The Blog that might have been – 70 years on

The Syria campaign begins

Posted on June 12, 1941 by felicityh54

War diary : first week of the Syria campaign – June 1941 Friday 6th Left Er Rama at 11pm, travelled about 20 miles – very interesting road – one of the seven wonders of the world – marvellous engineering – at times poised like tomb Mahomet – made camp within a few miles of border – received package – wedding cake (Jack & Lill) Sunday 8th 1am reveille – entered Syrian territory at 5am at Banias – Bluey Webb killed – 1st cas under heavy shell fire 9th attached C company at Banias – Hold down position 11th Khiam – heavy battle in rocks – mortars and seventy fives rain hell on us – Barclay received bullet wound 12th Ned Turner section out on patrol – sniper opened fire – gunner(?) and NCO’s take up positions. NT gets shits, clears away with two carriers leaving Ted Fleming, Len Woodlock & B Cole. Later picked up by F Dredge – Doc’s section go through mine field – Ray Ross carrier blown up – Ray shattered eardrum goes back to hospital. My carrier attached Engineers…. The Syria campaign – from Active Service – the background, and the start of the campaign (Note that this was written during the war ) Mid-summer of 1941 found a portion of the AIF engaged with British, Indian and Free French forces, in wresting Syria from Vichy control. There were abundant signs that German influence had seeped into Iran and Iraq to an extent that menaced our cause in the Middle East. Those mandated territories and portions of the French colonial empire still held by the administration and troops loyal to Petain’s government at Vichy were everywhere dangerous to us. German success in the Balkans had created enemy bases in the Eastern Mediterranean. It was only a step from here to Syria. Control of the oil pipelines and the oil fields of Iran, the isolation of Turkey and the preparation of a drive through Palestine: these were some of the strategic possibilities that could have been developed by the Nazis. The ground-work of intrigue and bribery had been prepared. Syrian aerodromes had already been used by Axis military planes. The next and familiar phase of infiltration by ‘technicians’ had begun. Intervention by the Allies could no longer be delayed….. By far the most powerful element on the Vichy side was the terrain. Apart from a narrow coastal fringe of plain, which in some parts was no more than three hundred yards wide, the way of our advance into Syria and the Lebanon could only be through mountainous country….All routes from the south were commanded by steep hillsides and knolls of which the defence could – and did – make full use. Precipitous ravines made the cross-country use of vehicles and Bren carriers impossible in many areas….the defence was cleverly disposed. Enemy artillery followed the movement of our troops with such precision that the presence behind our lines of spies with signalling facilities was suspected. Measures were taken to suppress this. Our infantry continued to pouch into the hills, seeking always for a line of approach to close quarters. Whenever possible, the enemy evaded these moves, skilfully withdrawing his guns to another position and preparing for another phase of the delaying action. His troops fulfilled the expectation that they had no heart for the campaign. Their professional honour and the tradition of their service summoned up an instinctive effort.

SONY DSC

Photo gives some idea of the terrain…. http://ukmediawatch.org/2012/06/22/postcard-from-israel-kalat-nimrod/ map – June 8/9 – locations mentioned in diary and The Footsoldiers extracts are shown here…

Banias (from Wikipedia) Banias is the Arabic and modern Hebrew name of an ancient town that developed around a spring once associated with the Greek god Pan. The spring is located at the foot of Mount Hermon in the north of the Golan Heights and constitutes one of the main sources of the Jordan River. The archaeologists have uncovered here a shrine dedicated to Pan and related deities, and the remains of an ancient city founded sometime after the conquest by Alexander the Great, and mentioned under the name of Caesarea Philippi by the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. …Attached C Company at Banias (8/9)…and later Khiam (10/11) According to The Footsoldiers – After C company had successfully captured Banias by noon on 8 June, two of the company’s platoons….with a section of our carriers, had remained in the area, scouting the flanks and road beyond Banias, until relieved by a section of 6th Division Cavalry….At 0600 hours on 10 June the two platoons embussed in unit vehicles and were moved up to Fort Khiam. Here they took up positions on the high ground south of the village. …On 11 June both platoons advanced along the line of the right of the village protecting the open flank whilst A Company cleared the houses. After A Company had advanced out and onto the walls area facing out to Little Pimple, C company occupied the haystack area and patrolled out into the olive groves and beyond into the ravines and gullies above the plateau to the east.

AWM 008210 June 10 1941 Bren Carrier section of the 2/33 Battalion crossing a small stream that runs through the fields near the Jewish settlement at Dan. The battalion in general As mentioned in a previous post, the troops had been led to believe that the Vichy troops would offer little resistance. This proved absolutely unfounded. As reported in The Footsoldiers regarding the first day of the campaign: By midnight of 8 June, the situation was not as all had expected it would be. The battalion although it had not suffered any heavy casualties, was not more than one mile beyond the frontier. Its companies were loosely scattered over an area of six square miles, with no main objectives achieved. True, C company had achieved their task and the small outposts along that part of the border and been cleared. But the high ground in and about Khiam was still controlled by the French. Of B Company nothing had been heard. A Company, at that time about to be rejoined by its missing 8 Platoon, was preparing for an attack on the fort which they now knew contained 100 determined men. D Company was returning to an area that was only one-third of the distance on the way to their real objective, Ibeles Saki. Two platoons of C Company were put in the rear at Banias with one platoon (15) detached to A company. It was obvious that the French were not going to surrender easily. This was much the position on the other lines of advance….On our own brigade front, the left battalion, the 2/31st, had a really rough task. Three of its companies were pinned down on flat ground when attempting a set-piece attack on Khirbe, three miles to our left. The battalion had suffered some 40 casualties.

Photo : 2/31st Battalion digging in, in Syria – from Wikipedia There were many problems with communications, which led to more men being evacuated due to exhaustion than due to enemy action. D Company was particularly badly impacted: Confusion in sending and receiving signals over the inadequate wireless communications had resulted in D Company’s vain and exhausting return marches. This confusion certainly cost D Company over 30 men. Marching and scrambling up ravines and ridges since 0200 hours on 8 June, under fire for almost all of the afternoon of the 8th, marching all through the night and up until 0800 hours on the 9th, with nearly eighteen hours of climbing and scrambling, the men were exhausted. Sufficient to say that by 0800 hours, 9 June, D Company arrived in their position in the olive grove, east of Khiam, with fewer than twenty five men out of the 120 who had left the forming-up point the day before….By nightfall of 9 June, nine men had been wounded and some twenty lay vomiting from heatstroke, exhaustion and lack of water…..Throughout June 10 D Company lay in the rocks, unable to move. As any men attempted to move artillery and mortar and MMG [Medium Machine Gun] fire descended upon them. Without any water other than a few sips since noon of 8 June and now out of the two days’ hard rations they had carried, D Company felt little like the boisterous company of three days before. Doc’s section go through a minefield According to The Footsoldiers, this incident occurred on 9 June – as Dad was clearly with C company at Banias at the time, perhaps his diary entry reflects the date he found out about it, rather than when it actually happened: To support A Company’s attack on the fort on 9 June, number one section under Sergeant ‘Doc’ Trenow was ordered to get in behind Khiam village and draw French attention away from the attack. At dawn on the 9th ‘Doc’ and his three carriers – the lead carrier under Corporal Ned Turner, the middle one under Corporal Ray Ross and ‘Doc’ bringing up the rear, headed out past their own road block north. There, mostly on foot, they surveyed the area and the rocky crags that lead up to the right and on to west side of Khiam village. By 1000 hours they had approached a track junction, which appeared well used, and ‘Doc’ decided this looked the best approach. Just as they set out, an American-speaking Syrian approached, and calmly informed them that the road, hills and surrounds about the fort were mined. the artillery on the fort could now be heard, and upon turning a bend in the track the carriers were confronted by a rock road block. Here Sergeant Trenow set out on foot down a track into a long wadi that lay behind the village and fort. After proceeding safely for some 500 yards Sergeant Trenow signalled up the section, which slowly proceeded in line ahead into the centre of a long, open cultivation…Instantly the second carrier, with Corporal Ray Ross driving and two gunners, Private John Nugent and Private Ruben Way aboard, exploded two or three mines, which blew off a track from the carrier and hurled dust and bodies about the field. The men were visibly hurt. Dazed and shaken the section stopped whilst they took stock. The second carrier crew, covered in dust, and with ear drums giving them great pain, lay where they had landed. The damaged carrier was now out of action….By continual reconnoitring Sergeant Trenow was able to pinpoint nearly all the other mines in the area.

Posted in Carrier platoon, Middle East, organisation, The course of the war, Uncategorized, unit and personal diaries | Tagged Banias, Doc Trenow, French Foreign Legion, Ibeles Saki, Khiam, minefield, Ray Ross, Syria campaign, Vichy forces | Leave a comment

We’ve got a spot of work to do

Posted on June 5, 1941 by felicityh54

TX 1004

Pte Max Hickman

2/33rd Battalion

AIF Abroad

5th June 1941

Dear Mother

Further to the letters I wrote you and May yesterday, you will be pleased to know that the Colonel did not take as serious a view of the situation as was anticipated and accepted openly even if not wholly the defence advanced, but as he pointed out he couldn’t overlook the fact that we had left the camp area without permission and to the tune of the perfectly obvious remark that we were foolish fellows fined us a pound and stopped a day’s pay, making the aggregate penalty 25/6 which amount in the language of the east is considered a cheap night out. The new Colonel is a biggish fellow who gives one the impression that he’s been about and seen and done things – he has a healthy ruddy complexion that is not a product of palm olive soap hence his appreciation of our story.

I had written so far Mother when the mail was distributed and once again I received four delightful letters – a boat mail letter written in March and your 19th May Airmail and by coincidence May and Youngster had also both written that day. I don’t [know] whether my letters when (as seems rather rare) they get home give you the same pleasure as yours give me but they’re like a breath of home and by the time I’d read and re-read them it was dark so I had to leave my letter writing till today. It’s just five am and am getting in a few lines before we’re called on parade at 5.30. Later today I hope to complete this epistle and to write to May & Youngster but of course that depends on the army.

Dick Schultz came down the other night with a story that his wife had seen you and that you weren’t getting any letters. Well Mother I can assure you that only under unavoidable circumstances do I miss writing at least once a week and I have the assurance of the officer that my letters comply with his censorship and although there’s no love lost between us, he’s have nothing to gain by stopping letters and if he did stop them would return them. Do you think it possible that they’re being left round the valley somewhere? What about seeing someone at the Post Office and check up. All the letters I write seem to get to their destination except those I write to you. I wrote to Dad about ten weeks ago and asked him to see the barracks people and see if the will I made is in order. As you haven’t mentioned it in any letters I gather that it didn’t make the grade.

Youngster mentioned in her letter Mother that you have been suffering from lumbago again. I hope you’re better again now – it’s damnably unpleasant and I don’t suppose the weather down there will improve it. Do make that trip to Melbourne won’t you? Every letter I have from Youngster she says how much she’d like you and dad to go over for a holiday. She’s very wrapped up in her home and garden.

The people of New South Wales must have been very fed up to change horses during a war. Youngster like all true Tories deplores the result and thinks things will be serious if Menzies doesn’t get home soon but Menzies isn’t capable of leading a mixed government any more than Curtin is. The War seems to have brought out the best political leadership in all democratic countries except Australia. It’s a great pity Albert Ogilvie died – our effort would have been a lot further advanced with him as Prime Minister but at present neither party seem to be able to produce the man I’d like to be cracking the whip.

Ken Jenkins met Alan Carlysle the other day. He was passing this way on four days’ leave following his two engagements in Greece and Crete – according to Ken he’s fit and well and tells some interesting stories.

Building business must be booming at home and the local areas seem to be benefitting a lot. I’ve seen some wonderful ideas here (when I went AWL) and hope to use some of them when I get back. The Boyer works must be in full production as they say all Australian papers are being printed on Derwent Valley newsprint.

I’ve just been watching a fight between a centipede and a scorpion – this place is lousy with both of them. It was a good fight too – lasted about an hour and a half.

I’ll say cheerio now Mother – we’ve got a spot of work to do. Best regards to all I know and to the boys.

Your loving son

Max

PS Sorry to hear of Jim Clennetts bad luck. Give my best wishes to Pat & Molly, Rex Wedd told me in his letter that he’d seen quite a lot of them when in Hobart.

Shoe Shine…no caption

This photo and the activity depicted don’t rate a mention in any letters. Dick Lewis thinks it was more likely in Egypt than in Palestine, but Dad had no leave – or even AWL – in Egypt so it’s possible this could even have been in Haifa…hence the inclusion here.

The new CO

It seems that through his misdemeanour, Dad was one of the few ‘other ranks’ who actually met the new CO, Lieut-Col.(later Brigadier) R F Monaghan. According to William Crooks in The Footsoldiers:

In the hurried preparations for battle, little time was allowed to get to know our new CO. Deployed as we were, and because of the nature of the operations in which we were shortly to take part, very few of us other than the company commanders ever saw him, or knew what he looked like – either then or in operations later. In the middle of these operations he, too, was to leave us, and take over the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion.

Letters going astray

There were a number of Mrs Hickman’s in Lenah Valley in the 1940’s but only one, as far as I can discover, in Pottery Road. So it does seem strange that the letters addressed to Mrs H Hickman, Pottery Rd, Lenah Valley should go astray – and the collection I am now transcribing is a good indication that in fact the vast majority of letters were certainly delivered eventually. My memory of my maternal grandmother is that she was by temperament, melancholic.

NSW politics

The state election was held on May 10th, and resulted in a landslide victory for the Labor party…hence Dad’s comments about ‘changing horses’. His sister Ivy (Youngster) was a dyed in the wool conservative, so deplored the result whereas Dad was a Labor man – with some reservations. Not everyone was surprised at the result: the United Australia Party (UAP) had been in considerable disarray, both at State and Federal level for several years – the premier and leader of the UAP in NSW had been replaced mid-way through the previous term (in 1939), and later in 1941 the Prime Minister Robert Menzies (also of the UAP) was forced to resign.

Albert Ogilvie

Extracts relating to A.G.Ogilvie’s time as Premier of Tasmania (June 1934 until his death in June 1939) from the entry by Michael Rowe in the Australian Dictionary of Biography (http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/ogilvie-albert-george-7889):

….Hitherto Ogilvie’s career had little distinction, but as premier he proved a considerable and even remarkable success. His vigour contrasted with the ultra-conformism of other contemporary Australian governments: in his scale, Ogilvie became an F. D. Roosevelt…..

Abolition of state secondary school fees was an early and visible move for state-led recovery from the Depression. Public service salaries were restored, in stages. Government much increased unemployment relief; men so paid were often used in public works, most famously in building the road to Mount Wellington’s pinnacle….Hydro-electric development meant much to Ogilvie’s government. A highlight was the opening of Tarraleah station in February 1938… The major industrial development of the decade was in pulp and paper, Ogilvie himself orchestrating establishment of the Australian Newsprint Mills plant at Boyer, southern Tasmania.

Posted in Australian, escapades, relaxation, fun and games, Hierarchy, Posts and telegraph, Uncategorized | Tagged AWL fines, Boyer, Curtin, DIck Schultz, Ken Jenkins, mail, Menzies, Ogilvie | Leave a comment

A night out in Haifa…and the consequences

Posted on June 4, 1941 by felicityh54

TX 1004

Pte Max Hickman

2/33rd Battalion

AIF Abroad

4th June 1941

Dear Mother

Once again from the shade of an olive branch I am writing to tell you that I’m fit and happy and hope this letter finds you and dad and the boys similarly disposed. I have some little time to myself at present awaiting orders to appear before the Orderly Room. You see I’ve committed again that terrible crime of being found out.

A couple of days back the coast looked clear so Wattsie and I decided to have a night out. There was a town about fifty miles away so as the officer was not about we took French leave and by various means reached the desired objective – a modern picturesque harbour city nestling among high mountains. It was one of the greatest feasts of architecture I’ve ever seen. A wonderful array of the most perfect cut stone work conceivable. There were about three hours of daylight and we spent the whole time walking round the streets looking at the buildings. Then when it got dark we had a meal and went to a cafe for some beer. It was a delightful place and we lay back in great arm chairs drinking ice cold beer to the strains of a five piece orchestra. The violinist was particularly good – he could make the fiddle talk. The centre of the floor was given up to dancing. The orchestra played anything that was wanted – for our benefit they played Gungagai, Waltzing Matilda and the Maori Farewell. We got in with a couple of bombardiers from an English artillery regiment. They’ve been stationed near the town for some time and knew the ropes well. When the cafe closed at midnight they took us to a cabaret show. Here again we had some more beer and were entertained with singing and vaudeville acts. About two o’clock or a little after one of the tommies sacked one over me and half filled my beer glass with Hennessy’s three star brandy, and when about half an hour later we walked out into the air I literally crumpled up.

In such condition it was futile to attempt to get back. Wattsie – who hadn’t had any brandy – went to a hotel to see about a bed and returned with the helpful news that it was 25/- for bed and breakfast and as our total wealth at this time aggregated about six shillings we had to look elsewhere for accommodation.

There was a taxi standing nearby and as the driver was not about we climbed in and slept till a quarter to six. We caught a bus from the station to an old garrison town about half way to the camp. There was still a remote chance that if we could strike a bus, car or lorry going our way we might reach camp before we were missed. But we waited three hours before we got a lift in a truck driven by a couple of de Gaulle’s men and of course the day was well advanced when we made camp and have been under open arrest ever since and expect to face the music sometime today. We have a new CO and as we’ll be the first offenders to be dealt with the whole battalion is anxiously awaiting the outcome – a test case sort of thing. Providing the penalty is not too severe I don’t mind because it was really a wonderful experience – my first night out since we were at (Durban? – crossed out)

One of the wags of the outfit has put together a few lines. It runs –

Bardia Bob and Libya Len were out in the desert with a broken down Bren

Bob said Len give me the first IA – Len said throw the ordinary thing away.

Over the hill came a great big Hun, under his arm was a Tommy gun

Oh boy you should have seen those heroes run.

Haifa Hickey bald of head said I’ll shoot that bugger dead

But the Hun had different ideas instead and filled old Hickey full of lead.

I believe the High Command have hit on a new idea. They’re going to give all the Australians a fortnight’s leave and put Berlin out of bounds and it’s confidently expected that they’ll be in Berlin in a week. It’s a funny thing – no matter where we are anything that’s out of bounds is the first place we go. I’ll say cheerio now Mother because I rather fancy the heat’s on – anyway the defence is ready. I’ll write again if I get time when the trial’s over.

Regards to the boys and love to you & dad.

Max

PS Dick & Ken wish to be remembered to you.

Location and distances

The battalion was at Er Rama (see map below) about 12 miles (about 19km) east of Acre, which is about 13 miles (about 21km) north of Haifa…so Dad’s claim of fifty miles (80km) was a bit of an exaggeration!

PALESTINE SYRIA LEBANON

Map – from The Footsoldiers

Diary – more details re AWL

Monday 2nd

Pay Parade. Went through with Wattsie. Had a look round Acre – drive in armoured car, taxi to Haifa. Beer, tea, more beer – Very modern architecture – wonderful cut stone work – wonderful night in cafes & cabarets. Got gloriously sozzled – slept in back of taxi. Caught bus to Acre at six o’clock – Breakfast at Arab Hotel – interesting old bloke – Christian Arab – been in USA seven years – back to the camp in back of lorry – 10 o’clock close arrest . Tried by Major Buttrose, remanded to CO. Fined 25/6.

Haifa

Booklet – with handy fold-out map (Not all pages have been scanned)

Preparing for the Syria campaign – from The Footsoldiers

…our concentration area at Er Rama…(was)…south of the road that ran westward to Acre, on the coast. Here, in the world’s oldest olive grove…we were spread out and deployed in company localities. To the north some forty miles away lay the Palestine-Syria- Lebanon border, held and defended by the Vichy forces of General Dentz, who supported the cause of the Germans…..At Er Rama we were poised for battle, side by side with other assault troops including Free French units. We were told that here we would stay until an ultimatum that had been issued to General Dentz, requiring him to come over to the Allied cause, expired on 7 June….We were informed that little opposition was expected if we had to attack and that most of the Frenchmen in General Dentz’s Vichy Army would come over to our side….In an atmosphere of excitement we prepared our weapons, were lectured on the malarial belt we were to pass through, practised our platoon drills, climbed the local mountains and waited for the ultimatum to expire. The CO and company commanders, and most of the platoon commanders, left us on some days, some dressed in Arab clothes or civilian garb and were taken forward to reconnoitre the frontier posts, assembly areas and routes across the frontier.

Photo

AWM 008748

June 1941 – Troops from 2/14 Bn enjoy reading Pix at Er Rama. F Hurley photo

Palestine 1941

This clip shows Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem – and is dated 1941.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGUyiLeCPdQ

Posted in escapades, relaxation, fun and games, Hierarchy, Middle East, Uncategorized, unit and personal diaries | Tagged Acre, AWL, Er Rama, Free French, General Dentz, Graham Watts, Haifa, out of bounds | Leave a comment

Camping amid gum trees – and a damn good feed

Posted on May 31, 1941 by felicityh54

TX 1004

Pte M Hickman

2/33rd Battn

AIF Abroad

31st May 1941

Dear Mother

After being detached from the battalion for some time our platoon rejoined them in a new camp today and this evening received quite a nice batch of mail, including two from you – an airmail written on the eleventh of May and an old boat mail letter from the 21st of November. I am amazed that my letters are still not getting home. Since the beginning of April I have a check on inward and outward mail so will tell you the dates on which I have written and you will be able to check up on what hasn’t made the grade though of course there will be no way of knowing why – this is the list mother – 1st, 9th, 19th, 26th April, 1st May, 6th May, 11th May, 17th, 22nd. There were a couple of long breaks when I was unable to write because we were travelling or else couldn’t get stamps. It’s easy to understand Dick being able to write so often because he’s had the best job in the army and after the sick parade is finished in the morning, has the day to himself and of course in the evening has a light in the RAP whereas our opportunities for writing are very limited.

I had a very nice letter from youngster – one of her best efforts – one from Shirley (an air mail card) and one from Rex Wedd which was also very interesting.

Though of course you will have gathered from earlier letters that I have been in Egypt for some time I think I can now tell you a little more of the country although I suppose dad has told you quite a lot. I don’t think he travelled as extensively as we have – except for the cities we saw most other aspects of it, ranging from some of the finest agricultural country I’ve ever seen – hundreds of miles of beautiful crops – the palms and weeping willows interspersed with mosques and minarets producing some wonderful scenic effects. The desert itself is of course hell and sandstorms sometimes lasting a week blind and choke you and the heat – as intense as a bush fire – almost consumes you entirely and of course as I’ve mentioned in other letters there are some beautiful bays and beaches.

We have been travelling practically ever since the day I last wrote and have seen some glorious country and tasted new experiences though I don’t think I was ever more tired than I am tonight. We camped one night amidst a clump of gum trees overlooked by a rocky, scrub-covered escarpment that might have been anywhere in Tassie, whilst out in the other direction we could hear the roar of the surf. On another occasion we slept in an almond orchard in the midst of a very fertile valley where next morning we were able to swim in a fresh water stream and scrounged some choice tomatoes. Yet another occasion found us on the outskirts of a Jewish village and of course we staged a miniature invasion particularly on the restaurants and hotels – one outcome of which was that the local beer rose in price from 45 to 70 mils a bottle in two hours and when the entire stock of beer had been consumed the fellows took to the wine, hock and sherry to the amazement of the natives. As you may well imagine the incident brought back memories to McDonnell who asked me to tell you of his second lapse. The wines of course are produced locally – there being miles and miles of vineyards here, and as wine goes it’s good wine too.

One day the officer in charge came by a quantity of fresh meat, bread and vegetables and of course it became necessary to have a cook and muggins volunteered to do the job and though you of course will find it hard to believe I turned on a really good feed of steak (fried in butter – a rare commodity), onions, potatoes and carrots. The whole platoon were amazed at the meal. Of course I suppose having bully beef and hard biscuits for a week had sharpened their appreciation of fresh food.

Just before we left the last camp I met young Geoff Hodgman and a lot of the old 106th Battery fellows. Their crowd had just come up. Geoff looked very well. He’s certainly lost nothing in the art of talking – by the powers he can talk.

Well Mother it’s too dark to see to write now so I’ll spread my blanket – this time under an olive tree – and confidently expect to be asleep within two minutes. So good night and goodbye for the present. My regards to the boys and love to you and dad.

Max

PS I am enclosing portion of an envelope from Shirley which will be interesting as a souvenir. I had an airmail card from her yesterday. She said things in general are very much as they were when we left except for the weather which is perfect at present. She asked me to give you her love.

Max

Mother’s letter of May 11

One of a small number of letters from home, that were kept in the box with Dad’s letters…

This letter transcribed:

from Mrs Hickman

Pottery Rd Lenah Valley

Hobart

11th May 1941

Darling Boy

Once again we write to you hoping to find you fit and well as it leaves us at present. Today is Mothers Day and Cameron and Nell and three kids were here this afternoon and by jove were we glad to see the last of the kids. They simply turn the place inside out. I don’t want to see them again for a long time to come. I had a telegram from Jack Chandler – it read “Greetings for Mothers day to Hickey’s mother. Jack”. We received two old letters from you last week – the one from Durban – the place must be very nice according to your description of it I would like to go there for a trip in peace time but that is a dream. The poetry written by that lady is beautiful. The latest letter we had from you was dated 1st April. Mrs Schultz receives quite a lot of letters from Dick. She has had several since we had one from you – he seems to have a way of getting them through better than you have. He is sending all sorts of things home – gloves and toilet sets for himself after the war. If he keeps going he will have a good stock by the time he gets home again.

I rang Rob yesterday and told him there was a case of pears here for him. It was Saturday morning and he told me I had put the last straw on the camel’s back as he works on Saturday morning and he told me this is what he had to do – carry in six tons of wood, two loads of loam to get from somewhere then to top it up by having to come up for pears. They are going away to Coles Bay next Saturday for a week. Trevor Hickman is getting on alright and expects to be out of hospital at the end of next week.

The Elliotts wanted us to go to Queensland but Mrs Elliott rang me yesterday and said she did not think it would be much of a trip with him as after he had spent a few bob on the first week he would start to worry after that and we and that opinion ourselves. All the apple growers are very worried about not being able to dispose of their crop. The government pays them for the fruit , they have to pick it and store it. As the fruit is wanted they have to deliver it. They are not allowed to dispose of it in any other way. Ted Moore was caught hawking his apples round the town after being paid for them by the government. He has got to appear before the Court. Rather interesting, don’t you think? I will now close with best love from Mother & Dad. God bless you & keep you Max.

PS the dogs are fit and well. Remember us to all the boys.

Trevor Hickman – coming home from hospital

Trevor was a distant cousin – Trevor and Dad were both great-great-grandsons of Richard Hickman who arrived in Tasmania in 1842 with his 8 children. Dad’s great-grandfather Henry Leonard was Richard’s second child, and eldest son, and Trevor’s great-grandfather was Richard’s youngest child also named Richard. Trevor was born in 1929 – hence Dad’s reference to him in the previous letter as ‘young Trevor’.

Apple growers worried about not being able to dispose of their crop

Our forebear, Richard Hickman, and his family, took up land in Lenah Valley (then called Kangaroo Bottom) in 1842. Several of dad’s Hickman relatives – Len, John, Steve and Alf – still had orchards in Lenah Valley Road and Brushy Creek Road in the 1940’s, so his parents would have had a keen interest in the ‘apple and pear scheme’. This apple label doesn’t mention the family name, but it does mention Lenah Valley orchards:

At some point during 1941 the Federal Parliament established a Select Committee to consider whether the apple and pear acquisition scheme should be continued for the duration of the war. Contrary to the view expressed in his mother’s letter (above), it seems the scheme was widely appreciated by growers because it provided some certainty of income despite the loss of most of their overseas markets due to the war. See report that appeared in The Mercury on November 7, which reported a favourable response to the committee’s recommendations by the Tasmanian Premier (Robert Cosgrove) and Agriculture Minister (Tom D’Alton) http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/25926118

Diary May 23 – 31

Friday 23rd

Took packs down to carriers. Received two small parcels – pair of socks and box of soap. Went down to platoon after tea- bought a pad & envelopes at Tommy canteen. Had some beer with the boys – XXXX, Boags, KB, Resch’s & Melbourne. Bob Cole crying drunk – “Nobody likes me, I’ll do me stripes in” Like hell! Walked back in a bit of a fog. Sleep like a ton of little bricks.

Saturday 24th

Sandstorm & hot winds. Poles take over site – bring their own dogs. Have our last swim at Mersa Matruh. Meet Geoff Hodgman, Charlie Graves, Ron McKercher 2/8 Field Regt. Talk with chaps from R.A…(?) who arrived here in same convoy as we did. Eat all samples food etc. Poles take over.

Sunday 25th May

Pack gear & leave Hill 60. Muster parade 2.30. Tea 4pm, leave Mersa Matruh at 7.00. The end of the best camp I’ve been in. Travelling all night.

Monday 26th May

Breakfast at Amiriya. See Alex in distance. Through wonderful agricultural country – the best scenery of its type I’ve seen. Mosques and minarets like lighthouses in the desert, lighting the path of the faithful. Buy tomatoes, boiled eggs & bread at Tanta station. Play five hundred. Bob Cole very sick with dysentry. Gypo kids put one over fellow fooling them with ten acre piece. Arrive at Ismalia 7pm Kantara 9pm feed entrain again at 11pm. Cattle trucks – packed like sardines but slept well. One chap took another’s socks off instead of his own.

Tuesday 27th

Pleasantly warm. Different type of scenery. Patches of red dusty soil, grape vines & orange groves. Detrained at 11am. Mess (?) in shade of gum leaves. In the afternoon went with R Ross, Ted Fleming & F Dredge to a Jewish village – spent enjoyable afternoon. The scene from the escarpment was excellent – a beautiful fertile valley rich with various crops and in the distance a very inviting surf. Sleep under the gum trees.

Wed 28

Roll up the blankets and move out to position occupied by carriers – go for a swim in surf – standing by to move out. Sleep under almond trees.

Thursday 29th

Swim in surf and later in fresh water stream. Sunbake all afternoon. Went to Jewish village in evening. Drank all the local stock of beer, hock, wine & sherry. Got well sprung. Wattsie and I tried to pinch a truck. Stopped in (by?) English officer. Couple of the boys fell in ditch.

Friday 30th

Swim & sunbake. Barclay & Turner get some fresh meat, vegetables, butter, etc – cook for a day – a damn good feed.

Saturday 31st

Reveille 4am. Leave at five – very interesting trip through Nazareth – some fine stone work in Government buildings & cottages. Very mountainous, rugged country, hot as hell, some glorious scenery – pass through numerous Jewish and Arab villages. Arrived at new camp at 4pm. Camp under olive trees. Receive 4 letters – Mother (two), youngster, B Laird. Wrote to Mother & Youngster.

Poles take over

From The Footsoldiers:

…on 22 May we received a movement order placing the battalion and all other troops of the 7th Division on 12 hours’ notice to move, and that the move was to be east. Although not officially informed where we would be going all ranks agreed it would be Syria…..On 23 and 24 May, troops of the Carpathian Polish Brigade relieved us in the defensive positions ….

Crossing the canal (again)

Painting by Harold Herbert, from Active Service (AWM 1941)

Sleeping ‘like a ton of little bricks’

Photo from Active Service (AWM 1941)

A miniature invasion

From the descriptions in The Footsoldiers it seems that the men of the Carrier platoon did not re-join the rest of the battalion until May 31 – so the ‘miniature invasion’ mentioned in Dad’s letter would have been just by the 30 men of the Carrier platoon.

The Jewish town – Zikhron Ya’akov

Like Richon le Zion, mentioned in a previous letter/ post, this town was founded in 1882 with the financial backing of Baron Edmond James de Rothschild, 35km south of Haifa. A few years after its founding, the first winery in Palestine was established there – the Carmel winery is still operating today.

The whole platoon were amazed at the meal

Photo – from Dick Lewis

Posted in Africa, Carrier platoon, gambling and drinking, Middle East, organisation, Posts and telegraph, Tasmanian, Uncategorized, unit and personal diaries | Tagged apple growers, DIck Schultz, Geoff Hodgman, government regulations, Jack Chandler, Trevor Hickman, Zikhron Ya'akov | Leave a comment

Lots of love: a letter from Glasgow, nearly 4 months in transit

Posted on May 30, 1941 by felicityh54

Letter from Billie Laird

Billie Laird was the young lady who invited Dad and his friend Graham Watts to her family home in Glasgow on New Year’s Eve, 1940. ‘The boys’ saw quite a bit of the Laird’s in the following days. Dad’s letter of May 5 to his mother mentions receiving a letter from Mrs Laird written on Jan 29, but his diary only mentions one from Billie – which is actually in the collection. Billie’s was written on Jan 14, in response to the one he mentions having written to her, in his diary on Jan 10:

Helped by Capt Miller got to wharf and rang Mrs Laird and Billie. Promised to see Billie that night – got sick. Bloody sick at tea time – vomited blood. Couldn’t get ashore – wrote Billie a note.

Less than a month before that, Dad had become engaged to Shirley Balfour, a nurse who worked in an Edinburgh hospital. The letter to his mother of 1st May explained why he hadn’t seen Shirley while he was in Scotland in the New Year:

…until we actually got there we didn’t know we were going to Glasgow and when I rang Leith Hospital they told me she was out. I intended ringing again that night but somehow or other didn’t do so and when I got there next morning found that that night – New Year’s night – was her night off and that she’d gone home and would not be back till the next night and by that time we were standing by to go aboard ship and once aboard all leave was off and although I went AWL a couple of times it would have been impossible to get through to Edinburgh. I spoke to her for about twenty minutes over the phone (the ships phone) and when questioned by the Chief Officer told him I was a signalman and it was a military call.

It is obvious from Billie’s remarks that Dad had told the Laird’s about Shirley, but that wasn’t going to stop Billie carrying a torch for him. I don’t know whether this little card arrived in the same mail:

Text of the letter from Billie:

39 Beaufort St

Newlands

Glasgow

14.1.41

My dear Max

Here I am as soon as your letter arrived, I am answering in hope of catching you. Your letter arrived yesterday, last night I sat down and wrote you two long letters but destroyed both, if I had sent them I am afraid you might have thought it was Shirley writing. In fact I felt kind of like her when I was sitting writing you (confession).

Max it was simply delightful to hear your voice on the phone. I can’t tell you how happy I was. I think I tried to tell you so on the phone. Did I succeed in letting you know?

I am very sorry you did not get to see me, we had such a grand time together. I was very anxious to see you, everyone in the family felt the same way so they tell me, but I think I had a very special wish to see you.

Molly – the lady (whose) house you were at on New Year’s Eve, was over seeing us this morning at least when I went home for lunch Mother & Molly were sitting chatting and no sign of lunch. Well Max, Molly was saying she thought they were two very nice boys. (one up, Max) and was sorry she had not seen you again.

On Saturday afternoon I went over town with Betty. I had your brooch in my coat and had my eyes glinted for an Aussie. I told Betty if I saw an Aussie with your colours that I would speak to him about your battalion. Betty was horrified that I would speak to a strange soldier and was very disappointed when we saw none as she wanted to test me. She didn’t know how anxious I was for word of you.

When there was no word from you on Tuesday my face was like a fiddle but it wasn’t long until I was beaming again. We have some men in the office just now and when I kept dashing to the phone on Tuesday they teased me no end. One boy went out to a call box and phoned me. When he came on he said ‘Billie by dear, I managed through to phone you when I can see you’. I recognised his voice and entered into the joke but I went for him when he came in.

The weather is a great deal better and all the popes are thawed – what a blessing. Margaret says to tell you she was asking for you both and hopes you will come back some day and that we all meet.

By the way how did you do when you went to keep Graham company, how many nurses? Or were you just keeping Graham company? I hope it is the latter but couldn’t blame you if it was the first as there are so many pretty nurses. (But!! remember that you’ve got to come back to Scotland).

Well Max, you two boys were the first strange soldiers I had taken home and I am afraid the last. I guess you are wondering why I say that. I have a good reason “I got too fond of you” now isn’t that a good reason. I have enough now to worry about without getting fond of any more so I am asking no more. I son’t know what induced me to ask you but somehow I liked you and well it came natural.

Mother & Dad were out last night at the pictures and saw ‘New Moon’. They enjoyed it very well. I had just finished writing your first letter when a visitor came in so I had to go and make the supper then had to get Hazel off to bed and between one thing and another I went to bed in bad humour and to crown it all had a nightmare.

One of my aunts phoned Dad to tell him Sam our cousin is home on leave and asked if we would be going down to wee him. He was in the Scots Greys before war broke out and hasn’t been home for two years. I am wondering if he will see a change in me. I expect I will see a change in him.

Mother was saying she wishes she could have had another game of ‘500’ with you as she enjoyed the other one so much. I guess if we could have had our wishes you would never have sailed. I am glad Graham is better although I am sure he won’t be too pleased losing his nursey – or is it nursey’s?

Well Max I will have to go on my way rejoicing. Thanks again for your lovely letter, hope maybe someday we will hear from you, meantime I will keep writing hopping you get some of my letters.

Cheerio just now

Your Aye

Billie xxx

A cousin who was in the Scots Greys

Although the Carrier platoon had not been with the rest of the battalion at the time, it’s an amazing coincidence that when the bulk of the unit arrived in Palestine after its long journey from Mersa Matruh, they were, according to The Footsoldiers, “ ‘fostered’ by the Scots Greys.

Posted in Letters to/ from others, Uncategorized | Tagged Billie Laird, Glasgow, Scots Greys | Leave a comment

Parcels arriving : there must be a move on

Posted on May 22, 1941 by felicityh54

TX 1004

Pte Max Hickman

2/33rd Battalion

AIF Abroad

22nd May 1941

Dear Mother

The last two days the arrival of numerous letters and a choice parcel have added to the glory of our environment. Beginning with a long newsy letter from May written on Good Friday but in spite of the 3/- stamp on it, apparently held up somewhere, arrived yesterday morning. Your parcel of gastronomical luxuries yesterday afternoon, and four letters this morning. Yours of the 4th of May, youngsters of the seventh and two from Mrs Toomey written about the middle of April. I’ve certainly been in luck. Thanks a lot for the parcel Mother – you sure know my weaknesses but until we get to some more or less settled possy I’d rather you didn’t send them because you see we’re still tourists and the postal authorities usually deliver parcels when there’s a move on and as it’s impossible to take them with us, we have to consume them straight away or leave them which would be most criminal.

Your letter of the 4th contained some very surprising news. I must have missed a letter because this one contains the first mention I’ve had of anything being amiss with young Trevor. May mentioned inner letter that he was going floundering with Laurie – did he have an accident of some sort? Anyway I suppose all the questions that are running through my mind will be answered when the other letter and the next arrive. I’m surprised to hear that the Reynolds left things in a mess although on reflection they’re an irresponsible couple without any regard for other people’s things. It’s a pity dad hadn’t known because Mick would be a good tenant.. I remember him telling me that he’s undertaken to do the other place up if the owner would supply the materials. If the market’s any good at all I’d fix it up and sell it. It’s been a bad bargain right through. Property’s no good with bad tenants – it looks as though Hitler’s in the position of a land lord with a lot of houses and mostly bad tenants.

Youngster seems to be having a bad trot. It’s no good her studying her boss at the cost of her own health. She’s too conscientious – she worked like a slave for Orbell and how did he treat her – after all the relations of employer and employed are a matter of mental satisfaction not of self denial. She should leave work and keep a couple of sets of the Jervis books on a definite honorarium, something that would keep her busy two days a week and as she seems very wrapped up in her home it would be better for all concerned.

I’m glad Anne is liking school – May’s letter was full of humorous incidents of her antics and doings – it should do her the world of good too. May mentioned in her letter that she was enclosing some snaps but must have forgotten to put them in because they never made the grade.

Mrs Toomey sent me quite a nice letter and some late newspaper cuttings – which reminds me of something I’ve been going to ask you to send – the Tasmanian Casualty lists. The old crowd – the show I went away with and several units in which there were a number of Tasmanians – were in the Greek turn out and I’d like to know how those I knew got on. Mc Donnell’s brother was over there but being McDonnells of course it’s too much trouble to write to each other.

I saw Vern Enslow (?) the other day. He’s up here with an artillery crowd. He’s been rather unlucky, he was with us at Ingleburn and stayed behind for some promotion course and in so doing missed the greatest experience of a lifetime – the trip to England. On top of that he had to come away with a batch of reinforcements and suffered the usual fate of reinforcements by being reduced from sergeant to corporal on arrival here. However he seemed quite happy – said he’s had a night out at the canteen with Ac Hallam.

There’s some German & Italian prisoners here and the other day one of the chaps on guard asked a German who could speak English if he wanted a message sent to Germany. The prisoner jumped at the chance but was somewhat annoyed when our bloke told him he’d deliver it personally as he expected to be in Berlin in a fortnight.

Passing through the lines the other day we walked past the RAP – regimental aid post – and found that someone had substituted an I for the A.

This camp has been one of the best holidays I’ve ever had – the last fortnight of it anyway – glorious sunshine, plenty of swimming and for those of us attached to the machine gunners very little work although the infantrymen have been doing a power of digging which is not a very commendable occupation in temperatures that have been as high as 138. However on Tuesday morning we were having a cup of tea – the billy had been boiled at the instigation of the Major of the Machine Gun Battalion who in the course of the tete a tete informed us that we had to dig a dug-out. As the country is practically solid rock just the prospect was in no wise pleasing and when he left it was some time before anyone spoke. Then one of the MG chaps picked up the Major’s cup and at the suggestion of one of his mates tried to read the story but all he could find he said was a bloody lot of trouble.

Well mother I’ll close now so cheerio for the present. My best regards to the boys and love to you and Dad.

Max.

Re-fuelling a Wellington bomber in the canal area – painting by Harold Herbert from Active Service (AWM 1941)

Diary May 14 – 22

Wednesday 14th

Walked over to B company lines. Swim in afternoon. Write to May,. Snow Lewis told me that OHA have bought Werndee

Thursday

Dawn attack by bombers – searchlights & tracer bullets. Did some washing – wrote to Skinny J.

Friday 16th

Breakfast discussion on reforestation of pines – should be a good proposition in Tasmania – 2nd grade sandy soil grow 600 to the acre – worth 10 pound each in ten years. Went for swim in afternoon.

Saturday

Wrote to Mother – went for swim – passed through platoon lines. Ray excels himself with tales of how busy we are – must keep up the pretext of being kept at it so told them we’d been out on fighting patrol all night. Talk to Ac Hallam – three letters from England and Scotland – all want to marry him. In the evening MG’s boil the billy …..cup of tea. Some tell some more tall stories – fish & snakes

Sunday 18th May

Glorious summers day.Breakfast in bed. Went for swim in morning. Met Vern …now in 2/6 Battery. Wrote to Youngster in afternoon. Early to bed. Lice pretty lively.

Monday 19th

Another beautiful day. Washing & put blankets out to air. Swim in the afternoon. Tea and biscuits as guests – Leo & Ned. News of dispute between Hitler & Musso, guard asks German prisoner if we wanted message sent home – prisoner jumped at chance – then guard told him he’d deliver it personally because we expected to be in Berlin in a fortnight.

Tuesday 20th

Cleaned up pit – stacked ammo in corner – Walked to jetty – about 2 miles – and carried timber up – borrowed hammer, new nails from engineers – made two beds – put in shelf – much more convenient – roomier. Wrote Mrs Toomey – went for swim in afternoon – when diving Raymond stopped diving board and I went a hell of a …..

Wednesday

Letter from May written 11th April, parcel from Mother – very nice – tin of fruit & cream, chocs figs etc – looks like holiday is over – instructions to dig trenches – solid stone – Sam reads the Major’s cup and foresees trouble – going to make a nuisance of himself. Swim after tea – water perfect.

Thursday 22nd May

Received four letters – Mother, youngster, Mrs T (2) – wrote to Mother. Prepare to break camp – no instructions regards RR & self with MG’s – may be attached to 13 Platoon 33rd (or 38th?) but hope not – went for swim – walked down to carriers & had sing song. Letter from Billie Laird. Salved from sea (?)

Tasmanian casualties in ‘the Greek show’

According to http://www.ww2australia.gov.au, about 39 per cent of the Australian troops in Greece on 6 April 1941 were either killed, wounded or became prisoners of war. Many of the troops evacuated from Greece were taken to Crete, where there was again huge loss of both civilian and army personnel lives in 10 days of intense fighting from May 20.

Casualty lists were printed on page 1 of newspapers such as the Launceston Examiner, as they came to hand from Army Headquarters. On Friday May 16 this article appeared : http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/52416948

As well as the casualty lists, this article included the following statement:

An assurance was given today by the Minister for the Army (Mr Spender) that as soon as he received reliable information about casualties in the Greek campaign,it would be issued without delay to the public. “Nobody” he said “is more anxious than I am, that casualty lists in Greece should be published as soon as possible. It must be recognised however that accuracy is essential in these reports and anyone with a knowledge of the Grecian campaign must realise this type of investigation is a colossal job”

Prospects for Pines in Tasmania

I’m surprised given his interest in all things building related, that Dad appears to have been unaware that there had been experimental plantings of softwoods including pines in Tasmania for several decades. When the Forestry Dept was created in 1921 there were plans for large plantings in the west and north-west, with proponents claiming they could replace mining as the mainstay of local economies. But it wasn’t until much later – after the Forestry Commission replaced the Forestry Dept in 1947 – that pine plantations really expanded in many parts of the state. (source : http://cdn.forestrytasmania.com.au/assets/0000/1006/elliott.pdf)

Building shelves and beds, and digging through stone

I don’t have a photo of beds or shelves in a dugout – though I have certainly read about how ‘homely’ troops tried to make them – but this one of British troops gives some idea of the stone that dad speaks of digging through.

Photo is from the Imperial War Museum – item no. NA 1326

Meanwhile, the rest of the battalion… (from The Footsoldiers)

Although his diary mentions attacks by bombers, Dad seems to be blissfully unaware of the activities of the rest of the Battalion, described in the Footsoldiers:

Throughout 20-22 May, our battalion conducted a series of company counter-attack exercises…in preparation for any counter-attacks that might be called for in battle….During these days the artillery carried out firing rehearsals with live ammunition, both my day and night….The days were long and hard, made tougher by the night watches and sentry duty. The frequent night raids by Italian aircraft, which dropped flares then bombs on our positions, didn’t do anything in the way of calming our nerves, nor did the morning and night stand go’s. All were anxious to get into action….. In May we heard that the Germans were dropping parachutists and landing troops on the island of Crete, and we knew that many of our old mates in the 6th Division were having a bad time….

Posted in escapades, relaxation, fun and games, organisation, parcels, The course of the war, Uncategorized, unit and personal diaries | Tagged Ac Hallam, Anne Fisher, digging trenches, Greek campaign casualties, Ivy Drysdale, Pine plantations | Leave a comment

Digging for Victory…with troops from all parts of the Empire

Posted on May 17, 1941 by felicityh54

TX 1004

Pte Max Hickman

2/33rd Battalion

AIF

Abroad 17 . 5 . 41

Dear Mother

I suppose you know at home that the air mail service has been somewhat dislocated and it may be some time before it is restored to normal working or an alternative route decided on however I am continuing to write airmail in case they get things working sooner than expected. Of course we have had no mail ourselves this week and don’t expect any till towards the end of next. There’s no doubt about it the chaps would do anything to get their letters – If the mail was dropped in steel containers in enemy held territory and the men made aware of it, the positions would fall like lightning. In spite of meagre rations letters are far more sought after than parcels and late newspapers are at a premium.

Having no letters to which to reply there is little news of which we can write beyond the fact that we are all fit and well and getting the maximum pleasure and enjoyment possible in our present circumstances. I remember reading at one time quite a number of controversial letters in the paper regarding the origin and meaning of the word diggers but I fancy it was only a debate instanced by the press itself because anybody who has had anything at all to do with the AIF must know the answer. There is no doubt in any of our minds at least why we’re called diggers. If the slogan “Dig for Victory” has any significance at all then we’ll walk it in – we had quite a foretaste of it in England where we moved thousands of tons of chalk and other subterranean formations and since coming east have literally undermined the place. To the observers eye we must appear more as an archaeological research expedition than an army but the picks and shovels they give us to use would be more in keeping with a Sunday School picnic at the beach.

Within the area we now occupy are troops from all parts of the Empire – English, Scotch, South Africans, Indians, ourselves and the Enzeds. Though of course they both understand and understand English the South Africans – possibly as a means of maintaining their individuality – speak the rather severe product of Dutch and Kaffir languages known as Africaans. The Indians are an interesting group – one day passing through their camp on the way for a swim we saw them massaging each others’ backs with their feet and toes – one man standing on the other’s back and working his heels and toes around the muscles and joints of the other’s shoulders. Further on a party was practising fencing with sticks – whilst the experienced fencer may have found little to commend it we were both interested and amused. There’s a story told that a Ghurka was captured by the Ities who committed the worst crime in the calendar by shaving his beard off and then letting him return to his mates. That night a party set out to avenge the insult and returned with the dripping heads of five of Musso’s conscripts. The thick long hair of these Indians must make wonderful camping grounds for fleas and bugs – a barber would starve to death in their army.

Snow Lewis – a cousin of Arndell Lewis – told me the other day that the OHA have bought Wendee – Sir Elliott Lewis’s place on Augusta Road. He didn’t know the price but said Arndell had considered it highly satisfactory. The OHA certainly must be coining some sugar to buy that. I wonder what they’ll use it for. The land’s certainly worth thousands but the house will need a power of money spent on it to make it useful for any purpose at all. It would of course make an ideal Tourist Hotel – maybe that’s their idea – a Temperance Hotel.

Well Mother as I said before, news is damned scarce so I guess I’ll have to close. So with love to you and dad and regards to the boys I’ll say Cheerio for the present.

All the best

Max

Dig for Victory

This was actually a slogan connected to a campaign underway in the UK, to encourage people to grow their own vege’s thereby reducing the pressure on farms to provide the food required for the troops. Victory gardens were planted in backyards and on rooftops, with the occasional vacant lot “commandeered for the war effort!” and put to use as a wheat field or pumpkin patch. During World War II, sections of lawn in Hyde Park were ploughed for plots to promote the movement. Picture from Wikipedia: INF396_Food_Production_Dig_for_Victory_Artist_Peter_Fraser.jpg

Gurkhas and others

Gurkhas come from Nepal and are not usually bearded, or long haired. It is more likely that the story shared here relates to Sikh soldiers whose religion forbids shaving beards or the hair on the head. This photo of Sikh soldiers of the Indian Army in World War II comes from Wikipedia.

Werndee

Werndee is a very distinctive home built for the former state Premier and Governor, Sir Elliott Lewis in 1903. It survives, though not on the 2 acres of land it originally occupied in Augusta Rd, Lenah Valley (the address is now in Mortimer Avenue). On the death of Sir Elliott’s widow in January 1941 Werndee was sold by his sons Arndell and Hubert to the Old Hobartians Association (OHA) and used as a hostel for boys attending Hobart High School (Dad’s old school). It is now a private hotel – not so different from the use Dad imagined!

Arndell Lewis

Arndell was the cousin of Snow and Dick Lewis – members of the 2/33 Bn. He was the elder son of Sir Elliott and Lady Lewis (see above). A lawyer and respected amateur geologist, he served in the First Field Artillery Brigade in World War I and was awarded the Military Cross. He was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly in 1932 as a National party member for Denison. He lost his seat in 1934 but regained it in 1937. In May 1941 he resigned to give priority to his military duties. It was a family tradition to serve in the artillery as his father and grandfather had done, and after WWI Lewis had remained with the 6th Australian Field Artillery Brigade, commanding it as lieutenant-colonel in 1933-38. Ill health prevented his service beyond Tasmania in World War II but he was district manpower officer for Tasmania in 1939-40 and joined the Hobart Covering Force in May 1941. In 1942-43 he commanded the 6th Garrison Battalion. He died of a heart attack in December 1943. (Information derived from the Australian Dictionary of Biography)

Posted in Africa, organisation, The course of the war, Uncategorized | Tagged airmail, Arndell Lewis, Dig for Victory, Diggers, Gurkhas, Werndee | Leave a comment

Different pictures in diary and letter; and a dramatic blitz on bugs

Posted on May 13, 1941 by felicityh54

(Salvation Army paper with the admonitions:

Remember the loved ones far away and write them a message of cheer today – at the top and PLEASE WROTE ON BOTH SIDES at the bottom)

TX 1004

Pte Max Hickman

2/33rd Battalion AIF Abroad

13th May 1941

Dear Mother

Your very cheery and interesting letter of the 21st April came up today along with one from youngster written on then 20th which also made good reading – earlier in the week I had three boat mail letters written about the middle of March – one from you and two from May and they too were very newsy and interesting. I am not surprised that young Geoff Hodgman is over here although I haven’t seen him in fact I’ve seen very few Tasmanians apart from those in the unit. I suppose he’s in the eighth battery and just where they are now I’ve no idea – nearly all the chaps I seem to meet are Queenslanders – the 25th and 26th Battalions are around here somewhere I believe – they’re both entirely Queensland battalions now – I’m on loan to a machine gun battalion at present and they’re nearly all Queenslanders too – a fine crowd of fellows.

Your proposed trip to Queensland certainly sounds interesting Mother. I hope you and Dad will be able to make it. It’s rather a proposition having no one you can depend on to look after things but if there’s a way out at all, don’t miss it because it’ll do you both the world of good.

I’m glad you got the little souvenirs from Durban and liked them. It’s a pity some of the other things didn’t make the grade too however we can’t be worried about them now. That letter that the lass at Durban wrote certainly contained some news didn’t it – she knew a lot more about us than we do. I suppose for that matter you also know more about us than we do. The only news we get is from the Australian papers and by the time we get them the news is old. Every day now new rumours are floating about where they originate goodness knows but they certainly come from somewhere. I remember when we were on the Nea Hellas coming out two of the mess orderlies decided to start a rumour. From a very modest beginning at the midday mess it assumed colossal proportions by tea time and was even made the subject of bets and spirited arguments and I suppose the other rumours start and grow in the same way so now when a rumour floats in we hold a sort of Grand Council to debate its feasibility before accepting the whole or part of the story or dismissing the lot entirely. The best papers we get are the Truth, Man and The Bulletin.

Last night under cover of dark the mate and I scrounged nearly a gallon of water and decided to lairize a bit and have a bath in half of it and to use the other half for making tea or coffee. There’s a primus here and in various ways we’ve acquired a quantity of tea and sugar and tinned milk and one chap had some coffee and milk sent in a parcel. To the first of these events – having a bath – we applied the term ‘Lairizing in Libya’ and to the second having coffee and herrings for supper we named Luxury in Libya. Whilest bathing in our quart of water in which we subsequently washed our shirts, shorts, towel and sox to save sending them to the laundry, Ray related the story of the most embarrassing occasion of his young life when he was taken to hospital with measles and had to submit to the indignity of being undressed by a nurse.

It’s really amusing to contrast our present position with that of six months ago when we were in barracks in England where it was a heinous crime not to shave and where Battalion and company parades were held with monotonous regularity and if one chose not to see an officer twenty or thirty yards away he’d hear the RSM bellow – “Learn to salute soldier or else” – the ‘or else’ had quite a definite meaning too or the more gentle but no less authoritative voice of the adjutant requiring you to take your hand out of your pocket, not to lean on that wall or to do that button up or something – one needed about fifteen pairs of eyes to keep out of trouble. Then too the spit and polish of the barrack room itself where there was a place for everything and everything had to be in its place or you copped extra guards or piquets – at one stage I looked like becoming a permanent guards-man – so much has the scene changed that today we clean our boots if we’ve got nugget to clean them – in fact one of my boots is at present done up with string. There’s no doubt that the barrack room training was good experience for the man in the street especially as England judges the troops by ceremonial turnout and we would put on guards and shows equal to the permanent Tommy units.

Well Mother writeable news is damned scarce so I’m afraid I’ll have to cut this epistle short with love to you, Dad, May & Anne and best regards to Laurie and the boys.

Max

PS Will you send me some of those blue air mail tickets to put on the envelopes.

Diary – May 6 – 13

Assuming Dad’s diary records the realities of his experience, it’s not surprising he searched for alternative topics for his letters! His writing also reduces dramatically in size, in the middle of this week :

Tuesday 6th May

Sandstorm all day accompanied by hot winds like the fringe of a bush fire. Cleaned guns and stayed in pit all day – wrote to Mother and youngster – Tucker light on – crook tea (bad water)

Wednesday 7th May

Early picket 4-6. Cleaned gun pit, organised blitz on bugs. RR & self get 70 – Went for swim in afternoon – walked back weak for want of tucker – Meals crook again – 20 lbs of meat to do 105 men two meals – wish some parcels would come. Early night picket – quite a lot of Jerry planes moving East – searchlights unable to pick them up.

Thursday 8th May

Three letters – one from Mother, two from May all very interesting – written middle of March – another go at bugs – hundreds of them. Went down 7th Div Engineers camp – had a yarn with some of them – said they had been christened Benghazi Greyhounds because of speed with which they left Benghazi – got a couple of petrol tins.

Friday 9th May

Another sandstorm. Members 2/2 Machine Guns attached to C Coy 23rd Batt for administration purposes. Tucker still light on. Caveman existence – living in small concrete cell, killing bugs & sucking cigarettes, discussing any and every topic short of the war of which we have absolutely no news – crawling out into the sandstorm and hellfire heat to get a few spoonfuls of stew and sand and a drop of tea & sand then crawling back till its time to crawl out again – What a bad b. a man must have been to deserve this punishment. Rumour has it that we’ll be here eight months – rather fancy our dust will be part of the sandstorm by that time.

Saturday 10th

Cleaned guns and pit. Went for swim. Received two letters – Youngster 20th April, Mother 21st. Had a bottle of Resch’s from Machine Gunners – tried to write to Mother – stumped for news.

Sunday 11th May [size of script reduced considerably – see photo]

Very pleasant day. Sleep in till 9am. Breakfast in bed – lie back and smoked, read Truth. The Army getting more like home every day. Wrote Mother, went for swim – lovely drop of water. Read Hells doorway (?) & to bed.

Monday 12th

Definite blitz on bugs. Splashed petrol on walls & floor – shifted all our gear and applied a match. The whole dump ablaze – burned hair – arms & legs – dived out of small hole. Blitz a definite success – celebrated with a bottle of Pilsener. Some Jerry planes over – ac ac busy. Swim in afternoon. Early to bed.

Tuesday 13th May

Breakfast in bed – cheese & onion sandwich & tea. Sand storm – stayed in pit all day.

Blitz on Bugs

Illustration from the article Battle of the Plagues (AWM publication Active Service 1941)

Reminiscing many years later about the events of May 12th, Dad wrote :

We took up defensive positions in dug-outs and pill-boxes. A Queensland chap named Ray Ross and I were assigned to a concrete pill box overlooking a wide valley. The pill box was constructed in such a way as to merge with the landscape. It was about two metres square or perhaps a little more than that and had a small barred window in the front that provided a wide field of fire. There was a Vickers machine gun and somewhat more than twenty thousand rounds of ammunition. Whilst there was room for Ray and me and the gun and ammunition, there wasn’t room for the thousands of fleas and bugs that had taken up residence in the pores of the concrete. Fleas and bugs were partiuclarly prevalent at Mersa Matruh. A member of the forces wrote a poem entitled ‘My Flea-Bound Dug-out in Matruh’.

I decided to do something about it. I went to an engineer’s depot and obtained a tin of petrol. Back at the pill box we shook our blankets and clothing and other gear well and removed them from the pill box, then carried the boxes of ammo out along a narrow trench that was the entrance to the Pill box. I then spread the petrol generously around the floor and walls. Then we moved to the entrance and lit a match. In an instant the place was a mass of flames. Ray crawled out along the trench and I followed him. We waited for some time hoping that the ammo would not explode and when satisfied that it was safe to return, did so. From then on we had no trouble with fleas or bugs. In fact, the only damage sustained by our ill starred action was the singe-ing of the hair on our arms and legs.

Posted in Camps and Barracks, escapades, relaxation, fun and games, organisation, Uncategorized, unit and personal diaries | Tagged blitz on bugs, dugouts, mail, news, pill boxes, poor rations, Ray Ross, rumours, sandstorm, scrounging | Leave a comment

Could St John predict war’s end? Or maybe Einstein or Pythagoras?

Posted on May 5, 1941 by felicityh54

TX 1004

Pte Max Hickman

2/33rd Battalion

AIF Abroad

5th May 1941

Dear Mother

Though still in the same area as when I last wrote you, we – that is the party to which I am for the present attached – have taken up a new position with a much more pleasant outlook than we previously enjoyed. In fact we command the best outlook I’ve had in any camp we’ve occupied. The blue Mediterranean stretching as far as the eye can see with miles of beautiful beaches encompassing it whilst in the immediate foreground palms and other tropical vegetation delight the eyes. Already we have had a swim in the crystal clear waters – not far from here is a spot that we’re told was the rendezvous of Antony and Cleopatra and in our own day has some claim to fame because Teddy Windsor and his bride spent a honeymoon there. Under other circumstances the place would have the atmosphere of a tropic island. The weather too is delightful – a dry warm heat by day though somewhat cool by night and so far without any of the sandstorms that attended us at other camps.

It is just twelve months today since we sailed out of Sydney Harbour and as I stood guard at dawn this morning my thoughts and I think the thoughts of the other chaps too were of that dawn that broke as they pulled up the hook and began the most eventful voyage of our lives. The other day one of the chaps got out his testament and read aloud the whole book of revelations in the hope that there would be amongst us someone with the superhuman brain power to determine when the war would end. He might just as well have tried to achieve his objective through the medium of Einstein’s theory of relativity or some other of those vague ideas that even their inventors can’t explain. Anyhow the result was negligible and another bright youth is now pinning his faith to an astronomer’s guess that the war will end on the 21st December – I don’t think he said which December.

I had a very nice letter today from the people who showed us the good time in Glasgow at the New Year. It was written on the 29th January and has taken over three months to get here so that’s how things are with the English mail and explains why I’ve had so few letters from Shirley. Mrs Laird expressed the hope that we will go to Glasgow again either before the stoush is finished or afterwards. She said if she’d had her way we’d never have left Glasgow and assured us that we or any of out friends will always be welcome which is nice to know.

A boat mail from May written the eleventh of January came in on Friday. Though of course that is a long time ago she sounds quite happy and said that Anne was very well. She spoke of building a shack at Blackmans Bay. I should think she would do better to buy one already built because petrol rationing is certain to affect this branch of the market and so many people always accept the present as a permanent condition of affairs.

I don’t know whether I mentioned before that McDonnell has been AWL again. Just before we left one of our camps he and two other chaps went through to the place where dad was in hospital. They had about twenty pounds between them – one of them runs the two up and has always got a roll and when next morning they hadn’t returned all sorts of rumours as to the punishment they would receive were floating about. They got back late that night and when the CSM paraded them to the orderly room next day the OC had been called to a conference and as we broke camp next day the charge lapsed. There’s no doubt about that B he’s got more luck than any ten men.

Well Mother I’m afraid my letters home will be very scanty from now on. There will probably be no news other than the happenings among ourselves. But I will write as often as I can.

For the present, cheerio. My love to you, dad, May & Anne & regards to Laurie and the boys.

Censoring of outgoing mail

Despite being detached to another Bn (2/2 Machine Gun Mn – see diary entry below), the censor of this letter is still an officer of the 2/33 – Graham Barclay.

Letters scanty from now on?

I assume Dad was anticipating being more engaged in action, sometime soon. The siege of Tobruk had begun, and according to Bill Crooks in The Footsoldiers, parties were occasionally sent down to the wharf area to provide anti-aircraft cover for the landing of casualties brought out of Tobruk by the Australian destroyers. Later in May – the 2/32nd Battalion that had been with us since England was loaded aboard destroyers and taken up to Tobruk.

McDonnell’s AWL : the luck of the Irish!?

Dad’s diary (previous blog entry) indicates he was also planning to go AWL to Alexandria (‘the place where dad was in hospital’) – but fate intervened! Despite his melancholic reports of being fined etc for his own escapades, these were clearly more numerous than his record would suggest.

Dugouts in Libya

Trenches in Libya – from Wikipedia – also see AWM photo 020483

A much more pleasant location : Diary 27 April – 5 May

Sunday 27th April

Dig trenches – church parade in dust storm – gave two letters (Mother and Youngster) – to Padre – more digging. 1 o’clock mess – Mr Copp told us we are going back to Mersa Matruh at 3pm – the close of another short camp except for bugs & fleas an enjoyable few days – went back to dug out – ate puddings & tinned fruit out of parcels and drank the beer we’d hoarded. Orders to move cancelled – had a bath in 1/2 pint of water – saved enough water to make coffee – Luxury in Libya.

Monday 28th

Dig trenches – load belts for Vickers – wrote letter to May & Jack Chandler – on patrol in the evening

Tuesday 29th

Put barbed wire in trenches – dug trenches – cleaned guns – had a feed out of some new parcels of Bob Cole’s – Tomato soup, plum pudding & peaches – got another parcel of tobacco from youngster and a calendar from Tim, Bill & Peter (‘Twelve Happy Months’) Wrote to Mae Menzie & Mick Mason. Lost fountain pen – gawd knows where I’ll be able to get another one. received letters from Mother, Youngster, Mick Mason and Jack Chandler – wrote to Youngster and Shirley.

Wednesday 30th

fatigue at Battalion Hqrs – hardest day’s work since I left home – dug pit for ammo dump – Hot as hell and dry as buggery – no water drunk all day – finished job early and went for a swim in Musso’s lake – delightful crystal clear water – water pleasantly warm – walked back to dugout at 6pm. Beach has some claim to fame because Teddy Windsor & Wally Simpson had one of their honeymoons here. Borrowed clippers from Lieut Copp and cut Ross’s hair – to a succession of abuse and squeals – achieved a fair presentation of the 39 steps. Ray cut my hair but was unable to take full revenge because of the difficulty of finding the hair.

Thurs 1st May 1941

Went for swim with Mick Patton – passed through Indian Labour Battn camp – massage each others backs with their feet – wrote to mother. Bob Cole reads the book of Revelations from a Testament sent by a friend in the hope of working out when the war will end. It’s like trying to work it out by Pythagoras’ theory.

Friday 2nd

S 11(? or SH?) rumour that Russia & Turkey have mobilised & German troops have occupied Finland – also that the Jerries are on our ….here – German convoy supposed to be sent – Later denied by Lieut Mills – Filled sandbags, made tea with rusty water out of old kerosene tin and tea with ratshit in it – cooling & refreshing – organised blitz on bugs – school day reminiscences – Woodes (?) chopped down the flagpole – Listening post guard – Heavy dew – cold as blazes.

Saturday 3rd

Bridge all day – read short story – Air raid – quite homely to hear the whirr and whiz again

Sunday

recondition tunnels till 10.30 – Ned Turner came up and told us to report to Hqr Company – took our packs and blankets in carrier. Had a feed at Hqr Comp. – best feed for fortnight and then sent with Ray Ross on loan to 2/2nd Machine Guns – parcel from mother (another balaclava). Four MG’s – Stan Wallen, Sam Barber, Eric (?) Boyd, P…Porter – sleep on 12,000 rounds ammo. New post commands fine view of Mersa Matruh and Mediterranean.

Monday 5th

Twelve months today since we sailed from Sydney. The most eventful year of our lives. Cleaned Vickers and parts. Received nice letter from Billie Laird – answered same – walked down to Battalion Hqrs – had a bottle of beer and returned

Luxury in Libya

Maybe he is starting to understand why the Bedouin are so frugal in their use of water??

Calendar from Tim, Bill and Peter

The ‘senders’ were the family dogs!

Posted in Africa, The course of the war, Uncategorized, unit and personal diaries | Tagged AWL, Blackmans Bay, Jim McDonnell, Mersa Matruh, Mrs Laird, predictions, swimming | Leave a comment

Vindication for some, vengeance for others

Posted on May 1, 1941 by felicityh54

TX 1004

Private M Hickman

2/33rd Battalion

AIF

Abroad

1st May 41

Dear Mother

I’ve had four letters this week – all very newsy and interesting and all written around Easter – Youngsters on the 10th, yours on the 13th, Mick Mason on the 14th and Jack on the 16th. I was very pleased to find in youngsters letter that she has had quite a number of letters lately, which fact vindicates both the postal authorities and myself. As a matter of fact a chap in the same dugout got a parcel the other day that made us all realise what a job the post office have – it was addressed with his name & number Hqr Company Abroad. No battalion, regiment or unit mentioned so what a job they must have had locating him.

I’m glad you got the Durban mail too because it seemed as though it would never get home. You want to know why I didn’t see Shirley during the New Year. Well when we left Colchester in fact until we actually got there we didn’t know we were going to Glasgow and when I rang Leith Hospital they told me she was out. I intended ringing again that night but somehow or other didn’t do so and when I got there next morning found that that night – New Year’s night – was her night off and that she’d gone home and would not be back till the next night and by that time we were standing by to go aboard ship and once aboard all leave was off and although I went AWL a couple of times it would have been impossible to get through to Edinburgh. I spoke to her for about twenty minutes over the phone (the ships phone) and when questioned by the Chief Officer told him I was a signalman and it was a military call.

Our Christmas at Colchester was quite a memorable occasion. I was on outpost guard and got back to Barracks just before dinner and while we waited for the Bugler to sound the ‘Come and Get It’ the officers (some of them still showing evidence of the previous night’s dissipation) exchanged greetings with the Colonel. The mess room – a huge barn-like place – was gaily decorated with mistletoe, streamers and bunting and made a fine sight. As we took our seats at the long trestle tables we were issued with a bottle of beer per man of Youngers Ale, 2 pkts of cigarettes and a cake of Cadburys chocolate. The Padre said a few words and we went to work on lentil soup, roast pork (done to a turn) with apple sauce and vegetables followed by an excellent plum pudding with brandy sauce. In the midst of the proceedings the Colonel who is known to all the Brigade as Hamburger Bill (“Our CO came over from Palestine, where he’d been teaching the Jews how to drill, They asked him his name and religion, he said just call me Hamburger Bill“- as goes the Battalion song) anyway he came into the mess dressed as the proprietor of a Hamburger stall – his stout figure and grissly moustache suited the part perfectly. He was accompanied by the MO dressed as a cook’s offsider and carrying under his arm a rolling pin as a symbol of his office. The trump is very popular with the chaps and the rafters echoed with cheers. To make the scene complete drifts of snow came through the windows. As you may well guess we spent the afternoon sleeping off the effects of our over indulgence.

Jack wrote as he always does, a very cheerful letter though there still runs through them an unexpressed but no less keen note of disappointment at not being able to get away. I’m afraid my letters only aggravate his feelings in this direction. It’s a pity really because he’s such a bonzer fellow and if he got a crack of the whip would make a fine officer – even then he’d have to get his commission before he left – only the crawlers get anything here.

Mick must have turned down that job with the military because he told me Frank had loaned him to do some fixing work.

And now Mother to get back to the present and ourselves. I’m afraid there is little of interest I can write you because as you know from the Military standpoint ‘nothing ever happens’ and in spite of a very tangled outlook we’re quite a happy family. You remember me telling you about the chap who got a parcel of hair oil and other lairizing things – well the day before yesterday the same chap used his ration of water to wash his shirt and when he’d finished it found he’d washed the clean shirt. Poor Mick he’s having a bad trot lately but his luck will turn.

Last night another chap and I decided on some mutual hair cutting and borrowed clippers and scissors from an officer. I cut his hair first. Unlike most of us his vanity refused to have his hair shaved off when we first got here and he was fast assuming the appearance of a poet, his thick black hair curling over his ears and round his neck, so I went to work on him. The only excuse I can offer for the mingled torrent of abuse, whistles and squeals that rent the air for half an hour and for the fact that the finished job was quite a good presentation of the thirty nine steps no matter its value as a haircut – is the fact that both the clippers and scissors were blunt. When I’d finished the job he set about cutting mine with a look of hopeful vengeance in his eye – however he was cheated of his revenge because of the difficulty of finding any hair to pull or cut.

Yesterday morning we were taken away for a fatigue job. It was near the beach and the RQM who had charge said if we finished before it was time to return we could have a swim – so we worked like hell under conditions closely approximating that venue of the damned and by half past three had finished the job and set out for the beach and spent a most enjoyable hour in Musso’s Lake – beautiful clear blue water and wonderful stretches of sand.

The weather the last few days has been perfect – a dry clear heat of about 100 and no dust storms to spoil it.

I’m afraid that’s about all I can write at the moment Mother so hoping this letter finds you, dad, May and Anne and the boys as happy and well as it leaves me I’ll say cheerio. Love to all.

Max

PS I got the Calendar from the boys – you might thank them for me. Unfortunately I have very little space in which to carry personal stuff so may have to leave it here when we make our next move.

Fun and Games in Glasgow : making a vital phone call

Although Dad often complains of getting fines black marks on his record, while others escape punishment, he clearly got away with plenty as well – a signalman making a military call, indeed!!

‘The Trump’ – Lieut-Colonel R W Bierwirth

Photo – from The Footsoldiers.

Bierwirth is second from left – clearly a big man, and from Dad’s description above, a leader who had a great relationship with his men.
Jack Chandler

No doubt Dad was right in his assessment of Jack’s potential as an officer, but he never did manage to get away. His work at the Ashley Boys Home at Deloraine was considered essential. By 1944 he was Acting Superintendent. More on the Home and its residents can be found at http://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/tas/biogs/TE00031b.htm

Mersa Matruh and Musso’s lake

Mersa Matruh is an Egyptian seaport 240km west of Alexandria which has been an important trading centre since the days of the Roman Empire.

The 2/33 was moved there to bolster the defences along the Libyan frontier against an expected German attack: Tobruk was already under siege.

From The Footsoldiers : watercolour by H Herbert.

From The Footsoldiers: Since 1939 this pleasant little sea coast town , used as a resort since Cleopatra’s day, had been put into a state of defence by General Wavell [Commander in Chief of the Empire’s forces in the Middle East]. The defensive ‘box’ as it was called had had continuous occupants who had erected the massive wire entanglements, the anti-tank ditches, the trenches, posts and dugouts. The defences stretched in an arc around the town, port and railway, and out into the desert. The ‘box’ was some twenty miles form west to east, and ran out into the desert to the south to a depth of nine miles.

From The Footsoldiers: a small part of the defensive ‘box’ surrounding the town – despite arriving in April 1941, there was still plenty of digging for the men of the 2/33 to do!

According to Wikipedia – The city is known for its white soft sands and calm transparent waters; the bay is protected from the high seas by a series of rocks forming a natural breakwater, with a small opening to allow access for light vessels. During World War II, the British Army‘s Baggush Box was located to the east. …..Mersa Matruh was the terminus for a single-track railway, which passed through El Alamein.

Photo (current view): easy to see why this is – and always was – a tourist destination! Musso’s Lake is of course the Mediterranean Sea.

amazing-albums.blogspot.com

Posted in Africa, Britain, escapades, relaxation, fun and games, Hierarchy, Posts and telegraph, Uncategorized | Tagged AWL, Bierwirth, Christmas, haircuts, Jack Chandler, mail, Mersa Matruh, swimming | Leave a comment

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