Description
Object description
Ms diary (22 November 1942- 11 June 1944, 52pp) written in the form of letters to a friend (called Les), recounting his time spent as a leading aircraftsman in the RAF and covering his service in Algiers, Tunis and Italy, attached to various Fighter, but mainly Bomber Command units. Candid and well written, the diary includes good observations of the local scenery and customs; excellent descriptions of the many air raids and aerial combat scenes witnessed, including one where a piece of shrapnel entered the tent in which he was lying (and landed inches from his person, Algiers, November 1942); information on his encounters with the local traders and women (including in brothels on 18 April 1943 and on 30 June 1944); drinking and his social life in general; eloquent and thoughtful digressions on both religion and the progress of the war, including morale in the RAF; his temporary stay in hospital, because of an eye injury (April 1943); the advance into Tunis (May 1943); the landing at Salerno, Italy (September 1943) and on to Foggia (December 1943); good descriptions of the fighting (presumably at Monte Cassino, May 1944), but ending rather abruptly with his promotion to Intelligence Officer (11 July 1944).
Content description
Ms diary (22 November 1942- 11 June 1944, 52pp) written in the form of letters to a friend (called Les), recounting his time spent as a leading aircraftsman in the RAF and covering his service in Algiers, Tunis and Italy, attached to various Fighter, but mainly Bomber Command units. Candid and well written, the diary includes good observations of the local scenery and customs; excellent descriptions of the many air raids and aerial combat scenes witnessed, including one where a piece of shrapnel entered the tent in which he was lying (and landed inches from his person, Algiers, November 1942); information on his encounters with the local traders and women (including in brothels on 18 April 1943 and on 30 June 1944); drinking and his social life in general; eloquent and thoughtful digressions on both religion and the progress of the war, including morale in the RAF; his temporary stay in hospital, because of an eye injury (April 1943); the advance into Tunis (May 1943); the landing at Salerno, Italy (September 1943) and on to Foggia (December 1943); good descriptions of the fighting (presumably at Monte Cassino, May 1944), but ending rather abruptly with his promotion to Intelligence Officer (11 July 1944).
History note
Cataloguer EP