Friday 12th December 1941
About ten hours sleep last night, after a nightcap of rum. Tubby left us after breakfast and arrived back in charge of the water cart, a couple of hours later. We drew 5 cans (10 gallons) for six men. As the ration is officially ¾ gallons per man this was not bad!
11a.m. The latest rumour is that the mobile column plan is all altered. This may be so but there is still no talk about the Regiment having a trip to Mena or Halwan, nor any talk of leave. Personally I don't mind, I've had my leave and a break from Tobruch; but there are many who have not been out of the desert since last winter and it is very hard on them. The BBC stated recently that the entire garrison of Tobruch had been changed and that none of the original regiments remained. That is not true of at least four artillery units...
Evening: A long air raid has just finished. They began to come at dusk and kept it up for over an hour, dropping heavy stuff and flares. We got fed up eventually and opened fire (Naden, Grant, Bob Andrews and George and I) on a parachute flare that came drifting our way, lighting up the whole miredam. I'll swear it was my shot that hit the flare! It was my fourth shot and it seemed dead right somehow, even as I fired it! and a second later the flare dropped to bits and went out. a significant point was that when I “claimed” the flare no-one argued!
We get little news, since no wireless sets are in operation but apparently the whole Tobruch area is now clear of the enemy. We hold Barce and Jerry is still in Derna – apparently cut off there.
11a.m. The latest rumour is that the mobile column plan is all altered. This may be so but there is still no talk about the Regiment having a trip to Mena or Halwan, nor any talk of leave. Personally I don't mind, I've had my leave and a break from Tobruch; but there are many who have not been out of the desert since last winter and it is very hard on them. The BBC stated recently that the entire garrison of Tobruch had been changed and that none of the original regiments remained. That is not true of at least four artillery units...
Evening: A long air raid has just finished. They began to come at dusk and kept it up for over an hour, dropping heavy stuff and flares. We got fed up eventually and opened fire (Naden, Grant, Bob Andrews and George and I) on a parachute flare that came drifting our way, lighting up the whole miredam. I'll swear it was my shot that hit the flare! It was my fourth shot and it seemed dead right somehow, even as I fired it! and a second later the flare dropped to bits and went out. a significant point was that when I “claimed” the flare no-one argued!
We get little news, since no wireless sets are in operation but apparently the whole Tobruch area is now clear of the enemy. We hold Barce and Jerry is still in Derna – apparently cut off there.
posted by Paul Wilson at 7:27 pm
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