Diaries of Thomas Currie Derrick, 1940-1941 - Part 1

1
13 June 40 - 23 May 41
THE PRIVATE DIARY
OF T.C.DERRICK
BORN 20. 3. 1914.
HEIGHT 5'7"
WEIGHT 154 LBS
BROWN EYES
DARK COMPLEXION
IN THE EVENT OF
ANY PERSON FINDING
OR CLAIMING THIS
DIARY, ETC WOULD
YOU KINDLY FORWARD
TO MRS. T.C.DERRICK
26 MANSFIELD ST
NORTH ADELAIDE
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
THANKS
A MILLION
T.E.D.
 

1
 

1940
JUNE 13^TH
Memoranda
ENLISTED AT GLOSSOP
IN A.I.F.
JUNE 26^th PASSED
ALL EXAMS AT WAYVILLE, HAVE TO REPORT
JULY 5^th
SWORN IN AT WAYVILLE
AM No 7964. INTO
CAMP IMMEDIATELY
 

TRANSLATIONS
Translation of Polish words:
1.October 1941:' Wished of success Brody Adolf . . . .
PLUTONOWY means Platoon leader . . .
2.October 1941.' To the dear leader of the Austr.group wishes 'Good Luck'
in the fighting ahead / or;For the rest of the war . . ./
C.Krasnodebski,lieutenant . . . .
SAT 16. NOV
STILL AT WOODSIDE WAITING
TO GO OVERSEAS
WISH SHE'D HURRY UP
SUN NOV 17^TH
CALLED AT 5 A M AND
THINK SHE'S ON NOW.
LEFT WOODSIDE AT NOON
ENTRAINED OAKBANK
REACHED OUTER HARBOR 4.30
EMBARKED ON STRATHEDEN.
MON NOV. 18^th
FIRST DAY AT SEA LEFT
7 A.M. - PICKED UP 3 SHIPS
IN CONVOY ROUGH, NOT SEA
SICK YET
WED. NOV 20TH
KNOW ALL ABOUT THE
SHIP NOW:- HAD A
VISIT FROM THE EAGLE
(PAY DAY) SEA GETTING
ROUGHER.- AND HAVN'T
LEANED OVER YET
XXX
THURS NOV 21^ST [[?]]
REACHED FREMANTLE
LEAVE TILL 2359 [[?]]
FRID NOV 22^ND
COMPANY ON DUTY TODAY
TOOK LEAVE 1800 HRS
[[?]], SWAG, H.A. & MYSELF
WENT TO PERTH, HAD
SOME BEERS AND THEN SOME
BEERS. BUTCH & I GOT
[[LANDED?]] 0230 HRS
 

SAT NOV 23
CONFINED TO SHIP, WAITING
CHARGES. LEAVING POST &
A.W.L. - TOOK LEAVE AGAIN
1030 HRS. ON HEAVY NOW
SUN NOV 24^TH
THE [[?]] GAVE BUTCH &
I LEAVE - PLAYED THE
GAME, & BACK ON TIME
[[?]] & GOOD.
MON NOV 25^TH
GOT CLOCKED LAST NIGHT
BROKE TEETH & CUT LIP
THEN GOT STUCK INTO
HIM, MADE A REAL JOB
ON ANOTHER CHARGE
NOW FOR FIGHTING
 

THURS 28 NOV
PULLED OUT LAST NIGHT
AND ANCHORED OUTSIDE.
SAILED 0545 HRS, SOON
FOUND SEA LEGS AND
STILL HAVING GOOD TIME
SUN DEC 1^ST
UP BEFORE COLONEL TODAY
GOT OFF 2 CHARGES, BUT
COPPED 30/- ON THE
FIGHTING CHARGE
TUES DEC 3^RD
THE 4 [[?]] MEN ON FATIGUE
DUTY, DIDNT DO A THING
ALL DAY
 

THURS DEC 5^TH
ARRIVED COLOMBO [[?]] HRS
HAVE NOW TRAVELLED
4372 MILES, ANCHORED IN
HARBOR, WAITING LEAVE
FRID. DEC 6^TH
GOT ASHORE 1000 HRS, HAD
SOME MELBOURNE BEER
AND GLAD TO GET BACK
TO SHIP
SAT DEC 7^TH
PULLED OUT 1500 HRS, GOING
SOME PLACE, BUT DONT KNOW
THURS DEC 12^TH
[[NAV?]] AIR RAID ALARM, BUT
ALL SAFE, AND GOT AN
EARLY ALL CLEAR
SUN 15^th DEC
ARRIVED SUEZ 1100HRS
ANCHORED OUTSIDE
SUN 16^TH DEC
LEFT SUEZ 0700 WITHOUT
GETTING ASHORE AND
SAILING UP CANAL
MON 17^TH DEC
DISEMBARKED AT KANTARA
ENTRAINED THERE &
WENT 180XX MILES INLAND
TO CAMPING GROUND
DETRAINED 2400 HRS.
IN BED BY 2 OCLOCK
AND SLEPT LIKE A DRUNK
 

WED 18^TH DEC
CAMP CALLED DIMEA, AN
OLD 14-13 BATTLE GROUND
NOW LIVING IN TENTS SIX
MEN TO A TENT
HAVE NOW TRAVELLED
7,600 MILES FROM HOME
SAT 21^ST DEC
ON DUTY TODAY
GETTING SETTLED DOWN
NOW AND ENJOYING
THIS LIFE.
XMAS DAY
WED 25TH DEC
GOING ON LEAVE TO TEL AVIV.— ARRIVED
THERE 1000 HRS.— A
VERY INTERESTING
PLACE — HAD A REAL
SLASHIN TIME, AND
ARRIVED BACK IN
CAMP 1930 HRS
 

1941
R.G.BOUNDY. J.SECTION
7^TH DIV SUP.COL.
NO 4743215 L/CL J.J.BRADLEY
THE YORK & LANCASTER REG.
MIDDLE EAST FORCE
MR J.J.BRADLEY
8 [[?]] MOOR VILLAS
[[?]]
NEAR ROTHERHAM, YORKS
ENGLAND.
1 January 1941
Wednesday
TOOK SOME GETTING ON
PARADE THIS MORNING.
HAD A DECENT SORT OF
A HANG OVER ,. — 
DIDT HAVE A DRINK
ALL DAY — PLAYED TWO
UP, AND WENT 1300 KMA
FOR THE SPORTS — LOST
2000 MILS ON THE [[?]]
WAR WON H.q. COY, BUT
PICKED [[??]] ON THE SWY
TOPPED THE DAY OFF [[?]]
AN [[?]] GOOD TEA IN
THE CANTEEN