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James Steel's Diary.
This site is the story of James Allan Steel.
1941 - Diary:
1/1/1941 Fine day. Bren gun practice at rifle range.
2/1/1941 Windy. On duty Battalion Orderly room all day. Advance party 2nd Echelon arrived at Helwan camp.
3/1/1941 Fine. Battalion orderly room.
4/1/1941 Fine. Battalion orderly room.
5/1/1941 Fine. Driving truck for day.
6/1/1941 Fine. Back to training again. Learning morse code and how to drive and control truck in sand.
7/1/1941 Went to Cairo to meet 5.45am train from desert. Got lost in fog and was hour and half late.Train arrived 8.45am.
8/1/1941 Drove truck Cairo in morning, to Helwan camp and hospital at night.
9/1/1941 To Cairo again and did town with the heads.
10/1/1941 To Cairo station,Ismalia camp and Helwan hospital at night.184 miles for day.
11/1/1941 Took some boys to Helwan camp and saw the artillary boys back from desert.
12/1/1941 Stayed at home. Very windy and sandstorm.
13/1/1941 On parade for week. Air raid at night.
14/1/1941 Promotion to Lance Corporal.
18/1/1941 Went to Cairo on leave and pictures at night.
19/1/1941 Church parade in morning, went to Helwan met Gran and went to Cairo.Had a marvellous six course tea.
20/1/1941 Took boys to Helwan to boxing meeting. Saw Gran and had supper with him.
21/1/9141 Learn’t to ride motor bike.
23/1/1941 Air raid at 7.49am. On rescue party. All clear at 10.00am.
25/1/1941 Went to town met Gran and had tea together.
26/1/1941 On truck for day.
27/1/1941 Went on manourves,slept at night in desert.
28/1/1941 Arrived back at 4.30pm.
1/2/1941 Went to Cairo, had tea with Gran and Jennie.
2/2/1941 Met Gran and went to Maadi tent.
5/2/1941 Received word to go to Sarafand, Palestine for 3 month course. Driving/maintenance.
6/2/1941 Day off to pack.
7/2/1941 Left camp at 4.30pm for Cairo station,train left 6.30pm. Crossed canal at 11.30pm and arrived at Sarafand at 10.00am.
8/2/1941 Great place. Changed our money to Mills.
9/2/1941 Went to Tel Aviv on bus for day and had a great time.
10/2/1941 Arose 6.00am, breakfast 6.30am. One and half mile walk to school and
start 7.15am. 12 until 1.30 for lunch and finish 3.30pm.
11/2/1941 As above. Heavy rain, first since September.
12/2/1941 Stayed in and we have a lot of swot and writing to do. Raining.
13/2/1941 Fine.
14/2/1941 Fine.
15/2/1941 Went to Jerusalem and Dead sea.Stayed Australian hotel.
16/2/1941 Pictures at night.
8/3/1941 Stayed home weekend as it rained.
15/3/1941 Went to Tel Aviv but rained so went home early. Had 5th week exam and passed.
16/3/1941 Stayed home as it rained.
10/4/1941 Finished work til Monday as it is Easter.
11/4/1941 Went to Tel Aviv and lay on beach all afternoon. Went to pictures
at night.
12/4/1941 Went to Tel Aviv. Beach and invited out to tea to a Dr Chait. His
wife comes from Auckland.
14/4/1941 Arose at 6.00am and back to work 7.15. The flies are starting to
annoy us again now as winter is over.
16/4/1941 Paraded sick. Bronchitis.
17/4/1941 Still sick.
18/4/1941 Still sick.
19/4/1941 Had 10th week exam.
20/4/1941 Went to tea at Mr and Mrs Jordan’s. He is 92 and owns Tea plantation
in Ceylon. Missionary work here.
21/4/1941 Off sick list.
24/4/1941 Went into supper at Dr Chait and had fish, potatoes and everything you could think of.Had a marvellous night.Arrived home 11.00pm.
25/4/1941 Went to Jeruselum to see pictures on Ford cars and big picture as well.
26/4/1941 Went to Tel Aviv,spent afternoon on beach.
27/4/1941 Stayed at home and did some swot as exams start tomorrow.
28/4/1941 Exam on Mechanical and Electrical. Swotting at night.
29/4/1941 Exam on Lubrication and unditching. Oral. Exams finished.
30/4/1941 Exam marks out. Passed 391 out of 500.
1/5/1941 Party for all of us before leaving for different camps.
2/5/1941 Packing to get ready to leave for Cairo.
3/5/1941 Left Sarafand at 10.00am. Train left at 11.30am, arrived at Kantara
6.00pm,left 6.45pm for Alexandria.
4/5/1941 Back in the sand and hate the sight of it. Arrived Alexandria 8.45,
left for Amaria 10.45.
5/5/1941 Supposed to leave at 3.00. Had to load wagons. Didn’t get away.
6/5/1941 Finally left at 1.30 and arrived at Alexandria at 5.30. The weather
very hot. Left at 12.00 for Cairo.
7/5/1941 Arrived Cairo at 9.00 then had to wait for truck to pick us up which
arrived at 2.30 and we arrived back at camp at 3.15.
8/5/1941 Posted to Divisional Cavalry but don’t like it much. Went and saw
Major Todd about transfer to A.S.C. Putting up tents all day ready for
crowd arriving next week.
9/5/1941 Painting up tent to camouflage them from the air. Temp in shade
118degF and outside 122 degF.
10/5/1941 Painted tents.Went to Cairo on leave and had a good day out.
11/5/1941 Went to church and writing letters.Away on night patrol in desert.
12/5/1941 Rise 5.00am,PT 5.10am.Work 5.30am til 12.00.Siesta 12.00 til 4.30.
Parade 4.30 til 6.00.
13/5/1941 Parade 5.00pm.Had supper in Maadi tent.Had to shift camp as next
crowd of reinforcements have Black flu and they are being isolated.
Some have died already.
14/5/1941 Ord Corp .5th Reinforcements arrived.
15/5/1941 Went to Cairo on leave and had a good day.
16/5/1941 On parade all day.Went to Maadi tent at night.
17/5/1941 Orderly Corp for day.Desert patrol at night.
18/5/1941 Leave and went to Cairo.
22/5/1941 Cairo for day.
23/5/1941 Went to Helwan to see Gran.Met 2 boys of the old crowd and had a night out.
24/5/1941 Orderly Corp.
25/5/1941 Went to Maadi tent.
27/5/1941 Went to Cairo for day.1 hour 11 min late back.
28/5/1941 On the mat for being AWOL. Severley reprimanded.
1/7/1941 Took ill and into observation tent.
3/7/1941 Went to Helwan Hospital.Pheumonia.Temp 104.
7/7/1941 Still in bed.
8/7/1941 Allowed up for 1 hour.
9/7/1941 Up for 2 hours.
10/7/1941 Up all day.
23/7/1941 Left 7.00am for Moaska Rest camp.
24/7/1941 Got job as Camp Police while here.Work 10.00pm til 2 am,rest of day off.
25/7/1941 Met Ross Harraway.
26/7/1941 Air raid.Did not wake up.Bombs dropped.
27/7/1941 Went for walk to Ismalia.
30/7/1941 Went to pictures.”One Million years ago”
31/7/1941 MI and passed fit.That’s what they think.
1/8/1941 Another MI and passed fit to return to base.
2/8/1941 Went to Ismalia and bought a few things to send home.
3/8/1941 Air raid.Bombed Ismalia.
5/8/1941 Air raid. Bombs dropped. Lot of damage. 100 killed, 150 injured.
Bombs land in camp. 2 chaps killed. 1 blinded, 2 hurt. British Royal engineers.
Up all night.
6/8/1941 Went to Ismalia and had a look at damage.
7/8/1941 All quiet.Air raid 9.50pm.
8/8/1941 3.15am bombs dropped but landed just outside camp. Little damage.
9/8/1941 Quiet night.
11/8/1941 Air raid 3.30am in Ismalia. Warning only. Posted parcel to Annie.
12/8/1941 Out of bed at 3.10am. Air raid. Bombs dropped. Went and saw Colonel.
Leave for Base tomorrow. Kit packed and ready.
13/8/1941 Paraded 8.30 and left for base.Arrived 2.00.
14/8/1941 Medically examined and fit to go back to Depot.
15/8/1941 Returned to Depot.Had to walk three and half miles.
16/8/1941 Went to Helwan to see the boys.
17/8/1941 Met Johny Neil,Frit Howel and Ross Harraway.
18/8/1941 Started old job in LAD.
23/8/1941 Ready to go to Regiment but crossed off at last minute.
25/8/1941 Regiment left for desert.
30/8/1941 Went into Cairo. Pictures at night in camp. ”Broadway Melody 1937”
8/9/1941 Received telegram of arrival new baby neice,Jocelyn.
30/9/1941 Standing by to go to Regiment. Didn’t go but not allowed out as may
go at a moment’s notice.
18/10/1941 Ready to leave for Regiment.
20/10/1941 Packed,left for Regiment 9.30.Cairo 12.00,arrived Side Bish 10.30.
21/10/1941 Fire on train,2 cars burned out.Held up 4 hours.Arrived in camp 12.30pm.
22/10/1941 First day in new camp. Played hockey in afternoon then swim in
Mediteranean. Slept in tent big enough for 2. C Squadron Troop 5.
23/10/1941 Went on parade for first time for months.In charge of troop.
26/10/1941 Went to church.
27/10/1941 Went out in carriers map reading.
28/10/1941 Went out in carriers. Sun clock on carrier and learn’t to read and
take bearings.
29/10/1941 Got my own carrier going and checked up on everything. Went for swim.
In bed at 6.30, a record. Cabled POSB for 10 pound to go on leave with.
30/10/1941 Parade. MT on carriers. Very cold at nights now. Heavy dew. Wrote to Annie.
31/10/1941 Wrote to City road.
2/11/1941 Wrote to Bob Gray, Russ King, Mrs Leask, Auntie Dorothy, Mrs A
Davies, Agnes and Foss, George and Betty. Church parade.
4/11/1941 Received letter from Foss and 2 from Annie, also tin biscuits and
telegrams. Told to have carrier ready to move. Filled water cans and expect to
move tomorrow. Wrote to Annie.
5/11/1941 Map reading and code work. Played hockey for team to go to Alexandria.
Played for own troop and scored 2 goals. Score 2 all.
6/11/1941 Rifle shoot and Bren and Tommy gun test. Went for swim in afternoon.
Received word at tea time to be ready to go tomorrow at 6.45.
7/11/1941 Left Side Bush at 7.15 after big rush around in dark. Set off and
found tar sealed road. Travelled 69 miles. Good run but dusty. Stopped for night
and slept beside carrier. Got rations for 4 days. Not too much. 1 gallon of
water per man per day.
8/11/1941 Arose 5.30 and made own breakfast and set off at 7.30. Rough ride
all the way, did 38 miles, 8 miles short of where we should have been. Early start tomorrow.
9/11/1941 Arose 5.30 ready to go 6.45. Travelled all day with spell every hour. Did 42 miles.
10/11/1941 Arose 5.30.7.00 travel, fairly hard and have been off and on again.
Stopped at 2.40 and hid carrier with cover and bushes only. Travelled 25 miles
and only 15 miles from front line.
11/11/1941 Shifted carrier at dark to another place then returned to original
place just before daylight. Well spread out and hidden. 200 yards apart and
covered in small gullies. Overhauling carrier but all ready move in at least 3
minutes. Wrote to Annie and Dad.
12/11/9141 Congregated last night same as yesterday. Have to send diary back
as can’t keep them here as we may go into action at any minute. Can’t carry
anything of that manner.
13/11/1941 Spent all day cleaning up. Had church service at night. Tested guns.
14/11/1941 Checked vehicles and guns. Changed all oil and 36 track pins.
15/11/1941 Spent day washing clothes.
16/11/1941 All packed ready to move.
17/11/1941 Stopped on Egyptian side of border for night. Patrolled border.
Moved at 9.30 and travelled to just inside border.
18/11/1941 Passed through border into Libya at 20 to 2 and went 10 miles inside
border. Could hear tank battle in distance.
19/11/1941 Patrolling all day.
20/11/1941 Patrolling all day. Watched tank battle from distance. Enemy plane
passed and was nearly bought down. 5 planes machine gunned us in afternoon but
missed everything. Frightened hell out of us.
21/11/1941 Patrolled all day. Saw coast and contacted enemy late in afternoon.
Had to get out in a hurry and got lost at night. Camped together. Only 3 carriers
and expected to be surrounded any minute.
22/11/1941 Went onto Gambut aerodrome and were away out in front of Brigade.
Shelled and had to fall back. Took aerodrome in afternoon.
23/11/1941 Left at 10.00 and travelled all day. Contacted and chased 3 enemy
trucks. Camped for night.
24/11/1941 Left at 5.30 with sun on our backs and went into action with Italian
tanks. Took about 250 prisoners and guns. Dropped back and Artillery and Infantry
went into action. We went and watched and patrolled flanks. Shelled all day.
Got to bed at 12.30 very tired. Place named Sidi Rezegh.
25/11/1941 Up at 5.30 and patrolled hill. Could hear Germans talking and were
fired on. Moved away fast.
26/11/1941 Left at 4.30 to try and contact Tobruk forces but General wouldn’t
let us go. Out on patrol and broke both my fan belts so were left behind.
Were told not to write letters as mail not getting through.
27/11/1941 Captured 700 prisoners. Lost 1 officer and 1 man plus 3 carriers.
Mr Rutherford and buddy killed. I got a camera, field glasses, revolver, bayonet
and belt. Contacted Tobruk forces at outer perimeter.
28/11/1941 Patrolled all day and lost 2 tanks. Several killed and wounded.
Shelled and machine gunned. Bit of shrapnel in one of my hands. Shelled heavily
at night. My nerves are all on edge.
29/11/1941 Shelled all day and chased in carrier by tanks but managed to get
out of range. Shelled heavily at night. A few holes in carrier but all safe.
Left Sidi Resegh smoking Jerry cigars. Boss lost his carrier so took our one and
we had to travel by truck.
30/11/1941 Shelled all day and at 5.30 packed up and off for our lives.
Travelled all night. 42 miles.
1/12/1941 Camped in Libya after driving all night. 33 miles. Had ration and
rum issues that night.
2/12/1941 Arrived back on Egyptian soil from Libya. Camped night then leaving for Side Omar.
3/12/1941 Left 4 and 6 Brigade to go back for overhaul and to re equip.
Travelling between border and wire. Rum issue. Arrived Side Omar. Camped
overnight, drew supplies and received Bread and meat for first time in 3 weeks.
4/12/1941 Left Side Omar 12.am and arrived Fort Capuzzo. Camped night ready to
move at 10.am tomorrow. Rest of Squadron left at 3.00 to link up with A and B
squadrons and the whole Regiment back together again.
5/12/1941 Moved to B Echelon of C Squadron as I had no carrier and nothing to
do. B Echelon carry all the stores and equipment. Our parcel and mail were all
captured by Jerries raiding party. When we captured some Jerries they had NZ
tobacco and cigarettes etc.
6/12/1941 Waiting for something to do so had a look around Fort Cemetery.
It must have been a marvellous place before the war.
7/12/1941 My birthday. I am either 26 or 27. Not sure think 26. Things seem to
be very quiet at moment. Post letter home and to Annie.
8/12/1941 Dug trucks in. Received mail. Parcel from home, from George, Mrs
McMasters, Mrs Leask and Middlemarch Womens Institute. Letter and photo from Annie.
9/12/1941 Messed about till 11.30 and then packed up and shifted 19 miles to
escarpment where we contacted rest of Regiment for the first time since 8th
November. Boys had night out on Jerry and Italian wine. Attached to South African
Armoured Division. Repulse and Prince of Wales sunk.
10/12/1941 Arose 6.30 and spread out. Just hanging around waiting. Am wearing
pair of Jerry boots and they are very comfortable. Smoking Jerry cigars.
Rained heavy and blew a gale.
11/12/1941 Showery all day. Got job driving 3 ton truck, petrol and ammo. One
of our trucks thay were left on Greece. Jerry bought them over here so am getting
some of ours back.
12/12/1941 Packing gear in new truck. Doing very little. Just hanging around.
Have small Jerry tent, erect and sleep in it every night. Very comfortable. Had
a piece of fresh pork for tea.
13/12/1941 Got good steel box and lid. Fixed it on truck for rations. Have to
keep them away from petrol, also fitted frame to carry jerry water tin.
Very handy. Boil on wrist.
14/12/1941 Church service. Saw doctor and he pricked away at boil. Poisoned.
Rained very heavy throught the night.
15/12/1941 Blowing a gale and showery. Word that we may get 13 more tanks and
hope to rejoin 5 Brigade who are NW of Tobruk. Hope to be there for xmas. Had a
good wash. First for days. Washed shirt, towel and singlets first time for
months and they came out white again. Doctor took core out of boil leaving hole
the size of a shilling piece.
16/12/1941 Am wearing Jerry shirt and they are very good ones. Moved 4 miles
and stopped, restored petrol and received more. Now carrying 608 gallons,
22000 rounds ammunition. Squadron contacted forces and Bardia then Indian and
South African troops took over. Battle estimated for 6 hours but still going at
nightfall. Had fresh meat, potatoes, onions and peas for tea. Very good.
17/12/1941 Bardia shelled all night and battle is on again today. Talk of us
going back for refit and leave if possible. Wrote to Mum and Annie. Arm not too
good, poisoned and wearing sling.
18/12/1941 Waiting and watching when first started to take Bardia on Tuesday
said it would take 6 hours but took 6 days. Took photo of boys having cup of tea.
Arm still crook. Bone on knucklebone, both hands turned poison. Bad way.
19/12/1941 Still hanging about.
20/12/1941 Still hanging around.
21/12/9141 Shaved and washed and went to church.
22/12/1941 Wet,cold and showery.
23/12/1941 Wet and cold.
24/12/1941 Very cold and wet.
25/12/1941 Cold. Breakfast, porridge and sausages. Dinner Mutton, Potatoes
mashed, peas, cabbage/Rice and custard. Issue of Brandy. Tea Biscuits, jam and
cheese. Very quiet still outside. Bardia attack to go in any day now. Arm
nearly healed. Served dinner by Officers
26/12/1941 Cold wind.
27/12/1941 Cold wind. Told to go with 4 others to rail head to bring carriers
back for South Africans.
28/12/1941 Left at 9.00 and arrived 4.00.Carriers in bad way and could only get 2 to go.
29/12/1941 Spent all day getting them to go and by 5.00pm had 3 going.
Everything was all set to leave next day. Slept beside carriers and got wet
through as it poured all night. We are only NZers up here.
30/1/1941 Three of carriers wouldn’t go but finally got them going and we left
mid afternoon and travelled till tea time. 57 miles then 12 miles after tea.
Tucker truck missed us. Attack on Bardia. Casualties fairly heavy.
31/12/1941 I got up early and found the tucker truck in a sandstorm. We had a
job with carriers again but finally got away by 12.30 and arrived at camp at
5.45 and handed carriers over. Glad to see the end of them. Carried on to our
own camp. Had travelled 260 miles all told.
1/1/1942 Very windy and heavy snow. We are still attached to South Africans
but once Bardia falls think we will be back as vehicles are worn out and getting
worse. It is raining and blowing a gale. As cold as charity. Received 6 letters
from Annie, 1 form Ann Farra. 1 from Middlemarch Lodge and 1 from George.
Shifted camp 2 miles.
2/1/1942 Blowing a gale and heavy showers. Bombed but no damage. Bardia fell.
1100 British prisoners in there, 900 of them NZers.
3/1/1942 Rained heavily and left to take Batteries out. B squadron got bogged
in mud. 10 yards in 20 minutes and then returned. Wrote to Annie.
4/1/1942 Greased truck. Missed church. Had haircut and mo trimmed. Squadron
came in.Issued with rations and leave at 6.45 tomorrow for Baggush.
5/1/1942 Move cancelled but all ready to go.
6/1/1942 Blowing. Left 7.00am and travelled 20 miles. Had breakfast and then
went on travelling a further 78 miles.
7/1/1942 Blowing gale. Left 9.00am and travelled all day. Did 100 miles.
8/1/1942 Travelled 46 miles and stopped at camp. Settled in and went for a
swim in sea. Very cold but refreshing.
9/1/1942 Cleaning up camp and vehicles and odd jobs.
10/1/1942 Quiet day.
11/1/1942 Church parade.
14/1/1942 Route march.
15/1/1942 Quiet day.
16/1/1942 Route march.1 letter from Annie and 1 from Agnes.
17/1/1942 Christmas dinner.
18/1/1942 Church parade.
| 1940 Diary |
1941 Diary |
1942 - 43 |
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