Eighty years ago Friday 5 - Sunday 7 December 1941

Friday Went to unit as usual. Had a spot of correspondence to sign. Adjutant came in about 10:00 a.m. saying that 90 vehicles were arriving and giving the job of making arrangements for their receipt to me. Phone call from Colonel Harris at 1:00 p.m. saying 143 were to arrive and saying that I should detail four men for traffic control under DPAM (Department of the Army, Provost Marshal General). Vehicles started arriving at 4:00 p.m. and the last arrived at 7:40 p.m. What a job in the dark. Call from Adjutant re guard; decided to inspect them at midnight. Inspected them OK, bed at 1:30 a.m.

Saturday 6 December. Arose rather tired. Busy all day transferring vehicles to our lines. On my feet chasing around the whole time. Did not finish until about 7:00 p.m. then, after Mess, went to see the film ‘The Howards of Virginia’; not bad, nice cinema. Very tired so went to bed immediately.

Sunday 7 December. Up at 8:00 a.m. and arrived at the lines about 9:30 a.m. Spent a lot of time arranging things and although I wanted to get away early I did not leave until 5:30 p.m. CO invited me to Puja [a sacred practice that Hindu people perform on different occasions to worship, pray or show respect to their deities] to celebrate a safe return – had to go. Colonel Harris and his wife were also there; introduced to them. Had a number of drinks; enjoyed the native music and songs. Bed at 10:00 p.m.

 

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