Diaries of Thomas Currie Derrick, 1942 - Part 9

18 June 1942  
Thursday

 A little more work 
throughout the day. 
The eagle flew in

over at 1500 and 
nothing to do after 
that.

 

19 June 1942

Friday

On a little toil 
today, but it is 
pretty easy 

Expecting to move 
from here within a 

few days

Fighting in the Desert 

still on with our 

forces withdrawing 

from GAZALA.

20 June 1942

Saturday

Filling the day in 
on weapon training
 - weather very hot 
but the MED is 1/2 hr 
walk away.

Desert fighting getting
 in a bad position 
for our forces

Fritz now has ADEM
& ACROMA

Our old Col predicts 
the fall of Tobruk

 

 

21 June 1942

Sunday

Going to BEIRUT for 
the day, will be 
very hot travelling 
and will have 5 hrs 
in there.

Went to races and 
stayed for 2 events 
would like to see a 
full programme. 
Dropped off at TRIPOLI 
on way home and remained 
until 2200

22 June 1942

MONDAY

Had 2 beers first

up and feel a lot

better.   - A mine in

demonstration today

and fairly interesting.

Bad news from
the Desert and looks
as though HUN

has taken TOBRUK.

 - Preparing for a 

move may possibly

be WEDNESDAY
 

 

23 June 1942

TUESDAY

NOT MUCH DOING TODAY

GOING SWIMMING THIS

MORNING WITH THE

REST OF GHE DAY OFF

TOBRUK CAPTURES BY

FRITZ AT 0700 SUNDAY

CLAIMING 25,000 PRISONERS.

 - THE REMAINS OF THE

3^RD ARMY ARE DIGGING IN

ON THE HALFAYA SOLLUM

CAPUZZO LINE, AND THE

SITUATION IS A VERY

CRITICAL ONE

24 June 1942
WEDNESDAY

THE 3^RD ANNIVERSARY OF
MY WEDDING DAY, HAVE

SENT A CABLE TO BERYL

SOME 6 DAYS AGO, & HAVE

WRITTEN TODAY.

WENT SWIMMING IN THE 

ARVO

25 June 1942

THURSDAY

MOVED OUT OF TENTS

AT 1400 WHICH WERE

TAKEN OVER BY THE DAY

IDLING AND PREPARING FOR

DESERT STUNT

 

26 June 1942
FRIDAY

TURNED OUT AT 0400

7 READY TO MOVE AT

0530, 3 TRUCKS PER 12 &

COMFORTABLE TRAVELLING

- THROUGH HOMS AT

0925, DID NOT TAKE

TRACK FOR BRIGADE STUNT

BIVOUACED FOR ARVO 6 MILE

NORTH OF BALBECK.

MOVED AGAIN AT 2015 HRS,
TRAVELLED ALL NIGHT, BACK kg

AT 0500 AT SEA OF GALILEE

WENT SWIMMING, - OFF AGAIN

AT SUNRISE 0615, PASSED

 

27 June 1942

SATURDAY

THROUGH TIBERIUS SHORTLY 

AFTER.

ROAD PERFECT. AL TRUCKS

RUNNING SMOOTHY AND

MAKING GOOD TIME, TOOK

ADVANTAGE OF A WATER

MELON GARDEN AT ONE OF

OUR SPELLS - - BIVOUACED

MIDWAY BETWEEN HAIFA &

TEL AVIV, ARRIVING THERE

AT 1100 HRS - - NOT MOVING

UNTIL MORNING

JERRY 15 MILES FROM
MERSA MATRUH

 

 28 June 1942

SUNDAY

OUT AT 0300, READY TO

MOVE AT 0430, PASSED

BY OUR OLD CAMP AT
JULIUS 0800 THEN ON
TO GAZA RIDGE - TOOK

THE ROAD TO BEERSHEEBA
PASSING THERE 1330 HOURS

BIVOUACED SOME FEW MILES

ON FROM THERE IN THE

DESERT.

1 BOTTLE OF BEER PER MAN

ISSUED WAS VERY GRATEFULLY

RECIEVED.DISTANCE TRAVELLED

432 MILES

 

29 June 1942

MONDAY

OUT A LITTLE EARLIER

TJHIS MORNING 0230, BUT

DIDN'T MOVE UNTIL  0445.

 - NOW ON THE LONG

STRETH THROUGH THE

SINIA DESERT,  ROAD IS

A VERY GOOD ONE, - NO

SIGN OF ANY CIVILISATION

DISTANCE COVERD TODAY

171 MILES & NOW 2 MILES

FROM ISMALIA. - - BIVIED

FOR NIGHT AT 1430 &

STILL IGNORANT OF OUR

DESTINATION

DISTANCE 603 MILES

 

30 June 1942

TUESDAY

ONCE AGAINON THE 

MOVE EARLY. CROSSED

THE CANAL 0505 HRS
PASSED THROUGH CAIRO

2325AND NOT REALLY A

BAD LOOKING PLACE, - 
A SHORT SPELL AT MENA
THEN ON AGAIN TO

ALEX, TRAVELLING NOW
VERY SLW TO VERY

HEAVY TRAFFIC BOTH

WAYS , ARRIVED AMYREA

EARLY HOURS OF MORNING

A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT

OF TRAFFIC GOING & COMING

 

TIME 0530 & ARE N

ON LEAVING HOMS  IN
SYRIA WE ALL THOUGHT

WE WERE HOMEWARD

BOUND BUT WERE GREATLY

DISAPPOINTED ON

ARRIVAL AT ISMALIA TO 

RECIEVE ORDERS .THAT 

WE WERE GOING INTO 

ACTION IN THE DESERT

-  ALL THE BOYS

TOOK IT QUIETLY &

CALMLY & HAVE NO 
DOUBT THEY WILL GIVE 
ANOTHER SPLENDID

 

MEMORANDA

ACCOUNT OF THEMSELVES

HAVE HEARD THE N.Z.

ARE HAVING A GO
ALSO.

MAYBE THOSE OF US

WHO LIVE THROUGH 
THIS SCRAP WILL GET 
HOME - AFTER ANY
ACTION AT ALL WE 

WILL BE LEFT WELL

UNDER STRENGTH WITH 

LITTLE CHANCED OF

BEING REINFORCED

 

1 Jul 1942

WEDNESDAY

TIME 0530 N0W PREPARING

FOR A WELL EARNED

REST AFTER A 230 MILE

TRIP.

ON THE MOVE AGAIN AT

1400, GOING TO FORM A 

LINE OF DEFENCE AROUND

ALEX. - COMMENCED DIGGING

IN & WORKED ALL
NIGHT , LUCKILY THE DUST

STORM HAS VANISHED -

- NO OFFICAL NEWS OF 

DESERT FIGHTING CAN

BE OBTAINED

JOURNEY NOW 833 MILES

 

 2 July 1942

THURSDAY

TURNED OUT 0700 HRS

A COOD BREXKA , THEN

AWAITED FURTHER ORDER

 - 1200 HRS HAVE BEEN

ORDERED TO DIG IN,

IN ANOTHER AREA

ALL THE BOYS WORKING

LIKE TROJANS-MAKING

GREAT PROGRESS.

SEEN ABOUT 200 TO 500

PRISONERS BEING MARCHED

IN FROM THE DESERT

LATEST REPORTS ARE

IN OUR FAVOUR

 

3 July 1942

FRIDAY

CONTINUED DIGGING OUR

SECTION POSTS UNTIL
MIDDAY WHEN TOLD TO 

EASE WORKS , MEBBE WE

ARE MOVING UP TO 

THE LINE.

WENT FOR A VERY INTERESTING

WALK TO OUR TANK

SEA

OBTAINED SOME VALUABLE

HINTS  [[?]] 

AME . - THE  GRANT

EE TANKS ARESOMETHING

OU OF THE BOX.

4 July 1942

SATURDAY

NO MOVE YET, BUT AM

SURE IT IS ON, WE
ARE JUST IDLING ABOUT

-  - WAS LUCKY ENOUGH

TO GET A BATH AND
DO A SPOT OF WASHING

THE DUST STORM WENT

[[?  ?  ]] on arrival

 [[ ? ?]]  SUNSIDED FOR

 [[?  ?]] PERKOD THAT

WAS ON WEDNESDAY.

THE N.Zs  ARE DONG

SOME GOOD WORK AT THE

[[?]] 600 P.O.W.

 

5 July 1942

SUNDAY

ALL HAVNT MOVED. HAVE

 SEEN [[?]] MY L.O.S.  SO

WONT BE LONG NOW

GGRT EDWARDS, BILL FAIRLEY

BILL WHITFIELD ARE REMAININD

BEHIND

HERES SOME GOOD

NEWS  A LETTER FROM

BERYL  [[??]]

ARE MOVING UP ON TUES

MORNING BUT DO NOT

KNOW THE EXACT SPOT