Major Henry Charles David Marshall - Wallet 2 - Booklet 7 - Part 2

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from then on as far as I knew I was in command.
Actually they did not leave until the relief was
completed. It was scheduled to be finished at midnight the 17^th Bn coming from Adgedabir were they had spent the day dispersed. Their C.O. expected them to arrive at about 10 o'clock and from then on I was very much on edge as I wanted to get away on the way back to Adgedabir where I was to spend be rest of the night with the Bn. and move forward in a Brigade convoy next day. As time went on and here was no sign of the relieving Bn I was getting very anxious and upset at their non appearance as every minute counted in getting our men about 40 miles and some sleep as well. To cut a long story short they arrived about an hour late. It appears that their second in commend had on his own responsibility delayed the start of their move an hour later than ordered by his C.O so that they could travel by moonlight. That was all very well for them but it left us little or no time to do the 40 miles to Adgedabir before daylight. Anyway we completed handing over and I assembled the Bn by 1 oclock on the morning of the 10^th As the Brig had finally decided to wait until the Brigade changeover was complete and Brock was ringing up every 10 minutes after I had advised be progress and
arrival of the 17^th & can assure you hat my remarks
were very terse and to the point to be C.0 of the 17^th
particularly on the matter of timings. Just before
I packed my truck I made a gift to him of an
Italian spring mattress I had been using and for
which I could see no further use and as well would
be a nuisance in the special packing of my truck we
had to adopt. Incidentally here are some other things which I shall have to tell you verbally which
occurred on this last day so remind me, I can
tell you I was a very relieved may when I finally
reported the changeover as complete and gave the
signal is the darkness for our Bn to move off. I
shan't forget he drive to Adgedabir very quickly.
Chapman was in the front with me and the driver,
OReilly and Chapman's batman in the back of

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the truck. One to the late arrival of the 17^th We had
lost any chance of travelling by moonlight and we
had to travel very slowly in the darkness with
Chapman hanging out one side and I as far as
possible out the other so that we could see the edge
of he road. Our progress was a series of sways from
one side to the other and when the cold got to much and we closed up the windows and drove along a straight stretch we were so tired that the warmth made us go to sleep and twice we nearly went into the ditch. It was only the slight bump off the macadam and before the ditch that saved us time and time again. It was nearly three am before we met our guides for the Bivouac area and four
oclock before every one was in and I was able to
got one hours sleep before dawn, at 5 oclock. It
was truly a nightmare night. During the time I was
getting the Bn. dispersed I received Brigade orders for the move on the next day and I think appointing 6 am as the time we would pass the starting point - a kilometre road post about three kilometres ahead. They also stressed very heavily the importance of keeping to times and I made sure my convoy passed the starting line absolutely on the dot. I wish I could
have had Brook with me when about a kilometre
past our starting point we were held up by Brigade 
[[8 schelon?]]coming on to the road about half an
hour late. We had to wait and unfortunately de
troop carrying vehicles piled up nose to tale. I
had a lot to say later about that and about
Brigade. Anyway I can assure you that I absolutely
sweated blood when a flight of three enemy planes
flew overhead and about half a mile to the left. I
did not give to order for troops to jump out of their
trucks as I felt any movement then would be fatal.
I lay watching those planes with my heart in my
mouth expecting him to turn rather majestically
and then give us hell. We were in an absolutely
perfect position as a machine gunning target and
apart from my fears of their attacking us thoughts
of the casualties to men and vehicles which would
 

236
occur if they did attack made that few minutes some of the most unpleasant of my life, And what was left of my brain consigned the Brigade Transport officer M^cLeach to all the tortures of the damned for being late and causing us to be caught in this position literally with our pants down. It was the [[Elouet Nock?]] jam again except that this time I was in command and responsible. I can assure you that I lost no time in stretching out on the road and
moving at a good pace as soon as it was clear
and the planes gone well out of sight. It was some
miles before my anger and nerves settled down.
After that came the monotony of driving at convoy
pace mile after mile across uninteresting landscape
wide only the customary halts of very short duration
for lunch etc. The troops did very well at these
halts and showed their truck discipline was
high. The only break in the day was a big detour
we had to make around a land mine dropped
on he road. The detour was about half a mile
radius around this mine on which work was
going on. Off he road we raised quite a cloud of
dust but it could not be helped. It was not until
we reached the night halt that Jack Young told me that during the time we were passing over the detour a flight of a dozen enemy planes passed along the road just over a ridge on the other side of the road. They fortunately did not turn off to investigate and left us undisturbed. Probably they had no bombs or ammunition to waste as they were on their way home. It was as well I did not know about their presence as I was going on as another scare so close on the one I had just had would have been very bad for my heart. I have just remembered one last thing of Mersa Brega. During he whole time we were there we had attached to us for our area protection a troop of three Bofors guns. These are light anti aircraft artillery  and throw a shell about 2 lbs in weight either high explosive or Incendiary at the planes. It is rather wonderful to watch the shells
travel through the air and explode around the

237

planes but they have to get a direct hit to be dangerous.
They went very close many times but we never had the
joy of seeing a plane crash near us. The area was so
large that they could not be used correctly but they
nevertheless gave us a feeling of confidence. Enemy
planes did not like them and immediately rose
to over 5000 feet at which the Bofors is ineffective.
They are an automatic weapon, clips often fed in
and pressing a pedal fires them at the rate of
120 to the minute. We drew in at dusk into the scrub
at the side of the road where our Intelligence
section who had gone forward much earlier with
Jack Bishop had laid out our company signs
and all slept well. On the way from Adgedabir to
this place by name Tocra we had passed Bengasi
this time correctly taking to bypass around the
town. Therefore we did not see the town again
except in the distance - a fact of which I was glad
as at all times during the day the town and fort
were subject to raids. The last seventeen miles
to Bengasi from Gemines were rather beautiful
as we travelled along the avenue of gums the
Italians had planted. It made most of us homesick.
Around the few miles of the bypass they had planted
thousands of wattles and although they were not
in bloom we could appreciate what a wonderful
sight they would be. At Tocra I was able to go across and
see Henry - the 5^th being on the other side of the road.
Nothing else occurred except that later in the night a
truck we had dropped off on the way to go about an
extra 15 miles to pick up some stuff arrived with
chocolate, cigarettes and tinned fruit from the
Australian Comforts Fund. OReilly I think was able
to buy a few eggs from an Arab family nearby and we
had them for breakfast. We started off at dawn next
day with our nights stop to be Derna. We passed through
Baraca and Barce and all the towns I named on
the way up. At Barce I met Jack Bishop at the turn
off and with him was (Jimmy) Lytellton Macfarlane
who was a private in a light A.A. Regt. His troop
had a part in the defence of Barce whilst Jacks brother
 

238
Phillip was still in Palestine as far as I know at Haifa
We stayed a short while chatting and as soon as the
Bn caught up (for Jack had sent me a message to
hurry on so that I could spend some time with them)
I took my place again and continued to lead the Bn
on our convoy. Our return to Barce convinced me
that the vale of Barce was the prettiest little valley
I had seen since leaving Australia. The rain had
freshened everything and a green [[carpet?]] of grass
and fruit trees stood out against the chocolate
colored earth. Altogether after the desert one of he
most pleasing of sights to our eyes. At Barce too we
picked up Russ Savige who I forgot to mention had been
evacuated about a week ago from Mersa Brega to hospital 
with scabies. - a very irritating skin infection but easily
cured under proper conditions. He had made a raid
on the Australian Canteen Store and had two or three
bottles of whisky and some sherry. Strangely enough
one brand of whisky called "Old Angus" was far and
above the best I have ever tasted. It was absolutely
liquid gold whilst to other - quite a well known brand
called "Highland Queen" tasted rather like a mixture
of turpentine and methylated spirits by comparison.
Our days trip was only enlivened by two things - one
a halt occasioned by a blow up in the escarpment.
This time from Barce we took the Coast road to Derma
and instead of the road we came in by. A few kilos
out of Barce we halted on the road which ran along one side of
a rocky and very deep wadi. It was rocks and stones
as far as we could see. Just opposite to us on the other
side we could see little caves in the side which had
been strengthened and rocks erected for the defence and
so cleverly done and sighted that they were hard to
see. If the Italians had defended his place as they had
intended it would have seen extremely difficult
to winkle then out. To get to them it looked that
only a mountain goat could do it. Having advanced
along the inner road made the whole position
untenable and we were lucky. In normal times
two viaducts  spanned this wadi further on and
during their retreat the Italians had destroyed
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them as well no making other effective destructions on

the road particularly at hair pin bends.  After a wait

of at least an hour we were able to continue and found

that the time had been taken in cleaning away a

truck which had gone over just at the turn off from

the road where the temporary track left at a very

steep incline.  All our convoy successfully negotiated

this and we took the track which would down the

side of the wadi - along the bottom and up the other

side.  Most of the motors were nearly boiling before we

crept over the lip as the whole climb had to be in

first gear - the grade was steep.  During out crossing

of the wadi we came across parties of the 1st Australian

Pioneer Battalion who had recently landed and were

on their first job.  It was rather a terrifying one and

from the bottom it it looked like months of work.  Jack

[[Handasyde?]] was not with any of the parties I was able to

speak too as it was impossible to stop or the convoy

behind me would have stopped also and a steady

stream had to be maintained at all costs.  It was

only once or twice whilst halted while the truck

ahead - a very big one was negotiating some of

the steep punches that I was able to look around.

over the top we came out again on a beautiful macadam

road and kept on at a steady 23 miles per hour

speed. - which allowed us to average our ordered

20 miles in the hour convoy speed.  Further on we

passed the turn off on the left to Cirene and Apponlonia

the centres of the ancient Roman civilisation.  [[Quinn?]]

was here for a time and he like others who had been

there was full of the beauties of the place which had

been carefully restored by the Italians.  They had a

museum there from which they had been successful

in removing some of the world famous statuary to

Italy only a few days before our arrival.  Both Chapman

and I would have liked to have turned off and

driven the 3 miles only into Cirene but you cannot

lightly toss your responsibilities aside and do so.

At least I couldn't.  So we continued on and for

rather cold comfort saw a Roman aqueduct running

240

alongside the road absolutely dead straight for at

least six miles - built of stone and it looked as

if it would function beautifully were it only cleaned

out.  We also saw sites which we fondly decided were

the ruins of old Roman villas.  Chapman always

liked to be definite about everything so I let him

talk away whether I thought him right or wrong.

The enforced halt just outside Barce had thrown

our march table right out and it was not until

nearly dusk that we approached the rim of the

escarpment leading down to the little plains around

the mouth of the Wadi Derma and at the other end of

which lay Derma.  The escarpment was between

1200 and 1300' in height and the Italians had again

demonstrated their road building genius.  It was a

beautiful road winding down with so many hair

pin bends that I lost count. The road was so

well crowned and the turns so well banked that

it was a pleasure to drive on it.  It did not arouse

any fear.  As it was rapidly becoming darker we were

unable to enjoy the view and just carried on.  As on

the day before a specially selected reconnaissance

party had gone ahead under Brigade arrangements

to choose our bivouac site and a couple of miles

further on we saw our unit signs stick in the

ground.  We turned offf and shortly the whole Bn

was dispersed among the rocks against the

side of the road.  After a cold meal we turned in

and slept.  I would not allow fires as we were

still within bombing distance.  Jack Bishop came

over just as we were going to bed and I shared a

bottle of sherry Russ Savige had given me.  He was

very fed up with Brooks who was interfering in the

convoy.  Briefly to explain going towards an enemy

a convoy is under G arrangements which is Brook's

job.  Going back it is Q or Jack Bishops.  It was

not until later that I fully realised that Jack's

eyes were opened to his imperfections by his attitudes

on the way back and he also realised that there

was a good deal in the reserve and suspicion

241

with which we viewed Brooks and his orders and

actions.  He always found some scapegoat for his

mistakes and never would be man enough to own

up if he was wrong and would have to take the

blame.  These remarks my dear are very very

subjudice and are only put in to give you

 some explanation for any coolness you may

have sensed whenever I referred to Brooks.  As

to date this halt was for the night of 12/13 March.

Next morning our position in the Brigade convoy

was altered to last and I think it was about

eight oclock before I moved off.  We travelled

the few miles to Derma and there had a halt

as the traffic ahead was not moving.  Derma was

noted as the most beautiful climate in Libya as

well as I think having practically the only running

water.  It was really a colony for the rich and in

normal times had a very good hotel and

all sorts of amenities.  All I saw of it was the

few yards of the street where we were halted and

it showed only a few signs of damage.  All the

houses I saw were typical Italian villas

surrounded by trees.  The harbour was only

a small one and could not be seen from

where we were.  Our convoy halted at its regular

intervals but it was not half an hour

before every available road space was jammed

with trucks nost to tail and belonging to every

conceivable unit.  More and more drivers too

were committing the sin of thinking that because

a convoy or line of trucks were halted that

they could themselves do better and get through.

Heaven knows how they imagined they were

better able to do it than halted trucks I do not

know.  All they did was to make an appalling

congestion at the traffic blocks and make

increased trouble.  We spent until nearly 12.30

in the streets of Derma moving forward only a

few yards at a time and not knowing what

the trouble ahead was.  With my past experience

of trucks jammed nose to tail I was at the same 

242

time worried as to whether we would be attacked

from the air.  As usual in these areas we were

particularly vulnerable and I am afraid I

was never phlegmatic enough not to worry about

it.  Each minute seemed an hour to me and

Chapman who had no responsibility used to

wonder at my edginess.  Anyway slowly the jam

ahead thinned out and I had stopped all

traffic trying to pass so that round about

12.30 we were able to move on. The Italians had

blown up the road down the escarpment on

both sides of Derma as they retreated.  These

demolitions had been rapaired and frankly

in the dusk I did not notice where they had

damaged the road when we were coming down

the night before.  As I mounted the escarpment fully

as steep going up as coming down the night before

we passed the scene of the trouble.  Coming down

a huge supply truck had travelled to a bend much

to swiftly.  Unfortunately it was a repair at a

demolition and the road was narrower.  To

save going over the side he had turned into the

cliff and skidded sideways across the road

very nearly doing what he had tried not to do.

It had taken a long time to push it aside sufficiently

for us to negotiate the road and get around it.

Before leaving this area I remember that on our

trip to Derma from Tocra we had passed through

the settlements of Liugi di Savoia (mentioned in

connection with "Electric Beard" Bergonzoli) and

again Giovanni Berta where we had rested

overnight during our long wander around Derma.

As the car flattened out onto the level after

the escarpment we saw the defences of Derma which

had held up the 19th Brigade and occasioned

our enveloping march. - it seemed ages ago.

The Wadi Derma was a magnificent spectacle

and easily defended.  The stone defence wall

ran along one side and I was glad we did

not have that job.  On the left was the aerodrome

across which the 11th Bn of 19 Bde had had to

243

advance and you only have to see it to realise

that the expression "as flat as a billiard table"

was very true particularly of this aerodrome.  After

passing the escarpment the fear of an attack very rapidly

left me and it was rather amusing to see how the

rest of the convoy seemed to sense it as they gradually

drew closer and closer and the interval between

trucks decreased to almost fifty yards in their

unconscious eagerness.  The journey was uneventful

from then on except that near Tobruk our journey

was enlivened by an unusual and amusing sight.

I have mentioned before the roadhouses placed by the

Italians at various points along the road.  They are

square, white buildings with a flat roof and designed

I imagine as rest houses for travellers crossing the

desert.  How they were staffed and what facilities they

offered I cannot say nor do I know of anyone

who could give it me.  I read of a motor journey

across the same road made a year before war

and they do not mention them as they arranged

their stops in such towns as Bengazi.  Anyway

whoever of the A.I.F who occupied this one must

 have had a lot of paint plus a lot of time, a

skill in commercial advertising painting, a sense

of humour and probably a Victorian although this

deduction may be wrong.  Anyway the side of

the building was one big sign.  It consisted

of a beautifully drawn and painted bottle

of Abbots Lager with the words "A good desert

drink.  But bloody hard to get."  Underneath

and along the bottom was the old homelike

sign "10000 miles to Griffiths Teas".  So I think

he was a Victorian.  It livened us up and I

think as each truck passed the sign its occupants

gave a spontaneous cheer.  We finished our

days trip quite early as it was only a little short

of 100 miles from Derma to Tobruk and when we

finally picked up our signs found that Brigade

had allottted us the same area in the Wadi

[[Zertsun?]] as we had occupied after the battle of

Tobruk.  So it was rather like coming home if

244

you can call arriving at familiar places that.
Tobruk itself was rather painfully quiet after our first
hectic stay. This brought us up to March 13. On the morning 
of the 14^th we settled down generally for a rest and more
particularly some of us for a lot of hand work. The troops
cleaned up and I arranged for them to repeat their
program as per our last visit and go swimming. We
cleaned out an old stone hut and established the mess
there and gave the Padre a room from which he
operated the canteen. This gave the troops their much
needed smokes but I could not arrange beer as the
A.A.C.I. said that all their beer stocks were earmarked
for the troops "at the front line". It was rather a bad
joke on us. Still we succeeded in getting a few bottles
of beer and whisky for the mess and so made life at 
least tolerable. That I think summarises the general
time. For the adjutant and I, the Quartermaster 
and the Transport officer the first two days were one
of feverish activity. It was more or less known that we
were on our way for a refit with a view to use in 
some other sphere. Many were the ideas and conjectures
as to where and for places poles apart. We
had to make a list of deficiencies of stores - clothing
arms and ammunition and also go over all our
transport recommending those trucks for replacement.
We had some Italian trucks which had to be handed
in to Tobruk Headquarters as well as the ASC truck
carrying a water tank. Originally this had been
loaned to us for a short period but we were never
asked for its return and very sensibly kept quiet.
All these meant endless returns and finally to cut
a long story short Jack Bishop went ahead with
our final returns to arrange for the stores to be
available. There are a number of events which
occurred here but I cannot remember in which
order so I shall just relate them. During the latter
part of our stay Brock was receiving all sorts of orders preparatory to our move for an unknown destination and from them arose the suspicion that our Battalion was to leave 17 Bde and be replaced by the 11 Bn which was also at Tobruk. It was very singular that in at

 

 245

least our orders all the other Bns. including the 11th were named but not the 7th Bn.  Which made me feel that we would at least leave Stan].  Anyway I finally decided privately to cross the bridge when we came to it. And in the end nothing came of it although, it was only once more that we really were under Stan's command. I arranged with Brock that as Jack Young was showing signs of strain that he should go on leave particularly as it appeared that he would be busy as soon as we arrived in Alexandria with new transport.  I had to press the matter fairly strongly and at least he agreed to let him spend some days in Derma.  We had not received and did not anticipate any movement order for the 7th Bn as they had been conspicuously left off all the orders.  Strangely enough the next

day I had to send a motorcycle orderly to Derma

recalling Young as the connection had been made.

Jack spent a very pleasant night in the hotel with

Baxter of the 5Bn who was acting as Town] Major

and incidentally I think won very handsomely

at poker after losing everything but his last pound

So, strange how your memory comes back.  He lost

badly at poker and then they initiated two

Englishmen to "two-up" and recouped themselves

and a lot more.  Twice I went into the town of

Tobruk.  The harbor itself had not changed much

and the town was absolutely dead except for

Area Hqrs. Godby I know had got a bath and I had

arranged one for some of the others when we had

to leave.  On one of my visits I know I bought a

shirt and some underclothing and on the order

I went in to have a look at the Corps order amassing the decorations.  Word had reached us at Mersa

Brega after Theo left of his D.S.O but none of the

others.  I was hoping I may have been on it but

the only ones were Halliday, Savige and Macfarlane.

I still did not give up hope as these were only the

Immediate awards but it was not till some

time later that Theo told me that all I could

hope for was a "mention". and that I was pretty

certain for that.  Later he told me some of the

                                         246

inner details so I could understand. I am still

not quite clear and one of these days hope to get

the complete explanation. We celebrated the decoration

at dinner one night. Foxwell and [[?]] also

received M.M's so we did quite well. One thing I

remember quite clearly. Jack Bishop arriving one

day and saying the mobile Battn Unit for the A.I.F

would be arriving in Tobruk and the 7 Bn was down

for a bash on the 27^th. We left before that. Theo later

told me he met the CO of this unit in the Cecil

in Alexandria and that he was an old friend

of his. We had an air alarm on night and could

quite plainly see one plane in the moonlight over-

head whilst we could hear others. At the same time

a flashing red light was noticed in some direction

and immediately we thought it was signals to the

enemy plane. We took compass bearings and

reported to Brigade and arranged to send out a

patrol the next night in an endeavour to locate

and capture it. Just before the patrol was due to

leave the next night it was stopped by Brigade who

had found out the light came from our aerodrome

at El Adem some 15 miles away. So a very fruitless

task was stopped. It was here too that I promoted

Bolger our RQMS to get rid of him to Training Bn.

Sounds very Irish by a WO. I was called for and he at

the time ranked as W.O.II. Another incident was recalled

to me by Johnstone. It seems that some party in the

mess [[?]] let his revolver off through the tin

roof of the shed. I have absolutely no memory of

it so can only conclude I was at Brigade at the

time. There was a conspiracy of silence about it for

I never heard of it. I expect the roasting I gave Russ

Savige at [[?]] was still remembered. I can

really think of nothing else that occurred here except

to say that all the time in any dealings I had with

Brock I watched my step, went very warily and spent

some time in consideration before coming to any

decisions in which he was involved. It may sound

strange all this darling but I thing I can explain

this situation much better verbally than in any

 

 

                                             247

other way. Finally our orders arrived and after a

bit of scurry and bustle in having to return our

Italian trucks into an area in Tobruk we were packed

and ready to move. I believe that no captured Italian

equipment was allowed to cross the Egyptian border

but for what reason I do not know. Possibly the order

was to prevent the Egyptians having any claim to any

of it but that is or was only the popular guess. We

started early in the morning and travelled over the

road to Bardia which we had travelled before at night.

Memories were with me for all parts of the road. We stopped

for lunch in Bardia fortress - the road of course runs

through it. But what a different desolate place it

looked now. No life anywhere except a single Polish

soldier guarding a dump of salvaged equipment and

he looked as miserable as the dump. As we passed

we could see our old Headquarters and I remembered

again my feelings there. We passed the dump of wood

through which we first advanced into Bardia

and then our first position - now on our right

and then Fort Capuzzo with its water point. A few

miles further on we passed the Egyptian-Libyan

frontier - still marked by barbed wire. I think

Halliday and Savige were annoyed with me when

I did not give them permission to leave the convoy

and visit Sol Green's grave which was about

five miles off the road. Savige's truck conveniently

broke down further on and I think he faked the

breakdown to get his own way. I was very short

with him and in fact with both of them and told

them that memory in the heart was much more

than empty visits to a grave. Particularly as we

had a job to do. In war you cannot afford to dwell

to much on casualties. And I think Sol himself

understands my rather involved sentences. A

few miles further on we came to the edge of the escarpment

above Solum and this time we went down the beautiful

made road dropping 1000 feet quickly but not as

rapidly as the Derna one and having more

straight stretches and less hairpinbends. It was

a bright sunny day and we had a marvellous

 

 

                                             248

view of the Mediterranean and the tuppenny ha'penny

harbor which as a name and for use meant so much

in the campaign. Most of these places would be a great

disappointment to you if you could see them now. You

probably have a very wrong perspective of what they look

like from all the bumble in the newspapers and

wireless. We continued on and found the road even

worse than when we first travelled over this section

three months ago. The traffic it had carried had

cut it much more and because of the traffic it

could not be effectively prepared and finished. So

much so that it was a dusty dirty trip and the

troops were covered in dust. We staged for the night once

again opposite Buq Buq and nothing happened here

that I can remember. Next morning we continued on

passed through Sidi Barrani and about five oclock

we arrived at Mersa Matruh which was our

destination and also the assembly point for units

of every conceivable description. Going forward and

coming back. One thing I forgot at Tobruk. We saw

24 Bn color patches going past in troop carrying 

trucks but we were too far away to see anyone.

The thought struck me as we entered Matruh was

that it was being abandoned as a fortress now

that we had pushed the enemy so far back. The

Anti Tank ditches seemed to be nearly all full

 of wind blown sand. We contacted our advance

party and they led us past the barracks which

I confidently expected would house us for the

period we would stay stay and about four miles

further on we turned into a bare wind swept

hollow and immediately dispersed and the

troops following usual practice dug in. I can't

remember but I think Brock said there was no

need to but I would not depart from our passive

[[aim?]] defence measures even if the danger was

small. It turned out very fortunate for us that

we did so for a sand storm arrived a couple

of days later and the slits were of immense

benefit as shelter. Most of the incidents that

follow are just as I remember them and not

 

 

 

in order. We received another draft of reinforcements

* Faithfull tells me he rejoined us at [[Aminya?]] a little later on to make this list correct I [[?]] have to check [[?]] field return of the day to get the officers name who I have missed in my list.

mixed - that is old and new members of the Bn. Among

them were more new officers whom we badly needed.

By new I mean fresh as four [[?]] [[?]] were with the Bn

before. I think they were: * Old officers. Crawford, Carstairs

Felstead, Chandler. New - Morris, Godfrey, Faithful

Kerrigan, Catchlove. If ever this journal is used to

write a Battalion history their documents will be

needed as to their names as my memory is a little

bit clouded. I drafted the men into companies and

the numbers of reinforcements plus the remaining members

brought the Bn up to full war strength plus "first

reinforcements" that is 10% of Bn strength. It is usual

for a Bn to move if possible with its first reinforcements

to a theatre of war. They are left in a depot camp

and replace casualties. All this time every truch was

being overhauled by a Workshops and we had as well

a large number of 15 [[?]] Chevrolets replaced by 1 ton

Chevrolets and lost all Fords. Some of the

Engineers forecast great trouble with the differential

of these new one-tonners but they proved as far as

we were concerned so many crows for they gave us

absolutely no trouble in Greece. I will admit that

we were only there a fortnight but they got such a

rough handling that the fault they forecast would

soon have appeared. We also had issued to us

Thompson sub machine Guns and Smith and Wesson

Revolvers which use the same ammunition as the

Tommy Gun and were much lighter than the old

Webley. The Tommy Gun was issued at one per

section and had two types of magazine. One

holding 20 bullets and the larger drum 50. They

are very accurate up to 50 yards and are designed

for very close work as you can spray bullets into

a mass very easily. The troops liked them immensely

and I ordered a beach range to be prepared

and after initial instruction in the mechanism

the whole Battalion fired. The revolver was not

quite so popular as to use the Tommy Gun ammo

"shims" or circular plates had to be inserted. These

were for easy ejection but it was damn difficult

 

 

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to get the empty shells off these shims. The revolver

had been designed for rim cartridges and this new

ammunition was rimless so some means had to

be found. This was the answer. We found the revolver

fired alright without the shims but the exploded

case swelled and stuck in the revolver. As we

reckoned that if necessary we could fire six shots before

having to stop and spend some time reloading

that we would by then be either dead or had

carried our objective. They were a beautiful light

and very accurate weapon and being American

were only a stop gap and the only equipment ([[?]])

obtainable in Middle East. Whilst the Bn were

shooting Chapman Godley and I went a bit further

along the beach and had a swim. I would not

allow the Bn in as there were some very treacherous

currents and it would have been too easy to

lose a number of men with 800 in the water. Just

as I came out and we had been very careful

a runner arrived with a message that I was

wanted at Brigade Hqrs. which were in a

barracks at the entrance to [[?]] [[?]]. I

went down and Brock sort of apologised for us

having to sleep in the open but said it was

unavoidable as the whole of the barracks was

in occupation by other troops. I rather doubted

him but the upshot was that the 19 Bde were

moving out and we could move in. We marched

carrying all our kit about four miles and

for the first time since Barce slept under a

roof. I doubt very much if any of the 19 Bde had

been in the Barracks we were allotted as they

were so filthy that they had to be absolutely

cleaned out thoroughly before I would permit

anyone to open their kits. There must have been

hundreds of empty beer bottles thrown onto a

dump. We only occupied them for two nights and

they were left speckless when we left for I purposely

inspected them myself and found my standard

 

 

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much higher than anyone elses. It was difficult I

admit as we had no brooms or barracks furniture

but something was found and the job done to my

satisfaction. When we were in barracks we were

near to the 2/2 Fd Rgt - Lou Young was 2 ^I/_C so I wandered

over in a spare moment for a drink. They had been

there some time and established a mess. I also

found they still had two Italian prisoners they

were carting around. Strictly sub [[?]] - but one

was an excellent cook and the other was equally so

as a tailor. They had got them at Bardia and

had them ever since and finally lost the I

believe in Alexandria when someone caught on.

Whilst we were sleeping out I believe I told

you we suffered a sand storm and it was

the father and mother of them all. I think for

nearly four hours all we could do was to stay

under our bivouac sheets and suffer. We had

a number of visitors of the 9^th Division as they

were passing through and the only two I can think

of that you know were Charlie Weir who was then

on 9 Div Hqrs and Sheehan whom you mentioned

in one of your letters. Weir discussed Brock with

me and he fully understood from his previous

knowledge of him how we felt. He also told me

that Brock was the Supreme egotist and thought

of one man only - himself. And all his actions

and lack of action in the past amply bore this

out. Once again I want you to promise that these

things are for yourself only and not to be repeated

as at present I feel nothing can be gained. Theo and

I are in complete agreement and I only write these

things of Brock as this journal is designed to

tell you in writing many of the things I should

tell you verbally. There are of course many

incidents and things I have missed out but

at the present I think I have most things in. The

others will no doubt come out in conversation

or suddenly come to mind. There was a spice

of adventure in driving around Matruh. It

 

 

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had of course been fully prepared as a fortress when

the Italians first advanced and a very large

and very thick minefield had been laid down.

Some trucks of other units who had arrived and

seeing some apparently nice open and unused

ground promptly drove onto it and then the

front of the leading truck disappeared into the air.

The story goes that the plan of the minefield had been

lost when the danger of use was over but I can't

quite believe it. Any way quite a number of trucks

were blown up and I can assure you that we did

not go off the road. Marsa Matruh was not one of

Cleopatra's old haunts. I think she and some

of her lovers used to come by sea from Alexandria

for a long weekend - whether a long weekend in

those days stretched to three weeks or so I don't

know but Mark Antony visited the place. I can

never understand the Padre who asked me for some

hours leave the day before we were leaving - as

the morning we were leaving - for the trains were

late - so he could go and bathe in the

same place as Cleopatra bathed in. I still am

not sure whether he wanted to feel wicked by doing

so or just to add another incident for a lecture

when he gets back of places he had been to. Anyway

I refused and lost some more marks with him.

Anyway to get on we received our march orders. The

transport to go by road and the Bn by rail to

Amirya - the next station past Iking Maryut.

The 5 Bn marched out overnight as they were to

go first very early in the morning. We were to

leave the barracks I think about 6.30 and

march to the station. Anyway after cleaning up

and ready to move we heard that the 5 Bn were

still on the beach were they had bivouaced for

the night as with the unfailing regularity of Egyptian

Railways their trains had not turned up. They

were lucky as they got a swim in the only safe

place in Matruh. It was the wait that made the

Padre ask for leave. He always wanted to go somewhere

the Bn. could not go. Any way we finally got the