Friday 20th June 1941

The first attempt at a British offensive seems to have fallen through. The tenseness here has relaxed; there have been no reports from the front for 24 hours but presumably the Jerry counter attacks succeeded. BBC news last night stated that our troops had withdrawn to positions East of Sollum (East!) Some of the men here seem rather dejected now, Hopes were so high a day or two ago.

Things are more peaceful now. We sit comfortably in our wadi, whilst shells fall far short, or else fly high above our heads to burst miles in our rear. Only the guns of our forward sections are allowed to fire, so our presence here does not appear to be known to the enemy. No bombs fall near here and none fires on the Jerry reconnaissance planes when they come over.

Newton doesn't think our luck can last. “They'll get us mate,” he said yesterday, as we peered cautiously after a solitary Jerry plane. ““Herman!” ol' Hitler will say, “Sort 'em out. Mass bombin', Herman. Get those wadi wasters!””