Saturday 7th November 1942

Still browsing around here. It rained yeaterday and at night also. Luckily we had anticipated this, and rigged up a canvas sheet over part of our hole, making it fairly snug.

The enemy around here have all been mopped-up now and the advance has swept on far to the westward. Our part of the campaign is finished for the time being. It is wonderful that we now have enough troops out here to enable units to be relieved and have a rest and re-fit during a campaign. Tanks, guns and infantry just had to keep pushing on until they were worn out, in the old days of the Western Desert Force.

Alas! We were too busy yesterday to join in the looting parties. At last however, in mid-afternoon I had a wash and a shave. We then had an excellent supper, partly from our rations and partly from Jerry sources – fried meat roll, fried potatoes and knackebrot; then pears and custard. Finally Cliff and I opened the thermos, in which was some hot tea, and we sat smoking. I told him a story, “Carl and Anna” and he told me “The Stars Look Down” by Cronin.

Then it was dark and the bombers began to arrive. But we were tired and well fed, and slept soundly until we were called for our own respective turns of sentry-go.