AT THE SAME TIME AN OLD LEE ENFIELD 303 RIFLE WHICH I STILL HAVE PHOTOS OF CAME UP IN THE MUD,AND WE KEPT IT IN A LOCKER. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER I WAS SEVEERLY REPRIMANDED FOR HAVING MORE THAN ONE WEAPON. I COULD HAVE BEEN COURT MARSHALED FOR THAT APPARRENTLY. HOWEVER COMMON SENSE DID WIN THE DAY. HOW MANY MORE OF THESE MEMORIES ARE THERE ? LOADS. IN THE HILLS THERE WAS AN UNDERGROUND HOSPITAL ITALIAN I THINK. THE ONLY WAY IN WAS DOWN AIR SHAFTS THAT WERE STILL UNCOVERED, HOW EVER AFTER GROPING OUR WAY DOWN THERE WERE LIVE MORTER SHELLS THAT PEOPLE HAD FOUND AND DROPPED DOWN THE SHAFT IN AN ATTEMPT TO BLOW THEM UP . WE GOT BYE THESE AND FOUND LOTS OF THINGS LIKE TELEGRAMMS NOTE BOOKS SAW THE ROCKS ALL CARVED OUT TO FORM SHELVES ETC. EVEN FOUND A CLIP OF FIVE ROUNDS OF 303 BULLETS TUCKED IN A SMALL CREVICE IN THE ROCKS.

THE SUNSETS THERE WERE UNBELIEVABLE ONE COULD SEE THE SUN DROPPING BELOW THE SKYLINE, AND AS SOON AS IT WENT DOWN THE TEMPERATURE WOULD DROP BY ABOUT TEN DEGREES MAYBE MORE. CHECK YOUR BOOTS AND BERETS EVERY MORNING FOR SCORPIONS AND SMALL SNAKES. ONCE EXPERIMENTED WITH A SCORPION TO SEE IF THEY DO COMMIT SUICIDE DON`T YOU BELIEVE IT PUT IT IN A RING OF FIRE NOTHING. A CHAP WAS BOILING SOME WATER IN A CAN TO SHAVE SO HE DROPPED IT IN AFTER SHAVING THREW THE WATER OUT AND THE SCORPION WAS STILL ABLE TO CURL IT`S TAIL UP IN DEFENCE IT SCARED EVERYONE SO MUCH IT DID DIE RIGHT THERE.

WE WERE TOLD DO NOT GO TO THE BEACH OVERLAND MINES EVERYWHERE. ONE WEEKEND WE WERE TOURING THE CEMETARIES IN NORTH AFRICA AROUND TOBRUK, BOTH ENGLISH AND ONE GERMAN. PLACES OF SUPREME RESPECT FOR THE SACRIFICE ETC. CANNOT GET AWAY FROM THAT. ON THE WAY BACK LETS VISIT THE BEACH GOT PICTURES OF IT, ONE OF THE OTHER VEHICLES BLEW HIS FRONT WHEEL OFF NO ONE HURT THOUGH. WANDERING DONKEYS WERE ANOTHER HAZZARD ONE DRIVER CUT ONE IN HALF ON THE ROAD AT NIGHT.

AT THE CAMP ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOBRUK WAS A FUEL DEPOT AREA OF FIVE GALLON DRUMS FULL OF PETROL, ANY GUARD DUTY THAT WE DID WAS ON THIS FUEL DEPOT. NORMAL DUTY TWO HOURS ON FOUR OFF. ARMED WITH A PICKAXE HANDLE YOU PATROLLED THE AREA. ALWAYS EARLY HOURS 2AM TO 4AM YOU WOULD HEAR THE DRUMS BEING MOVED I SAID TO MYSELF IF YOU WANT IT YOU HAVE IT. MOST TIMES THE MILITARY POLICE WOULD CATCH THEM WALKING BACK TO TOWN WITH TWO DRUMS UNDER THEIR COATS. IF YOU FIND ANY OF THIS INTERESTING WANT TO KNOW MORE JOHNORAM1@BLUEYONDER.CO.UK COULD GO ON FOREVER.