Thursday 12th December 1940

Nowadays the war news is good. Air raids on Britain are not so numerous and not so heavy as before, whilst Italy is getting quite a shaking. The invaders were chased out of Greece long ago; now the Italians are retreating slowly across Albania. And on our front, there has been a sudden push in the Western Desert. By this time we have probably regained all the land that was lost last September. Also, various army and navy commanders – some famous – have resigned or been dismissed in Italy.

So this morning's “Egyptian Mail” headlines were:- “Fall of Sidi Barrani!” “4000 Prisoner Captured” “RAF's relentless bombing of all Italy's desert aerodromes” and “Greeks push on in Albania” “Hill-tops taken at the bayonet point” and “Elation in Cairo at British successes” “Italy may seek German aid”.

Whilst the big events mentioned overleaf are occurring on our front, I'm spending the evening in keeping order in the canteen and rounding-up contact cases of diphtheria...