On another thread (relating to Medal entitlement) I used a friend's diary to make a point. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/other-research/16802-ww2-medal-index-card.html#post164656 The diary in question belongs to a very good friend and wartime comrade Lew (Larry) Fox. As I'd mentioned on the other thread, I've often used his diary to confirm dates between '43 & '44 as my own diaries for this period have been lost forever For my own selfish reasons I transcribed his diaries onto my computer and now, whenever I want a good laugh, I turn to his entries and re-live those wondrous times. Today being Xmas Day I thought you might also enjoy these two entries: Lew's Diary: 24/12/43 The Xmas spirit was in the air as the BSM asked me if I'd like to be a waiter at the Sergeants party tonight. It started about 1700 and I was the barman. I mixed the punches & served the drinks until they were all totally drunk. Major Bent who was there finished up by hitting the BSM & Captain Cotton over the head with a chair. Regimental Diary On 25 Dec A/84 Tp moved from route protection at Isernia to medium gun protection at Vastogiradi. Lew's Diary: 25/12/43 Awoke at 0800 which was about breakfast time and spent a very easy morning preparing the Xmas table, it looked really good when I'd finished. The dinner was excellent too, turkey,baked potatoes and cabbage. The officers and the sergeants waited on us. It was all going well until Major Bent started throwing oranges around & breaking windows.
Ron, I cannot help wondering what would have happened to any Privates, should they have behaved like Major Bent! Regards Tom
Just in case you think that Lew's war was all fun & games here is another couple of entries: Lew's Diary. ADRANO 7/8/43 Awoke to find we had a PTM (prepare to move) so I spent most of the time collecting almonds. At 1600 we moved on & about 2000 we passed through Adrano. I've never seen a place so bashed about, dead Eyties, Jerries, weeping civilians & the infantry looting. We finally drove to a THQ which was on the road. Then Jerry opened up with his mortars. I never wished I was home so much as they were dropping in the ravine in front of us. Lew's Diary. ADRANO 8/8/43 Woke up from one of the worst nights I'd spent as most of the night there had been shelling & mortar fire by both sides & we were in the THQ right in the front. How I wished I was back in the BHQ. At about 1530 we had orders to move. The new THQ was a small house on a hill with tiles on the floor. Dug in for the night, there was some sniping but no one was hurt. Regimental Diary 49th LAA Rgt. R.A On 8 Aug RHQ moved to west of Ademo. 3h . 8 Aug the regt came under command 2 AA Bde and concentrated at Bronte. ps The attached pic shows Lew with one of his souvenirs
More from the same source: 18/6/43 Lew's Diary GUELMA, North Africa Got up in the morning to find I was on two charges, one for not being on morning parade and two, being absent at lights out. I went before The O.C. Major Mouland and was remanded until tomorrow. Capt. Stern then gave us a new wireless truck, a Bedford, which Ted, Ron & myself cleaned and camouflaged black, green and brown. Today was the first time I've worked so hard for some time. 19/6/43 Lew's Diary. GUELMA Carried on cleaning the truck as we heard we were leaving any day now. During the morning I was called into the 'orderly room' to have my charge read again. Luckily enough, after making a few excuses I was admonished. After that I carried on the rest of the day camouflaging our truck, by the end of the day I felt really tired. This is typical Lew !!!!! Please pay attention . We both went out into town to the same bar. We both missed the evening's Roll Call We both were "up before the C.O" BUT...... Lew spun him a yarn and was "admonished" I lost a total of 8 days pay...... Is there no justice in this world ? 19/6/43 Ron: Deprived 7 days pay and forfeits 1 days pay for being AWOL for 7 hrs 35 mtes (Guelma)
Lew about to embark for Sicily: Regimental Diary: On 6 Jul the btys began to move with their bde gps to Sousse and RHQ moved there on 9 Jul. On 21 Jul a warning order was received for the regt to embark for Sicily. 84 Bty, with 11 Bde Gp, moved first and embarked in LSTs at Sousse on 23 Jul. Lew's Diary. SOUSSE 22/7/43 Reveille at 0530,parade at 0600 and once more mad BSM Lily took us for P.T. from 0630 until 0730. The rest of the day was as usual. General maintainance on the 15cwt and the rest of the day lying around in general. At 4pm we had orders to move to the "Blackpool" area just outside Sousse. Somehow I felt pleased we were going away from here as I was properly browned off. Although I fully understood the war would really start for me. We arrived at "Blackpool" at 1730 and stayed there the night. Ron's Army Records: 23/7/43 Embarked, destination unknown (Sicily), Taken on strength of 8<SUP>th Army </SUP>
Lew has always appreciated a bit of nosh ! Lew's Diary: ALGIERS 30/4/43 Got up at 6.30 am, dashed about & had breakfast then started out for Cap Matifou with Ron Goldstein. after waiting 10 mtes we caught a jeep which took us straight into Algiers. we spent the morning walking about & had dinner in the salvation army canteen. We followed that by going in the american canteen where we had a smashing time by eating ice cream, fruit cake, coffee,cheese rolls etc. then we were taken out by a yank to a boxing match.after leaving at 4 we got home at 6.
I had a browse through Lew's Diary to see what he had to say about Monte Cassino but all I could find was this reference to Mignano. I consulted Mathew Parker's excellent book on Cassino and see by his map (see below) that Mignano was to the South, so we must have pulled back. What Lew did however, was to sketch Monastery Hill and I show this also. If nothing else, the sketch really does capture how the Monastery loomed over us and how near it was to our positions. Lew's Diary MIGNANO 2/3/44 Arrived Mignano after leaving the last area in view at the Monastery Regimental Diary: On 3 Mar C/90 Tp moved to protect a diversion on the Speedy Express supply route. The CO ordered all SP guns to put chains on their wheels. On the night 8/9th 280 Bty completed deployed to Speedy Express to relieve US troops. (Speedy Express easily observed from Monte Cassino)
Due to our advancing years, Lew and I have long since given up on our weekly computer lessons but we still phone each other and send each other many e-mails. I was touched to receive this one this morning, in response to a link I had sent him and for one brief moment we were both back there at Monte Cassino, in that miserable "hell-hole" as the Yanks used to describe it, Ron...Only you could have reminded me of my Cassino days,it was most interesting reading what happened to us,also the terrible weather that we went through,the rain & the snow,trapped up in the mountain,I don't remember where.At least we came out in one piece. Lew Ron
I was one of those people who accepted every command in near five years - and subsequently left the Army without a mark on my record - no charges - nothing unusual as we had good officers who knew how to motivate men... Cheers
:group2: Giving this thread a bump because it's Larry's Birthday today :group2: Happy 92nd Birthday mate ! Ron
