In January 1942 19 year old Ronald is in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) training to become a pilot at the Elementary Training Flying School Induna, near Bulawayo. He is very homesick for his girlfriend Joyce (who he marries in 1943) & his family. Ultimately unsuccessful, he is discharged from the RAF in December 1942 after returning via troop ship to Glasgow in late June.
Three other diaries, 1937, 1944, 1945 have survived (but are not currently published) which show he was still residing in Port Sunlight, Wirral both before and subsequent to this diary.