Monday, January 12, 2009

Wednesday 11th August 1943

A lucky afternoon! After pacing my usual mile I began to ponder about my kit, in the pack store, and to allay my misgivings the orderly on duty took me up there. Thank the lord I went! My kit and Bill's – had been put in with that of the ordinary hospital patients. So when the convoy went we'd have gone without our kit, fondly imagining it was being loaded on the train with the rest. We'd have received our belongings months later – if ever... In case of any further mishaps, I removed my parcel of wartime diaries and my photographs, resolving that they should travel in my haversack. I nearly had an epileptic fit when I looked at them and thought what might have happened!

It was something to have that settled. But more happiness awaited me. On my return to our snug, windless room, I found a bundle of mail lying on my bed – the first mail for weeks – and the week's ration of issue cigarettes and matches. One letter was from my Father, enclosing £3... Ended is miserable poverty! There was a long letter – about 17 pages – from April... I was still smoking and reading when supper – a particularly nice supper – was brought in.

So – cheerfully, and feeling less neurotic than for months – I end this 1943

“Shimmering Haze.”

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