Finally we reached a principal thoroughfare generally known as Mohammed-Ally-Sq..

Calling a taxi we tumbled in however simply then the air raid sounded as soon as once more – this was to be an all evening affair. The taxi driver refused to go any additional.

We have been to spend the evening in an Air Raid Warden’s shelter, the very fact of the matter was we needed to kick him out to hold on along with his job.

Gerry got here down so low that he was skimming the roof tops and his chief goal was the harbour the place the Fleet was at anchor.

Plenty of civilian homes suffered that evening alongside the docks, with many causalty’s each useless and wounded.

Two South African troopers have been operating round fairly drunk remarking one to the opposite how low the Gerry B——s have been flying.

The whine of the planes [Junkers 87B Stuka Single Engine Dive Bombers] could possibly be heard above the roar of the weapons.The barrage that the Navy put up was terrific – every part was thrown up however the ships themselves.

The raid ended at 5.30 within the morning, having gone on from 12.30 the evening earlier than.

It was wave after wave of German Plane practically all Junkers 88s and numerous Stuka Dive Bombers as talked about beforehand.

The bombs fell thick and heavy however not a ship within the harbour was hit, so our Fleet was to dwell one other day to sink extra of Mussolini’s navy.

Arriving again in camp we discovered a whole bunch of empty shell circumstances laying round.

The boys stated we had been fortunate to not have been within the camp that evening. We had no casualties – what that they had meant by being fortunate was we hadn’t needed to work as onerous because the boys in camp had by the variety of shells that had been fired.

Imagine me I might have felt a lot safer there, having one thing to hit again with. There have been many extra air raids however none so fairly so long as this one.

Then Rommel saved advancing and we fell again to Marsa-Matruh.

Every little thing was going incorrect at the moment, the civilian inhabitants have been in a panic and those that may afford it have been leaving Egypt by air for a lot more healthy climates, lest we couldn’t maintain Marsa and drop again to El–Alamein. This was a pure line of defence, the ocean on our proper and the Qattara Despair sea of fast sand] on our left. This meant that Rommel was roughly 60 miles from Alexandria and 150 miles from Cairo. Presently it was in regards to the finish of June 1942.

There was now actual hazard if Egypt fell.It will imply the end of Malta and the Mediterranean additionally the Suez Canal, Palestine, Syria and Turkey could be surrounded and maybe depart the way in which open to India.

The Fleet left Alexandria and all paperwork, codes, and so on have been destroyed at Normal Headquarters in Cairo. Nearly this time we have been relieved, handing our weapons over and proceeded to take up positions on the Suez Canal. The Canal needed to be protected in any respect prices. The airbases located there additionally wanted safety., These have been largely bomber airfields containing Wellingtons, Flying Fortresses and Liberators, we have been to stay there for a while.

We had only a few raids, largely firing on the Yanks by mistake as they did not adjust to the principles with regard to their coming and going.

Being handy to Suez we have been in a position to get there on occasion – one other soiled city apart from the harbour district. All types of ships have been unloading struggle materials which had come from England and America the great distance across the Cape of Good Hope.

Though not removed from the harbour space, we’d as effectively have been a whole bunch of miles from civilisation, the land throughout being flat with not a blade of grass or bushes to be seen.

It wasn’t lengthy till we had the canteen going, loads of beer, minerals and so on and listening to the information being broadcast or maybe enjoying video games of Housey Housey. This was the way in which during which we spent our nights and better of all we held Rommel from coming any additional as we have been build up a robust defence at El–Alamein.

Our troops there have been Australian, South African, Indian, New Zealanders and British. The best infantry males on the earth have been the Australian and New Zealanders.

Then got here one other transfer alongside the Canal close to Ismailiya the place we spent one other brief interval, this being July, not a lot doing right here apart from guard duties. We subsequently moved into one other camp for a few weeks preparing, as we thought, for the desert however once we moved it wasyo Palestine

PALESTINE

We have been stationed close to Jaffa and Tel Avivv. This was my first sight of enormous orange groves which stretched so far as the attention may see.

Jaffa is an Arab city with a market place the place the Arabs promote their items.

The buildings are of tenement type that includes all types of queer little outlets promoting souvenirs and curios, with little cafes the place the Arab sits and drinks his espresso and native liquors.

If one wanders alongside the ocean entrance he’ll come to the fashionable city of Tel Aviv.

That is an all Jewish city, identified to troops as millionaires paradise due to the very costly look of the place.

Issues have been very pricey and it doesn’t matter what was in brief provide elsewhere it could possibly be had in Tel–Aviv however at a value.

A great meal in a resort with just a few drinks thrown in could be as a lot as £1.00 – a considerable sum for a British soldier in these days.

In fact there have been golf equipment for the troops whose meals and such like could possibly be had for an affordable value, however from time to time we’d wander right into a resort only for the expertise.

Among the best golf equipment was the Australian Membership and at the moment there was a variety of Aussies within the city and district. They have been largely sick and wounded who have been recovering from their sickness. They have been a merry crowd taking the benefit of a relaxation as they have been within the desert for lengthy intervals and suffered a variety of casualties when Rommel superior in the direction of Alexandria.

I keep in mind certainly one of them telling me a narrative of when he was within the desert he had been on sentry put up obligation maintaining watch on the Gerry strains in case they have been making an attempt one thing in the course of the nighttimes. Every little thing was completely quiet when two arms clasped themselves round his throat, subsequent the phrases have been spoken “Good Aussie” and he may hear the person slither off into the darkness.

It had been a Ghurka soldier on an analogous mission as himself, he stated if it had not been for his collar badges his throat might need been slit from ear to ear because the Ghurka might need mistaken him for a German or Italian soldier.I agreed with him as I knew I new myself that the Ghurka’s have been one of many most interesting our bodies of Indian troops.

They have been inclined to be small sturdy males every having an extended knife carried on their belts within the small of their backs. They did nice work within the desert and I pity the German or Italian soldier who got here in touch with these males.

Our keep in Palestine was a vacation. We by no means fired a spherical in anger. Any air raids there was got here to Haifa, however they have been few and much between.

We had massive numbers of bombers in Palestine together with the Yanks, who have been flying out day after day bombing Rommel and his males mendacity at El- Alamein and likewise doing journeys into the Balkans dropping arms and ammunition to the Partisans.

Then got here a spot of depart and I made a decision to see as a lot of Palestine as possible.

First place I headed for was Jerusalem. I duly arrived and put up on the Church of Scotland Hostel. The primary evening I had a very good bathtub and retired to mattress, in order to be up vibrant and early.

Subsequent day, I and some others with a information made our approach in the direction of the Previous Metropolis. We entered via the Jaffa Gate, nearly beside a tower generally known as David’s Tower and wandering our approach via little streets got here to the Church of The Holy Sepulchre, from which he rose gloriously on the third day.

The façade comprised of two doorways, one walled up is the work of the Crusaders. Simply to the suitable of the doorway a flight of steps results in Golgotha [the place of the skull in Hebrew] the hill which noticed the demise of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Chapel to the suitable marks the place the place Christ was nailed to the cross, the others to the left the place the cross was raised. Between the 2 Chapels, stands the Altar of Madre Dolorosa. The Virgin has strings of pearls and valuable stones round her neck reported to be price two million kilos. The rotunda or dome overlaying the Holy Sepulchre was constructed by the Greeks about 1810. The little edifice itself is the widespread property of Latins, Greeks and Armenians.

The Church is roofed with white marble however beneath the unique rock has been preserved to the peak of 4 ft. Within the half belonging to the Franciscan Fathers the sword and spurs of Sir Godfrey De Bouillon one of many Crusaders might be seen.

This is without doubt one of the many Biblical sights to be seen in Jerusalem.

On the time of writing (Tom Moore was writing the journal within the aftermath of the struggle) there was all types of hassle in Palestine, unlawful below floor actions with Jews, Arabs and British Troops being killed.

All of us knew once we have been there that after the struggle there could be hassle as a result of all sides was gathering a retailer of arms and ammunition by stealing and shopping for and all types of how.

I keep in mind being on guard obligation one evening when an Arab tried to steal a rifle out of the Guard Room. The person in cost occurred to be dozing a little bit, when he heard a motion and was conscious directly. The Arab disappeared into one of many orange groves close by. Within the morning we may see the place he watched on the rear of the tent, till he noticed his probability however sadly for him all of the rifles have been chained and locked.

I actually have been supplied £15 pound for a rifle and £25 pound for a Thompson Sub Machine Gun.