Grandad’s WWII Diary – Monday December 1st (cont) – Monday December 8th 1941

Dec 2-8

Click here for diary entry for Wednesday November 26th (cont) – Monday December 1st 1941

… off escarpment Jerry shelled convoy from Bardia. Dug in positions at ???. Maoris about 1 mile nearer Tobruk.

Tuesday December 2nd

241st Day

Enemy shelling – all convoys coming down escarpment. Flight of planes bombed Bardia. Let go everything at one enormous blast. Bardia put up terrific ack-ack barrage. Three enemy planes over last night – did not attack.

Wednesday December 3rd

242nd Day

Enemy convoy tried to reach Bardia. Maoris waited until 100 yards off them – let convoy have everything. 80 killed, 100 prisoners. Received lot of ??? – water very scarce. On minutes notice from 9 o’clock a big tank convoy broke through Sidi ??? (Sidi Rezegh?) – too much for 1 battalion.

Thursday December 4th

243rd Day

Reveille at 1AM. Pulled out ??? at 1.30AM. Heading back to Capuzzo. While on escarpment Indians opened up on us. Made Fort Capuzzo in double time. Indians still there. Only recieving mineral water – tastes just like salt water.

Friday December 5th

244th Day

Retook old positions at Capuzzo. Heavy artillery convoys passing through to “Hell Fire” Pass. Rather quiet day except for few shells. Quarter bottle of salty water for day. Rained hard at night getting saturated.

Saturday December 6th

245th Day

Quiet day. Wrote cards to Mum & Marg. Received 5 parcels. Tobacco more than welcome.

Sunday December 7th

246th Day

Moved positions – ack-ack platoon taking No8 place so defended perimeter. Artillery duel blasting most of day. Heavy bombing in distance. Planes over at night.

Monday December 8th

247th Day

Still rather quiet. Salty water awful to drink. ??? old Jerry tank in for ??? ???. Most of company armed with enemy ??? weapons.

The following extract from World War 2 Timelines website in order to put the above into perspective.

http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-the-desert/war-in-the-desert-index-1941.htm

05/12/1941	In order to mount a final attack on the British forces around Bir El Gobi, Rommel orders the evacuation of the eastern part of the Tobruk perimeter, but the attack fails.
07/12/1941	The German and Italian forces withdraw to a defensive position at Gazala.
08/12/1941	The Eighth Army officially relieves the Tobruk garrison.