A trip to the Imperial War Museum reading room earlier in the year produced a number of unpublished memoirs by veterans of the battle of Crete, covering a wide array of topics and perspectives of the island and on the battle. Amongst them is the rather dryly labelled “Private Papers of W L Lamb” (IWM Documents.12070).
W L Lamb is almost certainly William Lindsay Lamb, a doctor from Scotland who joined the Royal Army Medical Corps prior to the start of the Second World War and served in multiple different theatres, including Norway, Egypt, Crete, and Normandy, before returning to Edinburgh and enjoying a long and successful medical career.
It is his time in Crete that this particular document relates to, covering the period in which he is assigned to the 7th General Field Hospital, which would quickly become a battleground and the patients used as human shields by invading paratroopers during the initial stages of the battle. Lamb’s diary gives a first hand account of his travel to Crete from Egypt, a description of the hospital camp, the day to day running of a military hospital prior to the battle, air raids and landing of parachutists, sheltering and treating the wounded in caves nearby, the retreat over the mountains and evacuation back to Egypt onboard HMAS Napier. Throughout he mentions the weather, the landscape and the other officers and soldiers he interacts with.
Lamb also includes a hand drawn map of the camp, with labels showing the layout and buildings/tents. This is recognisably a set of bays to the west of Chania, and can roughly match up with modern maps and aerial photos of the area.
As a photograph of a screen of a microfilm photocopy of a hand written diary, seemingly written while events are in progress, it is relatively easy to read and make out much of the text, but there are the occasional sections where the writing is too cramped or the letters too small or bunched up to properly make out, which I have marked with square brackets and question marks.
Crete 1941
May 6th 1941.
At last we set sail from Port Said. Woke up about 6.30a, to find we are getting under way. We are soon out of port but are going slowly. Two cargo ships are with us + we are escorted by a sloop. We have all to carry steel hats + life belts now. The ship is bristling with Lewis guns. There are 3’ altogether including two big ones on the poop. Can see land for quite a long time. Read for most of the day but snooze in my cabin in the afternoon. It is still warm but [???] overcast later on in the day. About 6pm our engines break down completely. The convoy stops + circles round. It is rather an eerie feeling to be floating about helpless, somewhere in the Med with the possibility of submarines, planes, etc about. However noone seems to be worried. The engines remain quiet for the rest of the evening but luckily it is dead calm + feels like being in port. All precautions against emergencies seem to have been taken; lets hope they wont be needed.
May 7th Wake up about 1 am to sound of engines. They must just have started. Soon off to sleep again – peaceful night. Get up at [?????] at 7.30 – much cooler and strong breeze from west . We seem to be going N.W. sloop is still with us but other two ships have gone. During morning make up with other two ships + find there are now about 6 destroyers as escort. Later on in the day a fourth ship joins convey. About 6pm we seem to stop and so very slowly all ships are going round and round together. We continue to do this for the rest of the day though noone known why. Pass day in the usual way chiefly by reading Clyde Valley by Cathie Gavin which I enjoy very much + which keeps me from snoozing. Finish it in a day.
May 8th
We all told to sleep in our clothes. I do so remarkably well. Am more or less ready but wake up to find we are crawling along + continue like this all day. By evening many bird, chiefly swallows, are flying about the ship so we can’t be far from land though there is nothing in sight. An day as usual reading + snoozing. Am called in by M/O. to see man with diarrhoea + temp of 105o. Wrote air mail card to Jean as I may not be able to write again for a few days. We will all be glad to get ashore as we haven’t had any news for the last few days. About 7pm see two of our own Blenheims flying over convoy as we pass eastern end of Crete. Half an hour later alarm goes + we are attacked by four enemy torpedo carrying planes. One ship in convoy is hit – buts as though she would float so is taken in tow by destroyer. We leave them behind. One torpedo misses us but all our guns go into action + though plane is hit not definitely brought down. All is over quite soon + steam along as fast as we can. No further incidents. Go to bed in clothes.
May 9th
Wake up after uneventful night about 6am. I can see mountains of Crete through porthole. It looks lovely and cheers me up. What a change to the flat of Egypt. Coastline is mostly steel cliffs. By breakfast time we are approaching Souda Bay + after breakfast pass through the boom + enter harbor where several ships are beached. Tie up at small pier + get disembarkation orders. Luckily for me there are two sick men on board need admission to hospital so I contact A.W.M.S + arrange for ambulance. It soon arrives + we get the men and own luggage on board. Padre + I get into first seat. No 7 General Hospital is some distance away + we go over very bad roads through Canea – takes 3 / 4 hour but scenery is lovely – high mountains to left + sea to right. Hospital site is also lovely right on edge of sea with three sandy bays between rocky promontories quite near. Meet Colonel Driberg; Deb + all the others. It is grand seeing them + they seem to be glad to see me. They have been very busy indeed, owing to evacuation from Greece but seem to have done extremely well under very difficult circumstances. There are, of course, no sisters. I meet John Bain, Ronald + other officers who have got away from Greece. As my tent is being temporarily occupied by some of these officers I get a room in the mess and am very comfortable. Spend rest of day talking to Deb, Leishman, Magham etc + being shown round camp. It is rather cloudy + dull all day.
May 10th
Sleep very well – Rain + wind during night but lovely morning – warm + bright sun. Start off morning + get into routine – 9am discharges, 9.30 meet my officers for talk + discussion, 10 am conference with Col Driberg + Deb, then walk round camp to get lie of the land. Its a bit difficult at first. It’s an ideal camp site + we should be able to run a good hospital if left in peace. Just now medical cases are predominantly mild dysenteries + we are over flowing into surgical tents. The hospital too, is over flowing + though things are still a bit chaotic + there are many problems to face, its a very creditable performance. Its lovely to see mountains + grass + wild flowers of all colours but chiefly red poppies, olive groves + vineyards. Some of the tents are amongst olive trees + vines. We are being well fed + I feel so pleased and happy. The Germans seem to be respecting the Red Cross though there have been air raised on other parts of the island chiefly Souda Bay + the aerodrome at Maleme. It’s also grand to have a lot of work. Got letter from M. G. but none yet from Jean.
May 11th
Another lovely day – cloudless sky + bright sun. The sea and mountains look lovely + my first impression of their beauty is continued. I spend a busy day discussing things with my officers + then looking round on my own. The immediate problem is dysentery as we are getting a lot of cases but none of them is severe. The hygiene of the camp just now is rather crude and the orderlies very ignorant but trying to do their best. A few Sisters would make all the difference but these are not allowed just now so we must just do the best we can. Flies are getting bad but as bad as in Egypt. So far I haven’t had time to go into my wards to see cases as most of my time is spent looking round + administering. We have to take over yet another 40 bed tent from the surgeons – have now about three times the number of cases they have.
May 12th
Rather a disturbed night owing to air raid but no bombs dropped near hospital. Good A.A. barrage + several planes brought down. Main danger to us is from shrapnel. A lovely day + spent morning going round sanitary annexes + ward kitchens – find them in a deplorable state + try to get things pur right but it will take time. I must say that considering the circumstances things are wonderful + everyone is trying their best. After tea go round again with The Colonel as I want to impress the importance of dysentery on him. Like me, he is a bit horrified. It is a tiring job walking about all day + I’m glad to go to bed. Am still sleeping in the mess though a tent is available.
May 13th
More air raids during the night just before dawn. Quite a few bombs dropped and a lot of A.A. fire + many searchlights. Bombs dropped on Canea + all round about but none very near the hospital. Go round annexes with Seaford this am. In afternoon Maj. Gen Freyberg V.C., G.O.C. Crete, and A.W.M.S visit us. They both impress me as being efficient. After tea go round ward 2 with Smith. I have now taken over officers ward as the Colonel wants Easton to devote all his time to company matters, much against Eastons will. It has been a dull rather cold day – no sun. Good news today – Hess has flown from Germany in an M.E.110 + landed near Glasgow where he has given himself up. Does this mean a split in Nazi party?
May 14th
A lovely day – bright sun + warmth. The hills + sea look lovely. Spend busy day after disturbed night owing to German planes blitzing aerodrome. There was a good deal of noise pf gunfire + bombs + a lot of shrapnel landed in the camp. We have only 2 or 3 casualties brought into hospital however. Another convoy arrives in Souda with, I believe, tanks. Tomorrow is supposed to be Der Tag for the invasion + we are all rather amused at our own position, is in in no mans land between the sea + our own defences further inland. It must be a unique position for a hospital to be in. If they come I suppose we sit still + watch what happens. In the afternoon we waste time getting ready for possible evacuation of patients, which does not come off. The hospital is very full, in fact over flowing, especially the medical side + we could do with a hospital ship. Letters from M.G. + W. Send letters to Jean and Derrick.
May 15th
A very peaceful undisturbed night – no gunfire or aeroplanes. It is rather colder than usual + a strong wind blows all day across camp raising clouds of sand + making things unpleasant. The Colonel inspects 1 / 2 of medical division in am. In afternoon we heard that hospital ship is coming tomorrow + that we can evacuate 580 patients so all get to work preparing for it. Spend most of day walking round camp other wise very peaceful day. No raids or gunfire. Letter from Jean dated 5.2.41. We are very cut off here + get very little news as there is no wireless + letters are few + far between.
May 16th
Another perfect day. Cool in morning but warming up + atmosphere is very clear. Hills look perfectly beautiful. The Aba (hospital ship) arrives soon after breakfast + evacuation of patients is soon under way, walking cases first, then lying. There is slight delay with latter owing to Sergt [?]Moyles[?] slackness with stretcher parties. Donald Bain + some other attached R.A.M.C. officers also go. Evacuation is more or less complete by 6pm + ship sails about 7pm. It anchors in bay outside Canea + is later bombed + machinegunned, but no damage or casualties. Spend morning walking round + seeing that things are O.K. In after noon to small bay near at hand, sunbathe + go in for swim. Water is lovely + warm + sea quite clear + clean. It is lovely. A German plane hovers about most of the afternoon. After tea, about 5PM, many planes (20-30) come over + raid Souda, dive bombers etc. It does not last long but they hit several ships + we get a good view of it all. Lot of A.A. fire + some Hurricanes go up. At least 5 + probably 7 planes brought down. 30 – 40 bad casualties brought in about 7PM + surgeons get busy.
May 17th
A peaceful night for me though surgeons + some of my M.O.s are up till 4AM. Several brought in dead + many seriously wounded. Ship alongside quay, oil tanker etc were hit but hospital is quite quiet otherwise + I go round the wards in the morning. Officers war is rather chaotic owing to orderlies being poor – this is a general complaint + makes things difficult. What a pity we haven’t got any sisters. Long conference in morning + afternoon with CO.After tea there is another big raid on Souda + we see many planes quite distinctly. Shell splinters fly about camp but Germans seem to be observing Red Cross strictly. A German officer bright in yesterday was rescued by our men from Greeks who set on him with knives etc + then on our men for interfering. Four planes said to be brought down today. There is a lot of smoke coming from Souda? [?]think[?] Cable from Jean – she is anxious for news.
May 18th
Very hot + sultry day. Wards filling up again + everyone especially Leishman a bit bad tempered owing to constant change of personnel by C.O. There are many things that might be better but on the whole we are not doing badly. We need more + better orderlies. The New Zealand orderlies attached to us are especially poor. Several raids over Souda in the morning. Fairly quiet meet afternoon. Writer letters in my room. As we are sitting at tea in the mess we hear an aeroplane overhead + very soon 8 – 12 bombs whistling down. We all dive under the tables – windows etc are shattered but though bombs drop very close to mess.
None of us is injured. After smoke + dust have subsided we see we have had a very close shave. Several tens have had direct hits + we all go out to collect wounded + help. At least two batmen killed. One bomb dropped on shore on exact spot where usually sunbathe + killed Wardrop (surgeon) + Rouse (anaesthetist), Easton very badly wounded, Gourevitch + Smith have very narrow escape but are not hurt. None dropped on hospital itself. It is a tragic day. Raids heavy + continuous – said to be 19 in all over Souda + aerodrome but very few casualties. Rumours also say 21 planes shot down. We are all very depressed + down in the dumps.
May 19th
Sleep fairly well but raids start early – about 7am. Several during am on Souda + aerodrome. Long conference with C.O. About passing air defence,then go round my wards with him. In afternoon we attend Rouse + Wardrop’s funeral. It is fairly quiet but gets livelier about 6.30PM when raids begin again + last on + off till 8.30PM. We don’t seem to have any planes but A.A. Barrage is very heavy, splinters falling all over the camp. Everyone feels a bit off colour + depressed today. It is a bloody [?]war/waste[?].
The C.O. wants some of the beds Dug in + the mess shifted to a tent with a slit trench. A very hot, sultry day.
May 20ths
Probably the most exciting + certainly the most unpleasant day of my life so far. Have just finished dressing when German planes appear in large numbers + of all sorts including gliders right over camp. I make a dash for a slit trench beside my tent just in time before they start to bomb + machinegun the hospital from a very low height. There seems to be 100s of the, flying all over the place + machinegun bullets are whizzing about all round us. Some of the tents go up in smoke + after a bit we can see the parachutists landing + rounding up patients + orderlies + marching them off down the road. We daren’t look up much because of the sniping. After a bit Debenham comes in beside me + we both are sure we will be captured at any moment. After about 4 hours of this ?? about mid day + in intense heat N.Z. Troops appear + order us out of the camp to some caves in one of the bays. We are told we will be shot if don’t go so we do so during a lull. We lie there under a ledge of rock till dusk having had nothing to eat + little to drink all day. After dusk we go back to the hospital tents + evacuate the lying patients we had been left to other caves. There is great confusion [long section of about 2 lines crossed out and unreadable] but by dawn we have squeezed over 100 patients into three caves + have got water, food etc for them. Its a hectic night but we manage somehow + apart from firing inland are left alone. We leave M.O.s + orderlies in the caves which are packed + very stuffy. The medical store + dispensary have gone up in smoke + we have very few drugs apart from those we can scrounge from tents. Get to bed in cave about 5AM + am very glad to do so. It seems the situation is well in hand + that Germans have had to pay heavily.
May 21st
Don’t sleep much though quite comfortable. Have greatcoat + blanket but floor of cave is very hard + sandy. Cave is a great big one hidden among rocks + entrance + exit is difficult but we are glad to be in it though slit trenches were very good. We have breakfast of tea, bread + marmalade about 7am + then rest + sleep apart from odd bites of food for rest of the day. We are doggo all day preparing for work after dark. N.Z. ?A to M S? Comes in afternoon _ tells us our captured patients + personnel are returning tonight as well as their wounded. We try to arrange things for them. Just before dusk Leishman + I Leave to go look at caves on headland across bay for our dysentery patients. They are big but have low roofs but are grand + we arrange for getting water, food, etc over. Then go round tents looking for drugs + end up at mess where I collect some more of my belongings. There is a lot of activity all day on land + in air but not so much as yesterday. Patients start arriving at 10pm + we try to sort them out in the dark. There seems to be 100s of them and we collect about 90 dysenteric. Leishman takes them over to caves while I go + see about water + rations. About 11pm very heavy gunfire + bright flashes at sea – must be a naval battle. Soon we see two ships burning fiercely + one explodes – probably an attempted invasion by sea. Firing goes on for some hours but there is less activity on land. Our troops are all round the coast + bays + we often are challenged. All own personnel have returned to us with the patients except for S/Sgt Whetton who has been killed. The cave is very crowded + noisy when we do get to bed + I don’t sleep much. The main diversion is when Post (radiologist) arrives in the dark dripping wet from head to foot. When coming back to cave he saw some vague figures in the dark who he took to be Germans as they didn’t answer him – so he + another man (unknown) took to their heels + dived into the sea. He was carried out to sea for a bit but eventually swam ashore again near the caver after being in the water 1 / 2 hour. He doesn’t know what happened to the other bloke. The mysterious men were probably N.Z.s on patrol. [?Hughes? Maghes?] + I go into hysterics about it all + cant stop laughing for about 1 / 2 hour as it is quite the funniest thing that has happened though it might have been a tragedy. Such is war.
May 22nd
We are becoming real cave men. Noone has shaved + or even washed except in salt water as fresh water is very scarce + difficult to get. We look pretty awful sights. Owing to some orderlies sloping off before everything was finished last night we all on short commons for water + rations today. Spend fore noon snoozing + chatting in cave + after dinner of M + V (tinned meat + vegs) + biscuits, Leishman + I visit our dysenterics in cave. There are 94 of them all dead tired after having been prisoners. There seems to be no activity near us today on land but see dozens + dozens of German troop carrier planes flying low over the sea towards aerodrome. There is heavy firing at sea all day – sounds like A.A. I wish we could get latest news. In PM troop carriers continue to go to and from aerodrome which later on is bombed + machinegunned. I have my first decent wash in the sea + manage a bath in between planes flying about overhead. We have now between 400-500 patients in caves, mostly surgical. Many are serious + the surgeons have to do the best they can with inadequate equipment + drugs. Quite a few only slightly wounded. What an extraordinary position for a general hospital to be in. We are certainly in no mans land + at times it is not very comfortable but we might be worse off. We have no planes at all + the Germans do what they like. Leishman + I go out on rounds after dusk.
May 23rd
A fairly quit night. Numerous civilian refugees men, women + children, come into the camp after dark from Galatas which has been bombed. Its difficult to deal with them but after much gesticulating we allow them to go to the shore + look for what shelter they can find. German planes come over as usual soon after dawn there is nothing particular until late morning when there is a lot of bombing + machinegunning overhead +not far off. Sounds as though it was coming from the hospital area (tents) + along road to aerodrome. We heard Germans have established themselves at aerodrome + are landing more troops from planes. N.Z.s have had to retire. N.Z. Field ambulance has established itself in our mess + we are visited by one of their M.O.s + the [?]WAQMG[?] In the cave. Things on our other side are OK provided we can get enough troops up to help N.Z.s all should be well. Such absolute + complete air superiority is undoubtedly the main factor in the German success. In fact it is the only factor as other things being equal we are just as good as they are. The parachutists are picked troops + they have been slaughtered. From all accounts wounded prisoners + our own troops get on very well together. It makes the whole war so fantastic + futile + I still believe that we + the Germans are in many ways like each other + could get on with each other. After dusk Leishman + I go over ot the cave + 70 of our 90 dysenterics. They have to report at Souda. We look for more work afterwards but fail to find any so go back to own cave + to bed. There are now about 540 patients in caves. The N.Z. brigade is returning + is being relieved. They have put up a very good show especially the Maoris.
May 24th
Apart from intermittent shell fire a quiet night followed by a very quiet morning. Only a few planes over head but ferry service of troop planes is resumed to aerodromes in morning. Things brisken up a lot about 1PM when bombing + machinegunning begins not far off. The G. prisoners seem to be confident that Red Cross will be respected provided enough flags can be seen + personnel wear armlets + keep off tin hats. [Long section of about 5 lines crossed out and unreadable] Blitz lasts most of the afternoon till dusk + is very fierce. Firing gets nearer + nearer + we are all beginning to think of being captured. We have had no news or orders all day. At 9PM C.O. calls a conference of Debenham, Driberg + myself to discuss evacuation. He seems determined on it. At first Deb + I are in two minds about it but Driberg is against it. The N..Z. Field Ambulance are still working in the mess + have had orders to work in with us. This decides the C.O. to stay + after he decides we are all very relieved + glad of his decision. We clear out all patients from dysentery cave + personnel spent night brining up rations etc to surgical caves. There is not so much work as usual to do + very few casualties come is so all get to bed early + we have a good night.
May 25th
Sleep very soundly + wake up about 7AM in time for breakfast. Much best sleep since coming to caves.During night big guns from Souda area was shelling Germans + this AM field gun + machinegun fire seems to be further off than yesterday. It gets further + further away during the morning + we think Gs must be returning back to aerodrome. No activity to speak of all morning. Padre Franklin holds a service in the cave. Everyone feels a bit cheerier + happier than am. We are getting used to sand + dirt of cave life. Had a shave two days ago. Rations are fairly good + we have two meals a day + drinks of tea. Drugs etc are practically nonexistent but there are plenty of bandages + dressings. We have had decent latrines made near the cave at last. Afternoon is very noisy. First there is a great deal of machinegunning by aeroplanes quite near at hand. They fly up and down round the mouths of caves trying, we think, to find our guns. But after planes go guns start again. About 5.30PM bombers come over + go for same objectives. We don’t think they are trying for us but its sounds too close to be pleasant. We seem to have advanced a bit today. Leishman + I are going to take over in the surgical caves for 24 hours from tonight + we are hoping we wont have to deal with too many gruesome surgical cases. German prisoners + our own patients seem to be getting on very well together. What a [?]war/waste[?] Great activity in air + on land in evening. Firing is getting closer + from mouth of cave I can see our troops coming back. We wait till it gets quite dark (9PM)m as a good many bullets are firing about outside, before sending
Men on duty + going over ourselves to cave 3 where C.O. is. He tells us we may have to move at once but he is waiting for orders. Things are rather chaotic + old Deb in his keenness rather adds to the confusion. He wants to take latrine buckets etc with us if + when we move. Eventually we get dumps of surgical instruments, operating table, dressings, rations etc at side of road. About 11PM we get orders to evacuate caves + to move eastwards to ?Neo Kourion? near Souda. Wallis, Sherman + 30 orderlies are to be left to look after the 300 patients who are too ill to be moved. The rest of us are to move off in two parties, first leaving at 12.30AM + the second soon after.
May 26th
I go with first party with CO, Driberg + most of the officers + men. Web + Gourevitch follow with rear party of 50 and soon make up on us. Seaford + Wilkinson both being hors de combat are left to come on later in truck form N.Z. Field Ambulance with equipment but they don’t turn up + we hear later that truck didn’t get through so they must be prisoners. It is a very dark knight but road shows up well + we have a map. Route is a bit complicated + we have to stop often to look at map but we don’t meet any German patrols + reach our destination about 4AM. The company is dispersed to look after itself in groups of 4 + told to meet at dusk. The Colonel, Driberg, Forest, Hay + self find very small but very good cave on a roadside up a steep hill into which we all pack. We are all tired + get some sleep but waken up between 7 + 8 AM Debs comes in to see us + I go down with him to N.Z. Field Ambulance which is with us + is opening up in a small church an operating theatre + tents beside it. We spend the morning relieving the N. Zealanders + looking at wounds + dressings. German planes fly overhead all the time but seem to respect the Red Cross. It is a very noisy day with a lot of bombing + machinegunning of olive groves especially in afternoon where there is a bad blitz over Canea + even nearer to us. I get into a hole with 4 men + I spend an unpleasant 1 1 / 2 hours. Bombing goes on all afternoon + evening. We get orders to move off again at 11.30PM and do so after drawing some rations etc. We are told we have a long way to go + must not delay. It is a stiff march but men stand up to it well. After passing through Souda which is in ruins + meeting hundreds of civilian refugees going to the mountains we run into about 1000 walking as well as other units all proceeding in the same directions as ourselves IE eastwards along the coast. This adds to our difficulties in keeping the unit together as it is very dark + there is a lot of motor traffic as well. Road twists + turns + goes up + down all along coast which is vert steep + precipitous on the left side high mountains tower over us to the right. It must be grand scenery in day time.
May 27th
Eventually country becomes flatter + more open. We are all very thirsty + stop at intervals looking for water to fill our water bottles but we find none. Eventually about 4AM after marching 12-14 miles we come to a big river near Khalibes where there are olive groves for cover so we decide to stop here for the day. After a lot of walking about in the dark the C.O., Forest, Hay + myself find a suitable hideout amongst some bushes by the side of the river. They don’t give much protection but are better than nothing and nearby is a stinking old well into which we jump when we hear bombs etc near at hand. We cant [? rest of sentence hard to read?] in it? Owing to the water. Deb, Gourevitch + Driberg have gone further on with the N.Z. FD Ambulance. Nobody seems to know where we are going or what to do. During the morning troops keep passing along up the river into the mountains making for the S coast. It looks like a general evacuation so we set off about 1PM to try to find out leaving word that the other officers + men are to set off at dusk in small parties. We haven’t gone far before numerous planes come over bombing + machinegunning all round us so we have shelter first under a tree at roadside + then in a small wine press where we have to remain till dusk as staffing continues very fiercely till then. Very noisy from 6 – 8 PM + [text blurred due to ink on opposite page] our hideout + make our way along road to Khalibes about 1 / 4 mile away. Here we contact N.Z. Field Ambulance + Driberg. I manage to get a lift in a lorry with CO + Driberg + we set off at 10PM, the rest of the unit marching. It is a 24 mile journey in pitch darkness with no lights over rough + extremely hill + precipitous roads which are choked with troops + transport. Progress is very slow indeed + it is quite the worst journey I have ever been on – a real nightmare.
May 28th
We are at our destination which is a small village said to be near the S coat about 5.30AM. It is a pitiful sight to see so many tired troops struggling manfully along. On arrival Driberg + I chose a hide out on the side of a hole in a depression among rocks while CO goes off on his own. It is not very good cover but it is best we can find + not too far ????? in the village where there is water. This is one of our main problems. Though very tired + sleeping I can’t get off + its not comfortable! We have to stay here till dusk. Day is enlivened several times by bombing + machinegun attacks. Some of which are very close + we have some near misses, bits of rock + dust fallen on top of us. No one is killed + only one injured. I’ll be glad to get away from it for a bit + it is not easy to get used to. I should like to should like to see the road we came up last night by daylight. It was very steep + twists + I imagine very beautiful. About 8.30PM we contact an Aussie Fd Ambulance who offer to give us a lift in a truck which we accept. After about 1 mile we are stopped + turfed out + find ourselves in a large dump of walking wounded who are sheltering in a large ravine between two steep hills. It is dark + things are chaotic, there are no drugs + very little water. Driberg contacts medical officers + we try to restore order which we do up to a point though it is next to impossible under the conditions. Some of them are marched off towards the coast + we decide to go back to the village before dawn to see what is happening + to contact the unit if possible rather than on to the coast. [Section crossed out and unreadable]. We meeting Wykes who says he knows of a good cave.
May 29th
Get a lift back to village + allow Wykes to lead us in the pitch darkness. We go over very rough country for what seems a long way up hill but fail to find any place in the darkness so we down among rocks to wait for dawn. Ground is very hard + covered with small + very prickly bushes on which we have to lie. It is very cold + we don’t sleep so as soon as it gets light enough we decide to climb the hill + look for a cave. Wykes leaves us + pushed off on his own. We cant find a cave but after climbing several hundred feet see a nice ledge of rock suitable camouflages by bushes etc so we put our things down here. Very tired + sleepy + glad to be able to rest. I don’t sleep much but waken about 7am feeling much better. It is a lovely day + we have a good view of the valley + the village below us. As the day wears on it it gets hotter + hotter as we are exposed to the full glare of the sun. Its sweltering + water is very scares so we have to ration ourselves. Our food is lasting quite well as we are not eating much + we still have a few tins left. We hope to get away from the beach tonight. About 3PM we decide to leave leave the hillside + make for Fd Ambulance which we can see in the village below. There we see several of our own unit all looking the worse for the wear. About 5pm we get a lift in an ambulance to go + see movement control about our units move + we are told they have to march at 8.30PM. I go back to let them know + arrange to meet them at roadside. Then take ambulance together with walking wounded in a convoy. Just as we sett off German planes arrive + start very fierce raid especially
Coastal areas. There are dozens of planes bombing + machinegunning all over the place. We decide not to take cover but to push on + trust to Red Cross. Raids gets worse + as we begin to go down steep hill twisting road with coast in view some miles away we are stopped + told to take cover. However we think it wiser not to do so but get out of ambulances + lorries without tin hats + sit about roadside in full view showing as many Red Cross flags as we can. This lasts about an hour + its not pleasant but it works + we are not touched. One of the lorries has to go back so I go with it + contact Driberg at place we had arranged to meet unit but A.W.M.S comes along + tells us not to wait for them as we will never find them in dark. He tells us to push off on our own as soon as possible. By the time we have met party up after we set out about 9PM we run into Padre Jones + also see [?]Mourice[?] + a few of our men marching in parties of 50. The rest of this march to the beach is the worst experience I have ever had. It is dark, the road is mostly very steep + downhill + indescribably rough + bad + one cant see where ones feet are going. We know that if we sprain an ankle we’ll be left behind. There is an unending stream of men + the pace is hot. Post has sore feet as his shoes are worn through + Driberg has difficulty in keeping up so we have to stop very frequently for rest. We get more + more tired, hot + thirsty + the road seems interminable! Its a quest of follow my leader. We pass through villages + are always told its only 2 miles more but eventually turns out to be 12. Will we ever come to the end? At one point someone says we are going the wrong way so the whole column stops + there is utter confusion. However we eventually reach the beach just before 3AM + are only a few files from the boat when we are told no more are to go tonight. Its a terrible disappointment as we could touch the boats + can see the warships as vague shapes in the dark. They steam off about 3am + that’s that. Lets hope for better luck next time.
After this disappointment we find shelter in a bombed house just a few yards from the beach. The village has been blitzed + is in a dreadful mess – debris, telephone wires etc lying about all over the place. I find a well at the end of the village + fill the water bottles. Then lie down in house to wait till dawn when we can see better. When it is light enough I set off on my own to look for a safe retreat + find a lovely big cave not far from the village to which I take Driberg who is more or less dead beat. Padre Jones comes too. [Section blacked out and unreadable] We manage to get a few more tins of food + then go to sleep. I have best sleep I’ve had for some time though ground is hard + rocky. Apart from some machineginning the morning we have a very peaceful day + no bombs are dropped. We lie doggo all day in the cave, our main worry being the uncertainty of wether we will be taken off tonight or not. There are various contradictory orders but they seem to be getting the chaos straightened out. The troops have been told they ave to back a mile or two + pass through a control point up the hill before embarking but Driberg says he couldn’t do it so we attach ourselves to some walking wounded again + about 9PM make our way down to the beach where we are told to sit down + wait as it is not certain whether we will be taken off tonight or not. Several battalions of New Zealanders are going. After waiting some time we are told the wounded are not to go + are rather crestfallen but decide to wait on + hope for the best. There are 21 of us altogether. The barges are loading troops the time just in front of us + naval ships touch up about midnight as black shapes in the bay. There are however, only two of them. About 2.30AM someone shouts for us + says we may go so our prayer has been rewarded + we are soon aboard HM destroyer Napier (Australian). She sails soon after 3AM. Driberg + I share one of the officers cabins + are very comfortable. I sleep on the floor + have a very good night. Post turns up too + seems to be much relieved as we all are. Wake up, wash + shave + have a very good breakfast about 8am. We are going full speed ahead together with another destroyer + all is peaceful till about 9am.
May 31st
When there is a shattering + deafening noise from the ships A.A. guns firing just above the cabin at some Stuka dive bombers. Bombs are dropping + ship is zigzagging at full speed keeling over as she does. Suddenly all lights go out, books on shelves, furniture etc fall about all over the place + it looks as though we had been hit but it turns out to be a near miss about 5 yards from my cabin. The side of the ship is dented a bit + the engines put out of order so that speed has to be reduced to 20 knots, otherwise all is well. Attack lasts 1 / 2 hour + is very unpleasant more so than on land. Our own fighters are supposed to be near + some have been seen. After this all is quiet except for one or two rounds of A.A. fire later on but no further attack. Both destroyed claim a possible plane each. Spend rest of morning in cabin talking + then have a good lunch. It is a lovely day + a grand sight to see the two destroyers ploughing their way through a calm sea so fast. After a bit our own planes appear to escort us + we have no further trouble apart from engines breaking down completely for a short time but they are soon O.K. again. We see coast line of desert about 5PM + arrive in harbour (Alexandria) about 7PM. Organisation at docks is excellent + we are soon ashore getting tea + biscuits. Buses take us off to a hostel where we are to spend the night. Sleep well in spite of air raid + heavy A.A. barrage. Never thought I’d be so glad to see this filthy country again.
