Diary of Garth Edward Sommerville Clabburn - 1942-1944 - Part 17

comfortable sleeping with a strong
stone roof over our head once
more & strolling around through
the lush grass & oceans of
sweet smelling wild flowers.
I have been sick & very
nervous these past two days
& the Doc has made me W/S
for a couple of days.
Good news to hand - Norm
Cauldwell is with the Army
down the road & is quite
O.K.
Dave, Wattie & I went for a
run around in the Jeep &
yarned with some of the Farmers.
They gave us a chook - which
Watti let go later on &
also a heap of young carrots.
25th.
The Wing went off about 11 A.M.
to strafe a drome. We did not
get off because of a misunder-

standing about time. It was this
afternoon that Watti & Dave &
I went off yarning to the

Local inhabitants. I am writing up this diary
a few days late which accounts for the
errors regarding which happened on what
day.
26th
The boys went out on armed recco miles
into Tunisia & could find little of interest.
There is a deal of cloud about. Dave
& I pushed off in the Jeep into
Tripoli in the afternoon. Along the road
we came on a great winery & the
Army boys were lugging up great tins
of sour wine from out of big
wells in the floor of the building.
We collected a four gallon tin of
the stuff but found it tasted
dreadful so dumped it. In the
City we met a war-correspondent
representing the Sydney Telegraph. &
drove him around the harbour &
some fine old Roman ruins. The
Seaforth Highlanders put on a show
with the pipe band & all in
the Great square near the sea &
all the Italians & wogs were
impressed. We passed General
 

Montgomery in his car on the way to
the city. The fort is badly bashed
about but the navy is already 

on the job of clearing away the

debris. We had a glass of the

rotten wine at the Gand hotel

with our correspondent friend. It

is really a very beautiful place

with all its furnishings & labour complete.

It is to be made into an Officers club.

Food is scarce in the town & as yet

all the shops are shut but it is hoped

that as many things will be got going

just as soon as is possible.

27th.

This morning I managed - with Ted

Tunbridge's good grace, to secure a

fine pair of desert boots! This is good

for I have been nearly crippled by wearing

a new pair of airmans boots which I

think were made out of rhino hide.

I am now servicable physically & led

out two squadrons (3&450) to bomb

two ships off the coast of Tunis. The

cloud was at 2500' & just off

[?] I spotted 8 109's climbing up

to have a crack at us. I sent down

Blue section & when it was definitely

established that they were E/A turned

back the remainder of our formation &

got stuck in.  Four of us got in

good bursts before the E/A got away

in the heavy cloud. L/St Watt did

not return from this scrap & nobody

saw what happened to him. It is to be

hoped that he managed to crash land

just inside our lines for the fight took

place right over the Bomb Line. & about

two miles out to sea. Heavy ACK/ACK

was pumped up during the Show.

Several new pilots have arrived from

Australia & we are now at full

strength both in A/C & men to fly

them. Some of the new chaps are

very experienced - not in "opps" but

in general flying. The new fellows

are F/Lts. Susans & Easton. Wes Nash

& Stratton & Sgts. Lave, McLeod, Beer

& Harbour. The F/Lts. have about 4000 hrs

between them & have now both 

done a job & enjoyed it.

Well here I am at the middle of

this book, & I hope the next half

will be filled with interesting facts

& happenings, but also wish that

during their writing I will be off

opps & not continually staring death

in the face. 

I forgot to mention on the 26th,

George Barton & I found an Italian

house apparently deserted but full

of beautiful furniture crystal silver & 

tapestries. We loaded great volumes of

this stuff onto the jeep & were just

to drive away when an old Iti

rushed up & let out a wail. 

We drove off regardless & after

a few miles our conscience bit

pretty hard so we took it all 

back. Our faces were red & his

full of smiles - we both came to

the conclusion that we were not

the hardened looters that most

Australians are supposed to be.

As it turned out it did not

belong to this old Iti but to

some fellow who had gone away - 

anyway our characters are again

cleansed & we feel better than

we would have had we hung on

to the stuff. It would have been 

difference had we driven away without

meeting the old bird.

F/O Martin who had recently been

taken prisoner at El Alimein & had

escaped from Greece gave us a very 

interesting lecture on the night of

the 26th.

28th.

Today Rex Bayley has been taken off

opps & is a very happy man. 

Danny Boardman who is still with

us although is not operational

pranged his little plane this morning

but it can be fixed up again.

The Fighting French all around the drome

have been catching & killing pigs sheep

& cows & having great feeds.

I think they may pay a little for

them but it is mainly catchings 

keepings.  We have had fresh 

beef for lunch this day.

Nic Watson & I went for a drive during the

afternoon & wondered for miles through

beautiful orchards. We spoke to one Italian

family who complained that Free French

troops had badly treated them during the

morning & had taken all their live stock.

I think there are only isolated cases of

this sort of thing happening & one the

whole the farmers are well treated & 

our troops very weel ordered & good 

mannered.
29th. 

This morning I attended a large conference

on this station presided over by all 

Air Vice Marshal Coningham. The xxxx

Interesting things xxxx  were told us & we met many

more interesting people. I am sure it

was one of the largest meetings of

important Air force men held to date 

in the M.E. Mosquitoes from Malta

arrived with the A.O.C. from there. They

appeared to be a very fine &

fast A/C. During the afternoon

John Bell came across from the 274 Sq.

& I went to his mess later on

for a drink. It hase been

a momentous day & from what

we can see & from what we have

been told - there is going to be

one great big battle ahead before

the Axis is finally cleared from

Africa. We are to have about

4 weeks training & leave period.

The A.O.C. has told the Co. he may keep

the squadron & carry on through

Tunisia & he will in all probability

go to England later on to do

 a staff course. We also have 

permission to fly a few pilots

down to Alexandria for a spot

of leave in our little twin engine

Italian A/C which will be serviceable

in two or three days from now.

30th. 

Today we have led out a dozen A/C

& bombed gun positions that were

holding up the taking of Zuora.

The army said that the bombing

was good. We spent most of 

the day mucking about on the

captured leave plane. Holes were

found in the petrol tanks

& these have to be patched & rivetted

which will be a long job.

Air Marshal Tedder & the American

General Spatz & several other big men

arrived in a Flying Fortress from

England this evening. We all

pushed across & photographed

them. The Fortress is a beautiful

machine & I would not relish 

the job of attacking in in any

fighter. Today I received an

E.F.M from my father saying

that some cash & parcels I had

sent along had arrived safely & 

that all was well at home

which is good.
We went to the pictures - a great

thrill this evening & say a fool

of a show called "Hell's Apopping".

The sound & light was poor but

we all enjoyed it for it is

many months since we saw q

real show.

31 Jan 1943.

I am writing this up a little late & 

consequently hazy about jobs but

think that we did one today. The

main happening during the 24 hrs was

a visit by 6-7 Fighting Frenchmen
from New Calidonia who entertained

us royally during the evening with

Italian songs & dances. We fixed

the drinks & food & helped

considerably with the songs also.

Goulds & Danny sang very well - 

also McLeod, & we all let "A

Nigger Went Down" go with great 

gusto.

1st Feb.

Early - At dawn David Redge & 

Norm left by Lockheed for Cairo.

2nd.

This day the GQ led out a show - the

early morning recco & they found 

some good strapping targets. Ron

Susans was very happy because

he killed three enemy fellows who

were running along a jetty at

Zarzis, or Zelten - I forget

which. They say no E/A.

nor experienced much ACK/ACK.

News is good from Russia &

there they are making great

chives Sthwards & Westward

killing many Germans.

The Americans to the West also are giving

the German A/F a pounding & have shot

down many A/C this day! Today I received 

a nice little letter from Nanda Waugh in

Alexandria. There is still no news of

F/Lt Watt or Allan Righetti. I am fear they 

must both be P.O.W. i.e. if Wattie did not

"buy it". This day the Co. flew the Gebly

for the 1st time & she proved very

[?], her best speed being about 120 M.P.H.

3rd.

This day I led No 3 & 450 Sqdns out to bomb

& straff shipping in Zazis harbour. It

was a long trip & disappointing for we

found only about 5 fishing boats there which

we bombed. I should have

straffed but didn't like the fool

that I am. During the evening

we went again to the local

hall & saw a film called "Dad &

Dave go to Town" An Australian picture

& pretty punk.

4th.

We were on 1/2 an hour all the 

morning & at midday it was

 

announced that Winston Churchill together

with the C.I.G.S. & many other Generals

& Air Marshals were to visit the station 

at 1600 hrs. He was to meet the Squadron

Commanders & I went along & was

shaken by the hand in Lieu of S/Ld

Gibbs. Mr Churchill look very old & tired

& gave no message except the V

sign. All squadrons cheered as he

passed. A P38 arrived this afternoon

& we got no job.

5th.

This day I did not fly. We had 500

lb. bombs on but had to

take them all off & go as top

cover to 112 sq. who were to

bomb the 21st Panzar Div, & also

40 M.T. that I had reported - 

yes I did fly this morning. The W/C

led the squadron out at dawn

& I took top cover. We found

the 21st Panzar & bombed with

40 Lbs. I was nearly hit by

some very accurate F* MM. & 

P/O Raffan was hit but got his

A/C home. I reported the 40 M.T. on the coast

when coming home & it was this stuff that

112 had gone out to bomb in the afternoon.

The 40 planes had gone when they got there so

they went on & did our target for the

morning show over. Five 109's attacked

as they were bombing & 112 sq claimed

1 destroyed & 2 probables - they had

one fellow missing. Our [?] cover

had lost them before this. We had a 

great party in the mess this night saying

Au Revoir to Danny, Rex & the Doc, & hello to the Graper

6th.

A beautiful day just around 

Castel Benito, sun shining flowers

blooming, light breeze & we on

1/2 an hour. The C.O. Danny

Boardman & Rex Bayley all

left at dawn in the Italian plane

for Alexandria. Danny & Rex are

off opps. & probably going home & 

the C.O is taking a bit of leave

& will probably do a short

administration course at the 

same time.

I led out the squadron at

14.15 as top cover to 260 who

were to find & bomb the 21st

Panzar Div. Just past Zelten we

ran into a great bank of could

which was 12/10its. from 12000 to
 200. We went about it until

we were over Zarzis & then

went down & came back

over the sea. There was no

point in trying to find the

enemy Div. with the ceiling as

low as it was.

Dave Ritchie Redge Stevens Norm

Caldwell all returned from

Cairo this evening after spending

four days leave there. They waid

that the 1500 mile trip each

way almost made the four 

days not worth while. Still

I will go along just to see

if they are right, about next 

Tuesday. It would be just the same

distance to fly if we made off West

for London - pity the A/F will not

take a sporting chance & let us

fly to London for our four days instead

of smelly old Cairo.

7th.

The great storm we found at the border

yesterday afternoon has now

driving down upon Tripoli & 

it is raining & blowing heavily.

The boys have made two attempts

to get through the heavy 

weather & bomb the Panza Div

but so far have failed. This

day the Army are going to 

attempt the taking of Ben

Gordan - a tough job for

the defences are well constructed

& deep under ground. 

This morning air A/Party has move

out to another dome about 40

miles to the West. We are all

unhappy about leaving Castel Benito

for we are comfortable here &

were expecting a little rest.

8th to 16th

During this period I have been away from

the Squadron on leave. We had five

clear days in Cairo & took about

7 1/2 hrs to fly down but were 

delayed by bad weather when returning

& had to spend a night at

Marble Arch. On arrival at Castel

Benito on the morning of the 15th

we found that the whole wing

had moved forward to El Asses

about 120 miles to the West. With 

no transport available we had to

spend the night with the A.A.D. who

treated us very well & gave 

drinks & food. Three nurses

were along for a little celebration

during the evening. 

Our leave was most enjoyable

& we met some very fine people.

This time we stayed at Minerva

House near the Grand Hotel & 

in the one room was Andy Taylor

Tom Russell Rod McKenzie & myself.

Danny Boardman & Rex Bayley arrived

from Alexandria with S/Ldr Gibbs &

also took a room in the 

same house. We had a few

good drinks & little celebrations

together. We went to the zoo

on one of Egypts National Bank

holidays & on another morning Tom

& I played four very fine &

strenuous sets of singles at the

Gizera Club. The following morning

McKenzie & I went along there

intending to play golf but I could 

procure everything but balls - so

scrubbed the game & grew

very intoxicated with Nobby Clarke

& several others who had

just been decorated.

The highlight of our leave was

the enjoyable times we spent

with the Brearley family. Mother

Father & the two daughters

had us out to luncheon &

the following day they slung

a grand dinner party celebrating

Danny & Rex finishing of

"opps." We had a really happy

family party & Joan & I

fell a little in love. I

took her to a show the following

evening & fell a little more!

Went one evening to Music for

All with Hoshna Dorra. She

talked too much but otherwise

was quite charming. During the

leave I had made a blue 

uniform together with great coat,

which fits me.

We arrived back in the Squadron

this morning & find all O.K.

The enemy have now retreated

well West of Ben Gardan

& the bomb line is just

East at Meddinnin West. We

are going to trounch - or try to

trounch them in the air soon.

Tripoli harbour is now well

open to working at high speed.

I am eager to get this

next campaign over & done

with & get cracking out of

this desert for I am growing

no younger here & planning

is of no consequence.

18th. 

Not much this day except a

very heavy & uncomfortable

dust storm during the afternoon. I

have written letters home & to Mrs Heffer

in San Deigo. McFarlan & McQueen

both were taken off "opps" this day - 

they have 190 & 170 hrs respectively.

19th.

The natives have started their own private

war. We believe that there is a large 

tribal war going on to the Sth & East

of us & when in the air I have

seen a very large Bedouin - or Senussi

camp just to the Sth of the drome.

Some of the boys have seen a 

few very picturesque figures on Arab

stallions decked out in fancy red

leather trappings rifles & all bounding

across the desert - off to war.

I have no doubt that these days

the Senussi in these parts knows

all the different phases of modern

war, such as mines & booby traps

& am just as sure he is

using them. They must have 

picked up hundreds of rifles &

Tommy Guns tons of ammunition

& must be stocked up now for