Don Coases Log for 1945
Continuing reprints from the Coase log the following gives some idea of how the BEC weekends were spent on Mendip in Victory year 1945 .
Fri. 9th Mar. Caught train from Paddington to Wells. Started to cycle to Priddy via Wookey hole. Arrived at barn approx. 1 oclock a.m. Mr.Maine had left milk, wood, bread and eggs.
Sat. 10th Mar. Was woke at 9 by Shorty informing me that tea was ready. Had breakfast. Then a general clear up. Visited Vic. And cycled to G.B. arriving at about 12.30. Found G.B. locked so Shorty and I went into Reads Grotto and took a couple of photos.
Came out, found gang had arrived from Bridgwater by car. They tackled lock on G.B. meanwhile I took Ron and Charles down Reads Grotto.
Rest had opened G.B. so they went on, Betty, Shorty, Charles
and I ate our sandwiches and then didnt feel energetic enough to do G.B. However once we were inside the cave we felt
better. Took several photos. Devils Elbow comparatively dry, 2 or 3
water at the far end. Met rest of party
in Gorge just above Bridge. So all went
to
Then the four of us parted from rest and proceeded to the
sump.
Rumba alley. Then we returned to the surface which we reached about 8.15. It being a pitch dark night. We cycled back to Priddy in our damp things, feeling rather chilly and went straight to the Vic. Till 10. Then went back to the barn and started cooking a stew, which we eventually consumed about 1 am.
Sun 11th Mar. Got up about 9. Cooked breakfast, visited Vic. about 12. Went to Cross Swallet with 2lb. P.E. Put 1lb. in fissure at bottom alongside some P.E. that didnt detonate when fired on Sun. 4th Feb. Whole lot detonated nicely. The fumes seemed to clear quicker than usual and when I inspected the damage I found an open fissure about 3 high and 2 wide with a fair drought blowing out.
I placed the other 1lb. P.E. in the fissure and fired it. The fumes again cleared quickly. I went down again and had a look around and removed one of the two boulders the P.E. had blown out. Suddenly I heard a boulder crash down several feet and looked around to get out of the way, but nothing in the hole had moved.
Shorty was halfway down and he heard it as well. It must have been inside the cave again. Judging by the noise I estimate is was only 2/3ft. away and only about ½ cubic foot. It seemed to roll down a slope for about 3 of 4 ft.
Then I returned to the barn and demolished the rest of the
stew and other vittles. Washed up and
put the barn tidy and then it was time for the others to leave for
Bridgwater. I cut myself some sandwiches
for the train and packed up my stuff up. My caving clobber I arranged to leave with Mr
It was then about 8 so retired to the Vic where I spent a
very congenial evening. One of the
locals told me that in connection with boring in the spring above Swildons
they put fluorescent in the water and it appeared at Draycott also that some
time before the war, the road near green
He also told me the same thing happened in 41 at the top of Rookham hill on the verge of the road. They dropped stones down which down for some seconds before hitting anything. They had sent to Wells for some people to explore it (I presume Mr. Balchs crowd) but nobody came so they covered it with 2 or 3 feet of concrete.
At 10 went back to the barn, settled up with Mr.