Tuesday 29th September 1942

This afternoon I sat, dourly silent in my tent, and read “Gone with the Wind.” My new-draft companions sprawled around me, looking untidy, dirty and unhealthy, like all new English troops do. However, I ignored them and finished my book at last. What a colossal work! “Gone with the Wind”!

I pondered idly then, upon the person who gave the book to me, last January – Jack Chenery; and upon the place where I'd first glanced at it's multitudinous pages – Jerusalem. I sought out Bob Dewhurst, sitting gloomily amid his new draft, and told him about 1) Scarlet O'Hara, Rhett Butler and Melanie and 2) the pleasantness of that leave in Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley.

At that point I looked up and saw jack Chenery himself nearby, wandering among the Training Wing tents! Yes, he was looking for me. It was unfortunately, a case of hail and farewell, for, although he only arrived at the Base yesterday from hospital (a touch of the usual stomach trouble), he had already been put on a draft for the 104th.

We chatted uneasily for a few minutes. “ “The dazed last minutes click” ” I said sorrowfully. “Yes,” said Jack, “I still carry old Brooke around with me, you know!”