Wednesday 12th February 1941

Moved today to the outskirts of Benghazi (a few miles Cairo-wards, anyhow!) It seems to be a large city of white, civilised-looking buildings. Decent roads. Green country, a good many eucalyptus trees and plantations. Artificial irrigation of course but there are quite a lot of wells also. We're bivouacked around an old white farmhouse some miles from the city. We're supposed to be here for about a week but there's a panic on and we're under 30 minutes notice to move, at the present.

Sidney's leg is poisoned. He's not feeling too good tonight. I'm having to do his job – not that there's much to do – and altogether we're very short-handed on M1 as Nicholls and Gayler have been put on other vehicles.

We're reading in bed tonight as usual although there was a good deal of bombing last night. A Jerry plane flew around Solluch last night, or rather early this morning, for some time. Amusing if this reconnaissance is followed by bombs – tonight – on our old bivouac site, some thirty five miles away!

More rumours from Bulgaria and from Romania, of Jerry movements. I feel depressed tonight. Do hope I get that bloody leave, so long overdue, before the next campaign starts.