Tuesday 3rd September 1940
A year today since the war started.
Working on M1 most of the time, with Mr. Adams; fitting our colossal amount of stores into as small a space as possible, erecting a camouflage cover over the open body and what not. We'd just about finished at 5:30p.m. when news came that the advance party was to leave early tomorrow morning and that M1 was included. After recovering from the shock, I felt rather excited – advance party for Egypt!
Eventually reached my tent site at 6:45p.m. An hours frantic packing before darkness. Guess I'll not be in charge of M1 tomorrow. George Hignall travels with us. Grant stays behind. Goodwin, Keeble and Naden are coming. Shall finish packing tomorrow morning. God – and no one else – knows how I'll pack the massive collection of blankets and uniforms and kit into the one (sea) kit bag, haversack and valise!
The precious attache case will travel in the vehicle with me, somewhere. Oh, I'm glad to be in the advance party! Nowadays the careless, casual adventurer part of me is uppermost. This is fortunate.
10p.m. The canteen is almost empty and the bar is closed; but the wireless is still switched on. English gramophone records from Jerusalem. The impetigo sores are worse if anything. I'm getting a magnificent beard; beginning to look quite like a seaman!
Working on M1 most of the time, with Mr. Adams; fitting our colossal amount of stores into as small a space as possible, erecting a camouflage cover over the open body and what not. We'd just about finished at 5:30p.m. when news came that the advance party was to leave early tomorrow morning and that M1 was included. After recovering from the shock, I felt rather excited – advance party for Egypt!
Eventually reached my tent site at 6:45p.m. An hours frantic packing before darkness. Guess I'll not be in charge of M1 tomorrow. George Hignall travels with us. Grant stays behind. Goodwin, Keeble and Naden are coming. Shall finish packing tomorrow morning. God – and no one else – knows how I'll pack the massive collection of blankets and uniforms and kit into the one (sea) kit bag, haversack and valise!
The precious attache case will travel in the vehicle with me, somewhere. Oh, I'm glad to be in the advance party! Nowadays the careless, casual adventurer part of me is uppermost. This is fortunate.
10p.m. The canteen is almost empty and the bar is closed; but the wireless is still switched on. English gramophone records from Jerusalem. The impetigo sores are worse if anything. I'm getting a magnificent beard; beginning to look quite like a seaman!
posted by Paul Wilson at 6:17 pm
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