February, 1943

Monday February 1: Too hot to sleep. Jerry over at 10am, heat overpowering. Had a bath in a bucket. Guard duty with Harry 10pm-3am. Enemy raid on Bone, two planes shot down.

Tuesday February 2: Duty 8.30am-1pm. 898 off the air for maintenance at 9am. 15 F/Ws 190 came over and bombed the drome. One plane destroyed and one damaged. Three of the lads injured. Enemy strafing the Troops. Pay this afternoon = 2,100 francs. On duty, very quiet.

Wednesday February 3: Air raid again at 9.30. We watched the Messerschmitts dive-bombing and could see the bombs leaving the planes. We had no cover. Many Spitfires were hit and three lads were killed. PM on stand off NAAFI rations arrived. I bought a writing pad. Post at last from home. On duty all night. Drank beer to celebrate the mail.

Thursday February 4: Expecting an air raid so we did not go to bed. Tired from night duty and the raid came at 9.30am. The enemy planes did not reach the air field. Out fighter planes were waiting and we watched exciting dog fights. Evening played cards with Bill, Jess and Roy. Won 200 francs.

Friday February 5: Went to Mass at 7am. Duty 8-1pm. Afternoon dug out our new site. Post arrived. One from home.

Saturday February 6: Worked on the site again digging out a pit for the tent to be staked over it. Got some hired Arabian help. On watch 1-5pm.

Sunday February 7: Finished work on the dug out at 14.00hrs. It looks great.

Monday February 8: Duty 8-1pm. I filtered the biggest raid so far on us, I had at least 30+ German aircraft approaching. We sent up 36 fighters and Jerry never got in. Evening duty 5-10pm. Bushell broke his leg.

Tuesday February 9: Rested. Had some white bread. It was great. Bushell taken to hospital. Had hair cut by an Arab. Evening duty. Early to bed. Night stand off - my first.

Wednesday February 10: Guard duty 6om-8am. One hell of a night.

Thursday February 11: Terrific storm raging. No aircraft about. Duty 5-10pm. Storm still with us. No work to do in the Operations Room.

Friday February 12: Camp under water. Dugouts flooded. On night duty. I plotted, filtered and recorded information. Warned that Sabateurs in the area. Had my irons pinched.

Saturday February 13: Bed most of the day. On guard duty with Harry Parks, 8-10pm.

Sunday February 14: On a stand off. Set out with Roy and Bill to go to mass, but transport would not stop to give us a lift. Washed my clothes and went on duty 5-10pm. Waited for the football results. Jerry was over again this evening but he never got in. Artillery very very loud at the Front.

Monday February 15: Duty 1-5pm. A very hot day. Hellish. Germans are making an advance. Washed my clothes.

Wednesday February 17: Duty 8am - 1pm. Germans driven back but only six miles. Americans ask the First Army for help.

Thursday February 18: All the phones out of order. Signals unit put them in working order. Outbreak of Typhus, Souk el Arba out of bounds.

Saturday February 20: On guard midnight to 2am then duty 8am-1pm. Germans advancing again. All warned to be ready to retreat at a minute's notice. Duty 5pm-10pm. There was a booze up with good food and we missed it.

Sunday February 21: Duty 1-5pm. Mail arrived - SIX for me. Duty all night. Germans now 40 miles from Tebassa. Had a wash down and mended my socks.

Monday February 22: Went to bed at 12-30pm. Up at 3pm. Watched 15 Flying Fortresses flying towards us. THEY BOMBED US. Many Arabs killed in Souk el Arba and about 20 of the RAF lads.

Tuesday February 23: Duty 1-5pm very busy. I brought in a track of enemy F/Ws 190s one brought down and one probable. A great interception. Newspapers arrived from home. Duty all night.

Thursday February 25: Too hot to sleep and too much nose from our Kites. On guard duty midnight -2am. Duty 8am-1pm, very busy. Received important messages from 2m&C1. a terrific storm. Went to bed. Played cards with Roy, Bill and Jess. Won 15 francs.

Friday February 26: Deep mud. Duty 1-5pm, busy despite bad weather. Evening - played Solo and got an Abundance Decl.

Saturday February 27: Another Storm. Deep Mud. Difficult to walk. Quiet day.

Sunday February 28: Bed. No sleep. Planes kept us awake. Record number of Sortie.