The Western Desert
We spent a day or so refitting, then left Sarafand for the last time, and the whole Brigade crossed the Sinai, bypassed Gaza, went through Beersheba, and as before, headed for El Quantara. (Canadian Chevrolet trucks 4*4). Instead of the old ferry there was now a pontoon bridge and quite quickly we reached Tel el Kebir. Great changes had been made. There were now showers, cinemas, roads, railway lines. It had expanded to become the biggest garrison in the Middle East, approximately 20 miles long and 10 miles in breadth. It had swallowed up two more villages.
We did not stay long because various regiments in the Division were picking up new tanks, so we moved to halfway between Alexandria and Cairo - Qatarba to the tank ranges for practice. We pulled moving targets, in the shape of tanks, back and forth while the gunners practised.
The "Division" was the 10th Armoured Division, consisting of the 8th and 9th Brigades, three regiments in each Brigade. The composition varied, and infantry was attached e.g. the Buffs or the Essex to the 8th.
From Qatarba we struggled up the Western Desert, through Mersa Matruh to Sidi Barrani where we had been two years before. Once again we made our way south heading for Jaghbub and Siwa. Jerry had broken through at Tobruk and the 8th Army was in full retreat. We changed direction and headed west. As we went west we met others retreating east all shouting, "you're going the wrong way!" but we carried on regardless. We came to a valley - a Wadi - and got the shock of our lives. The whole Wadi was packed full of armour: tanks, guns, lorries. It was unbelievable! It was the Anzacs - the 1st New Zealand Division, with around 20,000 infantry - some of them Maoris. We drove up to them and stopped. There was hardly any b----y room.
In the afternoon, planes came roaring down the Wadi, shaking their wings. They were Stukas - dive bombers. Every gun opened up. Bombs dropping, tracers flying up, machine guns, Bofors guns -all hell let loose! Not one plane was shot down. How they could all have missed I'll never know. When they were gone, the only damage was two trucks burning. I was under my lorry. P.A.D. it was called. Passive Air Defence - do nowt!
Of course, the Stukas did their reporting. All the N.Z. guns had been facing south, expecting attack from the quarter. Flares were dropped all night. It was as light as day, and Rommel came from the north - not called the desert fox for nothing. Early on, shells were landing from the Panzers - softening us up. The Anzacs couldn't turn because of overcrowding and we were between them and Rommel. We had to move sideways, eastwards, to let them prepare for battle.
Then we got word that Mersa Matruh was being bombed, and the stores being destroyed. The trucks in our column were ordered up to Matruh to bring out the stores - we loaded up with tea, sugar etc. A great system of barter was set up. We had tea; we were rich! Of course, this job had its dangers and a lot of us were wounded. This was the start of the war in the air.
I was taken with another bloke, and dropped off a defence truck to dig in and cover a small Wadi with a Bren gun. Well, we dug in, covered with our net. Number two on the gun busied himself filling the magazines. After a few hours, down below us in the Wadi appeared a Bedford truck. A Sergeant came up on foot. "Bring the gun and ammo, We're surrounded". I couldn't believe it! There was only the Bedford to be seen. We left our hole, left my coat, blanket, my faithful dixie, and carried the Bren and the ammo. We clamped the Bren on to the steel shaft fitting on the truck, ready for action.
We sped off and here, crawling along eastwards, a whole line of German tanks. They never fired - they must have seen us - perhaps we were beneath their notice! We carried on till we saw Ruweisat Ridge and hit the tapes (Alamein). They led us to the front line - led us to a wooden bridge over the trenches. They were full of infantry, down below, looking up at us. Behind them were all our new tanks. We were interviewed, and told how to find the rest of the Brigade. We caught up with them at Amiriya near Alexandria. September '42.
I should explain that "the tapes" were put down when fighting a rearguard action, to show where the mines were. The last lot through lifted the tapes.
Back we went to Amiriya to the remnants of the Brigade. They had all been scattered. We stayed there until all units were complete, and we were refurbished with all the equipment and clothing that had been lost in the retreat. This must have taken about two weeks. I got letters from old friends in Cairo. Blackie from Newtongrange got a lift over to Alex to see me. I heard that Nicolson, Woodley, Barbour and Campbell were all enjoying life in the Cairo workshops. Now, after about 18 months at the various fronts, and I had been 2 years, one was entitled to be posted to a depot. I put word about that I should go back to Cairo.