Click here for diary entry for Wednesday June 25th – Tuesday July 1st 1941 (cont)
Tuesday July 1st (cont)
87th Day
… to reach them. Caught train into Cairo, then train to Pyramids and Sphinx. Some stones in pyramids tremendous size, heaviest are over 75 ton. Sphinx had started to be worn away by weather. Shaping of it going. Whole of pyramids had at one time been covered with alabaster (transparent stone) but had since been removed when they looked for opening of tombs.
The temple of Sphinx granite & alabaster. Great big slabs, no sticking substance is used but stones are just placed together. Pity all the statues had been removed to Old Cairo museum. Tram & paved road runs right up to the base of them.
Wednesday July 2nd
88th Day
Weather terrible. All the boys absolutely done after the march.
Thursday July 3rd
89th Day
Paraded at 10 o’clock, far too hot to go on march. Two tents on caught fire through glass shinng in sun. Heat unbearable all you can do is lie on bed and sweat. Night manoeuvres.
Friday July 4th
90th Day
Weather still very hot. Missed routine march as we were company for duty. Had from 10AM in morning off. Received letter from Marg.
Saturday July 5th
91st Day
Routine march in morning. Wrote all afternoon. Weather very hot.
Sunday July 6th
92nd Day
Church Parade in morning. Had Band. Went to Helwan in afternoon to pick up film. Bought Marg birthday present (pyjamas). Passed Italian Prison Camp – over 1200 Iti & German Prisoners. Aerodrome opposite with about 50 dummy planes fixed to ground. These planes were only made of old sacking though are very realistic.
Returned to camp about 4 o’clock.
Click here for diary entry for Monday July 7th 1941 – Sunday July 13th 1941
14 Weeks Worth of Socks 
I admit I know little about WWII, other that the basic big stuff, so I’ve not heard of an “aerodome” or “dummy planes.” Can you tell me more about them?
I confess I know little about WWII either, probably like most people, more aware of the impact in Europe with the holocaust and also the bombing Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima. I know very little about the war in North Africa or through the Pacific.
I have in the last few years become more aware of the war in parts of Asia with visiting WWII locations in both Singapore and also more recently in Hong Kong.
So next to your questions 🙂
“Aerodrome” – I believe he is meaning a “small airport” and or an “airport of a military nature”. Apparently the word is used in UK English and through the commonwealth but not used in US English.
I couldn’t find any information about “dummy planes” but apparently “dummy tanks” were used a lot in WWII to try to deceive the enemy into thinking they had found their target. I assume they were doing the same in this case with giving the illusion of a squadron of fighter planes.
Some great info about “dummy tanks” is here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dummy_tank
Thanks for reading! (and if you work out any ??? words, feel free to help “translate”.
[…] Click here for diary entry for Tuesday July 1st 1941 (cont) – Sunday July 6th 1941 […]
Thanks! And thank you so much for translating and sharing your Grandad’s words. It is very special to read about history through one man’s eyes!
There is a lot more to come and over the next few post he moves closer to where the front lines are. There is some interesting stuff coming up. Thanks for reading 🙂
[…] Click here for diary entry for Tuesday July 1st 1941 (cont) – Sunday July 6th 1941 […]