Diaries of Thomas Currie Derrick, 1940-1941 - Part 8

30 April 1941

Wednesday

STAND TO 0530, AND AWA

EN TO FIND 3 HUN PLANE

OVER US, - WHACKO THE 

[[AF?]] AX HAVE HIT ONE

DOWN SHE COMES 5 MILE

AWAY, BANCO & SHE'S UP

IN FLAMES YOU [BL. BEAUTY

-WENT TO BEACH FOR A

SWIM & WAS EXTRA GOOD

-THE D. Bs OVER AGAIN

SEEN ONE BROUGHT DOWN

A GLORIOUS SPECTACLE

TODAYS TOTAL FOUR DOWN

-JERRY ARTY OPENED ON

US AT 1930 TURNED IT

UP AT 2300 - NO DAMAGE 

Memoranda

HAS BEEN A MONTH OF

DISSAPOINTMENT, FROM A

MARVELOUS TIME AT DERNA

TO SOMETHING ROTTEN AND

FEARFUL, NEVER KNOWING 

WHEN ONE WILL COME

OVER WITH YOUR S.X

ON IT

NEWS FROM HOME BEING 

VERY FAR APART, AND

NOT KNOWING HOW THIS 

AFFAIR IS PROGRESSING

ON THE OTHER SIDE

-STILL DON'T FANCY

OUR CHANCES OVER MUCH

Memoranda

FRITZ SEEMS TO HAVE

THE SAY IN THE AIR

COMES OVER IN 50^S

AND IS NOT TACKLED BY

OUR PLANES AT ALL-

PERHAPS WE HAVE NONE

BUT ONE MUST CARRY

ON AND HOPE FOR A GOOD

RESULT

ALL THE BOYS SEEM 

CONTENTED AND CALM AND

HAVE NO DOUBT ABOUT

THE ATTITUDE THEY ALL

WILL ADOPT WHEN THE 

HUN INFANTRY BOBS UP 

1 May 1941

Thursday

HAVE BEEN SHELLED ALL

NIGHT, BUT STILL SLEPT

WELL - OUR ARTY LAYING 

15 ON STRONG & HEAVY NOW

-THE D. Bs AGAIN ABOUT 30

SEEM TO HAVE SCORED ONE

HIT - 30 HUN TANKS HAVE 

BROKEN THROUGH- LET EM COME

0800 HRS & WE ARE GOING

TO ATTACK, OUR PLN ON 

EXTREME LEFT FLANK,

WENT TO FAR LEFT &

WALKED IN WITH HUN [[?]]

A REAL DEATH TRAP &

PLENTY OF CASULITIES WITH 

DREW ONE MILE AT 2400

2 May 1941

Friday

BOUT EARLY [[AFTER?]]

TRIBLE EXPERIENCE - [[ORAG?]]

LING IN ABOUT 1½ MILES

FROM FRONT LINE -2/10

ONGOING FORWARD ARROW2-

P2/25 G 2/22 CUT [[ 14 BOUT 10

1.MORE [[THANTUS.?]] WELL I

NEVER FORGET THE BLOODY

BLUE OF MAY THE FIRST

. MY COBBER (HIM) BILL GATES

SHOT IN HEAD WITH MG.

FIRE, DIED IN A FEW

IT SAYINGS GOODBYE TO HIS

WINS FLAMMABLE PAL (WAINA)

-WHO IS NO A PRETTY

BAD WAY ABOUT IT.