大象传媒

Libya by Tmimi Airfield, November 1942

The Division was stationed in the desert as part of Montgomery鈥檚 mobile reserve. The pursuit of the Afrika Korps continued and an adequate reserve spread over the desert was organised to be available in emergency.

During this static period active training was taking place. On the flat desert all vehicles were dispersed to minimise damage by hit and run bombing raids from the German Air Force. A coordinated reveille carried out manually would have been tedious. However, we had acquired a certain amount of captured German equipment amongst which was a sophisticated Verey Light pistol. It was my job at first light to fire this pistol over the camp laager. The Verey Light would scream over the camp burning brightly and terminate its flight with a loud bang. A very effective but not popular form of reveille. As the supply of cartridges petered out a new method of reveille had to be evolved.

With the help of the troop storeman (in civil life a golf professional) we constructed a rough handbell. We took the empty canister of a German Shrapnel Mine. He fixed a handle to the base and internally an improvised metal clapper. Shaken vigorously, an ear-piercing row would float over the desert. Judging by the amount of bad language generated, this was a highly successful reveille.

We had acquired a number of Italian Anti-Tank Mines. The mines were long and narrow. Each contained approximately eight or ten blocks of high explosive. Whilst the blocks of explosive were dangerous, without a primer or detonator, no explosion could take place. In fact, the explosive blocks would ignite with a match and burn with a fair amount of heat.

Having a number of blocks around, it was my habit each morning to ignite a block, fill the mess tin with water which quickly boiled and treat myself to a wash and shave with hot water. This luxury, when discovered, was quickly forbidden on grounds of safety. Probably as well that we were moving.

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