It’s getting really cold out in the desert. Cold as any winter in the Transvaal for instance and balaclavas and slacks are the order of the day. Every morning the boys gather round eagerly to hear the latest news from the front which is so near and yet so far, for the first time since this war has begun the Jerries have evidently been caught on the wrong foot and are in the process of paying for it!
Today saw midday grand scale bombing assault on the EL ADEM –EL GUBI road where there were concentrations of enemy vehicles of all types. Nine Marylands led by "Chick" Thackwray were Joined by nine from No. 12 Squadron and 18 Blenheims. What a weight of bombs!
With adequate fighter protection our boys played up hell with the enemy at low level and smashed up their concentrations. All bombs straddled the target and caused several fires. Quite heavy ack–ack fire was encountered and Alister Murray's aircraft was hit in the port engine, dense smoke was seen pouring out, but some of our fighters fell back to cover him and he limped over the lines and forced landed in our territory near our First S.A. Div.
The news seems to be good this afternoon. ROMMEL's tanks seem to be receiving a real rough handling from our boys. It is strange how we are slowly winning the war by profiting from the bitter lessons taught us by the Hun In the last two years.
We are beginning to settle down to our primitive existence out in the wilds. The comparative luxury of O.L.G. 21 with its real home-from-home atmosphere is absent but the old squadron is still alive and kicking and hard on the tail of the Hun.
No flying: Oprep No. 151
Inter-Squadron athletics held at 24 Squadron. Our contribution of £15. towards the prizes was a poor investment but the Cape Corps cleaned up all the prizes in their events, save one.
One other rank (Air Gunner) posted in from S.A.A.F.Depot.
Nos. 102811 Captain A.G.M. BUDD and No. 102761 Captain A.L. BELL posted in from S.A.A.F. Depot as Supernumerary pilots.
One other rank (medically unfit) posted to S.A.A.F. Depot.
No operations were possible to-day as it rained heavily all day.