Another freezer! Cold as the Artic with numbness in both feet and hands and ears. Balaclavas are all the rage now in camp. Stooging Jerry was again active this morning and he must have 75 and 76 well tabbed now with his little happy snaps!!
There were two shows today, the first was an early morning show bombing enemy M.T. concentrations between EL ADEM road and TRIGH CAPUZZO. Another good show was experienced with several direct hits and two fairly large fires were started. The second show was a concerted attack by nine Marylands from 21 and a similar number from 12 squadron on enemy M.T. on the escarpment SOUTH of SIDI REZEGH. Good results were achieved and direct hits were scored on M.T. vehicles and fires were again started. Indeed there is no mistaking old 21. When the aircraft leave the ground the wonderful flying discipline is self evident. In formation they leave without any fuss or bother they are on their way. And returning, what formation! There is no other squadron that we have seen that can compare with our lads formation flying.
Well we copped it good and plenty tonight and twenty one had its first real Air Raid. What a night! We had just about finished supper when a flare was seen close over our camp and without further ado we were on our way to our holes in the ground. Three jerries seemed to be stooging around and soon a stick of bombs fell about a mile from camp. Then we heard the welcome drone of a single engined fighter overhead and soon the battle was on. Round and round the camp they circled at no very great height and shortly afterwards there was a rat-tat-tat and a stream of tracers were seen racing across the moonlit sky and there was a sharp flash and the confident whine of the Hun's engine changed to a staccato bark and eventually to a whimpering cough-like voice that betokened a hit in his engine. Again two sharp bursts and one could hear the Hun definitely losing height, both aircraft circled lower and lower over the camp and finally the enemy plane well alight fell with a dull thud on the outskirts of the camp and continued to burn brightly for hours.
With the ack-ack on either side and the burning wreck on a third our camp was a lovely mark for Jerry and soon he began doing his stuff. Suddenly overhead we heard the hun throttle back and down he went – but we could not mistake the characteristic swiissh-swiissh-swiissh and the deafening whang booomp! as a stick of three bombs exploded on the edge of our camp and the shrapnel began to whine overhead and the customary "fireworks display" cut through the sky with startling brilliance and intensity. During a lull in the firing Jerry could be heard climbing and then turning followed by the now unmistakable sound of a plane diving.
Our signals personnel, whose vans had been brought into relief against the night sky by the burning plane, felt that their residences were being selected for personal attention by the bomber pilot and with one accord they did record time across the stretch of ground separating them from Abu ben Syko (2/Lt.E.Newman's) own private below-ground dwelling place. With one accord too they piled in on top of our Cypher Officer, who was already muttering corruptions about the presence about him of sundry individuals such as Japie and "One Pound Eddie" (Sgt Karlin - who had come for a day of rest to L.G.76!) who were reducing his accommodation considerably. Three deep they lay in this retreat, which they had reached only just in time. Wham, wham, wham!
Another stick hit the ground just behind the blazing aircraft and then the dwindling whine of Jerry's engines brought scared looking figures out into the open as clouds of dust raised by the bombs obscured tents. We all sniffed the night air apprehensively – there was a strong smell of cordite – and then suddenly gave vent to our feelings with a burst of conversation which rose up from all parts of the camp. But although there were no further bombs for us tonight, for same of our number the days adventures were not over. 2/Lieut. Newman and Japie sallied forth to inspect the burnt-out aircraft and now I let our worthy Cypher Officer take up the tale:
"We found a considerable number of other ranks gathered round the aircraft which was still burning well. Up to the time of my arrival at the aircraft it appeared that no effort whatsoever had been made to extinguish the blaze which was obviously a splendid beacon for any enemy aircraft about.
The aircraft was also unguarded and I heard that certain maps had been taken away by some of the other ranks. I Informed some of the 21 Squadron personnel at the scene that they should deliver any documents and items of a like nature to me. Two other R.A.F. ranks then informed me that the body of a German was lying some hundreds of yards away. I took the truck and in the company of Mr. Friedman proceeded to search for the body. The white parachute showing up clearly in the moonlight soon indicated the spot where it was lying. We folded the parachute on the body and loaded it on to the truck. Realising that the German might have important documents or papers on his person we proceeded to No. 3 Wing Operations Tent where we reported the matter to an officer who was lying in bed and seemed to evince little interest in the whole matter. In fact, the impression that both Mr. Friedman and I gained from our reception was that he was disinterested and a bit annoyed at being disturbed at night.
We were told to leave the body outside the operations tent and after having done this we drove off. Both of us were surprised that no immediate search was mode of the German's possessions as we had rushed the body off to enable such a search to be made. We also folded the parachute very carefully because it had come to our notice that the Intelligence authorities were keen on obtaining undamaged enemy parachutes.
The three salient points that struck us about the night’s happenings were the following:
(a) At a time when the sky was clear of enemy aircraft no attempt was made to extinguish a fire which was an obvious beacon to guide further night raiders to both L.G. 75 and 76.
(b) No guard was placed on the crashed enemy aircraft. As a result, lots of valuable Information, documents, etc., were all being taken away as souvenirs. Evidence of this is seen in the fact that at 2150 hours an Air Mechanic of this squadron brought to me a copy of the enemy aircraft's wireless code signals and extracts from the wireless operators logbook.
It appeared to me to be the German equivalent of our aircraft “X” signals and during the night I managed to decode some of the entries in the log. In the morning, I handed the signals code and log extracts to Captain Miller, A.I.L.O., attached to our squadron.
(c) The indifference with which the delivery of the body of the German was treated by the Operations Officer on duty at No. 3 Wing".
As the whole of the affair would appear to be our wing's "chicken” we are taking up the matter with them, for it is obvious that much valuable Information may be lost in such instances if the necessary action is not speedily taken.
The main aspects of the squadron's life during the past month are summed up below:
Health
The health of the squadron has been of the same high standard and the only "customers” that Doc Venn aid his cheery band of helpers have been able to coax into his comfortable quarters at "Bedside Manor” have been visitors to 0.21 who could not find accommodation for the night.
The present stage in the squadron's history has brought an abrupt end to most of our sporting activities but all ranks appear to be keeping in excellent trim with a new form of exercise — “The funk-hole sprint". The issue of battle-dress to all has forestalled most of the ills and chills that follow in winter's train and apart from the customary minor ailments a virtually clean bill of health can be presented on-behalf-of 21.
Morale
In customary terms of the array communique “Morale among all ranks is of a high standard”. To say that we have not all felt the blows that the squadron has suffered would be entirely incorrect, but, as mentioned previously, we have shown that “we can take It on the chin" and still come up smiling.The foundations upon which this squadron has been built and the spirit which has been the very life-blood of its existence continue and the newcomers who have come to our midst have quickly assimilated the cheery, yet determined outlook, which characteristics all phases of our present activity. Despite the difficulties which beset all of us and the hardships we must endure (including the distressing shortage of beer!) the realisation of the tasks which face us and the fact that we are carrying out those tasks in good company has tided us over the dark and gloomy periods.
General
A very pleasing feature now that the major portion of the squadron is in the "wilds" is the adaptability of all of us to settle down to whatever sort of life is before us. Despite the lack of material comfortable underground "dwellings" have sprung up all round our present camp – and very comfortable some of them are too (but don't inquire too deeply into the origin of some of the furniture that adorns our low-level homes, most of it having been conveniently "borrowed"!) ) Despite the paper famine "OH! 21" has continued its regular publication and dust-storms or not the “duplicating demons” can be seen, albeit dimly through the clouds of sand, churning out the weekly edition 2/Lt. Newman (alias Abu ben Syko) continues to provide us with a daily news bulletin at breakfast table and in conjunction Cap. Miller (A.I.L.O) produces the latest dope on the Libyan show.