A RANKER'S DIARY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 49, 6 May 1942, Page 5

A RANKER'S DIARY

GLIMPSES OF LIBYAN BATTLE

CAPTURED MAN'S EXPERIENCES

EVENTS FROM DAY TO DAY 1

The following diary extracts by] Signalman L. K. Ryan who was captured by the Germans and interned at BardLa until finally released bj* the South Africans will be of interest to those of our readers whose relatives participated in the Libyan

campaign. Dec. 20. Fine night but cold. Heavy gunfire. Coffee and cognac in morning, three bombers over about 10. We heard onlj T two bombs. Recon. plane directing gunfire. Issue of Carraway seed biscuits size about one inch by % x %; approx. 65 per man instead of hard biscuit. Very nice. All out of matches and cigarette papers by this time. Keep< our butts and roll in any sort of paper we can get. Sometimes the only place you can get a light is at the cookhouse. At times during the day you would not find one man in the 1100 with a cigarete alight. In the evening call for ten men to volunteer to move to wharf in readiness to go to Italy on next submarine. Plenty of volunteers for various reasons. Some felt can't stand much, more of what we were' putting up! with. 10.30 p.m. our guns opened up and shells came screaming, overhead. Thought the big moment had arrived but had doubts as to. whether we would live to see. it. Only lasted an hour or so but most of us nearly died of fright. Shrapnel falling in compound in soma quantity.

Dec. 27. Bombers over about 8, drop bombs. Several raids during morning in bunches of six or so. Wind still chilly, clouded over about lunch time. Feel a lot happier to know there is a bit more activity round about. Seed biscuits again r rice for lunch. Large square German biscuits for to-morrow's issue. Gunfire about 10 p.m. Commence by landing shells a hundred yardsr or so from us and then get further away. Hear them whistling past one© more and lie shivering with fear, and wonder when the gunners will make a mistake and drop one amongst us. After an hour or so it dies down. About midnight Ave hear a terrific amount of gunfire in the distance, but nothing came near us, thank goodness.

Dec. 2S. Bombers over all morning. Same guns (we think) open up once more, and again we hear shells whistling over head. Getting somewhat used to it by now, but it i\ no* thing like so fearsome in the daylight anyway. Synthetic rice for lunch, not as good as the real thing. Our bombers still laying eggs during afternoon, more shells in afternoon, which we know is a goad sign but while they are so close Ave can't get over exceed about it. Afternoon sunny with cold wind. Someone states that 110 planes is the total for the day. No arguments as it might be right.

Dec. 20. Cold night, slight activity. Beautiful day cool wind. One prisoner escaped a few days ago> and was recaptured last night. Guards say he was without food for three days, and he and his group commander will be on one biscuit with water for 10 days as punishment. Might mention that early in the peace we were divided into groups ol* 30 with a Sergeant in charge, for the purpose of ration issue and soiforth. This escapee had a diary, knife, blade razor, so all prisoners if in possession of any of these articles must hand same in right away, or else? Very little activity to-day. Ration truck failed to arrive at 5 p.m. usual time, so we fear a maj-* or disaster. Goi to bed rather worried . Most of us wait round the gate till 0 p.m. in the hope of seeing it a rri ve.