page 178 — June 1942

suppose it may mean a sea evacuation, in which John’s boat may well take part—and his relief hadn’t arrived in his last letter. … zlb zfl zsl

Monday 22^nd

… Sevastopol holds. Tobruk has fallen—25,000 of our troops with it—not exactly exhilarating. John may have to help in the evacuation, if there’s time for one. ‘After two weeks of constant dive bombing …’ —extract from one of his medical reports. Poor John—and Mommy and Daddy. What a lousy life for him—and God knows how many others. Japs in one of the Aleutian isles. zru zlb zwf zdg znb

Cheerful, what!! …

[See note]

Tuesday 23^rd

… Tobruk quite gone, action as follows. We at first appeared to be doing well, but the Germans established a base through our minefield, so we had to withdraw, as the 150th Brigade and S. African division were about to be cut off (June 19th). We withdrew to the [Egyptian] frontier, leaving a garrison at Tobruk which proved to be insufficient. A strategical error losing some 200 tanks, 29,000 men. Bad. … zlb zwf zwc

Wednesday 24^th

… After 3^rd prep., Donald Soper answered questions—explained  5 points of the Malvern conference [of 1941, where Christians discussed the principles on which peace should be made when the war ended]—a combined religious basis for post-war social system, it boils down to socialism, and when I asked him he agreed about it—he is one. I also asked him what he thought of Russia as compared to Christianity, and he said that Russia Christianised must be the basis of p. war reconstruction—good. They certainly could do with some I should say. All this was very interesting. (He’s the bloke what answers questions each week on Tower Hill). I also asked about the soul and essentiality for future life—getting unsatisfactory answers—I’d like to go on. zrl zrc