Thursday 3rd April 1941

On, with many tedious halts, a vast column, to the fort at Esc Sceleidima, between Z'Mos and Solluch. Once we saw an RAF lorry halted. “Let's go across,” said someone, “And ask what RAF stands for!” However, our planes have begun to appear in the last 24 hours and we are no longer certain that every plane sighted is Jerry.

Battery position in the hills beyond the fort. Reunions of friends. A few vehicles have not turned up yet – including one gun and the water cart. The water situation is not good, as the wells here have already been blown up by the engineers. Thirsty evening. Still digging at 10p.m. when we overheard on the exchange that the unit was isolated and unable to contact the support group. We morosely stopped digging and began to load M1.

No sign of our infantry. Rumble of many tanks, passing from west to east below the escarpment. Enemy? Probably. Suspense whilst the officers had a conference. A lovely starlit night, as I sat smoking by the exchange. Absolutely silent except for the rumbling of those tracked vehicles below.

Reeled-in, closed down, crept away in to the hills. At 1a.m. we rolled in our blankets, beside our vehicles.