakes of important events in his life, which have greatly enriched my knowledge of my dad his family and the era. The fact that he wrote the diary through such difficult times and kept the letters and so much memorabilia for over 70 years, was amazing and as I read through everything I was so fascinated by what I was learning that I decided I wanted to share it with as many people as possible. This is was led to the creation of this website, that I hope many will enjoy and gain some insight into those times.
