R. E. Jones Wartime diary: View pages

Fine.

Cookhouse.

Poor rations. Biscuits for M.

Walk with Steve pm.

((G.))

Sfax captured with Italian General Staff?

Drizzly & cold.

Did nothing all day.

Walk with Steve pm.

((G.))

Dull & cold. Felt very quiet all day.

Grayburn & another Euro. arrested and brought to gaol. 

Pillboxes & air-raid shelters being prepared by Japs.  Expect raids etc within 3 weeks?

Walk with Steve pm.

((G.))

Kirwan 40 N of Sfax captured. Russian Spring off. commenced. Squadron from Malta sank 75% of Axis convoy in Med. Rommel capitulated? “Medway” sunk.

((G.))

Walk with Steve pm.

Cookhouse.

Fish.

Fine day.

Canton bombed? Expect HK bombing at Easter?

((G.))

Cloudy, windy but fine.

No news.

Walk with Steve pm.

((G.))

Yarn with Willoughby. “Mimi” said to be “OK”!

Fine day.

Cig issue 5 pkts 75 sen.

((G.))

Steve to concert so no walk.

Fine day.

Sunbathing on roof.

Walk with Steve pm.

((G.))

Cookhouse.

Mutton.

Lovely day.

Walk with Steve pm.

((G.))

Canteen tab. 27.

600 plns raided Skoda Works, lost 50.

((G.))

Hatori visited camp.

Dull & drizzly. Did nothing all day.

Walk with Steve pm.

((G.))

B.C.C. meeting.

Dull but improved pm. Little done all day.

1lb vitamin biscuits issued. The Japs gave them to us but they were ours in the first place & have been allowed to go musty. A rats nest was found in one tin.

Bulletin re meeting with Hatori promulgated, nothing much in it.

Span yarn with Steve pm whilst Mary & G walked with kids.

Full moon.

Fine.

Planes heard during afternoon.

Steve to “Passion Play” at St Stephens.

((G.))

Much comment re Jap Cabinet re-shuffle & Spanish Posce Feeler [?] ((Maybe "Peace Feeler" ?))

Cookhouse.

Fish.

Fine day. Pantellers [?] captured & Tunisian campaign almost over. ((A mix of fact and rumour. The Tunisian campaign was coming to end, and the Axis troops there would surrender in early May. However the attack on Pantelleria, an island off Sicily, wouldn't happen until June.))

((G.))

Fine hot day.

((G.))

Saw football match Champs v Rest.

Blackout from sunset.

Easter Sunday. Many church services.

Fine hot day.

Yam cha with Steve am.

((G.))

Walk with Steve pm.

Blackout.

Tunis finished. US Air Force bombing places in South China.

Fine & hot.

((G.))

B.C.C.meeting am. Another nominal list made out for Tokyo.

Blackout.

Cookhouse.

Fish.

Toms to Bonnie.

Meeting re blackout enforcement. Apparently not very satisfactory.

((G.))

Saw softball on roof with Steve.

Fine but muggy.

((G.))

Softball match with Steve. On roof.

Blackout.

Fine hot & somewhat humid.

((G.))

Watched softball & then walked with Steve pm.

((G.))

Blackout. Slept on roof. Spend much time up there alone thinking of M & Rae & G & Bon trying to piece together a pattern for the future, wishing I was able to help G, that I had the substance with which to make her happy & imagining what I’d do if I had the substance. All seems futile at present.

Wind to E. Cloudy & cooler. Rained off the roof at 3.45 AM.

Willcocks called for Steve re Fergusson ((not sure who that is?)) & ring. M to see Gimson in consequence.

Walk with Steve pm.

((G.))

Notice re refusal of Jap Fin. Min. refusing to release our allowance.

Blackout cancelled.

Got ahead on Chinese & some German this month.