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Dates	DAD'S WAR DIARY	Explanations
21 Mar 41	To 27th Mar 41 Last Leave Home.	Click for full size map
18 May 41	Left Frome for Gourock
19 May 41	Boarded R.M.S. Orduna.
22 May 41	Started down the Clyde
23 May 41	Joined convoy in the Atlantic
25 May 41	Bombs dropped by German bomber on the convoy. Plane reported shot down.
30 May 41	Fire on board. Lasted 36 hours.
6 Jun 41	Entered Free-Town. Great sight seeing Africa for the 1st time.
9 Jun 41	Crossed the Line.
11 Jun 41	Mary's Wedding Ann: Celebrated
14 Jun 04	Orduna rammed by another ship in convoy. Hole pached up by canvas.
20 Jun 41	Pulled into Durban. Had 11 hours on shore.
21 Jun 41	Spent afternoon & night in Durban. Good time. Saturday night.
22 Jun 41	Had car ride. Went about 20 miles into the country. Place called Hum-bug & Twini.
23 Jun 41	Had Steering-gear test then started for Aden.
25 Jun 41	Oil leakage reported. Mineral & beer bottles covered with Oil for the rest of the trip.
28 Jun 41	Celebrated my 22nd birthday in the bar, after closing. Mr Hayes special cock-tails.
30 Jun 41	H.M.S. Exeters plane crashed during dive-bombing test. All on plane killed.
6 Jul 41	Col English died on board while acting O.C. Troops. Held V.C. Buried in Aden.
8 Jul 41	Left Aden & made up the Red-Sea for P. Tecufick.	Port Taufiq, Red Sea
17 Jul 41	Landed on Egyptian soil after spending 3 or 4 days hanging about outside the harbour.	The journey took a total of 59 days!
18 Jul 41	Arrived at Quassasin camp after 6 hours on the train.
28 Jul 41	Went to Cairo on leave.	Dad's Niece born - Click for full size.
29 Jul 41	Returned to camp after spending 26 hours in Cairo. Sent parcel home, & had a good-time.
3 Aug 41	Left Quassasin with guns & quads for Port-Said. Spent the night up the town.
4 Aug 41	Did as we liked in P. Said. Had a good walk around, and went to Y.M.C.A.
5 Aug 41	On Guard at night, by the docks. Air-raid alnight.
6 Aug 41	Left P. Said for Cyprus on Australian cruiser Horbart. Took 12 hours.
7 Aug 41	Landed on Cyprus at Flamagusta.	Famagusta.
8 Aug 41	Til 4 Nov 41 did schemes & went all over the island. Had quite a lot of night leave down in Nicosia. Did one firing camp, & 1 patrol on the coast.	Dad Cyprus Oct 41 - Click for full size.
5 Nov 41	Left Cyprus on the Destroyer Jaguar. Landed at Heifa in Palestine & went by bus to Acre. Camped in tents close by. Sidney Smiths Barracks. Canteen and Pictures.		Haifa
6 Nov 41	From 6:11:41 to 30:11:41 I had two trips to Tel-Aviv with trucks for repair, & one or two runs to Haifa. We took the guns down the valley of Jordan for Callebration. 32 Guns wheel to wheel.	Click for full size map
1 Dec 41	Set out from Acre for Iraq.
2/3 Dec 41	Passed through Trans-Jordan.
4/5 Dec 41	Entered Iraq.
6 Dec 41	Went through Bagdad. Wonderful place after going along 100s of miles of desert.
8 Dec 41	Landed at Kirkuk. Camped 10 mls through the town.
25 Dec 41	Had a good Christmas dinner & then some Indian parcels were shared out. Rained most of day, everywhere a sea of mud.
27 Dec 41	Had ½ day in K.K. Bought camera & knife & ring.
2 Jan 42	Went with Cpt Rees shooting, no luck.
12 Jan 42	Left K.K. Entered Syria on 20/1/42 after going through Bagdad, Habania, Ramade, Rutbars-Ki. Went along the Sea of Gallely through Tiberius.	Baghdad, Habbaniyah, Ramadi, Rutba, Sea of Galilee, Tiberias
21 Jan 42	Arrived at camp, 25 Mls passed Balbeck, passed through Damascus on the way. I was on advance party.	Postcard sent of Balbeck had on the back: “The 6 columns of Jupiter, the ruins of Baalbeck. They are included in the 7 wonders of the ancient world. It took about 2 hours to walk through them.
24/25 Dec 42	Took Penrice & Turnbull to Beirut. Slept the night at transit camp.
27 Jan 42	The rest of the battery arrived, I directed first truck from Balbeck.
6 Feb 42	Moved camp about 6 mls to another lot of huts.
11 Feb 42	Had lecture by C.R.A.	Commander Royal Artillery
12 Feb 42	Left Syria for W. Desert, passed through Beirut, Acre, Ismailim, Cairo, Mersa-Matru, Sidi Barrani, Sollum, Fort Capuzza, and El-Adem. 1,157 miles. Landed in Box on Feb 20th.
20 Feb 42	To the 26/5/42 did several patrols. Out on patrol when Gerry made his push.
19 Mar 42	Pimple patrol Sgt Cartwright. From 26/5/42 to 14/6/42 fought outside & in the Box.
11 Jun 42	Mary's 2nd Wedding Anniversary	Mary was Dad's Sister. He was away for the Wedding.
14 Jun 42	Broke through the enemy westward, during the night, landed in a mine-field. Got out at first light & made a hasty retreat south.
17 Jun 42	Went to Sidi Barrani for a dip in the sea & got a clean set of K.D. & socks
20 Jun 42	Moved back to Mersa. Put the guns into 4 different positions. Tobruck Fell
26 Jun 42	Cpt Rees killed by bomb. Major. W
27 Jun 42	Broke out again during early hours of the 28th. Went through Hell, let loose. My 23rd. Major Foster A.O.C.
28 Jun 42	Drove all day, went about 80 mls towards Alex. Picked up with Indian armoured cars.	Dad's 23rd Birthday
29 Jun 42	Moved about 20 mls into another box held by an Indian Brigade. Bombing all night around us.
30 Jun 42	Quiet day. Moved the guns to an anti-tank position.
1 Jul 42	Shells started to come into box about 9 o/cl. Tanks reported to be driving our O.P.s in. Dinner time, Gerries tanks withdrew, after quite a good reply from the 2, 6 & 25 pounders in the box. During afternoon tanks came in again & fought it out with the guns. During this time the shelling had been intensified. Just at dusk the tanks closed right in & we had to give in, much to our dislike, & bad luck.
Dates	PRISONER OF WAR	Explanations
1 Jul 42	Captured by Germans at El Alemein. Over-run by tanks at dusk
2 Jul 42	Behind German lines
3 Jul 42	Behind German lines
4 Jul 42	Spent night at El-Daba. Bombing all night 1st Pen.
5 Jul 42	Mersa-Matruh 2nd Pen.
6 Jul 42	Tobruck 3rd Pen.
7 Jul 42	Derna 4th & 5th Pens.
8 Jul 42
9 Jul 42
10 Jul 42	Bengazi 6th & 7th Pens.
11 Jul 42
12 Jul 42
13 Jul 42
14 Jul 42
15 Jul 42
16 Jul 42
17 Jul 42
18 Jul 42
19 Jul 42
20 Jul 42
21 Jul 42
22 Jul 42	Left Bengazi for Italy in cargo-boat, had bomber & destroyer escort.
23 Jul 42		Click for full size map
24 Jul 42
25 Jul 42
26 Jul 42	Landed at Taranto. Spent 36 hours in the harbour.
27 Jul 42	Arrived at Tuo-Turano (Tuturano) transit-camp after a nights train ride 8th Pen.
28 Jul 42
29 Jul 42
30 Jul 42	Walked to Brindisi for showers
31 Jul 42
1 Aug 42
2 Aug 42	Arrived at Altamura or Camp No 8851. (POW camp No 51 Altamura Villa Serena Bari - Transit camp) PM3450 9th Pen
3 Aug 42
4 Aug 42
5 Aug 42
6 Aug 42
7 Aug 42
8 Aug 42
9 Aug 42
10 Aug 42
11 Aug 42
12 Aug 42
13 Aug 42
14 Aug 42
15 Aug 42
16 Aug 42	Paid 10 Lires
17 Aug 42
18 Aug 42
19 Aug 42
20 Aug 42
21 Aug 42	Paid 10 Lires
22 Aug 42
23 Aug 42
24 Aug 42
25 Aug 42
26 Aug 42
27 Aug 42
28 Aug 42	Had 1st Canadian R-Cross parcel
29 Aug 42
30 Aug 42	Left Camp No 51
31 Aug 42	Arrived at Camp No 73 PM 3200 after 36 hours on train Carpi Modena 10th Pen.	Food parcels in the Second World War
1 Sep 42		During the Second World War, the British Red Cross and Order of St John worked together as the Joint War Organisation to help wounded and sick servicemen. By the end of the Second World War, Joint War Organisation volunteers had sent over 20 million standard food parcels to British and Dominion prisoners of war.
2 Sep 42
3 Sep 42		The parcels were carefully chosen to give the best dietetic value and to supply elements that were lacking from prison camp diets. The parcels, usually sent at the rate of one per man per week, weighed around eleven pounds and contained, according to availability, some or all of the following items:
4 Sep 42		1/4lb packet of tea
5 Sep 42		tin of cocoa powder
6 Sep 42		bar of milk or plain chocolate
7 Sep 42		tinned pudding
8 Sep 42		tin of meat roll
9 Sep 42		tin of processed cheese
10 Sep 42		tin of condensed milk
11 Sep 42		tin of dried eggs
12 Sep 42		tin of sardines or herrings
13 Sep 42		tin of preserve
14 Sep 42		tin of margarine
15 Sep 42	Paid 15 Lires	tin of sugar
16 Sep 42		tin of vegetables
17 Sep 42		tin of biscuits
18 Sep 42		bar of soap
19 Sep 42		tin of 50 cigarettes or tobacco (sent separately).
20 Sep 42		Volunteers staffed seventeen centres around the UK and packed up to 163,000 parcels each week. The Joint War Organisation had eight ships under permanent charter, with others standing by, to transport the parcels on the first stages of their journey to the prison camps.
21 Sep 42		The majority of these ships operated a shuttle service between Lisbon in neutral Portugal and Marseilles in the south of France. At Marseilles, the parcels were transferred to railway vans under the supervision of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Through the French and Swiss postal services, the parcels finally reached Geneva, where the International Committee of the Red Cross arranged for their distribution to prison camps in Germany and elsewhere.
22 Sep 42	Paid 9 Lires
23 Sep 42
24 Sep 42
25 Sep 42
26 Sep 42
27 Sep 42
28 Sep 42
29 Sep 42
30 Sep 42
1 Oct 42	Paid 15 Lires
2 Oct 42
3 Oct 42
4 Oct 42
5 Oct 42
6 Oct 42	Had 2nd Canadian Red Cross parcel
7 Oct 42
8 Oct 42
9 Oct 42
10 Oct 42
11 Oct 42
12 Oct 42	Had 3rd Red-Cross parcel (English)(14)
13 Oct 42
14 Oct 42	Received 1st letter from home dated 13.9.42
15 Oct 42
16 Oct 42	Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton	Halton was Mary's Home (Dad's only sister)
17 Oct 42	Paid 15 Lire
18 Oct 42
19 Oct 42
20 Oct 42	Had ¼ of Red Cross parcel (English)(18)
21 Oct 42	Went out for a walk got a piece of pumkin and 1 potato
22 Oct 42	Had ¼ of Red Cross parcel (Canadian)
23 Oct 42
24 Oct 42	Wrote my mail. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Ebnal. Got 2nd letter home (23.9.42)	Ebnal was Grandparents home
25 Oct 42
26 Oct 42	Rain
27 Oct 42	Had ¼ of Red Cross parcel (English) (16) Cigs 50 English
28 Oct 42
29 Oct 42	¼ Red Cross parcel (English)(16)
30 Oct 42
31 Oct 42	¼ Red Cross parcel (Scottish)(16) Wrote my mail. Sent Letter card Halton and Post card to Home.
1 Nov 42
2 Nov 42	¼ Red Cross parcel (British) Paid 16 Lire Canteen 1¼
3 Nov 42	Rain. Had bread & Cheese at 10:30 Dinner 4 o'clock Clocks back 1 hour.
4 Nov 42	¼ RC Parcel (English) (16) 1 soap. Lecture by an air-observer. Franks birthday Canteen L6-32. Got the group-snap (L1 ½) Meat-day Cold out. Cigs 50 Eng.
5 Nov 42	Extra cheese ration not much. Rain 128th Day P.O.W.
6 Nov 42	¼ RC Parcel (English) (18) 1 soap. Canteen L1-23.
7 Nov 42
8 Nov 42	¼ RC Parcel (Welsh) (18) 1 soap. Canteen L-66. Wrote my mail. Made cake (OK). Rain. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton.
9 Nov 42	Received 3rd letter from home (6.10.42). Drew Iti clothes britches & putties, pullover, under pants	A puttee, also spelled puttie, is the name, adapted from the Hindi paṭṭī, bandage (Skt. paṭṭa, strip of cloth), for a covering for the lower part of the leg from the ankle to the knee.
10 Nov 42	¼ RC Parcel (English) (16) Fruit issue. L5. Italian cigs (8). Drew more Iti clothes 1 towel, body belt, 1 hanky 1 shirt (blue)	Iti - Italian
11 Nov 42	Observed 2 mins silence. Frosty night.
12 Nov 42	¼ RC Parcel (English) (16) 50 E cigs. Canteen L-81 Iti cigs (8) Olive oil issue.
13 Nov 42
14 Nov 42	¼ RC Parcel (English) (17) CanteenL-55 Olive oil issue, 1 soap, Iti cigs (8) 4 T.B.
15 Nov 42	Wrote my mail. Took over canteen man. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton.
16 Nov 42	¼ RC Parcel (English)(16) Iti cigs (8) Canteen L1-00 D.B. V. cold
17 Nov 42	Paid 15 Lires
18 Nov 42	¼ RC Parcel (Canadian) Iti cigs (8) English cigs 50. Bones. Canteen L-33. Paid 15 Lire
19 Nov 42
20 Nov 42	¼ RC Parcel (Canadian) Iti cigs (8) Canteen L1.77 Went for a walk.
21 Nov 42	Had a hair cut. Meat day. Tins fatigue. Wrote mail.
22 Nov 42	On Fatigues Extra loaf Iti cigs (8) Frank's 1st letter. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton
23 Nov 42	Moved into the huts. Cold day. 11 Pen.
24 Nov 42	¼ RC Parcel (Canadian) Iti cigs (8) 1 piece soap. On fatigues, extra loaf Canteen issue L-69c
25 Nov 42	Meat-day Very cold wind
26 Nov 42	¼ RC Parcel (Canadian) Eng cigs 50 Canteen issue L3.
27 Nov 42	News of parcels to be halved
28 Nov 42	¼ RC Parcel (Canadian) Iti cigs (8) Meat day. Canteen issue L2-0 1st concert in Hut 40
29 Nov 42	Small loaves, made with flour & maize meal, very good but moorish. Wrote my mail. Sent Letter card Halton and Post card to Home.
30 Nov 42	¼ RC Parcel (English) Iti cigs (8) 7/10 Tobacco. Washed my hair.
1 Dec 42
2 Dec 42	¼ RC Parcel (English)(15) New R.S.M. Eng cigs 50 Meat Day. Canteen issue L3-05. 1Soap. Paid 15 lire Starting 4 days parcel issue
3 Dec 42
4 Dec 42	Canteen issue L2-72 Onions & Pumpkin pie. Frank got 1st letter from his mother.
5 Dec 42	Half biscuit issue W&B
6 Dec 42	¼ RC Parcel (English)(15) Canteen issue L3-5
7 Dec 42	Wrote my mail. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton.
8 Dec 42
9 Dec 42
10 Dec 42	¼ RC Parcel (English)(17) Eng cigs 25 Canteen L4-00
11 Dec 42	Iti cigs 8 Meat-day
12 Dec 42
13 Dec 42	Iti cigs 8 Rain. Read the P.O.W. News. 166 days a P.O.W.
14 Dec 42	¼ RC Parcel (English)(18) Canteen L3 Frank's 3rd letter
15 Dec 42	Iti cigs 8 wrote mail. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton.
16 Dec 42
17 Dec 42	Iti cigs (8) Paid 15 lire
18 Dec 42	¼ RC Parcel (Scotish) Perth 1 soap. Canteen issue L3.5 Meat day. Hut had the bones. Eng cigs 25.
19 Dec 42	Iti cigs (8) Meat day. Rain. Had 4th letter from home ( 9.11.42) 1st Letter from Luton (15 Oct 42).	Dad stayed with Mrs Haywood 22 Wenlock St. in Luton while training.
20 Dec 42	Canteen issue L5.0
21 Dec 42
22 Dec 42	¼ RC Parcel (English)(18) English cigs 25. Drew the onions, apples & oranges of the Xmas order.
23 Dec 42	Paid 10 Lire, Iti cigs (8) Drew Xmas pears.
24 Dec 42	Drew Xmas pumpkin pie. Paid in our bill for Xmas order 221 lires. Received my Xmas parcel with 50 Eng cigs.
25 Dec 42	Started the day with tea, salmon & Sardines with Canadian biscuits. Dinner, onions & steak pudding. Plum pud & prunes Tea & bread. 5 o'clock Tea, Xmas cake & choc biscuits. Supper, Cheese & biscuits, felt a bit sick.
26 Dec 42	Canteen issue L53.00 Concert hut 40. 2 lots of stew.
27 Dec 42	¼ RC Parcel (English)(18) Iti cigs (8) & 1 packet of tobacco (7). Meat and cheese issue.
28 Dec 42
29 Dec 42
30 Dec 42	Snow. Wrote mail. Extra cheese cuttings. Olive oil issue. Sent Letter card Halton and Post card to Home.
31 Dec 42	¼ RC Parcel (English)(18) Iti cigs (8). Inoculated for Dip. (1/3)
	1943 Roll on Victory
1 Jan 43	New Year Canteen Issue L45.00 184 Days a P.O.W.
2 Jan 43	On tin Fatigues. Bad cold. Iti cigs (8)
3 Jan 43	Paid L6.00. Eng Cigs 25. Meat day.
4 Jan 43	¼ RC Parcel (English)(18) 1 soap. Canteen issue l12.00. Iti cigs stopped. Meat
5 Jan 43
6 Jan 43	Canteen issue L24.00 Wrote my mail. Sent Letter card Luton and Post card to Home.	Dad did training in Luton
7 Jan 43
8 Jan 43	¼ RC Parcel (English)(18) Canteen issue L26.00 Onions, Pumpkin pie & carrots. Received 1st letter from Minnie dated 26.10.42. Wally went into hospital.
9 Jan 43
10 Jan 43
11 Jan 43
12 Jan 43	¼ RC Parcel (Scottish)(19) 25 E Cigs. Canteen issue L12.00 Onions. Got battledress trousers.
13 Jan 43	2nd inoculation for dip (2/3)
14 Jan 43	Canteen issue L27.00 25 Eng cigs.
15 Jan 43	Wrote Mail. Big Nob in Camp. Sent Letter card Griffin and Post card to Home.
16 Jan 43	¼ RC Parcel (Canadian). Canteen issue L62.00
17 Jan 43
18 Jan 43
19 Jan 43	Paid 15 Lires
20 Jan 43	Canteen issue L52.00. Bulk parcel issue. For the 1st time, to last for 7 days. Not so bad 31 Eng cigs.
21 Jan 43
22 Jan 43	Canteen issue L67.00 Iti cigs (7)
23 Jan 43	Olive oil issue. Iti cigs (7) ½ P of tobacco.
24 Jan 43	Wrote Mail, Canteen L30.00. 208 days a P.O.W. Sunday Iti cigs. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton. (7)
25 Jan 43	75 Left the camp. Had a hair-cut. Iti cigs (8)
26 Jan 43	Had 5th letter from home (14.12.42). Meat-day. Canteen L11.00. Iti cigs (8)
27 Jan 43	No parcels to-day. Eng. Cigs. 25. Iti cigs (8)
28 Jan 43	Meat-day V cold. Iti Cigs (8). Parcels at the station. Cpl Winter left T.61. 1 soap.
29 Jan 43	Free Onion issue OK. Iti Cigs (7)
30 Jan 43	Olive oil issue. Meat. M.O.s Inspection of Hut. Iti cigs (6)
31 Jan 43	Wrote Mail, Iti cigs (7). Sent Letter card Halton and Post card to Home.
1 Feb 43	Still no parcels. Iti Cigs (7)
2 Feb 43	Bulk issue (V. little) Iti cigs (7). Canteen Issue L62.00. C
3 Feb 43	Meat-day. Sun quite warm. Hut had the brused oranges. Iti Cigs (5).
4 Feb 43	Olive oil issue. 25 E cigs Iti cigs (11) 1/4 Pt of tobacco. Paid 16 Lires
5 Feb 43	¼ RC Parcel (E) & Bulk dates.
6 Feb 43	Canteen issue L59.00 Meat. Iti cigs (8) Olive oil.
7 Feb 43	Snow & Sleet. Concert.
8 Feb 43	Canteen issue L57.00. Iti cigs (8) Housey. Mail. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to New Marton.	Housey Housey game of Bingo.
9 Feb 43	¼ R-C Parcel (E)(14). Eng Cigs 25. Lecture.
10 Feb 43	Meat Iti cigs (8) Rain.
11 Feb 43	¼ R-C Parcel (E.15). Canteen L12.00
12 Feb 43	6th Letter from home (10.1.43). Iti cigs & Tobacco.
13 Feb 43	Tomo & Charlie left C.53.
14 Feb 43	Iti cigs (8) Sunny-day.
15 Feb 43	Bulk issue. OK. 25 biscuits. Eng Cigs 50. Canteen L18.00. Lecture on the South Pacific by R.S.M. Cotman. A.C.S.M.	R.S.M. - Regimental Sergeant-Major
16 Feb 43	Wrote Mail. Meat-day. Rain. Iti cigs (8) Housey. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton	Housey Housey - Bingo
17 Feb 43	232 days P.O.W. Olive oil issue, Paid L15.
18 Feb 43	Canteen issue L59.00. Iti cigs (8) Housey-- Lecture by a N.Z.r Escape from Greece.
19 Feb 43	½ R-C Parcel (E)16 Birmingham
20 Feb 43	Canteen issue L30.00 +L12.00 Meat. 57. For food. O.O issue Iti Cigs (8)	O.O. Olive Oil
21 Feb 43	Extra ½ Loaf. 1st letter from Dorothy (25.11.42).
22 Feb 43	Eng Cigs 50. Iti cigs 8. Canteen issue L22.00.
23 Feb 43	½ R-C Parcel (S)16 Perth. Wrote mail. Cheese cuttings. Lecture on sea diving. C.P.O. Sent Letter card Halton and Post card to Home	Chief Petty Officer or Command Post Officer or Central Provision Office?
24 Feb 43	Canteen issue L8.00. Meat-day. Iti cigs (8)
25 Feb 43
26 Feb 43	½ R-C Parcel (E.15) Scotland Bermondsey. Went for a walk. Iti Cigs (10) Mock trial in Hut.
27 Feb 43	Olive oil issue. Iti cigs (10) Housey..... Paid 13 Lires
28 Feb 43	Paid L13. Free Onion issue (Canteen). 1 onion (baked) instead of orange from cook-house. Housey--
	March
1 Mar 43	½ R-C Parcel (E14) Paddington. Harry & Pop. 1st Per. Parcel each. Lecture on New Zealand.
2 Mar 43	Canteen issue L57.00 O.O Issue. Iti cigs (8) Wrote mail. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to New Marton.	O.O. OLive Oil?
3 Mar 43
4 Mar 43	Canteen issue L46.00+L9.00. Lecture on Fruit growing. O.O. issue Iti cigs (8)
5 Mar 43	½ R-C Parcel (E16) New Mills English cigs 50. Lecture on Life in a London Store
6 Mar 43	Canteen issue L27.00 Iti cigs (8). Meat and O.O. Issue. Rain. Housey. ½ Yorkshire pudding for supper.
7 Mar 43	250 Days P.O.W Housey..
8 Mar 43	½ R-C Parcel (E16) London Wye. Canteen L8.00
9 Mar 43
10 Mar 43	Sent Letter card Halton and Post card to Home.
11 Mar 43	7th Letter from Home (Dad 12.2.43). Had a letter from me dated Oct.
12 Mar 43	A.G.T. Bulk issue. Eng Cigs 50. 1st Letter from Norman (10.2.43).
13 Mar 43	Hut 33. Had the bones. Iti cigs (8) & Tob.
14 Mar 43
15 Mar 43	250 men left the pen. Received 8th letter from home (Mary 16.2.43), saying a lot of mail had got home O.K. J Salter to get married on Feb 19th.
16 Mar 43	Canteen issue L54.00C. O.O. Issue.
17 Mar 43	Told about farm-work, but nothing to prepare for, yet paid L15.00. Wrote mail.
18 Mar 43	½ R-C Parcel (E16) London Y. 50 Eng cigs. Meat. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Ebnal.
19 Mar 43
20 Mar 43	Check parade by name.
21 Mar 43
22 Mar 43	½ R-C Parcel (E16) N-hampton. Iti cigs (8) O.O. Issue. 9th Letter from Mother (27.2.43). Housey..
23 Mar 43
24 Mar 43	Wrote Mail, O.O. Issue. Meat. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton.
25 Mar 43
26 Mar 43	Bulk (A) issue. (50) Eng cigs.
27 Mar 43
28 Mar 43	Free Onion issue (Canteen). Lamb chops & peas for dinner.
29 Mar 43	½ R-C Parcel (E14) Paddington.
30 Mar 43	H.W. Got his 1st parcel (P.)
31 Mar 43
1 Apr 43
2 Apr 43	2nd ½ R-C Parcel (E16) B.R.M. Got my 1st personal parcel. Paid L16.00. Sent Letter card Halton and Post card to Home.
3 Apr 43
4 Apr 43
5 Apr 43	½ R-C Parcel (E16) Bermondsey R.C. Bulk sugar issue. Iti cigs (8).
6 Apr 43	Had a hair cut. Meat & Baked onion.
7 Apr 43
8 Apr 43
9 Apr 43	½ R-C Parcel (E15) North-Row Eng cigs (16) Iti (8) Meat-day. Frank got Cig Parcel 200 Players. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton.
10 Apr 43
11 Apr 43
12 Apr 43	½ R-C Parcel (E16) Leicester
13 Apr 43
14 Apr 43
15 Apr 43	Paid 15 Lires
16 Apr 43	½ R-C Parcel (E16) New Mills 50 English cigs. 2nd Letter from Luton (18.2.43). Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton.
17 Apr 43
18 Apr 43
19 Apr 43	½ R-C Parcel (W16) Caenarvon. 2nd Letter from Minnie (1.2.43). Roll-call by name.
20 Apr 43
21 Apr 43
22 Apr 43
23 Apr 43	½ R-C Parcel (E16) New Mills. English cigs 50. Wrote mail. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Griffin.
24 Apr 43	Frank got his Per.-parcel. Hut had the cheese cuttings.
25 Apr 43	Easter-Sunday Concert.
26 Apr 43	½ R-C Parcel (S17) Glassgow.
27 Apr 43
28 Apr 43	10th Letter from Mother. (6.3.43)
29 Apr 43
30 Apr 43	½ R-C Parcel (Canadian)15 Issued with pot, bowls, plates & mugs. Letter from Mary 3.2.43 M & M. Sent Letter card Halton and Post card to Home.
1 May 43	2nd Personal Parcel
2 May 43	Paid L15. Frank 2nd cig parcel.
3 May 43	½ R-C Parcel (Canadian)15
4 May 43
5 May 43	Had hair cut. Rain.
6 May 43
7 May 43	½ R-C Parcel (Canadian)15 Wrote mail. Sent Letter card Halton and Post card to Home.
8 May 43	312 days P.O.W.
9 May 43
10 May 43	½ R-C Parcel (E16) New Mils. Letters from Mother (12th 19.3.43) Dad (13th 31.3.43) & Dorothy (2nd 3.4.43) & Auntie Edith (1st 6.4.43). Got new boots.
11 May 43
12 May 43
13 May 43
14 May 43	½ R-C Parcel (E15) North-Row Won a tin of milk. 50 E cigs. Had 200 cigs from Regt-funds. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to New Marton.
15 May 43
16 May 43
17 May 43	½ R-C Parcel (S17) Stirling. Paid L15. Cup final 23 Hut won 3-1 H 43.
18 May 43
19 May 43
20 May 43
21 May 43	A.G.T. Bulk issue. 20th May. Eng Cigs 50. Dorthy 20 today
22 May 43	Wrote Mail. Thunder. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Luton.
23 May 43
24 May 43	½ R-C Parcel (E16) N. Hamp.
25 May 43	Told that we were on Draft. Paid L10.00
26 May 43	Left C73 for working camp. Selvd 12 pen Molinella. Paid L10.	Molinella is a comune (municipality) part of Metropolitan City of Bologna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna,
27 May 43	Paid 20 Lires. Started work.
28 May 43	½ R-C Parcel (E14) N. Row
29 May 43
30 May 43	Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton.
31 May 43
1 Jun 43	½ R-C Parcel (S) Perth
2 Jun 43
3 Jun 43
4 Jun 43	½ R-C Parcel (E16) New Mills + ½ R-C Milk Parcel
5 Jun 43
6 Jun 43	Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Griffin.
7 Jun 43	½ R-C Parcel (E16) Leicester. E 50 cigs.
8 Jun 43	Letter from Mother (14th 10.5.43). 2 foot-balls arrived. No work.
9 Jun 43
10 Jun 43
11 Jun 43	½ R-C Food Parcel (E) Paddington. E Cigs 50. Marry been married 3 yrs to-day.
12 Jun 43
13 Jun 43
14 Jun 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) London Y. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to New Marton.
15 Jun 43
16 Jun 43	Paid L28.00 Picking E. Potatoes.	There is a photo of the ladies he was picking potatoes with.
17 Jun 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) North-Row.
18 Jun 43	Rain. No work.
19 Jun 43
20 Jun 43	Cutting wheat.
21 Jun 43	½ R-C Parcel (S) Howick. ½ R-C Food Parcel
22 Jun 43
23 Jun 43
24 Jun 43
25 Jun 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) New Mills
26 Jun 43
27 Jun 43
28 Jun 43	My 24th Birth Day. ½ R-C Parcel (E) London Y. Wrote mail. 15th Letter from Mum 25.5.43. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton.
29 Jun 43
30 Jun 43
1 Jul 43	One Year in the bag.
2 Jul 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) Bermondsey 50 E Cigs. No work.
3 Jul 43	Paid 46 Lires
4 Jul 43
5 Jul 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) Bermondsey Paid L46.00
6 Jul 43	Sent Letter card Home and Post card to New Marton.
7 Jul 43
8 Jul 43
9 Jul 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) Paddington. ½ R-C Milk Parcel.
10 Jul 43	Wt. 70 Kilos. ab. 154 lbs.
11 Jul 43
12 Jul 43	½ R-C Parcel (Lee Green)
13 Jul 43
14 Jul 43
15 Jul 43	½ R-C + ½ milk.
16 Jul 43	Paid 58 Lires
17 Jul 43	2 Letters from mother & Snap (16th 24.3.43 + 20.4.43), Mary (14.4.43), Dad & Snap (1.4.43) Aunt Edith (6.6.43), Luton (1.5.43) and Frank (22.4.43)
18 Jul 43
19 Jul 43	Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton.
20 Jul 43	½ R-C Parcel (Chip..)
21 Jul 43
22 Jul 43	20th Letter and Snap from Mum (15.5.43).	Snap - photograph
23 Jul 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) London Y 50 E Cigs
24 Jul 43
25 Jul 43
26 Jul 43
27 Jul 43
28 Jul 43
29 Jul 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) Lea Green ½ R-C Milk
30 Jul 43
31 Jul 43
1 Aug 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) N. Row Everything at a standstill. No work. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton.
2 Aug 43
3 Aug 43
4 Aug 43
5 Aug 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) London Y
6 Aug 43
7 Aug 43	2 Letters from home (21st 14.6.43 & 22nd 24.6.43) and Minnie (3rd 26.6.43)
8 Aug 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) Chip--
9 Aug 43	Paid L45.00 No work.
10 Aug 43
11 Aug 43	Letter from Dad (8.6.43), M & M(Land-) (10.6.43), Mum & Snap of (C.A. - Curigwen) (8.3.43)
12 Aug 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) Paddington
13 Aug 43
14 Aug 43
15 Aug 43
16 Aug 43	½ R-C Parcel (S) Edinburgh.
17 Aug 43
18 Aug 43	Sent Letter card New Marton and Post card to Home.
19 Aug 43	½ R-C Parcel (S) Edinburgh
20 Aug 43	Paid L 27.00
21 Aug 43	Paid L27
22 Aug 43	26th Letter from Mum (28.4.43).
23 Aug 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) Bermondsey. Sent Letter card Home and Post card to Halton.
24 Aug 43
25 Aug 43
26 Aug 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) Hove
27 Aug 43
28 Aug 43	Received a lot of mail (10) 2 from mother (+snap 14.7.43 & 5.7.43), Mary (18.7.43), Dorothy (8.7.43), 6 from Minnie (+snap 17.7.43, 6.7.43, 8.7.43, 10.7.43, 25.7.43, 28.7.43)
29 Aug 43
30 Aug 43	½ R-C Parcel (E)16 Chip.-
31 Aug 43
1 Sep 43
2 Sep 43	½ R-C Parcel (E) L::Green. Bombing 11 o/cl. Paid 47 Lires
3 Sep 43	4 years of War Invasion.	Italy capitulated to the Allies
4 Sep 43
5 Sep 43
6 Sep 43	½ R-C Parcel (E)16 Howick. Wrote mail.
7 Sep 43	Italy packed in, Ities going mad outside the pen.	Italy surrenders on 3 September 1943
8 Sep 43
9 Sep 43	Free-men. But no where to go.
10 Sep 43	Slept under dutch-barn.
11 Sep 43
12 Sep 43	Moved to another barn,
13 Sep 43
14 Sep 43
15 Sep 43
16 Sep 43
17 Sep 43	Back at camp.
18 Sep 43	1:30 am Gerry took us P.O.W.s went by lorry to Bologna in the barracks [A] 13 pen.
19 Sep 43
20 Sep 43
21 Sep 43
22 Sep 43
23 Sep 43
24 Sep 43	Left Bologna by train for Stalag.
25 Sep 43
26 Sep 43
27 Sep 43	Arrived at a transit camp Sofbln Vicn. Jacobsthal. 14th pen.
28 Sep 43
29 Sep 43
30 Sep 43
1 Oct 43
2 Oct 43
3 Oct 43
4 Oct 43
5 Oct 43
6 Oct 43
7 Oct 43
8 Oct 43
9 Oct 43	Wrote card home.
10 Oct 43
11 Oct 43
12 Oct 43
13 Oct 43	Moved to another pen. 15th Pen.
14 Oct 43
15 Oct 43
16 Oct 43	Walked about 5 mls. To Mühlberg P.O.W. Camp 16 Pen. Had a shower and clothes gassed. Inoculated & Vaccinated, Had our kits looked through. So to bed. Tired. 17 pen. Stalag 4.B. Hair-off.	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_IV-B
17 Oct 43	We were Reg... & filled a lot of papers in. Got my disc No. 251039. Finger prints taken, & our photos. Handed 162 Lires in for Exc.e. Rations. Bread 1 loaf between 5. Meat 1 tin between 30. Marg. 1 pat between 30. Potatoes & gravy. G. Tea.
18 Oct 43	Painted. Red. (two triangles was drawn in)
19 Oct 43	We left S.4B went through Dresden.	Stalag 4B
20 Oct 43	Landed at Brux. In CH-SL Walked to a camp everything just the job. 18th pen. Harry did not arrive. L28 (B)	Brüx, in Czechia;
21 Oct 43	Wrote card home. 2nd
22 Oct 43
23 Oct 43	Walked to our place of work for interview 2KLs.
24 Oct 43
25 Oct 43	Wrote letter card home. 3rd. Started work in Germany.
26 Oct 43
27 Oct 43
28 Oct 43
29 Oct 43
30 Oct 43
31 Oct 43	Wrote card to Halton. 7 days of work. ½ 5 & ½ S. Received 1st complete (E) parcel (F) 50 E cigs.
1 Nov 43
2 Nov 43
3 Nov 43
4 Nov 43
5 Nov 43
6 Nov 43	½ Day off
7 Nov 43	Day off. 1 Canadian parcel. 50 E Cigs. Wrote card to Dorothy. L-card home.
8 Nov 43
9 Nov 43
10 Nov 43	1st fall of snow. V. cold.
11 Nov 43
12 Nov 43
13 Nov 43	½ Day off. Received gloves to work in.
14 Nov 43	Day off. 1 Canadian parcel. 50 E Cigs. Wrote card to Minnie.
15 Nov 43
16 Nov 43
17 Nov 43
18 Nov 43
19 Nov 43
20 Nov 43	½ Day off
21 Nov 43	½ Day off. 1 Canadian parcel 1tin of tobacco, 20 cigs. Wrote L-card home.
22 Nov 43
23 Nov 43
24 Nov 43
25 Nov 43
26 Nov 43
27 Nov 43	½ Day off. Took my tach off.	Moustache? Dad did have a Hitler style moustache most of his life.
28 Nov 43	Day off. ½ (E) parcel. 50 E Cigs. W. Wrote Post card home.
29 Nov 43
30 Nov 43
1 Dec 43
2 Dec 43
3 Dec 43
4 Dec 43	½ Day off. Sick at night
5 Dec 43	Day off. ½ E arcel. 50 E Cigs. Wrote Post card home, Letter card Halton.
6 Dec 43
7 Dec 43
8 Dec 43	½ E Parcel.
9 Dec 43
10 Dec 43
11 Dec 43	Moved over the road to another pen. (19) Liz 27 (b)
12 Dec 43	½ Canadian parcel. 50 cigs. Wrote card to Dorothy. Day off. ½ DaySat.
13 Dec 43
14 Dec 43	Had boots repaired. Paid cOct. 5.50 Marks
15 Dec 43	½ Canadian parcel.
16 Dec 43
17 Dec 43
18 Dec 43	½ Day off Sat
19 Dec 43	½ Day off Sun. ½ Canadian parcel. 50 Cigs. Wrote Post card home, Letter card to Minnie.
20 Dec 43
21 Dec 43
22 Dec 43
23 Dec 43
24 Dec 43	½ Day off Received 1 Xmas parcel & 100 cigs.
25 Dec 43	Day off. Plenty of good food to eat. Snow outside. Barrel of beer in the hut. Concert to-night.
26 Dec 43	Day off. Wrote post card to Halton.
27 Dec 43
28 Dec 43
29 Dec 43	½ Canadian parcel.
30 Dec 43
31 Dec 43	½ Day off. Paid uNov 40.50 Marks. Last day of 43, snowing very heavy & cold. Let the N Year in, very tired.
	“1944” Roll on the end.
1 Jan 44	Been 18 months in the bag. Day off work. Did a bit of washing.
2 Jan 44	Day off. ½ Canadian parcel. Wrote Post card Ebnal, letter home.
3 Jan 44
4 Jan 44
5 Jan 44	½ Canadian parcel.
6 Jan 44
7 Jan 44	uDec. 40.50 Marks
8 Jan 44
9 Jan 44	Day off. ½ New Zealand parcel. Wrote Post card Dorothy.
10 Jan 44
11 Jan 44
12 Jan 44	½ New Zealand parcel. Came home from work sick.
13 Jan 44	Day off sick. Letter from home (24.11.43)
14 Jan 44
15 Jan 44
16 Jan 44	½ (E) parcel. Tony went on leave. Wrote letter home.
17 Jan 44
18 Jan 44
19 Jan 44	½ (E) parcel.
20 Jan 44
21 Jan 44	400 more arrive. Total 1,500.
22 Jan 44	½ Day.
23 Jan 44	1 Canadian Parcel. Day off.
24 Jan 44	Day light raid, mid-day.
25 Jan 44	Paid cNov. 24.70 Marks
26 Jan 44
27 Jan 44
28 Jan 44
29 Jan 44
30 Jan 44	1 New Zealand parcel. ½ Day. Bulk biscuits, cheese & sugar. Wrote letter Halton.
31 Jan 44
1 Feb 44	Tony back at work.
2 Feb 44
3 Feb 44
4 Feb 44
5 Feb 44
6 Feb 44	1 Canadian Parcel. Day off. Wrote Post card home.
7 Feb 44	Received mail from Mary (18.12.43).
8 Feb 44
9 Feb 44	Received mail from Mother (28.12.43)
10 Feb 44
11 Feb 44
12 Feb 44	Received mail from Mother (10.12.43) and Norman (3.1.44)
13 Feb 44	1 English parcel.
14 Feb 44
15 Feb 44
16 Feb 44
17 Feb 44
18 Feb 44	Paid uJan. 37.50 Marks
19 Feb 44	Letter from Mother (15.12.43). Wrote letter home, post card Halton.	Dad running out of paper/pad so entries are short.
20 Feb 44	N.Z.P. 27th Canadian P. N.W.
21 Feb 44
22 Feb 44
23 Feb 44
24 Feb 44	Paid cDec. 24.70 Marks
25 Feb 44
26 Feb 44
27 Feb 44	Canadian parcel N.W.
28 Feb 44
29 Feb 44
1 Mar 44
2 Mar 44
3 Mar 44	Letter from Minnie (30.12.43)
4 Mar 44
5 Mar 44	N.W. N-Z P.
6 Mar 44	Wrote Post card home, Letter to Minnie.
7 Mar 44
8 Mar 44
9 Mar 44	Letter from Mother (12.1.44)
10 Mar 44
11 Mar 44
12 Mar 44	½ Day off 1 Canadian.
13 Mar 44
14 Mar 44	Letter from Dorothy (3.1.44). Wrote Post card Halton.
15 Mar 44
16 Mar 44
17 Mar 44
18 Mar 44
19 Mar 44	Bulk.
20 Mar 44	Wrote letter card Dorothy.
21 Mar 44
22 Mar 44
23 Mar 44
24 Mar 44
25 Mar 44
26 Mar 44	1 Canadian Parcel. Day off. Boots repaired. Wrote Post card home.
27 Mar 44	Letter from Mother (8.2.44)
28 Mar 44
29 Mar 44
30 Mar 44
31 Mar 44	Paid cJan. 22.00 Marks. Letter from M. Ellis (4.2.44)
1 Apr 44
2 Apr 44	English. ½ Day off. Wrote Post card Mary.
3 Apr 44
4 Apr 44
5 Apr 44
6 Apr 44	1st Personal Parcel Sent 3.1.44. Letter from Dad (23.1.44)
7 Apr 44
8 Apr 44
9 Apr 44
10 Apr 44	Eng. P.C.L. Day-off. Easter Monday. Wrote Post card home.
11 Apr 44
12 Apr 44
13 Apr 44
14 Apr 44
15 Apr 44	Letter and snap from Mary (1.2.44) and from Dorothy (2.2.44)
16 Apr 44
17 Apr 44	N.Z.	New Zealand Parcel
18 Apr 44
19 Apr 44
20 Apr 44
21 Apr 44
22 Apr 44
23 Apr 44
24 Apr 44	Wrote Post card Dorothy, and letter home.
25 Apr 44	E. Parcel.
26 Apr 44
27 Apr 44
28 Apr 44	Paid cFeb. 25.00 Marks
29 Apr 44	Moved to N.22 Lager. Pen 20.	Lager in Czechia
30 Apr 44	Canadian parcel.
1 May 44	No work.
2 May 44
3 May 44
4 May 44
5 May 44
6 May 44	N.Z.
7 May 44
8 May 44
9 May 44	Minnie 20 today
10 May 44
11 May 44	2 Letters from Home (2.3.44) (28.2.44) from Minnie (28.2.44) and from Luton (15.2.44)
12 May 44	20 Mins bombing. 33 dead.
13 May 44	E.P. ½ Day
14 May 44
15 May 44	Wrote letter card home, post card to Minnie.
16 May 44
17 May 44
18 May 44
19 May 44
20 May 44	C.P.
21 May 44
22 May 44
23 May 44
24 May 44
25 May 44
26 May 44
27 May 44
28 May 44	N.Z. Wrote Post card Mary.
29 May 44
30 May 44
31 May 44
1 Jun 44
2 Jun 44
3 Jun 44	Paid cMarch. 30.0 Marks
4 Jun 44	C.P.
5 Jun 44	Rome F. Wrote Post card home.
6 Jun 44	Invasion of France
7 Jun 44
8 Jun 44
9 Jun 44	2nd Personal Parcel send 28.1.44. Letter from Mrs Salter (19.3.44)
10 Jun 44
11 Jun 44
12 Jun 44
13 Jun 44
14 Jun 44
15 Jun 44
16 Jun 44
17 Jun 44
18 Jun 44	Wrote Post card home, and post card to Mrs Salter. Cigs.
19 Jun 44
20 Jun 44
21 Jun 44
22 Jun 44
23 Jun 44
24 Jun 44	Paid u&cApr. 61.10 Marks
25 Jun 44	Wrote Post letter home.
26 Jun 44	C. Fell	Cherbourg is liberated by American troops.
27 Jun 44
28 Jun 44	2 Letter from Minnie (7.3.44) and (11.3.44)
29 Jun 44
30 Jun 44
1 Jul 44	2 years in the bag. Letter from Mother (14.4.44) and Norman (15.4.44). Wrote Post card Dorothy, and Mary.
2 Jul 44
3 Jul 44
4 Jul 44
5 Jul 44
6 Jul 44
7 Jul 44
8 Jul 44
9 Jul 44
10 Jul 44	Wrote Post card Norman, and letter to Minnie.
11 Jul 44
12 Jul 44	2 Letters from Minnie (22.3.44) and (24.3.44) and 2 from Mother (10.3.44) and (24.3.44)
13 Jul 44
14 Jul 44
15 Jul 44
16 Jul 44
17 Jul 44
18 Jul 44
19 Jul 44	Letter from Mother (26.2.44)
20 Jul 44
21 Jul 44	35 minutes bombing. 11 dead.
22 Jul 44
23 Jul 44
24 Jul 44
25 Jul 44
26 Jul 44
27 Jul 44	Paid u&cMay. 62.00 Marks. 2 Letters from Minnie (7.4.44) and (15.4.44)
28 Jul 44
29 Jul 44	Tony back to front.
30 Jul 44
31 Jul 44
1 Aug 44	SS took over works. Got new boots. Swapped Bill for P.P.
2 Aug 44	Letter from Minnie (11.4.44)
3 Aug 44
4 Aug 44
5 Aug 44	Wrote Post card Minnie, and to home.
6 Aug 44
7 Aug 44
8 Aug 44	To 16th Off Sick. Fingers [3] G.h.t.	??
9 Aug 44
10 Aug 44
11 Aug 44
12 Aug 44	Letter from Minnie (16.5.44) and Dorothy (14.5.44)
13 Aug 44
14 Aug 44	Wrote letter card Dorothy, Minnie and home.
15 Aug 44
16 Aug 44	Letters from Mother (20.5.44) and Minnie (1.7.44)
17 Aug 44
18 Aug 44
19 Aug 44	To 2nd Sept. Letter from Mother (15.7.44)	?? mot sure what to 2nd Sept means. Maybe still off sick.
20 Aug 44	Paid u&cJune. 60.00 Marks
21 Aug 44
22 Aug 44
23 Aug 44
24 Aug 44	Bombing 15 mins RAF. 1 [Dead] Paris, Manc. & Romania Ocet
25 Aug 44	Credit Balance was £248.9.3 5/6 a day
26 Aug 44
27 Aug 44
28 Aug 44	No NY, PDs. Wrote Post card home.
29 Aug 44
30 Aug 44
31 Aug 44
1 Sep 44
2 Sep 44	Letter from Minnie (29.7.44). Wrote Post card Mary and Minnie.
3 Sep 44
4 Sep 44
5 Sep 44
6 Sep 44	Letter from Mary (17.6.44)
7 Sep 44
8 Sep 44
9 Sep 44
10 Sep 44	Wrote Post card home, letter to Dorothy and Minnie.
11 Sep 44	Bombing
12 Sep 44	Bombing. Letters from Dad + S.FG. (29.6.44), Mum (7.7.44 & 8.8.44)
13 Sep 44
14 Sep 44	To 29th Oct Off sick. Letter from Minnie (8.8.44)
15 Sep 44
16 Sep 44	Wrote Post card Minnie, Mum and Luton.
17 Sep 44
18 Sep 44
19 Sep 44	Letters from Mother (27.6.44) and Aunt Edith (17.5.44)
20 Sep 44
21 Sep 44
22 Sep 44	Paid u&cJuly. 53.50 Marks
23 Sep 44	Bombing
24 Sep 44	Wrote Post card Pentre Wern and A-Edith.	Aunt Edith
25 Sep 44
26 Sep 44
27 Sep 44
28 Sep 44	Sent 150 Ms home, Wrote Post card home, S. My. H.
29 Sep 44	Credit Balance was £252.19.0
30 Sep 44	Letter from Regt-Paymaster (12.9.44)
1 Oct 44
2 Oct 44
3 Oct 44
4 Oct 44
5 Oct 44	Wrote Post card Mary.
6 Oct 44	Received 200 cigs from Regt.
7 Oct 44
8 Oct 44	Wrote Post card Dorothy, and letter home.
9 Oct 44
10 Oct 44	Received 200 Cigs from Regt.	Regiment
11 Oct 44
12 Oct 44	Letters from Mary (13.8.44 & 10.9.44) and Minnie (5.9.44)
13 Oct 44
14 Oct 44
15 Oct 44	Received 200 cigs from Nor. Wrote Post card Nor and Minnie.	Norman Mottram was Dad's Best man
16 Oct 44
17 Oct 44	Bombing & A lot of fighters
18 Oct 44
19 Oct 44	Letter from Mum (1.8.44 & 25.8.44(50))
20 Oct 44	Bombing. Brux.
21 Oct 44
22 Oct 44	Wrote letter card home, and post card Mary.
23 Oct 44	Fire Bombs
24 Oct 44
25 Oct 44
26 Oct 44	Paid u&cAugust. 15.00 Marks. Letter from Dorothy (1.7.44) and 2 from Minnie (8.8.44 & 27.9.44)
27 Oct 44
28 Oct 44	Received 3rd Personal Parcel dated 8th Aug 1944. Wrote letter card Dorothy.
29 Oct 44
30 Oct 44	Letter from Minnie (23.8.44)
31 Oct 44
1 Nov 44	Wrote Post card home.
2 Nov 44	To 20th Nov Off sick.
3 Nov 44
4 Nov 44
5 Nov 44
6 Nov 44
7 Nov 44	Letters from Mum (23.9.44) and Minnie (24.9.44)
8 Nov 44	Wrote Post card Minnie, and Mary.
9 Nov 44
10 Nov 44
11 Nov 44
12 Nov 44
13 Nov 44
14 Nov 44	Wrote letter card Nor, and post card home.
15 Nov 44
16 Nov 44	Received 200 cigs from Mum
17 Nov 44
18 Nov 44
19 Nov 44
20 Nov 44	Paid Sept. 18.00 Marks. Wrote letter card home.
21 Nov 44
22 Nov 44
23 Nov 44	Letters from Minnie (18.8.44 & 19.8.44) Nor (28.8.44)	Norman
24 Nov 44
25 Nov 44
26 Nov 44
27 Nov 44	Wrote Post card home.
28 Nov 44
29 Nov 44
30 Nov 44
1 Dec 44
2 Dec 44
3 Dec 44	Letter from Dorothy (15.10.44)
4 Dec 44	2 Letters from Minnie one with 2 snaps (5.7.44 & 14.10.44), wrote Post card Mary and Dorothy.
5 Dec 44
6 Dec 44
7 Dec 44	Wrote letter card Minnie.
8 Dec 44
9 Dec 44	Letter from Minnie(25.10.44)
10 Dec 44
11 Dec 44
12 Dec 44	Letter from Minnie(30.10.44), Wrote letter card home.
13 Dec 44
14 Dec 44
15 Dec 44
16 Dec 44	Bombing
17 Dec 44	Paid Oct. 3.00 Marks
18 Dec 44
19 Dec 44
20 Dec 44	Bombing
21 Dec 44	Letters from Minnie (12.7.44) and Mary (10.11.44)
22 Dec 44
23 Dec 44
24 Dec 44
25 Dec 44	Bombing (9 Dead)
26 Dec 44	Letters from Mum (25.4.44) and Dad (25.5.44), wrote Post card home and Mary.
27 Dec 44
28 Dec 44
29 Dec 44
30 Dec 44
31 Dec 44	So, the end of 1944 “What a year”
1 Jan 45
2 Jan 45
3 Jan 45
4 Jan 45
5 Jan 45
6 Jan 45	Letter from Minnie (28.9.44)
7 Jan 45	Wrote Post card home, to Minnie and to Dorothy.
8 Jan 45	Received 200 cigs from Mum
9 Jan 45	Received 100 French cigs
10 Jan 45
11 Jan 45
12 Jan 45	Letter from Mum (1.11.44)
13 Jan 45
14 Jan 45
15 Jan 45	Wrote Post card Mary, and Nor and letter card home.
16 Jan 45	Night bombing. 600 bombers. Letters from Mum (15.10.44) and Dorothy (2.9.44)
17 Jan 45
18 Jan 45
19 Jan 45
20 Jan 45	Day light air display by R.A.F.
21 Jan 45
22 Jan 45	Wrote Post card home.
23 Jan 45
24 Jan 45
25 Jan 45
26 Jan 45
27 Jan 45	Started to work by 200. B. Finy & Albert. Paid Nov. 14.00 RM
28 Jan 45
29 Jan 45	Wrote Post card home.
30 Jan 45
31 Jan 45
1 Feb 45
2 Feb 45
3 Feb 45	½ day Sat. Alarm ¼ to 12.
4 Feb 45
5 Feb 45
6 Feb 45
7 Feb 45
8 Feb 45
9 Feb 45
10 Feb 45
11 Feb 45
12 Feb 45	D-Off Sun 1st for a month.	Day off
13 Feb 45	Bombing of Dresden, 1,400 over us.
14 Feb 45	Bombing day & night. Fires. (1 dead F.B.)
15 Feb 45	Wrote Post card home.
16 Feb 45
17 Feb 45	½ day. Hair-cut. Paid Dec. 36.00 RM
18 Feb 45	Wrote Post card Mary.
19 Feb 45
20 Feb 45
21 Feb 45	Letter from Minnie (18.11.44)
22 Feb 45
23 Feb 45	50 French cigs & 3 pts. Tobacco.
24 Feb 45	Moved to Hut 101. B17. Chezy lager.
25 Feb 45	Letter from Dorothy (15.11.44)
26 Feb 45	Wrote Post card Dorothy and home.
27 Feb 45	Letters from Dorothy (17.12.44) and Minnie (20.12.44)
28 Feb 45
1 Mar 45
2 Mar 45
3 Mar 45	Wrote letter card home.
4 Mar 45	Day off Sun.
5 Mar 45	6.30/6. Work. Bombing at night 2 or 3 planes. 23 Hs & 13 Fr killed. Wrote Post card Minnie.
6 Mar 45
7 Mar 45	Boys over the Rhine.
8 Mar 45	Collin Cope shot in camp.
9 Mar 45
10 Mar 45
11 Mar 45	1 Canadian Parcel to 8 men. Day off.
12 Mar 45	Wrote Post card Mary, and letter card Dorothy.
13 Mar 45
14 Mar 45
15 Mar 45
16 Mar 45	Last issue of Bulk, except odds & sods.
17 Mar 45	Day light air display by R.A.F.	Click for full size image
18 Mar 45	Day off Sun. 1,200 more men arrive. Paid Jan. 40.00 RM
19 Mar 45
20 Mar 45
21 Mar 45	Parcels arrive by motor lorry. Direct.
22 Mar 45	¼ Prt American.
23 Mar 45	Off-sick to 2.4.45.
24 Mar 45
25 Mar 45	Met Frank in Camp. ¾ of Christmas parcel a man.
26 Mar 45	Letters from Minnie (20.11.44), Mum (11.11.44) and Dad (27.11.44)
27 Mar 45
28 Mar 45	Letters from Minnie (15.12.44) & (15.12.44). Wrote Post card home, and letter card Minnie.
29 Mar 45	Wrote Post card Mary.
30 Mar 45
31 Mar 45
1 Apr 45	Easter Sun. News good. But no parcels
2 Apr 45	1 Canadian Parcel / 9 men. No work. 8 O'ct at night 6 white wagons arrive. 1 American Pt/2 men. No sleep.
3 Apr 45	Work 6am to 5pm. 160 mls Berlin
4 Apr 45
5 Apr 45
6 Apr 45
7 Apr 45	1 milk parcel/5 men. ½ day off.
8 Apr 45	Sun off. 9 Alarms during the day.
9 Apr 45
10 Apr 45
11 Apr 45
12 Apr 45
13 Apr 45
14 Apr 45	½ day. Told to expect the boys any day now. Gerry rations bust. But who cares, the end is here.
15 Apr 45	A few mustangs did a bit of machine gunning.	U.S. Army Air Forces P-51 Mustang fighter airplanes
16 Apr 45	A few fighters around, but no tanks or cigs. Gerries give it 2 or 3 days.
17 Apr 45
18 Apr 45
19 Apr 45
20 Apr 45
21 Apr 45	½ day. Had 100 Polish cigs 18th. Paid Feb. 40.00 RM
22 Apr 45	D-off. Received 14 letters. Dorothy (3.12.44), Mother (2.12.44) & (14.12.44) & (26.12.44), Nor (5.1.45), A-Edith (30.11.44), A-Adelaide (11.12.44) A-Lucy (3.12.44), Minnie (23.11.44) & (29.11.44) & (18.12.44) & (9.12.44) & (1.1.45) & (8.1.45). News still smashing. Hair-cut.
23 Apr 45
24 Apr 45
25 Apr 45
26 Apr 45
27 Apr 45
28 Apr 45	½ day. Come on the end soon.
29 Apr 45	Day-off. Went to concert with Frank.
30 Apr 45
1 May 45	Started to work 7:30 to 5 O'cl. Hardly any civies in the factory. But the war still goes on, any hour.
2 May 45
3 May 45
4 May 45
5 May 45	½ day. Concert. Chezy's Rise.
6 May 45	D-off. Raining.
7 May 45	Packed our kit.
8 May 45	Heavy battle 8-9 for Hill pass. Gerry's tanks fleed, to the Yanks. 9:10 Ordered to get marching 3,300 went. 3 O'cl 2 Russian tanks came down the road. A lot of machine gunning & about 10 shots fired by the Russians. 5 O'cl all quiet. First look at the Great Red Army, what a shower but very friendly with the boys. FREE-MEN, ROLL ON ENGLAND. GOOD OLD JOE.	Joe - Joseph Stalin Russian Leader. Dad had draw a Russian Hammer and Sickle symbol here.
9 May 45	Walked around, had too much to eat. Sick all night. After 5 weeks on 300 & 2.50 Bread, 50 gms soup, spuds (4 to 5)	Dad finally free after 2 years 10 month and 9 days in captivity.
10 May 45	In camp FOOD AGAIN. Bill killed a cow.
11 May 45	Cleaned out the room & Spring beds in, good food & wine. Very warm out.
12 May 45
13 May 45
14 May 45
15 May 45
16 May 45
17 May 45
18 May 45
19 May 45
20 May 45	Great event 200 wagons arrive to get us out. 50/wagon. Comitau, Karlsbad, Pilson. Compound rations lobbed out. No sleep, but good to be with our own people again.
21 May 45	Planes or not today. That's the thing.
	LAST ENTRY IN DAD's DIARY.

Dorothy Hill who was the funeral director in Chirk, told me she remembered my father's return from the war. She was only young but said that half of Chirk were there to see him return, but that he was in a bad way. When we cleared my Grandfather's house we found two bottles of champagne and bunting which were never used, because my Dad was too ill.