[2002] SID’S WAR

0077 - Sidney Lane War Diary 21

[this is an extract of the war diary, 'An Ordinary War', by my uncle (Sid Lane, my mother's brother) through Palestine to the Sinai] 

20/3/43 

O.S.P. 10.40. Habangia next stop. Looks as if I shall see Palestine in the Spring. Country as flat as a pancake, but green. Wog lorry with about seven Arabs aboard just shot off the road while trying to overtake vehicle ahead. Plunged down a 12 ft. bank and smashed up in a ditch. Should imagine someone got hurt. Just desert flat and devoid of interest. P.J. switch-board again came adrift - weak point. Reached Habaniya and went into leaguer. 

A mobile battery in leaguer at night is an unforgettable sight. It reminds me of pictures conjured up of the covered wagon days. All vehicles are drawn up to form a square (radiators outwards ready for air attack). Inside all is organised confusion. Tents are pitched. Gunners are busy with their charges. Fires spring up as cooks prepare the evening meal.

Everybody laughing and chattering about the trivial but amusing incidents of the day. Nobody has time to be bad-tempered. By the time the meal has been consumed (sitting on mudguards, gun legs etc.) dusk has fallen and the chaps get down to it. Some to sleep, others to write letters while the rest make the night hideous with their music. But little by little the noise subsides and all is quiet save for the occasional challenge of the sentries. Another day in the life of a mobile battery is ended. 

21/3/43 

We started at 08.30. The very heavy rain overnight caused the guns to sink and they had to be winched out. Passed Hibaniya Lake. I expected trees and vegetation, a kind of oasis, but just a huge lake bunged down in the desert. well I don't think desert is wilderness yet. It has patches of grass, very thin but still it gives a greenish tint. There were herds of sheep but no habitation. Quite surprisingly we leaguered early. 14.00 hrs. at a place called Wadi Hamadin (59 miles) 

22.3.43. 

I realised that I could go on in the same way day after day, to the end of the journey. But it would have only been tedious repetition, so I turned it in, intending to summarise the rest as I do now.

We stayed at Wadi Hamadin (just a camp in the desert) for one day, carrying out maintainence and a spit and polish inspection of guns and equipment took place. 

23.3.43.  

Camped in desert after a journey of 47 miles. 

24.3.43.  

Arrived at Rutba (P.S.P.) 110 miles. 

25.3.43.  

Desert camp 64 miles. (Don R'ing, a wicked day) 

26.3.43  

Desert camp. 64 miles. (again Don R'ing, another wicked day). 1 Gun ditched, rode miles and miles between gun and fast receding column. Finally, after battling in a sand storm for hours, I ran out of petrol, with the gun 20 miles behind in safe charge.(The Mac had arrived) and the column, 2 miles ahead. Just one of those things. By coaxing, I got the bike another five miles and there it was - a tarmac road and down hill too. I coasted for 3 miles down a gentle gradient and - luck again - the battery was in leaguer. 

27.3.42.

On tarmac through the amazing Black Rock desert. I enjoyed it. A lovely day and the bike tuned to do 70. I earned myself a nick name that day. "The flying mushroom". This because, though packed with newspaper, my crash helmet fitted me like an air-raid shelter. The other Don R. crashed and was rushed on ahead to hospital at Jerusalem. He fractured his skull.

28.3.43.  

To Mafrac. 76 miles. 

29.3.43.  

Camp. 110 miles (Back in Matador). 

30.3.43.  

Beersheba. 131 miles. (oranges and wine). 

31.3.43.  

Through Palestine. Asluge. 131 miles. Beginning of Sinai desert.(Saw cinema show). 

1.4.43.  

Arrived at Kabrit. 101 miles. (but I have lost a day because we camped in the Sinai the night previous to reaching Kabrit). Here at Kabrit we are to be attached to the 7 Btn. Royal Marine, forming part of the 31st Brig and are to train for an invasion.

Oh yes, I must mention this. It caused great amusement on the way here. Some bright sparks chalked the following in foot high letters on the Tx. "Hawkesfields Circus" and on the Rx. "Better than Barnums". Hawkesfield, the major, was the only one who did not appreciate the joke.

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