This morning saw the Western Desert at its typically worst!! All day long the dust blew around in swirls and eddies of all enveloping and all-defiling brown sand. Apart from its colour it really tends to 'brown’ one off completely! No aircraft could take the air today for the conditions throughout the area were vile.
Went off to 0.21 to have a look see at the Admin, side at base, and to collect an office trailer and three additional lorries obtained from A.H.Q. W.D. Towards evening the dust and wind abated and the clouds rolled by. A real cheering item of news for the Squadron was the immediate award of the DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL to A/Sgt du Pré for his splendid showing in the rescue of his co-gunner, A/Sgt Russell on the black 20th Nov.
Good show Duppie and keep the old squadron name on high!
Jerry gave us a fairly quiet night with occasional bombing near the rail head.
The whole Squadron “A” Party was employed all day in clearing the aerodrome of loose stones and filling holes. It does not appear that the landing ground has been in use recently and there is a considerable amount of work to be done on it before the aircraft arrive. The Commanding Officer arrived by air, bringing two aircrews with him, the post and tentage for the new crews. The Luftwaffe is paying BENGHASI frequent visits each night and our A/A welcome to them is very imposing although beyond hearing unless the wind happens to be from the North.
Although the weather was fairly good, no operations were carried out to-day. Brigadier Hingeston, Lt. Col. Blaine and Major Woodrow paid an official visit. The Brigadier announced the promotion of one of the most popular Officers in the Squadron – Capt. A.C. Smit who had been promoted to the rank of Major and was heartily congratulated by all.