March, 1943

Monday March 1: Duty 8-1pm, very busy. Had a wash down. Had a FFI. Duty 5-10pm, Beau fighter shot down and Italian bomber.

Tuesday March 2: Very hot, laundry to and Arab, I mended my socks. Duty 1-5pm, last duty in the old bus on a tip. Went to our new site on the airfield near the runway. Duty 8.30pm-9am.

Wednesday March 3: Parcel from home - 100 fags and eight papers. On guard 11pm-1. Met Padre, went to confession. Padre gave me some fags.

Thursday March 4: Duty 8-1pm. Afternoon washed socks. Had hair cut, duty 5-10pm. Interception - four brought down.

Friday March 5: Hylda's birthday. Duty 1-5pm. Another storm, duty all night.

Saturday March 6: Bed. Sat on a box in the field and a small dentist pulled out a tooth and dislocated my jaw. He wrapped his fist in a towel and belted my jaw into place.

Sunday March 7: Went to Mass and C. Prayed for everybody. Duty 8-1pm. Explained to wireless operators our work. The enemy pushed back to the Mareth Line, 1st Army on the offensive.

Monday March 8: Duty 1-8pm. Yanks bombed shipping off Bizerta - two sunk, two set on fire, and two more hit. Duty all night. Terrific storm.

Wednesday March 10: Letter from Hylda informing me of her marriage in April.

Friday March 12: Washed socks. Helped with beer cases - evening concert. Eisenhower came to Souk el Kemis.

Saturday March 13: Very hot. Had a wash down in a bucket. Duty 6-10pm.

Sunday March 14: Set out for Mass in a lorry. Went for miles over drome and through rivers. Heard Mass at Paddington Railway Station, and offered HG fro Hylda and all. Got back just in time for duty.

Monday March 15: Mended socks. Guard duty 9pm-11. Two new airmen came.

Tuesday March 16: Duty 8am-1pm and 5-10pm. Twenty and hostiles approaching near Cap Serat. Jerry attacked us today. He dropped three bombs and then machine gunned the camp. No casualties TG, but hell. Most of the bombs fell in the hills. Ack-Ack brought one down. A Spitfire claimed one. A 500lb bomb dropped only 50 yards away from us. It made a crater 16' deep and 30 yards wide.

Wednesday March 17: Busy day, hostiles in the north. On night duty.

Thursday March 18: Served Mass. Did not to go to bed, expecting gun practice, later postponed. Heavy rain all day.

Friday March 19: Duty 8am-1pm, still raining. Two new airmen arrived plus mail. Jerry flew very low over is - 1Me. 109 and 2 Focke-Wolf. Deep mud.

Saturday March 20: Duty 1pm-5, lost three Spitfires. Night duty. Cooked eggs, Bizerta bombed, had 127 Kites on stand by.

Sunday March 21: On guard most of the day. 20 hostiles came over very high, our Spitfires kept them out.

Monday March 22: Duty 8-1pm, inoculated. Enemy over again. I was on telling duty. Jerry never got in, 8th Army attacked.

Tuesday March 23: Duty with Mr Jones. Mr Dunlop posted. Went to Mass on the airfield at 72 Squadron. Jerry over at 11pm and again at 12. Never seen so many dogfights overhead but Jerry was kept out again. Heavy raid on Bizerta by Fortresses. Jerry back. We lost three. Very hot, I volunteered to move south-east nearer the Front with F/L Jones plus three other lads.

Wednesday March 24: Off night duty. Bed. Very hot. PM wash down.

Thursday March 25: Duty 8-1pm. 20 enemy aircraft over Stuka dive bombers and Mes. I thought my end had come. It was terrible. Our fighters came to the rescue and kept the majority at bay. One Me. shot down and many damaged. Boiling hot so I washed my feet. Duty 5-10pm, rather quiet but four brought down. We lost one aircraft but the pilot safe. Our expedition to move up and work with the 8th Army was cancelled.

Friday March 26: Went to Mass and Communion. I served. Duty 1pm-5, quiet. Misty but boiling hot. Stand off from night duty.

Saturday March 27: Served Mass HC. Had a Turkish bath in Souk el Arba. Talk with Padre. Played cards with the lads and lost three francs.

Sunday March 28: News just come through that the attack has started. 15 planes over to bomb Mateur drome, but returned because of the mist. Only a few hostiles about, very hot.

Monday March 29: Bill and I expected a move. Later cancelled. F/L Gray gave us some soup - great. Inoculated. Duty 1-5pm. Mareth Line captured. French advancing in the north.

Tuesday March 30: Bed. Wakened at 2am and informed that I was posted and to leave tomorrow, Mr Jones tried to get me off.

Wednesday March 31: Packed my kit, paid. Saw Padre and left camp at 1.30pm. Reached Le Kef at 2.30pm. reported and told to return to Souk el Kemis. Spoke to Mr Jones - he got me back.