Major Henry Charles David Marshall - Wallet 1 - Booklet 4 - Part 2

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plane might xxx drop eggs on us. The searchlight display
over Alex during our airraid was a brilliant spectacle,
but we were too far away to see any planes. Only once did
we see one scooting for home and held the beam of 
the nearest  light to us for a few moments. No AA chased
him however. Our canteen had to work under difficulties 
in a marquee and we had to allow the men to take 
a ration of bottles  to their tents to prevent a gathering
together. Of not we would have had the whole battalion 
milling  in one place and all the efforts towards dispersion
gone by the board in the event of an air attack during
this  period the casualties would have been enormous
-all for a beer. So usually a couple of orderlies with
the Platoon Commanders that bought for the whole platoon.
Mess hut but were also broken down to Platoons and well
scattered. Blackout was completely enforced and no
lamps were issued so that as soon as dusk fell everyone
had to go to bed. It meant going to bed  at 6.30. Some
Officers mainly Company Commanders were allowed
lamps  and this had an electric one run off a car
battery. We had a rain storm overnight and the
water bank around my tent broke.  As there was so
little excavation there was no great width of earth and
water coursing down the rocky hill soon got in 
and my dugout was flooded to a depth of about nine
inches. I was in bed and as I had undressed
upstairs the only thing left to float were my slippers.
I had my last dose of sandfly fever here and I went
down to the camp hospital. Harry Furnell decided
I had to be examined properly so his second in command
ran the rule over me thoroughly They tested me for
kidney trouble and were waiting for me to get a
temperature before taking a malaria test. You must
have a temperature or you get a negative result straight away.
He tried me for appendicitis and I really think frightened 
the trouble completely away by finding one small
tender spot over my appendix, since this bout I
have not had a recurrence. Another thing we had
to learn  during my stay here was to ride a motorcycle
all officers had to be proficient. I learnt fairly well and
quickly and had no falls although the ground was
very bumpy. I was able to ride around the camp sometimes
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and saved myself a lot of walking I called it practice .
We had plenty of space  and the ground was reasonably
clear so we made three  or four football grounds, and
started a Company Competition. Battalion Headquarters
only had about 30 all ranks but we managed to provide
a team in which I played and we won our first match
against D Coy, drew with 6 Coy and were beaten by my
own company. In the match against D Coy I hurt my
knee - I think I was kicked and it caused me a lot
of trouble  later. One day the Brigadier came over and
presented all our pennants from the Brigade sports
at Palestine and gave us each our individual trophies.
Each member of the winning teams got  some small
memento and it took quite long while to go through
us with so many. I got a small pocket wallet of
tooled leather. Incidentally the band as I told you
had lost its bandmaster Trahain in Palestine and
had fallen on evil days. I started on it and
reinstituted its early morning March around
camp at reveille and it also played on the Guard
at Guard mounting. It soon began to improve again
but when we left Ikingi its instruments were never
used again. When we arrived we found in our area
a burnt aeroplane and it caused a lot of interest
and was be source of a lot of conjecture and investigation
What really happened was that a British plane coming
home could go no further as the pilot had  bailed out and let
it crash.  It caught fire and was completely burnt out.
It furnished us with all sorts of things - wires and
bits of fuselage were manufactured into lots of things. When

we had to train on tank hunting we used part of the
tube structure  to make skids  or runners for a dummy
tank and built the frame of wood and hessian.
It was to be towed behind a car.  We were without
showers in this camp and had to send the water cart
around the Company’s, twice a day and water was
stored in kerosene tins by which we came by dishonestly
as one was able to wash in more than a pint of water
and it was a glorious day when we were invited
down to one of the houses used by the Army Post
Office and had a shower. I also had a long bath
whilst I was in the hospital. It became the fashion
as soon as an officer  got leave to go into Alexandria
 

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to go to the hotel and have a haircut and shave and
shampoo and then a wonderful hot bath, leave was
not too frequent in Alexandria and leave parties for
troops were carefully rationed to cover the requirements 
of the Egyptian  Railways. I think most of the troops got
in once and some twice. The Australian Comforts fund
had taken over a hotel - The Atlantic but no liquor
was sold. They provided a bed and meals and nice
facilities I can tell you more about it later as six
months  later I spent a week here on a job. It was
not until just before we moved that we were able to grant
Overnight leave to officers. Theo had for a long time
travelled daily to his job - the special one but he was
how back. We were at Ikingi a little over six weeks
and in this time we did Battalion, Brigade and
Divisional Exercises. There was only a few days
break between Brigade shows and here were
filled in with Battalion ones. We had two Divisional
ones. I was with the Bn on be first one but was an
umpire on he second for the enemy. I was Chief Umpire
and the Brigadier of the enemy Brigade led me a
pretty dance. I shall tell you what I thought of him
myself. Theo got conjunctivitis or inflamation of the
eyes through dust probably and had a weeks leave,
That prevented me from going on leave and just before
Ive left he came back and I succeeded in wangling
overnight leave and the next day. Before his I had
been twice into Alexandria - both times on duty and
had no time to spare for dalliance. The entrance to
Alexandria from our side is along be Rue des Soeurs or
Sister Street - a very long narrow street in the native
quarter - with no traffic rules and a cardriver has to
be constantly on the alert. Native gharries- cars trams
handcarts and worst of all heavy narrow little carts mainly
carrying cotton to and from the wharves and warehouses
and drawn by two donkeys wander from everywhere
and to everywhere. They shoot out of narrow lanes with
the most careless disregard of what is coming. Truly
they don't need to worry as anything that hits them
comes off a bad secondbest. Combined with thousands
of civilians who wander every where its a harrowing
drive. There is a single tram line in parts and you

129
 can never be certain whether it is coming or going. Sister
Street is well known as the brothel area but this is not
strictly correct.  It runs into Mahomet Ali Square a very
big place and this is the real den of vice and sin although

some of it flows over into Sister Street. I have heard some

hair raising tales of this place. The City of Alexandria itself

is a city of fine buildings - not skyscrapers and fairly

broad streets and large squares. It has a beautiful

promenade right along the seashore - in places 100 yards

wide, I believe the suburbs - that is the suburbs of the

white and also the wealthy people are very beautiful but

I never saw them. There is a much larger proportion of

white people living in Alex which gains much of its wealth

from cotton. It has a very large Greek colony as well as

most of all the European peoples. Its night life is made

up of cabarets and picture theatres and there are a

number of very good hotels of which the Cecil is the most

famous - just like Shepheards of Cairo. This was based 

on Alex for his job and he soon found that hotel life

was too expensive and he went to a pension of boarding

house. There are many of these and the proprietor usually

takes the complete floor of a building. They are as far as

I can make out very nice and much cheaper than

the hotels even after allowing fir their special tariff for

officers on leave. My first journey in was a quick one

to get some papers signed by Theo and to visit the

Headquarters at Mustapha Pasha barracks. At the same time

I investigated the possibilities of purchasing primus stoves

for the unit and left the results for Theo to look at. Next

time I was equally as quick for I bought the primus

stoves. One each for a platoon and five bigger ones

for Bn Hqrs, officers and Sergeants. We had been advised

to buy these for cooking in the desert and it was the

best advice we were ever given. They proved invaluable

as most times after leaving Ikingi it was impossible

to even do Company cooking. About this time the

Brigadier also did the same for Brigade Hqrs mess

but they went further and bought a lot of very

expensive gadgets and dust proof containers. We, as a

mess could not afford them and in fact as events

turned out did not need them as we struck very

little dust. Just before we reviewed or orders to move

Theo came back and I got overnight leave. I went 

in about 5 oclock and did the usual things.

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Booked a room at the Cecil - and shaved and had a

haircut. Then the first delight. A long hot bath and

clean clothes and then to the bar. No one dines at

the Cecil so I went to the Union Bar run by some

Greeks and had a steak and a bottle of beer all

by myself. I cannot remember now who I picked up

with - someone from the bar of the Cecil to which I

had returned and we spent the night at the Carlton

Cabaret - supposed to be the best in xxxx Alex. We drank

and after the turns had finished danced with the

artists who came from every country - there were

Americans, Spanish, Bulgarians, Greek and I went

to the Cecil about midnight and got into a large bed

with beautiful sheets and completely relaxed. I next

remember next morning about eight oclock when I 

woke up very hungry. I used the phone and rang

room service and ordered porridge - toast coffee

and an omelette. These I had in bed and then

savoured all the joys of leisurely shaving and

particularly bathing with all the hot and cold water

I wanted. I wandered downstairs about ten oclock

and decided the best way to start the day was to

have a beer. Then I began thinking of where I should

lunch and what I would do for the day when I

was called to the phone. Nothing less than an order

to return immediately and that a car was on the

way in. All I could do was to dismiss all my

tentative plans and after a few quite drinks with

a chap I knew the car arrived and I went back

to camp with my leave curtailed to find our orders

to move and all preparations to be made. I have

just remembered one other leave I had. I more or

less demanded a nights leave and we got into Alex

about nineoclock - Bamford Russ Godby and I and

called on Sol Green who had drawn a four days

leave. He was beautiful. A Gully Gully man

practices in the bar of the Cecil and his sleight

of hand tricks with snakes chickens and mice

are very wonderful. My memory is terrible. I have

just remembered that it was the same night as I

had my overnight leave but Bamford and Russ came

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in for the night only and that we only had our dinner

together at the Union Bar. I shall come back to that after

I finish with Sol and the Gully Gully man. Just before we

arrived Sol had been watching and apparently had been

picked by the artist for a snake trick. When he pulled the

snake out of Sols shirt Sol either took it or made a grab

and the little snake bit his finger and they had the

devil of a job getting it off. Its venom had been extracted

and there was no danger but Sol who had been having

a most wonderful four days was finishing his leave by

drinking as much as possible. Finally Bamford and I

put him to bed for a sleep and picked him up after

dinner when he had sobered up. In the meantime we

had ours at the Union Bar and with Sol went to the

Carlton. Apart from the dancing and drinking we did

there the only excitement was meeting a Polish officer

who was very drunk and before we knew what he

was doing he kissed us all round on both cheeks.

We were wary of him after that but he caught most

of us once again including me and Russ Godby three

times. During our exercises both by day and night

we met all sorts of things. The true sandy desert

the true Bedouin travelling about with his funny

little low tent and all his possessions - and scorpions.

I have never been bitten by one but have seen the results

on others. The pain is very terrible and seems to

paralyse the limb without deadening the pain. One

other little pest we had was the scarab beetle xxx

it was rechristened by the troops. It seemed to live

on any refuse and how it lived until we came

Lord knows. It was a black beetle with a hard shell

and grew to about an inch in size. I have seen

larger than this. We had a queer experience one night.

Three or four of us were standing just after dusk near the

trees when we thought we saw the ground heave a few feet

away. We became curious and went over and saw a

hole about the diameter of a tent pole in the sand. We

poked a stick down and felt something give and

immediately thought of a snake nest which was

something we really did not want near us. We got

a couple of men with picks and armed ourselves with

weapons and waited whilst they commenced

digging. You can imagine the relief and laughter

132

when the pick uncovered a [[huge?]] colony of these beetles

about 500 of them and it was into this living mass

we had poked our exploratory stick. None of us had

ever seen so many together in one place before and

truly - never again. We had a couple of unofficial

parties at Ikingi. One in Sol Green and Bamfords

tent. Patterson had come over from Brigade and we

had a few drinks and then persuaded him to stay for

mess. Later he did not want to go home so we went to

Greens tent with more beer and Russ Godby and I found

some eatables from recent parcels and we spent a quiet

and enjoyable evening swapping stories and eating our

delicacies. It was then I got him to promise us to take my

snaps for you and he turned up one morning a week

later and you have the results. On my birthday M^cQueen

and M^cGeach invited Hugh Johnstone of the Ambulance

along and then got hold of me and we had an uproarious

time with whiskey, beer and a cake. If I remember rightly

one of them was from you. We finally ended the evening

with a scuffle in which Russ Savige on the way home

joined - he was the only one hurt receiving a stone 

instead of a piece of dirt on the chin. We had another

sort of party. Theo and I had tents of our own somehow

Theo started inviting Coy Cdrs for asparagus and Fish

with a bottle as Hor D'Oluvres before mess. It was alright

as long as the parcels lasted and we finally ended up

by cornering the market at the Canteen for asparagus

to continue them. Incidentally darling I think I told you

of the coals to Newcastle gift in one of your parcels. We

had been living on Bully Beef in all forms and particularly

on all our exertions in its natural form for so long that

when I opened a parcel and found you had sent a tin

of our staple diet I am afraid my face fell until I saw

the humour of it. we soon found that raw onions were

the diet for Bully and the lessons we learnt on those

exercises meant a lot in the desert after Bardia and

Tobruk. Whilst at Ikingi we had a tour of Security

Duties and our job was guarding two aerodromes near

us. Nearly all the Battalion was used on this and

although they were not used very much just them they

were very important. In all my visits  of inspection I

never once saw a plane but they were in use all the

same. It was at Ikingi that we had our first

lot of reinforcements - over a hundred in which

133

Young Leversha was one. They were not very well trained

due to the lack of equipment and it took us a couple of weeks

to shake them in. I had to do the drafting to companies

and I struck one unusual problem. In this draft were

three sets of three and one of four brothers. It was a standing

rule from Pucka days that no brothers could be in the same

platoon and if possible company so I had a lot of explaining 

to do. As all of them wanted to be together it was a bit hard

on them at first but they saw the reason behind the order.

Almost as soon as we arrived we were instructed to place

our orders for Christmas Dinner and for this we could have

Turkeys and Hams and Puddings. After soe thought

we decided on Turkey, Baked Potatoes & Christmas Pudding

and from our oven funds to provide a bottle of beer a

man. As I told you the ovens were the trouble because

of fuel - wood was scarce and we could not get enough

for the Aldershot ovens so we saved sump oil. About a

week before Christmas - I should say ten days we received

our warning orders to move so our Christmas dinner was 

held on the 19^th. The cooks did a marvellous job and

there was plenty to spare. The only fly in the ointment was

having to eat it at midday because we were leaving

next day but the main reason was no blackout. Another

Army was we could not afford to have anyone drink next 

day. In the mess we had our own at 5 oclock and

by eight oclock had finished a most wonderful meal

by finishing all our liquor. There were a few good stories

told and some very bad songs sung and every one was

happy. We broke camp next morning - fortunately leaving

our tents standing and what a morning. We marched

out to the station about six oclock 200 yards between 

companies with the band playing - full marching order

and bitterly cold with a shockingly cold wind which

had fortunately not stirred the sand as yet. We arrived

at the station and with the usual habit of Egyptian

Railways we sat there until past midday before our

train arrived. The Sun came out and things became

a little more cheerful but amongst the officers were a 

few sore heads from the night before. When the train

arrived we had some trouble in loading our carriers

as one of them fell through an earth ramp to the

loading platform and tore off a track. Keith Walker

and his men worked like trojans and got it on again

134

3 seconds after the flat car had pulled out. We got it

back and loaded and tied the carrier on in record

time. Even then it was not until half an hour later

that we finally pulled out - few knowing anything

of our destination but all knowing that we were

on the way and this time much nearer to coming to

grips. Spirits were high and excitement made everyone

cheery and happy at the thought of action at last after

all the weary months of training. Both Theo and I knew

that for the present Henry was not coming back though

there was still a chance. In the meantime I was to still

to carry out the dual role. Before I go on to the next stage I

must tell you that it was at Ikingi that I next met Sergeant

Oriander who was in Div. Ordnance and had something to do

with the station. He invited me to a Sergeants mess Party at

Div H.Q but for many reasons I preferred to excuse myself.

I just feel here my darling one that I must tell you I love you

madly. We rattled along the railway in a high cold

wind. The crews of the carriers had to ride with them

for two reasons - to prevent movement from the lashings and

foe a/a protection - they had a bad ride. We were late starting

and with delays on the way arrived about midnight at

our destination. Sedi Hanneish about thirty miles the

other side of Marsa Matmah. As we got out of the carriages

a blast hit us. A cold wind absolutely laden with

sand. It stung everywhere  it touched and quite apart

from the sand it was difficult to keep your eyes open

from the force of the wind. We all either turned our

backs or got into the shelter of the one station building

whilst our stores were unloaded onto a transport

which had come up the road. The carriers went on

with the train to Marsa Matmah where they were to be unloaded.

Then we started to march with the guides into the wind.

It was terribly hard and showed up the physical fitness

after Christmas of a few and as whipper in I had my

hands full. We obtained some measure of relief by using

one of our anti-gas eyeshields - a piece of celluloid which

is carried flat but folds and closes into a shape rather

like goggles. After two miles we turned off the road into

some trenches - part of the earlier defensive scheme

and everyone was glad to crawl into dugouts out of 

the wind. Next day we had a clearance of all surplus

kit etc. and a dump of kitbags - band instruments - suit 

cases and all surplus gear that the man or trucks

135

could not carry. Crawford and a guard were left over them.

It was a very drastic clearance. The same day Theo left

on a reconnaissance forward and I was left in command.

Near us was an are4a covered with broken down cars, trucks

and motorcycles and as we only had about one half of our

needs in transport we made raids and our mechanics made

about three trucks and eight motorcycles out of parts of others.

Their zeal for acquiring trucks let me into a pretty mess.

One day a new three ton truck arrived which after enquiry

they convinced me had been abandoned. I had to believe

them and they painted our unit sign and number on it.

Next day a very angry Indian arrived and claimed it.

He had spent most of the day searching for it and actually

would never had seen it if an ASC Cpl had not told him.

Our bright lads had pinched it from him. I finally had to

go down and apologise to his Commander who got a much

greater shock when I told him we had had the truck in

our possession since two oclock the previous afternoon.

As I was leaving I met the Havildar in charge of the truck

and received a glance of concentrated hate. Amusing but

it could have been serious. We spent Christmas in this

place and there was nothing extra this time. John Young

a little later was able to get four dozen bottles of Australian

Beer and we shared this out amongst the Officers and

had a party the night before leaving. I was able to go

about 6 miles to a NAAFI and buy a packet of cigarettes

for each of the troops and again once before leaving. It

was here that the first glimmerings of a canteen of our

own came into being. We received our orders to move

forward and after our clearance we packed all our

available transport with essentials and then sent

the rest to our dump. About 3 oclock we get orders that

the balance of our transport would arrive at 5 oclock

It actually came just at dusk and we had to unpack

send trucks to the dump for needed but not so essential

stores and repack all vehicles. We also had attached

a truck from ASC with a water tank to supplement 

the small one of our own which was nearly worn out.

We worked late and then had some beer and

went to bed. The start was timed for that very

elastic military term "First light" and our troops

were to carried by N.Z. A.S.C. I was up before dawn

and as our place in the column had to be very

closely judged I was very worried when the troop

carrying lorries were late. It was very cold and

with a biting wind. Fortunately but wrongly other

136

units on the road before us were late and our trucks

arrived in time to be filled and we were ready. We

had to move along the road with an interval between

trucks of at least 100 yards against aerial attack and

I now had my first experience of leading the Battalion

in convoy on the road in daylight. We had about

105 trucks or vehicles in the convoy and that meant

the Bn was spread over 5 to 6 miles. It was the first

but not the last time. We had all our weapons ready

for air attack and went forward. Our carriers were

to make their own way up from Mersa Matruh and

to catch us up. they could not travel as fast as we

could. Our first stage was to Buq Buq and on the

way we passed through Mersa Matruh where the British

had built a defensive system. It is also famous as

the seaside resort where Antony and Cleopatra came

to spend a weekend or three weeks away from Alexandria.

By the way I forgot to mention that Pharos Tower is at

Alex and is the first lighthouse in the world. A

huge fire was kept burning night and day by an

order of monks. Past Mersa Matruh we struck roads

that had been damaged by British Engineers in the

retreat before the Italians. They had blown bits out

of the macadam every 30 yards or so and it was

impossible to get up any speed before having to brake

to negotiate [[m?]] six inch blows. If taken full speed

all the trucks springs would have broken and in fact

some did but the troop carrying had a

number of spare trucks to cover this eventuality.

Just past Mersa Matruh we either crossed an aerodrome

or drove past one side of it. A plane had apparently

just taken off and following custom had fired a

testing burst. On of the bullets had hit a man in

the sixth Bn in front of us and gone through his

head. The RAP usually travels at the rear but

I forget why theirs was not and they asked Russ

Godby to attend him. He thought he would die and

heard later he did but with no confirmation. I feel

I have not given you the right idea or described

the shocking destruction of a good road. It was a

hairraising trip of bumps every 30 yards. The next

place we passed was Sedi Berrani to which the

Italians had reached. We passed through the town

137

and saw the results of a naval bombardment carried

out by the British Navy prior to our retaking the town

some months before. There was a statue to Mussolini in

the town with a very vainglorious tribute which tempted

every one. Some others had shot at it. The British made

road ended a few miles before Sedi Berrani and we

expected a good road from there on. However the Italians

had not completed the road. They had metalled it but

had not bound it with tar. For about another 20 miles

we had another experience of travelling slowly on

road metal. In some places it was about 3 feet

thick and in others much thinner. We could in some 

places get off the metal onto the desert but it was not

advisable as the consequent heavy dust both showed

up to the air and covered the troops. We mainly kept

to the metal but it was very slow travel xxxx the road

was in all sorts of stages of completion. About 10 miles

from our destination we got onto a beautiful road

and were able to crack on speed but it is not advisable.

If the head of a column does or rather suddenly

increases speed from 20 to 30 mph the tail is soon doing 

60 to catch up. We arrived at our destination which

was not actually Buq Buq (pronounced Buk Buk) but

opposite to it. It was actually on the coast and was

an extremely difficult place to find as it was all

underground. We dispersed off the road on both

sides and prepared a meal without fires and issued

orders for the start next day. We were to start round

about 8 oclock which gave the troops time to make

tea on their primus stoves. Just as we were moving up

in my truck to start our trip Theo's car arrived

for all Coy Cdrs to go forward on reconnaissance.

Our stage this day was to Soluar - not so far and

with a better road. Before I leave Buq Buq I must

tell you that in the dusk my driver who had

gone for petrol and oil missed the peace he left us

and we could not find him. In the end I had to

borrow a couple of blankets from the RAP store. In

the morning we found him 300 yards away. In this

area we found all sorts of discarded Italian

equipment. Millions of rounds of small arms

ammunition, mortars and bombs - odd rifles

138

all thrown away or or dumped in their retreat. After seeing

how the Italians built their roads and prepared them and

then running on them I give them full marks as road

engineers. Later I was to appreciate even more fully their

road genius. We carried on all day and as mile followed 

mile worry about air attack lessened but to me it

was any ever present fear that we would be attacked

whilst I was in command. We arrived at the foot of

the escarpment near Solum and I think we were met - yes

I am certain - by Jack Bishop and told to disperse

off the road and await further orders. We found an

area in a great salt pan and I dispersed the Bn

with as great an interval between trucks as possible.

We had lunch and about 3 oclock I received orders

to start at 4.30 and go up the escarpment by

Halfaye Pass (or Hellfire Pass) about 2 miles ahead.

The escarpment by the way rises very steeply from

the plain on which we were on to a height of about

600 feet. During our wait there was a dogfight

between some Italian planes and our Gladiators

but too far away to see with the naked eye. We

only had one pair of glasses in the possession of

Carstairs and he gave us a brief and very

unsatisfactory account as even he could not

distinguish the combatants or the outcome. A little

before 4.30 I had the Bn mounted into trucks when

just before I was going to whistle the advance I saw

a bomb attack on Solum and Halfaye. it was

my first experience and I did not know whether

to wait or carry out my orders and drive right

into it. I spent a few moments of indecision - not

from great personal fear but fear of doing the

wrong thing. I decided to go ahead and the attack

passed as we drove up the road. Theo told me

afterwards that he was at the top of the Pass and

got into it. They jumped out of the car and lay

flat and so escaped. I might add that every one

now was ready to stop and get flat as soon as

attacked. The road up Hell Fire was an old one

and twisted and turned in a marvellous 

fashion. I would have been a death trap to be

caught on it as there was no way to go except a

cliff one side and a sheer drop the other. I can

139

tell you I breathed a sigh of relief when we safely

got over it and arrived on the wide plateau on top

and I could get some space. I met Theo on top with

a Major Carmichael of the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders.

We were to disperse and at 7 oclock which was dusk this 

Major was to guide us across ∧ coming to Oort Capuzzo. As soon as

I arrived and it was dark we closed the column up

to "nose to tail" and started off. He had guides out

and we slowly made our way. It was an eerie feeling

going into the unknown - the darkness in the desert

feels very close. Somewhere between Halfaye and

Capuzzo we crossed through the wire which marked

the frontier into Libya but it was some days before

I actually saw it. We arrived at the Fort and met

Theo and the Coy Cdrs. On the way a message was 

passed along that the convoy was broken. We halted

and I spent  half an hour in unknown country

finding the missing portion. It had occurred through

one truck hitting another in the dark and damaging

itself. There was really no excuse for one truck stopping

twenty but it was inexperience. When we arrived

we had rather a hectic time as we had lost another

part and this had to be found. The Argyle Major was

getting a bit impatient as the NZ Troop Carriers were

to take his Bn out and he in turn did not want to

be caught in Hell Fire. we passed around the Fort

buildings onto the Aerodrome and the Coy Cdrs took their

Companies into the area they had reconnoitred. We collected

the Troop Carriers and sent them off with Carmichael.

I may have been wrong but I think our Scotch friend

looked on us as amateurs. His Battalion had been in

the earlier victory and had some very severe fighting

just before Capuzzo. I sensed he thought that we were

just civilians. Still we showed him and i would

like to meet him again. In the morning we had

some adjustments to make and after digging slit

trenches were able to look around. As I said we

were on an aerodrome near the Fort and it was littered

with naval shells which had been pumped into it.

There were some 12 or 15 inch shells there - naval

shelling is not very useful on ground as they are

Armour piercing and in consequence do not always

explode in earth if their armour piercing nose does

not find something hard enough to smash it. The

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Fort itself was an ancient Turkish or Arab fort built

of soft stone and surrounded by stone works. I was

not able to explore it as I had no time for exploration

then. Our Battalion Headquarters was near a small

mound about ½ mile from the Fort. It was an ancient

troglodyte dwelling - and ancient cave dweller Capuzzo

was important from a modern aspect. The Italians had

developed this place as a water point and had installed

a number of pumps and had made a concrete area

around them. The wells themselves could not supply the

demands required of them so that a pipe line from Bardia

had been laid and water brought from there. Early in

the war we had advanced into Libya and when we withdrew

we had salted these particular wells. All the water we drew

from there was heavily impregnated and it caused surprises

that men could drink this strong solution and not be ill.

What actually happened that our bodies were crying out for

extra salt to replace the vast amount we lost naturally by

perspiration. Whilst at Capuzzo I had to answer some questions

from the Brigadier as to the time I had commanded my move

forward the night before. I had followed my orders faithfully

but the Bn had advanced ahead of the 6th which caused

a lot of confusion for their timed schedule allowed for

their relieving the Queens before us. Apparently the 6th had

not moved on time and we were ahead. So I did not get

into a row but the officer temporarily in command of this

Bn. All the morning there was a high wind but little dust

and we just had to remain sheltered from it and stop

any movement of troops to avoid disclosing our presence

to Italian Reconnaissance planes. Just after lunch we

received orders that we were to take over from the 2^ndBn

in front of Bardia. Theo went ahead to contact them and

reconnoitre and on receipt of a message I was ∧ to send

the Bn forward arching down the road but dispersed

and not on it. They were to go by Companies. I think

I forgot to tell you that Miller was unwell the last week

at Ikingi and on the last day Theo ordered Russ Godby

to examine him. He was found to have some heart

trouble and was sent to hospital. By the time for

moving arrived the storm had developed and

you could not see 20 yards ahead. I went to the

road junction at Fort Capuzzo and all the companies

had to report through me. It was terribly hard to

see them in the dust and in fact one platoon

got past without seeing me or I them. You can

141

imagine perhaps how jumpy I was in case they

missed the road in the dust storm and went too far in

the wrong direction. I was very glad when the last

company had passed through my checking point and were

on the right road. I then had to collect all the transport

and stores which had not accompanied the Battalion in

daylight and started off with them in the darkness which

was now on us. It was rather a hairraising trip as the

road had two deep ditches - one on either side and we

had to travel without lights. Two or three times, large

heavy trucks travelling fast (because they were going

away from the enemy and knew the road) forced us

hurriedly to the side of the road and our trucks broke

the foot wide sandy edge and had to be dug out.

These accidents delayed us a bit but about midnight we

picked up our guides on the road and I was able to report

to Theo that the Bn plus transport was in. It was not

until nearly two oclock that the relief was completed

as the companies of the 2^nd were at a good distance.

We had our first casualty during the relief of B Coy were

in the middle of taking over when the Italians commenced

to shell the area. One of our men dropped down on his

face as the shells got near and one shell whilst he

was face down hit the ground just under him. It

tore all his equipment in the front off and made a

hole in his tunic just over his stomach and rather

badly bruised him. Fortunately for him it was a

dud and did not explode. He was evacuated next

morning with shock which took all that time to

manifest itself and ∧ he must be considered one of the 

very lucky men of the war. We occupied the positions

dug by the 2^nd Bn. They either dug slit trenches for

two men or on rocky ground built sangers (that is

round walls of rocks) the depth of slits and the height

of sangers was about 3 feet. There was a little delay 

whilst we were waiting for a message advising the

completed relief of one of the companies. The shelling

I had referred to had cut the telephone wires and

the break had to be located and repaired. Doing

this one of the 2 Bn signallers was shell shocked

due to a burst close to him. It was finally

completed and we were left in possession. OReilly

was waiting for me at BHQ and about 2.30 we

started off for a hole in the ground he had

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selected and set out my bed or rather valise. We had

only about a hundred yards to go in beautiful moonlight.

The storm had died out completely but it was very cold.

Even so everything looked the same and it took us over

half an hour to locate it. It was my first experience of the

sameness of the desert and how careful one had to be.

Landmarks were few and a compass bearing absolutely

essential if you went further than 100 yards from your

position. The Bn before had used compasses to go out for

necessary acts at night. We were very short of compasses only

having five and these had to go on patrols so we had to

be very careful or pay for carelessness with much [[scard?]]

next morning we woke up and looked around. We were  on

a sandy flat with a slight rise in front which concealed

the perimeter defence of Bardia from us. In fact Italian

Artillery found it so difficult to obtain observation because

of these slight rises in otherwise dead flat ground that

they had ladder observation posts built to increase their

field of vision. It was rather tantalising to see one of these

towing behind a tactor. We were occupying a very large

area on the left of the Brigade. The 6th were on our

right and the 2/1 st on the left but there were large gaps which

it was impossible to cover. The sand was dotted with small

sangers well dispersed and in odd spots were a couple of

derelict cars and two damaged planes. Among the 

debris we picked up the regimental crest of the 62 Italian

Regt cut out of aluminium. As 62 was our unit our

sign this went with the crest onto the tailboard of

BHQ truck. They were both about two feet high and

made us feel very proud. The forward companies could 

see much more than we could and we received

constant reports of Italian working parties and

movement. In front of one company there was a huge

dump of damaged trucks and between another and

the wire there were two big heaps of firewood some 100 yds

long and 50 yds deep. Just the  same as in Egypt 

firewood was scarcer than hens teeth in Libya and 

these were part of the Italian supplies. We had taken

over the BHQ of the 2^nd Bn. This was simply a hole in

the ground about 4 feet deep and about 10' x 6' . Sandbags

to about the height of 2' more more made the roof a reasonable

height. The whole was covered over with some galvanised

iron and one more layer of sandbags. Then sand

over the lot effectively camouflaged the whole show.

The sent for their sandbags later but as we were

moving our position forward they had them with

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our blessing. M^cCorkell had been up with Theo on the

reconnaissance the day before and he knew a little

about shelling. About eleven oclock we had our first

experience  when a few odd shells landed about 200

yards away. All we heard was a dull whoosh and

after the explosion we looked up to find the result.

No one was hurt by this desultory shelling during

our stay here. Two of the shells were duds so we called

the Engineers to blow them up. They arrived about an 

hour later - very nonchalant with their pockets f

with guncotton. They made their preparations and

sat the fuse going with a long slow burning piece and

then hared for home and mother in their truck.

The shells were duly disposed of. Most of our time before

we attacked was spent in phoning a shelling plan and

the time we were shelled to Brigade and if possible the

direction of the the flash of the gun if any. By this plan they

coordinated the whole front and many Italian guns

were put out of action or battery positions discovered

or suspected which received special attention then 

and during the the opening barrage. They had of course

other methods as well and used the lot. Theo spent

a lot of time the first day and part of the next in

reconnaissance of the positions we had taken over.

After a careful survey he obtained the Brigadiers xxxx

agreement to move forward to a new position with no

more danger and 1200^x nearer the enemy. We have

always wondered why the 2^nd Bn did not do this before

we did. Another thing they told us was that any

movement of men and transport round BHQ brought

shells down but it never occurred to us. Not that

we allowed anything but the minimum. Our fighting

or A Battalion transport was parked about a ½ mile

back and the mechanics worked in an old but very

large Italian tent. Our B eschelon or administrative

and kitchen trucks were Brigaded under Jack Bishop

and were back some 15 miles just at the top of

the escarpment near Halfaye Pass. They brought xxx

us two hot meals - just after dusk and just before

dawn. Naturally the midday meal was cold. Our

move forward was carried out at night and the rear

companies occupied the forward companies positions

while the forward companies had to dig new positions

This was all done during the night and by next

morning we were entrenched 1200 yards nearer

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to the wire. Battalion HQrs took over part of one of the

rear Coy positions and only a few slits had to be

dug for HQ Coy. The pioneers

dug a new Bn HQ battle

dugout and made it lightproof so that we could work

all night and have a light burning. A roster of duty

officers was instituted amongst the officers of BHQ and some

of HQ Coy who had to stay beside the telephone all night to

receive orders and reports. We were able to cook supper about

midnight on a primus stove - once I produced creamed cheese

with beer in it and toast but we only did this when Chapman

who was now the Adjutant and I were on duty. The dugout

was lightproof but damn near airtight as well so that

we had to be really hungry to stand the extra heat. Cramp

the Signals officer was in a great deal of strife with his

telephone service at this time. Fine dust got inside

both the telephones and portable exchanges and

he was in constant trouble when we could not hear. Finally

he got some sort of order in the things at our end by doing

some neat electrical repairs but it was not his fault that

our equipment was too old for desert conditions. We got

newer and improved phones and exchanges later and

the troubles from dust became greatly lessened. Dust

also gave endless trouble with our automatic weapons

getting in everywhere and making them stick with

friction. They had to be well cleaned with petrol twice

a day and very lightly oiled and at set times (set

by brigade) they were tested by firing a few rounds. It

would have been critical for these to fail at the crucial

moment and everything was done to keep them in

instant running order. Cramp had an additional 

worry over our line to Brigade. It was actually their

duty to keep the line in order but they had such a

long distance that our signallers had to help them

out. Whenever connection with Brigade was severed

either by shell fire or by trucks cutting the wire

and this had to happen very often he had to send

a party along the wire to repair the break or until

they met a similar one from Brigade. One party had

to walk nearly 7 miles out and then back before

they found the break or met the Bde party who were

late in starting. As these breaks invariably

occurred when we were expecting important orders

or wanted to send an urgent report you can

imagine that Cramp's life just then was not

a particularly comfortable one. Still he did better

than we expected as he was not in our good books.