蜜芽传媒

Lucky number 13 all part of a Gunners war - Part 2
People in story: Cross R.A.F (Gunner)
Location of story: Egypt
Background to story: 41 Troop Royal Artillery
Total time covered by this chapter of diary November 1940 to November 1942

Ronald Arthur Francis Cross known as Roy Cross 1906 -1970
Transcribed from original incomplete war diary in December 2005 by Adrian Dowding
Note by AD
I write up these exerts from Roy鈥檚 war diary so they will not be lost forever, also in the hope that they will be read. He was a great old guy and friend of our family from 1962 till his death in 1970. The Diary was left with my late mother when Roy鈥檚 wife Lucy died in 1973, as sadly they had no children.
I am not in contact any of their relatives even if they are still alive now.
Roy did not keep his diary continuously. I have edited as lightly as possible were sections were repeated or were handwriting is no longer legible. Roy then aged 34 had married Louise (Lucy) in August 1940 during is period of active service.
This is the first account we have from Roy鈥檚 war diaries of is service life he may have kept an earlier diary.

Perhaps due some health problem, pre-war training as a chiropodist or his age Roy was placed in various medical supporting rolls. Although not at the front line these areas were still vital. The Diary provides an interesting insight into his world, its hazards, nastiness and thoughts at the time.

Saturday 16th November

The Monarch is now anchored off port Suez. We expect to go up the canal tomorrow, but allot of infantry disembarked yesterday, but we expect to go further north. Looks like its going to be Egypt for me. News on the radio regarding bombing is bad, have just learned that Coventry has almost been wiped off the map. This sort of thing causes much worry especially being so far away from home.

Monday 18th November 1940

Yes as I thought Egypt it is. Now off port Tewfil. Rose this morning at 4.30 in preparation for disembarkation. Packed like cattle into wooden barges where we were towed ashore by small tugs. After waiting about 2 hours we boarded an already packed train for Cairo. Which is about 90 miles away from here across miles and miles of sand. First impressions of this country are not good ones. The heat, the flies , the smells, all add to ones discomfiture. Later we arrived at the Abbasia barracks, which acts as a transit camp and drafting centre. We were given a hot meal, issued with blankets and old flour biscuits. We were confined to barracks, so will now have to enjoy my first nights sleep in Egypt.

Tuesday 19th November 1940

Last night was one of the most uncomfortable I鈥檝e ever spent, bugs by the million poured out of every nook and cranny, and bit and chewed us almost to pieces. Flies by day and bugs at night.

Today passed with medical inspection and lectures on the evils of the fleshpots of Egypt, and a bit of marching 鈥榦h yes must have a bit of marching鈥�!

Went to Cairo this evening for the first time with a couple of friends. My evening was completely spoiled with a much-treasured Capetown pipe, which was snatched from my mouth as I sat in a tram. Very different indeed is Cairo to Capetown. This city is dirty, the people are dirty, it smells and everybody is after one thing that is the troops money. Exorbitant prices are asked for everything, one is continuously pestered by street hawkers who won鈥檛 take no for an answer. Got fed up walking about in the black out looking at nothing, so went to the cinema. After the show had some supper and drove back by Gharry to our bug infested barracks.

Sunday 24th November

Still waiting for a posting and I'm not looking forward to going to the desert after listening to some of the experiences of those just returned.

6th December 1940

Moved from Abbasia to Almaza today just a few tents on a bare stretch of sand, with a sandstorm blowing. Have been picked to be attached to the 8th Field Regt so expect to move to the desert tomorrow.

11th December 1940

Still at Almaza waiting 鈥� Reported sick and was sent to see a specialist. I have been put on light duties.

16th December 1940

Detailed for a job as Medical Orderly. Start duty tomorrow in a tent.

24th December 1940

This is Christmas Eve am writing this sitting in the medical inspection tent around me on trestle tables are bottles of medicine, lotions ointments bandages and surgical instruments. I have had this job about eight days now. I have done all sorts of nasty jobs, dressing sores, syringing ears, lancing boils, giving cough mixture, bandaging and strapping feet. And tonight my first Christmas abroad and NO presents, no post, not even one letter from home.鈥擶hat a Christmas!

25th December 1940

Six thirty this morning I started the dressing sick parade wss held at 10 o鈥檆lock. Afterwards I went to a hut where a service was held, the preacher a Scot was a washout. At 12.30 I had my dinner 鈥� a very good on as a matter of fact. Turkey and plum duff. We had table clothes and were waited on by the sgts..
In the afternoon I joined a party going to the Geziran Sporting Club. This was on the other side of the Nile, the party was given by Lady Lampson. We went by metro to Cairo then by tram to the club. About 3,000 troops were there and we all had a good time with plenty of Christmas fare. Everyone had a good tea and we enjoyed the gymkhana. This included tent pegging, a bullfight and some wonderful exhibitions of horsemanship by the Egyptian Police. Returned to Almaza about 10pm.

Note later added by Roy

Although the first, this was to turn out to be the best Christmas I ever had in the Army.

Friday 3rd January 1941

Am still doing the same job. This afternoon I went by ambulance to Cairo, then to the famous zoological gardens, spent an hour or two there then walked to Pieena. Jumped a truck to Giza pyramids. Rode a camel 鈥� led by a dragoman鈥�. The Pyramids and the Sphinx are wonderful sight with a full moon overhead. Made my way back to Cairo, had supper then went to the Cabaret Melody for an hour or so then back to camp.

Sunday 19th January 1941

Brought a camera last week, went to the dead city this afternoon, took photos of the old tombs dating to 1,200 AD. Especially those in the front rooms of old mud houses.
I am now made Clark I/C Medical Examining room.

Friday 14th February 1941

GREAT DAY HAD MY FIRST CABLE FROM HOME.

鈥淥UR LOVE HAVE WRITTEN TWICE WEEKLY鈥ROSS鈥�

Monday 17th February 1941

More good news today 14 letters received from home, all apparently well and fit, what a relief this has been to me.

15th April 1941

German Armies are driving down sweeping all before them on the western desert. The British are falling back to the old defences. Romel takes Bengharzi, Derna and Bardia but Wavell hangs on to Tobruk. That is the serious situation in the M.E.F.

15th April 1941

Over the Egyptian boarder crashes the enemy making straight for Matruh our last line of defence. Cairo has got the jitters, Drawing all their money out of the banks. Railways to Palestine also many of the roads to that country are packed with Egyptians.

Note added by Roy
When jerry was eventually stopped Mr Churchill thank Egypt for their steadfast support in the hour of peril !!

20th May

Hood sank

27th May

Bismark sank. Max Schmelling killed in Crete.

Hess flew to England.

9th June 1941

Bad News today, heard from Munslow that Connelly, Day and Linley all died in Crete

13th and 15th June 1941

Nazi troops mass on the Soviet frontier. The chief topic these days is the possibility of war between German and Russia I feel it won鈥檛 be long before they clash and are at each other鈥檚 throats. And I think I shall be right.

20th June 1941

It must be six weeks since I have left the camp, sometimes I wonder what has happened to me inside. When I was at home I used to go out most nights now I just stay in this old hut reading, writing and gloating over my snapshots. Cairo holds no attraction for me now it鈥檚 a disgusting place these days, full of drunken troops, fights and prostitutes who pester you all the time.

Kwois1 the cry of the army of street hawkers upon seeing anybody in uniform, as they wildly wave, stocking, handkerchiefs, combs, ties, laces, mirror and razor blades.

22nd June 1941

15,000 British troops evacuated from Crete.

Germany has now invaded Russia at 6.60 this morning, after weeks of tension on the Polish. Finish and Russian boarders. So the clash between these two has now come.

27th June 1941

Japan has moved into Indochina 40,000 troops allowed by the Vichy to occupy its bases,--- what will America do now?

10th July 1941

A word about the N.A.F.F.I

From my experience this institution is not only very popular but also very beneficial to the armed forces. But here in the Middle East it is a different matter as it is known to be one of the biggest rackets going. The reason for this is that the majority of the canteens, are run by Arab and Greek managers. The solder who patronises these establishments is continually fleeced, given inferior food, compelled to supply their own drinking and eating utensils. Because the NAFFI will not replace breakages even when paid for by the customer. Much dysentery has been tracked back to the unhygienic conditions and methods used to prepare food in these places.

24th July 1941

The struggle Germany and Russia continues and sways to and fro, Gigantic battles of hundreds of tanks of all sizes are engaged, and the forces equally matched. The eyewitness reports of these battles are awe some.

29th August 1941

With the exception of the incessant chirping of hundreds of crickets , the night is still, warm, and moonlit. As I sit here quietly writing in the wooden hut the mosquitoes, sand flies and many other crawling insects invade my home and buzz and jump on my writing table attracted by the electric light. They nip and bite every tiny piece of exposed flesh they can find, but my thoughts go back to twelve months ago when I was sleeping in a feather bed in my own home. Tonight I sleep if the bugs are kind, on a stretcher, as I have done for months. Although most probably I shall be up again at two or three o鈥檆lock in the morning, Jerry does a lot of bombing these moonlit nights. I wonder where I shall be in twelve months time, at home? I rather doubt it, we have no clear picture of the future ahead these days.

30th August 1941

Doing now just what I was doing 12 months ago waiting to go to a wedding , only this time its not mine but someone else鈥檚.

Continues see Part 2--------------------------------------

20th November 1941

These are momentous times, the big push is on in the western desert. The base is emptying of all A1 man.

Tewson now left the MI room for the western desert.

8th December 1941

Japan now at war with America and Great Britain.

21st January 1942

Allies now fighting backs to the wall, Japs are just 70 miles from Singapore.

8th February 1942

Riots were expected in Cairo yesterday when trouble brewed in the Egyptian Parliament. There is no doubt quite a lot of members of the Wafd who are pro Italian and the fifth column inserts have stirred up the students. However Britain told a hand, turned out 2,000 troops , trained RHA guns on the Abdin Palace. Then told Farok though Sir Miles Lampson to dissolve parliament and dispense with Hussen Sirry Pasha the prime minister or else! Farok had no option but to obey. Mustafa Nahas pasha is now the prime minister. Britain does not really trust Egypt. But I guess at of this business was kept out of the home and foreign press.

10th February 1942

Mysterious fire destroys the liner Normandy in New York harbour.

14 February 1942

Gheisenau, Sharnhorst and Prinz Eugen, these German battleships were allowed to regain their bases via the English Channel, great outcry in the press about this. It appears RAF had been busy bombing dummies of these ships in Brest France.

14th February 1942

Singapore falls to the Japanese, bad days these for Britain and bad news most of the time.

17th February 1942

Letters from home, these days these are the most precious things imaginable to us. We wait anxiously for them to arrive and when they do arrive we just fade away somewhere quietly to absorb them with hungry and intense concentration. Its usually some minutes before one can realise what separates our present from past thoughts.

25th February 1942

Left MI room after 13 months.

1st July 1942

鈥楬istory repeats itself鈥�

On the April 15th I noted that Jerry was pushing down again through the desert, but our forces managed to push him back again. But history has now repeated itself in a more violent form, Jerry has bounced back again, Rommel has taken it all in his stride, has even taken and passes Matrum and at the time of me writing this is only 60 miles away from Alexandria. This camp and base is prepared for evacuation and all sorts of measures have been taken for the defence of Cairo. We are prepared for extensive raids, but as the enemy draws nearer we wonder about the Egyptians will Farouk declare Cairo and open city. Everybody is on tip toe right now, and if the Egyptians get panicky its all up for us, and we cant be sure of these people.

23rd July 1942

Among the various jobs I do for the army these days is called 鈥榖ank escort鈥�. Sitting in an army truck, armed with a riffle and 50 rounds I am now waiting outside Barclays Bank in Helioplis until the Officer and Clark return with the depots cash for the day. As I sit here I'm thinking about the letter I had from Lucy yesterday, giving me such a vivid description of life in England right now, it made me feel very homesick. As I watch these civilians going about their business in a quite normal manner its hard to realise that the war is now being fought in Egypt itself. The Egyptians who in their hearts detest and despise us, only tolerating us for the money we represent. And I don鈥檛 wonder at it after witnessing the behaviour of some of our troops now in Egypt.

3rd August 1942

Camouflaging tents in charge of task.

1st September 1942

鈥楻ed Star鈥� Russian newspaper predicts end of the war this year, perhaps! Stalingrad still holding out after 3 months.

5th November 1942

Great news this morning splashed across the daily papers 鈥楢xis in full retreat鈥�. The evening papers went even further 鈥橵ictory in sight鈥� 9,000 prisoners 250 tanks captured. Enemy planes shot down by the score. Enemy being basted by RAF and SARAF all along the coastal roads. As he scrambles to get out of the desert as fast as he can go. And todays reports are that the 8th Army is in full pursuit and that Jerry is in such a hurry he is leaving the Italians to fight all the rear guard action. All the Ities do is give themselves up.

Monday 9th November 1942

Americans land in NW Africa. Stalin says enemy is just about to feel the full weight of the Red Army.

Continues see Part 3--------------------------------------

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