大象传媒

This contribution by the Market Harborough Branch Royal British Legion Associate Centre is based on extracts from a 1942 pocket diary found in the effects of the late Mr Frank Bent by his niece Mrs Anne Godlington and posted to the website with her permission and understanding of the site conditions.

Before the War, was a French protectorate and after France capitulated, it came under the control of the Vichy government. Separated from the east coast of Africa by the only 250 miles wide Mozambique Channel it was seen by the Allies as a potential threat to wartime supplies to East Africa and the Middle East and as a possible base for Japanese submarine attacks in the Indian Ocean.

It was against this background that on 15th April 1942, Aircraftsman Frank Bent wrote in the diary,
鈥淟eft Liverpool 12 o鈥檆lock mid day ( on the Cape Town Castle).130 of us in very small space. Am sleeping 3rd bunk up 12鈥� from roof鈥�.

Frank was obviously not a good sailor as his diary entries show,
鈥淕oing round top of Ireland. I feel terrible, it must be sea-sickness.鈥濃��. 鈥淪ea rough, having a job to keep on my feet. Tummy bad. Bought tin of Andrews. Now I鈥檓 broke鈥�

After two weeks of this and severe home-sickness,
鈥淚 wish Poppy was with me.鈥� 鈥淭hinking of Poppy and home鈥�, he wrote,
鈥淓nter Freetown harbour 11 o鈥檆lock. All big hills with green trees and sand. Very beautiful.鈥�

Being confined to the ship for three days brought back his earlier mood,
鈥淪till in Freetown harbour. Shall be glad to get moving. Had to queue one hour for tea. Getting very browned off 鈥� wish I could get back home.鈥�

Clearly Frank was not enjoying his cruise on the Cape Town Castle.
鈥淣othing to see but water and more water鈥�.Same thing day after day. Breakfast 8 o鈥檆lock, boat stations 10.30, dinner 1 o鈥檆lock, tea 6 o鈥檆lock.鈥� 鈥� Passed Cape Town during night, going straight to Durban鈥�..Lost two ships out of convoy.鈥�

Things improved a bit on 18th May, but the diary says nothing about the relief of not being at sea.
鈥淒urban harbour 5.30 am. Disembark 11o鈥檆lock. Train to rest camp 10 miles from Durban. Tents. Plenty of ants. Nice cup of tea.鈥�

After six days on land,
鈥淓mbark on Llandaff Castle, a lot smaller ship but more room for us this time. Sleeping in hammocks. Getting decent food but bread is queer.鈥�

On board, the C.O. confirmed the rumours that,
鈥淥ur little band of 130 will be the first RAF in Madagascar. C.O. don鈥檛 know what reception
we will get.鈥�

Then on 30th May, Frank wrote,
鈥淓nter Diego Saurez harbour 8 o鈥檆lock last night. Troops start to disembark 9 o鈥檆lock this morning. Invasion barges. We stay on board in middle of harbour. Hell of a night. Ship 50 yards from us sunk by submarine. Battleship has big list. Five ships now in harbour half submerged. Shan鈥檛 be sorry to get off this ship. Too much explosive on board.鈥�

Frank spent another week on board helping to unload the unit鈥檚 Lysander aircraft until the RAF contingent moved to a camp 6 miles from the town . During the month the unit spent there Frank鈥檚 entries included,
鈥淣ot much sleep last night. A lot of rats in our hut. We also have beetles four inches long.鈥�
We are now under East African Command. One good thing about this - we might get some decent kit. Have made our own shorts out of old French pants.鈥濃��. 鈥� Pay day 鈥� 280 francs. Celebrated at canteen. Cup of grapefruit and 3 bars of chocolate.鈥� 鈥� 鈥淏rowned off. Still blowing like hell. Flies very persistent. No cigs, no choc, no beer, no ink. This (what he was writing with) is made from stuff out of flares.鈥�

British Forces had started the invasion of Madagascar on 5th May 1942, (only three weeks before Frank鈥檚 party arrived) having secured Diego Saurez, the important port at the north of the island, after the surrender of the Vichy French garrison there. It is not surprising that accommodation standards were not those of the RAF stations where Frank had served in Britain.

Things must have improved at the camp where the unit spent the next nine weeks, judging by diary entries like,
鈥淕odsend 鈥� got hold of some newspapers and 15 eggs, two tins of Jap salmon and sardines.鈥� 鈥︹�漀ew pair of shorts and socks today. Not bad, but what about our mail? Got four tins of Nestles milk 鈥� 30 francs.鈥濃�� 鈥淔ried egg and tomatoes for supper鈥� 鈥� 鈥淢anna from heaven. We are having pork for dinner. Am sick of bully beef鈥�

During the last two weeks of August there were signs of impending moves and action
鈥淜it inspection today. Rifles to be cleaned.鈥濃�︹�滻 think we are going to invade the south of Madagascar鈥濃�� 鈥淚ssued with puttees and 50 rounds ammo鈥� 鈥︹�滾ots of ships in harbour getting ready for invasion of south鈥�

On 6th September the diary records,
鈥�100 of RAF personnel embark on Llandaff Castle. 30 including myself stay here with officers and kites鈥� (which five days later) 鈥渢ake off heading south. Don鈥檛 suppose we shall be long now.鈥�

The diary does not make it clear when or how the 30 left or what they were doing, but for Frank the highlight of that time seems to have been when,
鈥淎ircraft Carrier Illustrious with three cruisers and four destroyers arrived鈥�.We have been invited on board Illustrious for supper and cinema show. Had a grand feed鈥�.went and see the planes, about 60 of them and then walked the whole length of the deck by light of moon and stars. Got soaking wet going to the carrier from the Cap but it was worth it.鈥�

Spasmodic entries in the diary in early October suggest that Frank鈥檚 party is following the invasion forces moving south,
鈥淗ave got behind with my diary 鈥� haven鈥檛 had much time. We keep moving鈥�, 鈥淗ave been told to pack ready for moving again further south. 鈥�48hours rations, 鈥淓mbark on Eastern Prince 鈥�. 鈥�.. 鈥淒ock at Zamata(?) Lovely beach and swimming pool鈥濃��.鈥滱rrive capital 10.30 pm 鈥�.Get to Drome 11.15pm 鈥�.about 9 miles from capital (Tananarivo) 鈥�. 鈥淎rrive Camp Robin 250 miles south of capital鈥�.

Then on 9th November,
鈥淔ighting over in Madagascar. Waiting for trucks to take us and tons of bombs and ammo back to capital.

Five months later we read, 鈥淚 am going to East Africa in the Sunderland flying boat on 20th April鈥�.

On the diary page where Frank recorded the places where he had stayed, he has written
鈥淢ombasa, Thomsons Falls, Nairobi . 14days.鈥�

There is nothing to tell us what happened after this period of leave. Did he return to Madagascar and when was he repatriated to Britain? What a pity he is not here to answer these and many other questions nor to read some of the Madagascar stories already on the website.

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