August 1942

I was woken up this morning at 3.30 with an air raid. There appeared to be two Nazi planes and no matter how hard they tried to reach their target the defensive fire seemed to keep them up. Once or twice they dived right through the Ack-Ack, but by the extent of the explosion of the bombs they dropped I judged them to be all small stuff, most probably 10 pound anti personal. There certainly appears to be a large concentration of guns around this area. The nurse that was on with us was of a very nervous nature so I sang “who’s afraid of the big bad wolf” to her and told her to sit on the end of my bed. That seemed to make her feel a lot better. It was terrifically hot again today and the flies seem to get worse by the hour. I hear over the radio from London tonight that our night fighters brought down 3 Nazi planes in this morning’s air raid but not before they managed to kill five people.

What a pleasant surprise I had today when I received two letters from my wife and of course there was the usual uncontrollable flow of tears that just seem to rush my eyes. Three fellows rallied around my bed and we played bridge the entire day. The radio is trying very hard to convince us that the position is not so critical but it would not surprise me to hear of the fall of the Caucasus within the next week or so, otherwhys if Germany should possibly fail to reach that objective by that time then I am sure she cannot maintain the present attack without weakening and putting on a terrific strain on the balance of her front. All we can do is hope to God the Russians can hold out for that time. As far as I am concerned it is rather doubtful and their chances rather lean.

The heat is terrific these days and most night I lay awake fanning myself with a fan made of palm leaves. I had a letter from my platoon commander in which he tells me that the day after I left him Jerry started to concentrate on them and they had one day of absolute hell and were forced to withdraw out of their position but not before they suffered many casualties. His platoon alone which should be 30 strong was only 12 the night they pulled out, also that one of my men by the name of Meyer had stopped a direct hit with a shell. What a tragedy, he was only a boy and I just can’t bring myself to believe it.

Spent the whole day playing bridge and am beginning to get into the game now. I have only just begun to play the game since I arrived in this hospital. A man has to do something to keep his mind working otherwise his brain will decay, also to distract his attention for the heat and flies.
The Far East seems to be very quiet these days but I think it will flare up very soon in the way of Japan making an attack on Russia. Everything at the moment seems to lead in that direction and I think the crucial hour will be when either Britain opens her second front or when Germany has any great setback or hold up on her eastern front.

A concert was held in the ward today by a French woman and man and an Indian magician. The woman and man sang, we requested and the Indian performed all sorts of tricks and all together they gave us an enjoyable afternoon. Before they left the woman gave me a photograph of herself which she signed as well.

I see that the Indian congress has passed a resolution demanding the immediate withdrawal of British rule. As I have written before, England is going to have a lot of trouble with India before this war is over and now is the time to nip it in the butt otherwise it is nothing to the hindrance she will cause to be in 30 or 40 years to come. India is a very large nation and under an independent Indian Government she must expand otherwise her economic system would flop and then she would have to inflate and a nation in that state is a burden to everyone so therefore we are left with an alternative of her building a colossal war machine to enable her to carry out their expanding policy then it will not be Germany we shall be fighting but India herself. Oh yes we will! I know at this stage it may not seem logic to state this fact, but would I have sounded logic 50 years ago when Britain was building battle ships for Japan to say she would turn out to be the great danger she is and there is no doubting the fact, she is a very formidable world power and we, unfortunately, have to treat her as such. Why then could India not turn out to be the same danger. I do not mean in anyway to oppress India as that is in total disagreeance with our democratic system but I am a believer of Race – Purity and Britain is the great Nordic power, the only other big European power with any comparable chair is Germany. I am not philosophising but merely been sternly practical.

I received another batch of mail from home today but I do wish it would come more regular. The news is not at all good in Russia and I don’t think I will be far out in saying or rather giving Japan three days to attack Russia or launch her claims and oh my God why does not England wake up and take steps against Ghandi and his troublesome party leaders. The viceroy would be perfectly justified in taking them in custody, which is the only thing to do if we wish to stop a major catastrophe in India. We must uncover the bare facts and face them from a practical point of view. We must admit our present position is very much at a balance, while we are too much inclined to give statistics regarding our futile position e.g. In 1943 this factory will be turning out so many tanks and U.S.A. will be able to increase her supplies by such and such a percent. Meanwhile 1943 may be too late. Why ever did Britain allow herself to decay to the extent she has, but that is another story of which I have been thinking a lot about, which I shall try and write tomorrow.

A child is born, it reaches youth, manhood, maturity and then starts to decline to death. It is my firm conviction that so is the way with everything in life, even to a nation, a great nation. England was a nation that lived by fighting, she had a great struggle for power, she achieved that object as ranking as a world power. In 1918 I should very much like to say she reached her maturity. She had power and knew what it was to dominate and so was willing to lean back and allow herself to decay and drift into a state of stagnation. Germany has struggled hard and is still struggling for that recognition. That is why Germany has made 5 wars in 75 years and if she had of had her way she would have had one every eight years in that ¾ of a century, but there has always been some nation to rise, take up arms and give Germany a beating and it is my firm belief that had Germany won the last war she as a nation would have reached her maturity and she instead of England would have declined. To me France started decaying early in 1920 and has been going down fast. France will never rank as a first class power again and I don’t think the time is long distance when as a nation France will be dead.

Bravo! Tonight we learnt through illegitimate channels that the Indian government has interned Ghandi and his other congress leaders. I am now anxiously waiting for this information to be confirmed. Also of Japan issuing a form of ultimation to Russia. Are not my words of several days ago proving logic? We must now open our second front to forestall an attack by Japan on Russia. I went to Mass this morning in a little Helmieh chapel. It is the first time I have been able to attend a service in many a month and I thought the church was a delightful little place, a place where one could find comfort in his hours of solitude. Faith is a wonderful thing.

The information of yesterday was confirmed this morning over the radio and as I have said before I think the steps taken are perfectly justifiable. A friend of mine came and saw me today suggested that we endeavour to obtain a few bottles of beer which men in hospitals are not allowed and are unable to obtain because all clothes are removed from us on entry into hospital. However we managed to borrow clothes and I am rather reluctant in saying we celebrated a little too much and caused quite a commotion when we returned to our ward but managed to get away with our misdeeds.

Well it looks as though the Caucasus are lost to us for the time been anyway as I don’t think there is much chance of the Russians making much of a recovery for the moment unless we can reinforce them from Iran but I am very pleased to see that U.S.A has sprung an offensive against the Japs in the Far East. It may tend to hold their inevitable attack on Russia up. I am not feeling too well today so I suppose I can’t do anything else but accuse last night’s celebrations for the severe headache.

I wonder how much longer I shall be in here. I have seen an ear specialist and am now going under new treatment for my deafness so I can only have faith in it helping me and be patient. 100’s off hawks fly over us all day long here waiting for us to throw them food and when we do they dive down and catch it in midair. Then there is a battle royal as the others try to get it off the fortunate bird to catch it. Just like the Egyptians always begging and yet I often envy these people as they seem to have reduced life to a really simple equation and literally take life very easy. Live cheap, dress cheap, look simple and ignorant but yet there seems to be some hidden mystery behind those dark features, sometimes that I cannot explain or fathom but yet it is there and very outstanding. They seem to posses astonishing business abilities.

Today I was studying a statistical survey of Cairo regarding their population here. I would like to quote a few figures:
There are 500,000 married Egyptians, 250,000 divorced, 65,000 widows and 12,000 widowers. There are 6,000 taxi drivers and 5,500 barbers. From these figures one can draw their own picture of this great oriental city, try and compare them with the figures of any big city of the Union. Take for example 6,000 taxi drivers, does not this fact alone confer anything and yet in peacetime the majority of this population depend on tourist traffic for a living. Of course now in wartime the troops have brought untold of wealth to these people, not that they show any signs of increased riches. They continue to exist in all their filth and pester the visitor. There are of course two extremes as I have written before, this is a country of great contrasts. Yet I do not think a more corrupt or immoral nation could be found anywhere on this earth.

I took a little walk today on the advice of the sister. She says that my main trouble is I keep myself to myself too much and she advises me to take a walk to a place not far from here known as the Kenya Club. It is a charming little place run by the women of Nairobi and one can get a real home made cup of tea and cake and spend an enjoyable afternoon in the shade of palm trees and lawn.

There was a bioscope in the hospital tonight but oh I am sick and tired of this place now and am very anxious to get out. I have lost all my nice suntan and am an insipid white that is about all this hospital has done for me and I would sooner be back in the front line, in the dirt but at least with my friends. I met a fellow today from my old regiment so decided to celebrate and we did so by indulging in an excessive amount of liquor consisting of one bottle of beer.

Attended Mass at 6.30 this morning and after it read a book on the new spirit in Egypt by H. Fyze (?) and found it very interesting indeed, quite enlightening. The news for the last week has not varied one atom except to mention a steady advance by the Germans in the Caucasus. I wonder how much longer we can hold up the opening of our second front, it would not surprise me to hear of the Russians demanding it. Surely the time is ripe now, of course I realize the fact that we cannot allow any slip up whatsoever but literally speaking it is the only way we can directly assist Russia and if ever she wanted assistance she does at this moment.

I received a letter from my wife’s cousin today. She is a most charming sincere little lady and I would really like to write her letter down here to enable me to quote it later. She is a woman of remarkable character, having lead an extremely religious life and unacquainted with the evils of life. She seems to have implicit faith of my judgment and advice, which she frequently unhesitantly seeks. I sincerely hope her confidence is not misplaced. Most of my days are spent in reading and tonight I went with a friend of mine for our usual beer which we drank on a bench amid a few palm trees under the most exquisite Egyptian moon and discussed bygone days.

It was with very little surprise that I read this morning of Mr Churchill’s conference with M Stalin in Moscow – although it has not been confirmed yet, I did hear through illegitimate channels that he was in Cairo some weeks ago and conferred with Field Marshall Smuts. It would not surprise me in the least to see a combined Allies attack on Germany across the English Channel in the very near future. I spent today very much the same as every other day, namely, reading. At about 5 o’clock tonight I was sent for to come and collect some parcels that had arrived for me. To say the least there were eleven for me not to mention 3 bundles of papers. Beneath my bed does not look unlike a grocer shop with cans and cans of ham, fruit, beans, butter, milk and fish, enough food to last me at least a month. That is a failing point with our A.P.O. It is either a feast or a famine. I go for months without receiving a parcel but when they do come the come in a vengeance.

Today seems to be a day of great happenings. We were paid a visit by a Greek princess, actually I am sorry I did not catch her name but anyway she is a princess that seems to be all that matters and she possessed great charm. For the first time today the papers are publishing all the great changes in the Middle East high command, evidently Churchill’s visit here has had drastic effect. General Sir Claude Auchinleck has been relieved of his post as G.O.C. M.E. and has been substituted by General Sir Alexander. Actually my sympathy lies with Auchinleck as he took over personal command of the eighth Army when it was in a great state of disorder and on the retreat after having suffered terrific loses and pulled it to a stand still preventing a general route and at the same time smashing Rommels designs of establishing his head Quarters in Cairo and taking the Suez. Now as things are developing very favourable for us and reinforcements are streaming in Auchinleck is relieved of his post. I suppose we will be pushing the Germans out of Egypt shortly, then it will be Alexander who will get the credit and not Auchinleck who rightly deserves it.
The other surprise that was in store for us today was the large scale combined operational raid on occupied France. I wonder if that is England’s methods of carrying out or giving her troops practical training or whether she is testing out the German defences. Anyway what struck me as being frightfully amusing was a picture I saw in today’s paper depicting Mr Churchill and M Stalin sitting side-by-side smiling and in deep conversation. What struck me as being so amusing was because of the way Churchill had condemned communism and all it stood for before the war and now seeing a photograph like that although I must say this, Churchill never once even up to now has he withdrawn or wavered from his original statements regarding his feelings towards Soviet Russia and I can still remember him saying at the outbreak of German–Russo hostilities – “No matter how much I detest communism and all its evils, those who are enemies of Nazism are our Allies in our life and death struggle, fighting a common cause against a common enemy.”
I saw another bioscope show here in the hospital tonight.

I had a rather amusing experience today. An Indian come up to me and said “Ah, nice moustache, you my friend,” and he insisted on twisting my moustache although he had one himself but I must admit mine was longer. I took a walk to the Kenya Club this afternoon to write some letters as it is so quiet and peaceful there. On the way I passed a Catholic Church so I went in and spent half an hour in devotion and prayer. Tomorrow I believe I am going on the operating table.

I went on the table this morning and my it was rather painful but I am feeling a lot better now. I believe they injected into the end of my spine or something or other. Another draft of fellows left for home today and I don’t think I need mention how envious I am of them. I feel terribly “Browned off” and some times feel that if I don’t see my wife and son soon I shall go insane. There was an air raid alert tonight at about 11 o’clock and I heard bombs dropped in the distance but nowhere near us and our ack-ack guns did not go into action.

An outing party was arranged today by the American Ambassador and two men from our ward were allowed to go. The Sister of our ward seems to under the miss apprendian that I never put my nose out of the ward so hence I was one of the two to go, altogether there been 25 from the whole hospital. We were taken to Cairo by bus and then did a show at the Metro Theatre, to be precise, Dr Jeykle and Mr Hyde was the picture. Just before it was due to commence I slipped across the street and had my photo taken to send to my wife. After the show we were taken into a café and given tea, cake and sandwiches, and above all, beautiful ice cold beer, after which we went back to hospital but before going I collected my photographs which fortunately were finished and rather good too.

I went to mass this morning and this afternoon a great friend of mine who I have been wanting to see since I came in here come and saw me. I was very pleased to see him and as a matter of fact I thought he had gone home and we ended up by me donning khaki and the pair of us going out for a drink. There is a point which has been worrying me for some time. I have observed a very large majority of buildings in Egypt are incomplete and have no roofs on, just as though the owner’s funds expired before he was able to complete his dwelling. However my curiosity was satisfied today when I was informed by a friend of mine of a law existing here which reads to the effect that while a building is in a state of construction or is in incomplete condition it is not taxable and exempt from all revenue. Whether this is authentic or fable I could not say but a very strange state of affairs seems to exist and judging the age of some of these buildings I should say they have been occupied in this condition for 20 to 30 years. Another air alert.

Today was spent just the same as any other day, i.e. lie on my bed and read mostly. I understand an enemy plane that was over Cairo last night was shot down in the Delta. Anyway there was another alert here tonight. I don’t think it will be long now before I am out of here now, thank goodness. As bas as it is in the front line and with all the hardships one has to suffer, a man is much better off there than in all the comfort and luxury of Base. At least you get treated with all due respect and you are with your friends but the further away from the line you go the more like a dog your treatment instead of the treatment you expect a man to receive who has been under fire and has offered his life to his king and country. But no, once back at base you get bullied and ordered around by what we call “Base whallah” who have never heard a shot fired let alone seen their pals along side them shot down and their bodies torn wide open, never known what it is to be hungry and thirsty. We have sometimes had to go weeks without as much as washing our hands or removing our boots while they strut around like prize cocks with starched tunics and permanent waves in their hair. A man who has perhaps been very badly wounded and say for instance is now convalescents even although he can walk is not allowed to go into a public house never mind have a drink. I once heard a case that well and truly shocked me beyond all doubt. I quote:-
A certain man went right through the East Africa Campaign and when the Italians were beaten there they were duly brought up to Egypt. It was when Jerry was concentrating his Luftwaffer against Matruh that this man received a hit, which cost him one leg not to mention the numerous other wounds all over his body. In due course he was taken to a hospital in Durban and it was while he was a convalescent there that some kindly people took pity on him and invited him to their home for the day. To get to this pace it necessitated first a tram drivers wait of about 15 minutes and then a bus ride however a friend of his went with him to help him and while they were waiting for the bus he became faint from standing on his one and only leg and was in a state of collapse so a friend rushed him into a nearby public lounge so that he could sit down and rest until he felt better. They had not been in but a few seconds when along comes one of our “Base Wallah” M.P. (who have never left Durban and never likely to) and kicked him out for been in a lounge in hospital blues. (Clothes given to men to wear when in hospital to show they are inmates). Our friend had to go and lie in the gutter. Now I ask you is that the treatment a man gets for giving his life to his king and country?

The heat today was really very killing but I think we are in for some cooler weather shortly, as towards the mornings at about 4am I start feeling for something to cover my body, yet a week ago it was agony to wear anything from your waist upwards, night or day. Things seem to be going very bad for the Russians but it is a mystery to me how any nations manpower can stand the losses that Germany has suffered, that is of course if the figures we are given are authentic. I think Russia should try a drive against the German on the central front.

The tragic news was received by us today of the Duke of Kent’s death in a flying crash and I cant express the exactitude of the shock it was to me. He was a national favourite and I am sure there is not one man in Great Britain who does not mourn his passing. I was in seeing an ear specialist again today and he informed me that my ears are a lot better now but it would take time yet before they are right. The rest of this evening was spent in playing bridge.

I went onto the operating table again this morning but not for long and was able to walk back to my ward again. I begin to dread these little visits of mine as I cant say they are too “easy on my constitution”. Each day here is just like the next and I am bored stiff with this inactivity. I suppose actually I should not be so anxious but I would just as sooner be up the line than going mouldy here. It is not a thing a man does or should wish for but it is remarkable how a man misses the hardships, the roar of guns in his ears and constant ridged alertness of the front line.

At long last I received two letters from my wife today. Oh how much longer must this wretched war go on for and when will I see my darling wife and son again, surely it must end sometime? I see Russia has thrown an offensive in the central sector and good for her too as it is bound to affect the German drive in the south. We had two air raid alarms tonight and a number of bombs were dropped in which there were 4 people injured but no material damage and I believe one Heinkel was shot down.

There was another air raid in the early hours of this morning. That makes three between sundown last night to sun up this morning. I played Bridge most of the day and then studied the news. The Americans seem to be doing all right against the Japs in the Solomon Islands. If only we could beat the Germans the Japs would be like taking sweets from a child. And then there is this Egyptian front which, literally speaking, I cant possibly see why we cant clean the enemy right out of Africa as we seem to have everything to our disposal.

I went to mass this morning at 6.30am and arrived back at my ward just in time for breakfast, then spent the rest of the day sewing if you please. The moon is in a nice position now for any action to be carried out up the line as it only rises at about 10 tonight and then there is moonlight for the rest of the night through but instead of our Eight Army taking the offensive as I expected. I had a letter from my platoon commander in which he suggests to me not to be in too great a hurry to return back to the unit as something really nasty is going to happen so evidently they are expecting Rommel to try and make his mad dash for Alexandria within the next two days and perhaps Suez. At this stage the Russians seem to be doing exceptionally well, I really don’t know why we should have such fear of fighting a battle for Suez although literally speaking I am quite confident that Jerry will not penetrate unless of course manages to out flank us through the Quatara Depression and I don’t think that is quite practicable. Our consolation however is we are expecting an attack and therefore should be prepared for it.

It is rumoured today that Jerry has struck at our line in the south early this morning but there is no official confirmation in today’s communiqué. Oh I wish I could get out of here and do something. I do nothing here but lay and rot day in and day out. This sort of life is no good for a man who is used to plenty of activity. The last two nights have been air raid free but Jerry will have to get in quick if he wants to make use of the moon as it rises about 20 minutes later every night and is at the same time getting smaller every night.