Tuesday 12th November 1940
More details of the move, which may occur any day now – the Brigade is under 4 hours notice. We probably shall not stay very long at the station – and our destination is a place on the Nile, only about 15 miles south of Cairo. We'll be in reserve there for some time and then, if not wanted elsewhere, will rejoin the 1st Cavalry Division which is now being mechanised. Rather a nice change, I suppose, after all this shit and dust and desert sores. Civilised city within an hour's journey! However I suspect lots of heart-breaking spit and polish in the near future. From shit to bullshit!
It's been rather nice roughing it, really. A steady job when there were no ruddy drill orders – and my little shelter, deepened of late so that I could sit up in it and with concealed (candle) lighting and telephone laid on, has become very cosy for sleeping in. On the other hand – dust and desert sores. And last night we killed two lice (awful creatures half an inch in length, half insect, half animal) in the exchange dugout.
Johnnie Goodwin and three others came back today – the OC had wangled their exchange with the 106th RHA, to whom they had been posted on leaving hospital.
A “bit of drama” today when we had a Battery parade – the first for many a day – and formed a hollow square whilst the OC told us he was to leave us soon and that he was very disappointed and that we were the best Battery in the best Regiment in the Force etc. That sort of stuff doesn't give me a thrill now – but still I admire the way he fought to get those blokes back from 106. Being an exchange operator I know how hard he fought!
The new OC will probably be Major Upton who commanded us for the last months at Southwell – dear old Southwell, with it's snow!
It's been rather nice roughing it, really. A steady job when there were no ruddy drill orders – and my little shelter, deepened of late so that I could sit up in it and with concealed (candle) lighting and telephone laid on, has become very cosy for sleeping in. On the other hand – dust and desert sores. And last night we killed two lice (awful creatures half an inch in length, half insect, half animal) in the exchange dugout.
Johnnie Goodwin and three others came back today – the OC had wangled their exchange with the 106th RHA, to whom they had been posted on leaving hospital.
A “bit of drama” today when we had a Battery parade – the first for many a day – and formed a hollow square whilst the OC told us he was to leave us soon and that he was very disappointed and that we were the best Battery in the best Regiment in the Force etc. That sort of stuff doesn't give me a thrill now – but still I admire the way he fought to get those blokes back from 106. Being an exchange operator I know how hard he fought!
The new OC will probably be Major Upton who commanded us for the last months at Southwell – dear old Southwell, with it's snow!
posted by Paul Wilson at 7:29 pm
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