1 October Monday

Made a crib board in the ERS workshop here. I made it out of perspex it looks as far as I’ve gone very nice . Rained today

 

2 October Tuesday

A very quiet day it was raining too

 

3 October Wed

Had our dental parade today. Went to the pictures tonight but they were not very good. Wrote Len Partridge and Janet card

 

4 October

Had my first shower for a week. After lunch there came through some news that we would be leaving Italy on the 26th of this month so we won’t be seeing Egypt again. The ship that is supposed to be coming in is the “Manat      “ Played bridge after tea for three and a half hours

 

5 October Fri

Started making a “perspex” toast rack , it should take me four days to make it. Played bridge after tea. Very cold and it is raining

 

6 October Sat

Worked all day on my toast rack and it is coming on very well. We were told this morning that our boat for the 26th was cancelled so I don’t know when we are going to get home now. The weather is very bad, cold winds and rain is all we have been getting since we came down here

 

7 October Sun

The CRS workshop is not open today so I lay on my bed and polished the different parts of my toast rack with toothpaste

 

8 October Mon

Finished the toast rack today the whole job took 15 workiing hours. Played bridge after tea .Wrote Anne , Janet

 

9 October Tuesday

A warm sort of a day today but as usual it was very cold. After tea I play bridge in the YM till 2200hrs then to bed. Just at present we seem to be spending half of our time on or in our beds

 

10 October Wed

We were told this morning that we would all be going through the QM on Friday or Saturday exactly what for they don’t know as yet. Rumour says that the boat for the 26th is right again so if it proves to be true I will be home early in Dec. Today is not a bad sort of a day so far I hope it keeps like this

 

11 Oct Thursday

I got two boxes from the Camp QM last night and this ;morning I made myself a bed. I have been sleeping on the floor ever since I came down here and my back has been playing up with me. We are still waiting for something to happen around here and we are feeling the strain of waiting now. Received 3 cards Janet

 

12 October Fri

This place is so dull that at times I get a day or two behind in my diary this again does not allow me to remember the cards I have received or wrote, so from now on I won’t be keeping a record, I don’t think  unless I start again today, I will. Wrote Janet 3 cards. I am going to Bari on leave tomorrow and I have to buy a few little things for myself in bed by 2030hrs

 

13 Oct Sat

Bought myself two small chains, a small pocket knife , a set of ribbons, three service stripes, some ink (this ink) a pipe (300Lire)  Bari is very dull and I left with my cobber, George Thorn, straight after tea, was in bed by 2045hrs and asleep. Received 6 cards Janet

 

14 October Sun

A quiet day today . wrote Janet 3 caards, rebuuilt my bed. A drunk dived onto it last night and broke it. Today was very warm I even wore my shorts. Time now 1915hrs and I am going back to my tent and so to bed, I am now in the YM

 

15 October Mon

A quiet day today not even any mail came in and so far I haven’t wrote any, I may do some after tea. I am very pleased with the pipe I bought in Bari on Saturday

 

16 October Tuesday

All the chaps who are going to the ME tomorrow received their Battle Dress and usual winter issue. Went to the YM after tea and wrote 2 cards to Janet

 

17 October Wed

The M.East chaps left here this morning at 0730hrs. We were told that the rest of us would be leaving here about the 6th Nov the boat we were going on was the “Multar”(?) I hope it is right this time

 

18 October Thursday

Done very little today. Broke the pipe I bought in Bari but I will get one of my mates who is going in soon to buy me one, they are good pipes so that’s why I am going to get another one. I am not feeling the best today. I am going to get my old nervous trouble again that’s what it feels like anyway. Wrote Janet one card and another short one for her birthday. Wrote one to Gran and one to MUM .S

 

19 October Fri

Very cold today and during the afternoon it rained a bit and after tea it was looking like rain again and it did, starting about 2300hrs and lasting all night. Got our Battle Dress and usual winter issue also a good heavy shirt and tie with all the pretty coloured ribbons sewed on my battle dress I will look like a rainbow.

 

20 October Sat

Sunny but cold this morning. Spent most of the day in our tent as it continued to be very cold

 

21 October

There is no news coming out at all and life is so very miserable just now. I have never had a worse period since I have been in the army. Wrote Janet card

 

22 October Monday

I got three books from the ERS this morning they were on poultry. Wrote to England for a full list of Bullitins to be sent to me. Went to the pictures after tea and seen “The 5th Chair” not bad. Finished reading my book “Patriatic Murders” (Agatha Christie)

 

 

23 October Tuesday

This morning the boat roll came out and I am on it, all married men are , in fact. George Thorn out of our tent missed, (he was on E.4 with me all the time in Italy)

 

24 October Wed

Today was a quiet one spent mostly in our tents

 

25 October Thursday

Today I, with seven other chaps, worked on mess hut, a good job to pass away the time. After tea we went to the pictures. We were told today that we would be getting payed on the 27th and this would be our last pay in Italy and we had to draw enough to last us for 3-4 weeks. I can draw up to 7 pounds 10 shilllings and still have 50 pound in my book when I land home

 

26 October Fri

Today we never done anything to help pass the day away only the usual, lay on our beds. I was going to play table tennis for the Reg team  from our chaps but I had a game today and I felt I was off form too much so I got some to take my place. Wrote Janet. Received a card from Mother K (Kennedy) thanking me for the gloves. Went to the second session of the pictures 8.15pm “Frountier Badman” this picture was the best we have had for over a week

 

27 October Sat

We received out last pay in Italy, this morning. So this pay has to last us for 3-4 weeks. I drew 6 pounds. Went to the pictures after tea

 

28 October Sun

As usual today was very quiet, not even our usual parade at 0900hrs. Tom Stokes(?) is going to England tomorrow on the two weeks leave he has been trying to get for four months. He is going to get some bulletins for me from England. They are dealing with poultry, gardens and fruits.

 

29 October Mon

Woke up this morning and I was moaning badly. The chap next to me was awake and he asked me if I was alright. I wasn’t! My back was very sore the time was 0125hrs when I woke. I never got much sleep after that and for the rest of the day I was feeling very quiet. I never went to the RAP in case they put me in hospital and I don’t get home with this draft. I Never went to the pictures tonight I was in bed early 1700hrs. The night is cold

 

30 Oct Tuesday

Had our change parade this morning. The wind is still very cold and it looks as if the weather has broke. Wrote Janet, Mum K

 

31 Oct Wed

Had our change parade today and everything I wanted I got except a new hat, which I need badly