Eighty years ago: diary of Indian Army officer cadet March to December 1941

  Went out on a demonstration of a recce for a section location. Lectures on Ammunition, etc. Lecture in the evening by the District Commissioner on ‘Some Tribes of the NW Frontier’, most interesting; showed the difficulties of the government. Received letter from Ruth dated 21 August; it’s funny that I did not have one from Mam in August. Very nice letter, if short, addressed to Mhow (RASC).

Lectures again on Organisation and such. Finished early. Not much to report nowadays. Found out that names for the Urdu exam went in while I was in hospital and mine has been left out so I shall not be able to take it; rather a pity as I should like to get it over with.

  Lectures on RH, RdH, L of C, work, etc.; not very interesting. Went on until 4:00 p.m. Received letter from Mother by sea dated 30 July – 3 months old, but very welcome. I should have had some later than this by air. Anyhow, news was good and all well. I have had a lot of trouble recently with pains in the stomach. Exercise in the evening on Verbal Orders.

Started Tactics at 8:00 a.m. Spent most of the day with lectures on communication skills, etc. Quite interesting. Instructors seem quite decent. Handed in signed Pay Bill for this month. Had to do a Message exercise in our own time.

Up at 7:45 a.m. and wrote home after breakfast. Had a rest in the afternoon. Played soccer against the Signals and lost 6-1. Early to bed.

Went out on a navigation exercise. Started at 7:30 a.m. and arrived back at 3:30 p.m. Quite a pleasant day although it rained hard for the first 2 hours. Well that’s MT over. Went to the cinema in Abbottabad and saw Janette Macdonald and Nelson Eddie in ‘New Moon’; not bad, but the film was cut. Early to bed.

Up early for drill and after breakfast we went off in lorries for a Cross-Country Recce. Drove some 30 odd miles to rendezvous. What a day. All went well for first 18 miles of the recce then we slid into a bog and stuck there. We tried sand mats, channels, sandbags, etc., but no use. I was up to my knees in mud. Eventually, second lorry came along and towed us out. We got through on the second attempt, second lorry tried to follow and got stuck in the same place and we towed them out. Got home at 5:15 p.m. after driving 100 odd miles.

  Spent whole morning on a Field Sketch. It was very hot on top of the hill sketching. Afternoon we did a spot of tyre changing and handed in books. Spot of Urdu this evening. Have to get down to it as the exam is next month; have had no time as yet. Early to bed.

  Well, the day arrives. Non-technical didn’t go too well, but I think the technical was fairly OK. It remains to be seen. Day Convoy up to Mansehra was quite pleasant, snow in the hills. Played for school against Signals, won 7-0. It’s a relief to have a night when one can have a rest. Went to bed at 9:45 p.m.