R.E.M.E.
Saurday 6th May 1945
I got up early this morning so that I should see Ras Jensa but somehow missed it but saw Ras Corel and Zafarana. We reached Suez in the evening. Saw many old haunts. The cold breeze persists. We start through the canal at midnight.
Saturday 5th May 1945
The wind has mercifully changed to a strong headwind and it’s cooler than we have had so far. The news continues terrific. The Germans are falling to pieces. Perhaps we won’t have to go in convoy after Gibraltar and no blackout.
Friday 4th May 1945
The Red Sea according to form, a following wind but in the evening it relented and conditions have really been pleasant. Saw a cinema show, not so bad and it relieves the monotony. Clocks back another thirty minutes.
Thursday 3rd May 1945
During the day we passed quite a lot of traffic and at evening ran into the mouth of the Red Sea for the third time in this war. Then for the first time since we left Bombay we altered course and the Pole star got into a reasonable position.
Wednesday 2nd May 1945
The North star gets lower in the horizon and we are still going South of West. I very much miss my atlas. Clocks have now been advanced three hours so the sun sets at 6pm
Tuesday 1st May 1945
We were issued with AMLC and I wrote to: Janie, the Kilburns, Diana, my dad.
I have been unable to discover what AMLC stands for.
Sunday 29th April 1945
We set sail today. Starting at 11 we passed the gateway to India at 1pm. And then the realisation of four years of wishful thinking. India and Bombay faded away on the horizon at about 2.30. The sea is calm and the weather beautiful.
Sunday 29th April 1945
We set sail today. Starting at 11 we passed the gateway to India at 1pm. And then the realisation of four years of wishful thinking. India and Bombay faded away on the horizon at about 2.30. The sea is calm and the weather beautiful.
Saturday 28th April 1945
It’s going to be mainly officers on this trip and the accommodation is very cramped, no cabins, just decks filled with folding bunks. The GR’s that are on this ship are staff and seem to like the job. They get the same food and accommodation as us and pay for duties.
Note: GR’s = possibly Gurkha Regiment?
Friday 27th April 1945
We left Deolali at 8am in a pukka troop team and it was not at all bad. Got off the train at 4.30. By looking after others and not myself I was at the back of the queue. I got on board about 7.30 and just got some grub.
The boredom John and others felt at the Deolali British Army transit camp gave rise to the expression “going Doolally”, originally “doolally tap”, meaning to ‘lose one′s mind’. ‘Tap’ possibly comes from the Sanskrit word ‘tapa’ meaning ‘heat’ or ‘fever’.