Friday 18th October 1940

A “night op.” somewhere beyond Mersa. I, travelling in “H” truck with Stevens, left camp at about 6:30p.m. and crept westwards at 6 m.i.t.h. We talked peacefully at first, then dozed uncomfortably, (When your unsupported head suddenly rolls backwards, you wake up feeling that you've broken your neck!)

We, too, I think, passed through the mysterious “hole in the wire” at about midnight, but I was asleep then. H bumps along fairly gently, even on stony ground. It doesn't shake the guts out of you, like M1.

At about 2:30a.m. we reached our position, somewhere in the no-man's land on the far side of Mersa Matruh. Found the exchange in a ridiculously narrow slit trench on top of a hill. It was terribly cold and windy. Wearing great coat and blanket, I crouched most uncomfortably over the switchboard until 5:30a.m.