Diary of Garth Edward Sommerville Clabburn - 1942-1944 - Part 5

The whole building was in marble &

gold & each carved window of

a different design. Each window

was of carved ivory or marble

& the intricate pattern was all

picked out in coloured glass;

so that when the light shone

through the interior of the 

great rooms was filled with 

a soft coloured & suffused

light. All the old French guilt

furniture was still in place

& there must have been nearly

a hundred fine pieces strewn

around the two or three large 

reception rooms. For a time

I wished I was a W.A.A.F.

or something, so that I could 

pass all my leisure time

in this really beautiful &

noble old home.

April 23. 1942. This morning I spent writing

a letter home & also to a couple 

of girls - one in Canada -

another in England. During the  

afternoon Tom & I took Pat &

another N.Z. girl named Joan along

to Music for All - a dance hall. It

fortunately was the girls idea & proved  

to be a bit of a hot flop. The 

day, the crowd, the dancers, & everything

was so hot that all was noisy &

sticky; & we were all glad to get

away. Tom & I went out during

the evening & had a few beers

with some Aussies. Later we piled into

the Morocco Club & there met Garth
Neill & George O'Brien: We three

later went & had a feed at

the Rodesian Club after having 

spent too much money on drinks 

& smokes.

April 24 Tom & I rose at 6:15 A.M. as planned 

& went off for a swim with Pat.

I was cold & my resistance was 

low - after the drinking, & I have 

consequently caught a devil of

a cold. We swam in some pool

in some gardens & it did not 

look too good in the early morning

light. About fifty army fellows

were diving & splashing about, &

one told me that they had been 

swimming there every morning at

6 AM for the past 6 weeks. Strangely

enough none of them could swim

well, but then they were English,

& few English people can.

At 1 P.M. Pat took us again to the 

old palace- this time for a very

fine luncheon. Later on she played

& sang to the panio in the

great hall, & her voice sounded 

very sweet floating around through

the fine old place. There 

were several very starchy but

very clean nurses sitting around

on chairs & glancing at

magazines - they never seem

to enjoy themselves very much.

During the evening my throat

was so sore that I was not

good for much, but managed 

to sit through a show in 

a bloody awful theatre. It  

was Paul Muni in "Jurez" & Gracie 

Fields in "Shipyard Sally" & I was 

very glad when the show ended & 

I could fall into bed. The 

mosquitoes this night nearly drove me

mad.

[*1.7.42. 
I think now            

that they must      

have been bed-    

bugs which are      

bad in the town.*]   

April 25. Anzac Day.

Felt a bit better but not really good.

Had a good breakfast at the Rodesian

Club & then went for a walk & a 

ride in a "garrik" with Tom & Pat.

We strolled along the Banks of the 

Nile & had a look in at some 

very fine gardens. Also had a glance

in at the Museum of Cotton where

everything apertaining to the industry

in Egypt is fixed up.

From there we strolled through more

gardens & the Gisera Sporting Club

& ate some fruit salad & 

ice cream. I have not felt

so hot today & slept this 

afternoon. We will report

at Almaza tomorrow & face 

the music. I fear we will 

be sent to the Western Desert Road

& from there to a Squadron. This 

does not suit me for I feel 

that it is a futile war today

& I am not even interested 

April 26. Last night went out with the boys

& had a few drinks. Whilst at

the Morrocco Club an air raid 

came along & there was a bit of 

a flap amongst the "Wogs" The 

"Warriors Rest" just next door

caught afire, & burned very 

well. I got hit in the chest

with the stream from a fire 

hose. Had a feed & went to 

bed.

This morning I said goodbye to

Pat Thomas & came to Almaza.

Here we were put under open

arrest & will be charged tomorrow.

We are posted to either 450 or 3

Sq. & are to push off tomorrow.

Received a very nice letter from

Gloria Brent at the B.B.C. this

morning & was very thrilled.
[*The reason for being        

placed under arrest             

was having taken                 

five days off in                        

Cairo without                       

permission.                         

1.7.42.* ] 

Very decent of her to remember me &

I must write her back.

Garth Neill has not been posted 

with us because of a mistake up

in the "Muddle" East Hq.

[*"The Aussie Cricketer"*] 

Ross Gregory is sitting here next to 

me here in the mess as I write 

this - I think he is a pilot.

Tonight I wrote a letter to

Noel Coward & told him of 

Macpherson's death & a few other 

things.

The desert looms large & ominous

right now, but I think I will be 

able to fight my way through.

Heard that Bill Brown went to 

Malta of all places, & that

Peter Ewing is flying a Mosquito. in 

England. Also that John Landen

has gone to India.

[*Peter is now in 

the M.E. & may

come to our squadron

25. June 1942*]

April 27^th This morning we faced the C.O. &

took his penalty of four days loss

of pay & a reprimand for having 

taken our little spot of leave 

in Cairo before it was granted.

[*I was perhaps

wrong in my

advice to him

for many Beaus

were lost about

two weeks ago

while trying to

protect a convoy

getting to Malta.

1.7.42.*]
I met F/O Swift, a fellow who

came across from Canada on 

the same ship as us. He is on 

Beaufighters & wanted to switch 

over to Kittyhawks - a thing which

I advised him against. I drew

a few stores including a new 

pair of swede flying boots which

are very comfortable. Garth Neill

took George O'neill's place on 

the posting for George went off

to hospital.

I pushed off a letter to Coral, 

June Adams, & also Gloria Brent

- am afraid they were all very 

short but time was also short.

With bags of gear we pushed off

for the Middle East Transit camp.

Strangely enough every body was in

very high spirits & some very fine

wise-cracks were slung around.

The train was hard - but I 

have been in worse & we 

sped along until about 11 P.M.

We had started off at 5 P.M. 

& had been shooting along through
all the wheat & market garden
area. That part of the country
carries an enormous population
but they all seem very poor &
are all exceedingly dirty. They
dress in rags & their villages
stink.
We had to sleep on the train, it
had stopped, & I managed to
pass out every hour or so when
sleep overcame me. We started
off again at about 7:30 AM the
following morning:
April 28.^th. Finally arrived at the W/D Transit
Camp & were presented with many
comforts from the home fund. We
had a shave after the C/O had
chipped us & had a pleasant
night playing darts & drinking
Canadian Ale.

April 29.th. The C/O informed us first thing
that Garth Neill Fred Ryan &
I had been posted to No 3 Sq

[*John Dean was
killed soon after 
we arrived at
Gambut.
1.7.42.*]
[*Buck Abacair
& Cpl Buck were
the only two,
I knew from
Australia.*] 

& that John Dean was to go off to
450 sq. We three were very happy about
this for No 3 has a good name in
the desert & has a big bag of enemy
kites. I also felt that I might meet
some fellows that I knew in Australia for
No 3 is an All Australian Squadron.
A staff car, picked up from the battle
field, arrived & drove us off to
the Squadron Base Camp. The adjutant,
F/O Greeves made us feel very much
at home & we spent the rest of 
the day yarning in his portable office.
He gave us the general history of
No 3 & we found that we have
a very fine record to uphold.
[*F/Lt Stone

at Sidi 

Hadimish*]

I met the doctor & sat around in
the evening & read. We are well
cared for & fellows gave us beds

& we drew guns & a bit more

gear from the store. It is fine

the way all stores accounting up

here is waived. You really appreciate

this after having had all the difficulties

with stores departments in the training

[*An efficient

check is kept

but many more

articles are on 

the consumable

lists.*]

schools throughout the Empire Air Scheme.
April 30^th. 1942.

Today has been a big day. I forgot
to mention that yesterday we all went
for a swim in the blue blue Mediterranean.
Here I found the most beautiful water
I have ever found, & I appreciated the
swim very much. I had some very

fine fun wrestling with Garth Neill &

Fred Ryan.

Today has been a big day because Lew

Spence arrived & gave us the "Pukha

Gen" on squadron flying. He is the the

oldest pilot, next to the C/O in the

Squadron & has many kites to his

credit & has twice landed & given

another fellow a lift home. His

advice, I hope I have absorbed

for it is of the best. I flew

for two hours this day & messed

up ey everything. I damaged the

retracting arms on one kite through

making a very heavy landing under

difficult conditions. I was landing

into the setting sun & also had a

[*This is mostly 

wrong, I must have

been listen mistaking 

Lew for Nicky Barre

who was then the 

2nd oldest & a good

shot. 30/5/43*]

[*These arms were 

O.K. & nothing had 

to be replaced. 

The guiding Lts were

slightly splayed.
30/5/43.*]

[*It is better for 

beginners to

land cross 

wind rather 

than into a

bright setting

hazy sun in these 

A/C. 30/5/43.*]

very heavy cold which made me feel

particularly rotten. Did circuits & landings &

generally flew around & found that I

must, for a start be very careful with

landings & takeoffs with these Kitty Hawkes.

I drank three bottles of Canadian beer in

the evening whilst listening to some

very fine jokes told by an a Scotch fellow

from some other fellow sq. who was

off to Syria the following day. I went

to bed & later got up to be

thoroughly ill - it was the combination

of a heavy cold & the grog. No more

while I am in this condition.

1st May 1942.

I flew in the middy & made one good

landing out of three. I swam in the

afternoon & did not much more all

day except write a letter to June Adams

asking her for a photograph.

[*A new pilot at

Sq. Base like 

this hasn't a clue.

30.5.43.*]

2nd May 1942.

Flew in the middy & did a few good 

aerobatics. Swam in the afternoon with

all the boys & got quite sunburnt.

Flew in the evening & had a poor

dog fight with Garth Neill. Made a

poor landing. A heavy air raid this

night about 20 miles away & we

watched parachute flares falling &

heard the "crumps".

Not much more to report except

that perhaps my cold is a bit better

& we will be going up to the

front the day after tomorrow. Come

what may. I think we will be

able to give a good account of

ourselves.

April May 3 1942. This day has been very hot & dusty.

We packed in the morning & I went

to the sick quarters & tried to fix up

my cold which is no better. This

afternoon Garth Neill & I went

shadow firing & made a mess of

it. We had a few cross words on

landing because I accused him of

turning too quickly. I messed up my

deflection & am afraid I did not

gain much practice from the exercise.

There was plenty of activity late

this afternoon when Mick Bare.

[*Now realise that 

the attacking plane

must use his 

throttle like Hell

if needs be to 

get & stay in 

position. Mostly

my fault this 

mucked practice

30/5/43.*]

arrived from the front badly in

want of pilots. We all are to

push off first thing tomorrow &

three of the old hands took off

for the A.L.G. late this evening. We

now have taken over a Harvard &

should find it very handy in the

Squadron.

[*This nice little 

A/C stayed with

us for only 

one week.*]

This evening will be my last for

a long time in a peaceful place.

From now I will be in the thick

of World War No 2. & I have a feeling

that I will see it through. I will

try hard to anyway, & will endeavour

to carry out all the good advice the

old hands of No 3 have given me to

date.

April May 4^th. This day we drove from Sidi Baquish

to Gambut through the Sollum Pass.

It was a very interesting but very

disheartening ride for every mile of

the road was bordered with trucks

guns graves & rubble all smashed

up by wars. All the towns were

in shambles & everybody was

[*There was 

10 times as much 

smashed up gear

lying about after 

the last big 

advance

& the sight

of that did
not worry me

for I understood 

then what it

was all about. 

30.5.43.*]

living in holes scratched out of the

hard dusty ground. We swam at

Sollum & travelled through terrific dust

storms where we could only see 10 yds

ahead. Arrived at Gambut at 6 P.M.

& met S/Ldr Gibbes & all the squadron

pilots. Met F/O Abicare the engineer officer

who used to be a F/Sgt in old 21.

Squadron.

Was detailed to go on standby with

B Flight at 8 AM. the following morn

& F/Lt Barr gave me the " GEN"

April May 5th. Rose & went on stand bye until 1 P.M.

but no call came through for any 

operations. Tremendous dust storm

during afternoon & evening & I

went swimming in sea with

flight after work. Used gun cotton

for fish & killed only one small

one. Had good cork fight &

"Butch" Furnace stopped one in

his eye which is now quite black.

Read in evening through dust cloud

& retired early. Dust, Dust, dust,

nothing but dust everywhere all the time.

April May 6 1942. No flying this morning just

taxied kites to dispersed positions.

Operation planned for 6.30 P.M. & I

think I will be going along. The

loading of the guns was demonstrated

at about 2.P.M. The C.O. took off

& carried out a little practice ground

straffing setting fire to a few nearly

empty petrol drums. This afternoon

while waiting for something to happen

I have been collecting the autographs

of all pilots which appear in the back

of this book. We have just scrambled

six A/C - 1500 hrs & this is the first

real scramble I have ever seen.

Took off at 6:15 P.M. & did practice formation.

The exercise proved very benificial & I

thoroughly enjoyed the whole show.

Was nearly blinded on take off with

dust & will in future take off with

hood closed. Saw three A/C which

proved to be Hurricanes. After flight chased

an enemy bomber but could not catch

it up for it was to far East when

the scramble was ordered.

[*Taking off with 

hood closed is

asking for "IT". 

Tis better to have

A/C kept very 

clean by crew 

then dust is 

no worry. 

30/5/43.*]

The whole mess roared with laughter

at Ronald Franco broadcasting from

London in the evening. He was particularly

saucy & was very much appreciated here

in the desert. Here we have a pilots

mess & it is a great idea having all

the boys in together - tis a great

pity the same scheme is not carried

out right throughout the Empire.

Became completely lost in the dark on

the way from the mess to our tent at

about 10 P.M. & finally found my 

bed at 11:30 P.M. Was at one stage

of the search stouging around in

the C.O's tent knocking things about

much to every bodys amusement. Some

of the boys took pity on me after

calling in at their tent on the 

second time around - still miles

from home & going in circles -

& gave me tea & toast. They

ended up driving me home in

a truck & the funny part was

I had not been drinking but was

just genuinely lost in the dark & desert.

[*On a dark 

night anybody

can do this

out in the "Blue"

30/5/43.*]

April May 7th. It is a still cool day with cloud at

about 6000' & excellent conditions for

an offensive sweep. Ten of ours took

off at about 10:30 AM. & have not as

yet returned. One of 122 sq. kites caught

alight this morning on the ground &

went up with a big whoof of

black smoke & a good bang.

The crew were cleaning it out with

gas at the time & one of them

might have been enjoying a smoke!.

Our ten returned & there was much

excitement for two ME 109F's attacked

the formation a little West of Yazala

& both of them were shot down.

We did little this evening & I retired

early for I am on stand bye at 7:30

in the morning. News tonight over

the radio of the British attack on

Madagascar which was big news to

us for it directly affects 140 members

of the Squadron returning home

soon. I retired at about 9:30 PM

April May 8th. Waited around during the morning &

nothing happened. Some of the boys

went off to straff Indian troops who

were in a convoy just to give

them an idea of the real thing.

At 12:30 we went of on a sweep

over the enemy lines - patrol it should

be called. The going was very fast

& one of the A/C caught afire &

the pilot bailed out. Another turned

over on landing & the pilot was

discharged from the Squadron - I

should say posted. We raced after

enemy A/C but could not find

them & I ran short of gas

due to the excessive weaving &

high Boost & landed with only

5 galls left. I have enjoyed

a grand wash this afternoon &

now feel much refreshed. I

now feel much happier about "opps"

even though I have not as yet

had a fight. But the reason is

because I am now more at

home in the squadron & have the

[*Sgt Packer was 

posted to 450 Sq

& was killed about

a week later on.*]

[*Actually I did

not have a

clue & dont 

think I would
have seen anythink

had it 

turned up

30.5.43.*]

[*A great deal

of this depends 

on the efficiency

of the Flight 

Commanders. It 

is those two

birds who must 

keep the new ones 

informed & wide 

awake.

30/5/43.

& the C.O. must 

keep the two 

F/Lt cmdrs. awake.*]

flying drill a little more under

control. It is most important to

learn quickly in a squadron all

those little flying details that

go to make up good team -

work; & because I have kept

my eyes open & have asked many

questions I now feel much

more confident when the scramble

order is given. Charlie Coward

is an old "opps" man now in

the squadron & he was one of

my brood of the first course

through Somers - & a fine fellow.

He had a narrow escape yesterday

when one of the MES nearly got

him, with a burst close to his tail.

The fellow who baled out this morning.

has just returned in an army truck.

He was flying "W" a kite that had

run very roughly with me yesterday.

It caught alight with him & he got

out on the third attempt at about

8000'. He said it was a good

experience & nothing to worry

[*Danny Bordman*]

about - except of course the loss of the

kite. Sgt Packer crashed on landing which

was most unfortunate for he was a nice

fellow & has now left the sq.

I played the gramaphone in the evening &

retired at about 10 P.M.

April May 9th. 9 Rostons took off with big escort to

bomb this morning. Bags of activity

everywhere. I have not flown this

morning. It is a beautiful day.

Have written Mother & Father, John Landen

Betty Smith & Alice Broughton letters this

morning & also mended my stretcher.

Went on standby during the afternoon but

nothing turned up.

April May 10th.
This day I was assistant control officer of 239

operations & was very busy during the

tour of duty. From one sweep

carried out by 250 sq one Kitty hawk

failed to return. I enjoyed this days

work even though it was intended to

be a punishment from the C.O. for

having taxied into a cloud of

dust.
[*This was 

punishment & of

the right sort 

because a fellow

is learning all 

the time.

30/5/43.*]