January, 1943

Friday January 1: New Year's Day. Went to Mass and prayed for all. On duty 1-5pm. Heavily bombed at 3.45pm. Post arrived, none for the lads. Cheesed off. Helped to bring seven aircraft down, nine damaged. A German plane was brought down four miles away and the pilot escaped.

Saturday January 2: Raid on Bone at 9.30am. One enemy aircraft brought down. Raid by Flying Fortresses and Lightnings on Tunis. Harry took them out and I brought them back. We were congratulated by F/L Jones. Another raid on Bone.

Monday January 4: At long last we started our Filter Operations. Duty 1-5pm. Another enemy raid on Bone. Helped to plot our fighters out. On night watch 10pm-8.30am.

Tuesday January 5: Bed. Evening played cards and cooked eggs for supper.

Wednesday January 6: Plotted enemy air raid on Bone. Went to a GCI with Harry and Walter near Souk el Kemis.

Friday January 8: On night watch. An Italian Kant brought down by our night fighters near Bone. Had a glider scare this evening.

Saturday January 9: On duty 8.30am-1pm. Played cards with Bill, Jess, Roy and Mark. Cooked eggs for supper - I had a stand off.

Sunday January 10: Went to Mass.

Monday January 11: A fighter sweep. French troops make an advance. Duty all night.

Tuesday January 12: Bed. Walked around Souk. Air-raid at 5.30pm on Arba. I plotted six tracks of hostile aircraft. Congratulated on my work. Terrific lightning on Tube. Shocking storm.

Wednesday January 13: Cooked eggs for breakfast. An air raid when going on duty, four MES overhead. Enemy raiding our positions again. Our fighters were bogged down in deep mud. Just had to take it. Phil and Ebbage arrived, post but none for me. Eggs for supper.

Friday January 15: bought 75 eggs from an Arab. Met S/L Brooks in the bus on the top. A few words about the tip bus - on the side of the road called MES Alley between Souk el Arba and Souk el Kemis there was a stinking rubbish dump and in the centre was placed an old single decker bus on its side - thus from the air it would look lke scrap metal. Inside it was specially designed for the lads to work on a small Filter and operations tables and we were able to pass on vital information from the Old Wreck. On duty 5-10pm. Eggs later.

Saturday January 16: Washed a shirt and had a beer. Duty 1-5pm. Another raid on Bone. We sent 12 Spitfires to intercept. Visited Padre's room and listened to overseas news for the Forces. Cooked more eggs.

Sunday January 17: Went to see the Padre. Listened to 'Fight for the right to be free.' Cooked eggs for supper.

Monday January 18: We brought four German planes down. One by Gilroy. Washed my clothes and sponged my uniform. On bulk rations today. Got a potato, a carrot and fruit smashing. On duty at 6001 L/W station.

Tuesday January 19: Washed more clothes. Duty again 1-5pm.

Wednesday January 20 on duty 8am-1pm. At 3pm told to pack up and move to Souk el Kemis and to put up a few tents. On duty all night.

Sunday January 24: Duty 8-1pm and 5-10pm. On telling today, I felt quite proud of my work. Post expected tomorrow.

Monday January 25: Post arrived. None for me. Duty 1-5pm and all night.

Tuesday January 26: Went to see the lads in Souk el Arba. Later 10 F/Ws over, four were brought down, the remainder were damaged. One Beau damaged and a few casualties. This attack was soon followed by many heavy bombers who attacked the airfield. We were lucky. It was a four-hour raid.

Wednesday January 27: Four ME 109s over. Nothing dropped but one of the lads was shot through the tummy. Apart from our Filter and operations work we have got to do guard duty at our Camp. Duty 5-10pm.

Thursday January 28: Washed socks. Duty 1-5pm. Gilroy smashed into Acting S/L Rose. Gilroy baled out but Rose was killed. Duty all night.

Saturday January 30: Duty 8-1pm. All given a Trade Test - a bit late. Very busy morning. Our bombers passing over continually. An Arab washed our clothes. Evening duty 5-10pm. Many hostiles over. I was asked to take over 898 station. Interception failed. Came first in Trade Test. Heard football results United and City both won.

Sunday January 31: Went to Mass by transport to a farm near Souk el Kemis. Confession and Communion. Duty 1-5pm. Interception near Tabarka.