Click here for entry for Thursday 15th October – Monday 19th October 1942

Tuesday October 20

Day 563

Enemy shelling part of positions.  Several dog fights.  Beaufighter (British long-range heavy fighter aircraft) shot down – then strafed by 7 M.E 109s (German Messerschmitt Bf 109 aircraft).  During night 60 pounder sent over barrage in preparation for attack.

Wednesday October 21

Day 564

Fairly quiet day.  Airforce bombing his positions heavily.  Another barrage at night by ???.

Thursday October 22

Day 565

Increased air operation.  Shown map of objective.  Believe attack tomorrow night.

Friday October 21

Day 566

Order for attack at night.  Aussies on coast – Scottish – NZ – then South Africans.  Zero hour – 9.30PM when terrific barrage started full length of front.  Battalion to advance 4000 yards to objective.  Crossed first mine-field about 10PM then barrage lifted.  100 yards each 3 minutes.  Crawled & passed through both of his minefields.  Many casualties through our barrage.  Jerry opened up with machine & mortar fire.  Believe advancing too quickly, penned down by our artillery 10 minutes last in taking objective – just clearing last pockets and received one through foot.  After crawling and hobbling for several hours arrived at M.D.S. (Mobile Dressing Station) at 4AM.  Barrage not easing up.

Saturday October 22

Day 567

Barrage continues – foot burning terribly but classed as a sitting patient and shifted back to C.C.S (Casualty Clearing Station) just west of Borg El Arab.  Huge flights of bombers flying to battle-field.  Remained at C.C.S for night.

Sunday October 23

Day 568

Moved to ambulance station and in hospital train to ??? to 2nd British General.  Hospital composed of mostly large tents.  Hospital on canal somewhere near ???.  3 other Kiwis in same ward.

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-1942.htm

23/10/1942

The Second Battle of El Alamein begins with a 1,000-gun bombardment. The Eighth Army gains ground on a 6-mile front and repulses Axis counter-attacks.

Click here for entry for Monday 26th October – Tuesday 3rd November 1942