An account of Army Life
During World War II
experienced by Bernard Welburn
last updated January 21, 2019
An account of Army Life
During World War II
experienced by Bernard Welburn
last updated January 21, 2019
| Epochs and Theatres
of War please follow the links below to visit each part of the story. |
||||||
|
Middle-East + Egypt
|
Italy | |||||
| Activities heading to and in the Middle East, and Egypt | |||
| Date | Location | Comments | |
| 3 Aug 42 | Dhond, India | Discharged to duty, joined unit at Dhond | |
| 17 Aug
42 - 4 Sep 42 |
Bangalore, India | Went on leave. | |
| Aug/Sep 42 | Bangalore |
|
Photograph watermarked with 'TS Rajoo & Sons - Bangalore' It is assumed this photo was taken on the leave mentioned above. |
| 6 Sep 42 | Jhansi, India | Joined 2nd Echelon, Indian. | |
| 12 Sep 42 | Dhond, India | rejoined unit | |
| 18 Sep 42 | Entrained | ||
| 19 Sep 42 | Bombay (Mumbai) | arrived in the morning, marched 4 miles to Calabe[?] re-inforcement camp. | |
| 21 Sep 42 | Alexandria | ended up back here. (Monday morning) | |
| 23 Sep 42 | Embarked on H.T "Neuralia", sailed on a Wednesday. | ||
| 28 Sep 42 | Persian Gulf | Entered the Gulf in the morning, very "gharram" here. [Hindi - meaning hot] | |
| 1 Oct 42 | Margil Port, Basra - Iraq | Disembarked at 1600 hrs (thursday). Marched to Margil station + awaited a train due at 1900 hrs. | |
| 2 Oct 42 | Az Zubayr, Basra - Iraq | Entrained finally at 0030 hrs. Detrained at Zubaire and occupied 39 rest camp. Not a very brilliant outlook. | |
| 3 Oct 42 | Shaiba Junction | Entrained, headed for Baghdad at 1900 hrs. | |
| 4 Oct 42 | Baghdad west, Iraq | Arrived at 1030 hrs. Joined 2nd Echelon. Not a very well-run joint, and no living accomodation except roof over offices. | |
| 13 Oct 42 |
 |
The British Institute Club (White Lodge - Baghdad West) Pianoforte Recital by Professor Julian Hertz |
|
| 22 Oct 42 | Baghdad west, Iraq | Entrained at 1400 hrs (thursday). | |
| 23 Oct 42 | Az Zubayr, Basra - Iraq | Arrived at 1200 hrs. Brilliant looking joint to have to stay long in. Roll on Cairo! | |
| Oct 42- May 43 | Az Zubayr, Basra - Iraq | Existed at 02E PAIFORCE for 7 months. Least said about the Iraq winter the better. | |
| 24 Dec 42 |
 |
"1st
Winter Meeting Zubair" Horse racing on Christmas eve in Iraq! 
|
|
| 25 Dec 42 |
 |
Christmas
Dinner Menu PAIFORCE Iraq |
|
| 18 May 43 | Az Zubayr, Basra - Iraq | Departed Zubair for Baghdad. | |
| 19 May 43 | Baghdad, Iraq | entered 110 Transit Camp. | |
| 30 May 43 | left in Navin convoy (8 ton trucks) for Damascus. | ||
| 1 Jun 43 | Damascus, Syria | Arrived 0130 hrs (tuesday) | |
| 3 Jun 43 | Haifa, Palestine Mandate | Departed Damascus and arrived Haifa 0030 hrs. | |
| 5 Jun 43 | Departed Haifa (saturday) | ||
| 6 Jun 43 | Cairo, Egypt | Arrived Cairo main station. Happy days - back in Cairo at 02E MEF. | |
| Port Jewfih | Did a weeks detatchment and a week at Amirya on Mors. Con. Work [?] | ||
| Nice to meet all old friends Cecille, Eda, Laila, Addy Shuhari, Victoria, Lily Wafeya, George, Emille, Mumtaz, Haleem, Flora, Milad Raoof, Sonia, Bahiha, Jayfor Effendi + Mohammed Damendash. | |||
| 24 Jun 43 |
 |
Written
on reverse: "This is not as good as I should have liked it to be darling, but with it goes all my ever fondest love + kisses yours forever Bernard. Cairo - June 24th 1943" |
|
| 27 Jun 43 |
 |
Cinema
ticket Metro Cinema |
|
| 2 Jul 43 |
|
Cinema ticket 2-7-43 handwritten on back |
|
| Continued at 02E MEF as unit sep + carried on friendly relations with civilian friends. Strong urge to marry but thought twice and prevented same. | |||
| Horror of Horrors - posted to 7th Queens Own Hussars - cavalry. Had applied for commission + prevented posting for a few days while having test at the ME OSB. Not reccomended for commn. President stated "It is a far cry from agricultural work to Orderly Room Sergeat". Apparently no Oxford accent - no double-barelled name - no commission. | |||
| 27 Dec 43 | Joined 7th (QO) Hussars and took up reigns of office ar ORS. Orderly Room in a pretty good state + can forsee a lot of hard work to lick it into shape. | ||
| 22 Jan 44 | Cairo | Had a trip to Cairo + returned via Jamalia to collect stationary next day. Very nice to see old friends again. | |
| 23 Jan 44 |
 |
Movement Order REVEILLE to CAIRO | |
| 27 Jan 44 | Jayid | Moved back to Jayid, to a new camp, Got a very good orderly room in a Nissan hut. | |
| 29 Jan 44 | Bin Beida, Egypt | Had one day at Fayid and moved to Bin Beida, south of Suez for trig [?] Very very cold here and rough compared to 02E | |
| 22 Feb 44 |
 |
Movement order FANARA to ISMAILIA | |
| Jan 44 | Took part in Excercise "TUSSLE" - largest armoured manouvres ever held in Egypt. Hid in the Wadi HAGUL for a week + did own DR work with office truck. Horrible job across open desert + truck continually breaking down. | ||
| 10 Mar? 44 |  |
Cinema ticket! | |
| 17 Mar 44 | Ataqa, egypt | Moved out again for Dryshod trig[?] (Combined Ops). | |
| Fayid | Returned to same camp as before after Dryshod for another spell. Had 2 more trips to Cairo - very [?] | ||
| 5 Apr 44 |
 |
Movement order FANARA to CAIRO | |
| 9 Apr 44 | Kabrit | Moved out once again for Kabrit to do Wetshod trig[?] on comb. ops. on Easter Sunday, this time not to return. | |
| 16 Apr 44 | Ras Muhaccara | Easter Sunday moved to Ras Muhaccara on Ain Sukhna track to Suez to a camp close to the sea + prepared for emb-[embarkation?] Only luxury a dip in the sea every day. Horrible sandstorms most of the time. | |
| Undated Paperwork from the middle east | |
 |
Cinema Ticket King Faisal Cinema Ticket - Iraq |
 |
Cinema Ticket Zawbra Openair Cinema - Iraq? |
 |
Cinema Ticket B.T.I
Cinema [Basra, Iraq] |
 |
Cinema Ticket R.A.F Shaibah Cinema [Basra Airbase, Iraq] |
| Epochs and Theatres
of War please follow the links below to visit each part of the story. |
||||||
|
Middle-East + Egypt
|
Italy | |||||
