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21 April 1944 Arrived Algeria 1130hrs. Proceeded to No1 B.P.C. which is at Fort De Lou and is another tented camp. There is a big N.A.A.F.I. here and we had a sing-song the first night we arrived. This is the first N.A.A.F.I. we have seen since we left Tunis. F/Lt Wiseman came down to see us and he has not changed any. While we were here there was a kit search early one morning and several fellows were put on the hooks for having things in their possession, which they should not have had.

26 April 1944 Left B.P.D for Maison Blanche. When we arrive there it was found that we were much overweight and 12 of us had to stay behind, so back again to B.P.C.

30 April 1944 Again we go to Maison Blanche to try our luck. Arrived at 12.30hrs. Messing about until 17.45 before the plane takes off. Arrive Tunis 20.15 after a grand journey as part of the time we were flying above the clouds. It is a weird sensation to look out of the plane and see nothing else but clouds. Stayed the night at the Gink Hotel where we had a hot meal and good bed.

1 May 1944 Left Tunis bound for Malta. Started at 09.15 and arrived at 10.45. Landed at Luqua. Billeted at Saafi. And it is OK as we are provided with beds, sheets live in Nissen huts and there are showers. This is indeed luxurious after having to sleep in all sorts of places and wash in buckets and petrol tins, as we so often had to do.

2 May 1944 Now that we are back again on a RAF Station there is the usual round of Bull---- to be done and we have to make a round of all the sections to get signatures on an arrival chit. Spend the day up at Saafi but have got to report at the Station Sick Quarters to-morrow and shall from then on have to work there. This will not be to my liking as we have been on our own for so long.

3 May 1944 Report to Sick Quarters and just as I expected my first duty is on the drome ambulance. This is a boring job but managed to pass the time on by reading a couple of books.

8 May 1944 Went to Valletta for my LAC trade test. One thing about this place they soon got mobile on it seeing that I have been waiting for over a year since coming overseas. Of course there was the usual muddle with the board as when I returned back at camp was told that I had missed seeing one of the doctors. When I am told I have finished I do not wait about the place but push off. Besides I wanted to have a look round the town.

11 May 1944 Went to Luqa for the second part of the Trade Test F/Lt Lowe took it

12 May 1944 F/Lt Camm informed me that I had managed to pass the exam.

This island (Malta) is very flat, with very little in the way of trees or vegetation. It is composed of rock with a shallow layer of soil. There are no hedges and the boundaries are defined by stone walls. The fields are very small and one has the impression that one is cramped and walled in. The farm implements and modes of agriculture are very primitive. The plough is a one handled affair, which just scratches the top of the soil and is usually hauled by a donkey or mule. There are no such things as binders on the island and the corn etc is either cut by sickle or pulled up by the roots. The means of threshing the corn is just the same as mentioned in the bible with the mule or donkey treading out the corn. Potatoes and onions and tomatoes are grown in fairly large quantities. The houses etc are all built of stone and usually have a balcony. The whole of the island appears to be dominated by the Church and I have seen more priests here than at any other place that I have visited. Every village has a large Church, which mostly has a dome in place of a steeple. Goats are very prolific on this island and I do not remember having seen a cow. One cannot see so much of the damage which had been done by ‘jerry’ as a lot of it has been rebuilt or cleared up. One of the things which helped to save the population during the blitzes was the rocky nature of the island and the very good air raid shelters which had been built.

Price of goods are very dear on this island and it not possible to buy many things as they have a rationing and points system in operation. Why it should be that the forces are forced to pay double the price for cigarettes than anywhere else in the Mediterranean area I cannot say. Everything on the camp is done for the convenience of the officers and the airmen are not considered at all. Up to the end of August there was very little in the way of entertainment until a camp cinema was opened. The ward in SSQ is a Nissan hut, which in this climate is terribly hot to work in and it must be very bad for patients to have to lie in bed all day. The size of families are very large and it is quite common for families of ten and over. In the book ‘Target Island' by John Brophy, one finds this quotation ‘The people are more fertile than the soil’. The Medical Services are good, as there is the 90th General Hospital at Imtarfa, which can handle practically all cases. This is for the Services only. There are several Canteens in Valletta run by various organisations, Vernon’s, Nuffield House, Church of Scotland and also provide meals and beds at nominal charges.

13 September 1944 Had the unenviable job of conveying the body of a PO to Bighi Cemetery. Never thought that they carried class distinction so far as when we had put the body in one grave we had to take it out and put it in another one as being an officer he was not allowed to be buried in the same part of the Cemetery as an OR.

23 December 1944 F/Lt Kiff left for Catania and of course we had to drink his health and we finished up about midnight. S/Ldr Astley was bound for the UK and S/Ldr Walker takes over.

During Christmas week the arrangements were very good as there was a Squadron ‘do’ Station Dance and of course the Christmas dinner. The ‘irks’ were waited on by the Sergeant and Corporals but none of the MO’s came over. On Christmas Day the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester who were on their way to Australia, passed through the Station on a tour of the Island and of course everyone had to go out and cheer them as they passed by.

1 January 1945 Still the New Year comes in and the war continues. New Year was heralded in by the firing off of flares etc by Flying Control. Let’s hope that they will see the finish of the war, although at the time of writing things appear to be stalemate.

1 February 1945 York crashes at Lampedusa. Plenty of panic as they called out quite a number of 283 Squadron for duty. Must be some big noises on plane.

2 February 1945 Orders to prepare to go to Lampedusa to pick up casualties from the crashed plane. Two MO’s, Cpl Jones and myself going. Thought we were going to fly there but after going to AHQ for orders we finally left harbour on a Navy launch. Set sail about 10.30. When we had been on our way about an hour a destroyer passed us going to the same place. As usual there is no sort of organisation. Had a very nice trip with the sea like a millpond all the way. Arrived Lampedusa 7.30 after dark so we did not even land or see the place. Learned that an American destroyer had taken the survivors and that they had gone to Malta. Then the twelve bodies were put aboard the destroyer ’Chiddingfold’ and we transferred from the launch to the destroyer and left Lampedusa at 9 pm. We were in the crew mess and the quarters are pretty well crowded with hammocks slung everywhere. Lay down on a locker but did not manage to get much sleep in as the Bosum kept on coming in and calling and piping out the watches, first white watch and then blue. Arrived Malta 2.30 am where a convoy of ambulances met us and the bodies conveyed to the Hospital. Arrived at Hal-Far 7 am ready for a good sleep.

10 February 1945 Rumours are going around that Tour ex this year and Groups under 30 are being posted to Italy, and it has been published in DRO’s that they are to go in three batches, the first in March, April and May. Myself being in the second batch.

24 March 1945 Collect Clearance Chit and get cleared as we are due to leave for Italy on the 29th.

29 March 1945 Parade outside of Guardroom at 8.45. After roll call etc we leave Hal-Far by lorry for Harbour. Boarded a Norwegian boat of about10,000 tons and set sail for Italy at 12 am. The journey was quite comfortable as there was plenty of room, but most of the time was spent below deck, as the weather was cold and wet.

31 March 1945 Arrived Brindisi about 5 pm, but had to spend the night on board.

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