Tuesday 17th
… JTC—I have now a battle dress, minus spats and forage cap. First we had a talk by Major Low, who turned out to be none other than Prof. A.M. Low [physicist and radio engineer]. It was a lecture on how to avoid boredom by observing nature—very good, with frequent humorous interludes. Then he showed us some scientific conjuring tricks with military significance. zct zmc zlu zsa zwl
We then inspected a reccy armoured car (Humber!) [which carried a 25 pounder gun], carrier pigeons and, very interesting, a field dressing station. The description of the uses of the various instruments was given by the sergeant, a cheery individual, [who] caused faintness on F’s part. He was rather cheerful about the importance of sharpness in an amputating saw. zct zmo zwp zsg zmw zgk
Saturday 21st
News for last three days—We have passed Benghazi, fighting starts in Tunis, Russian victory in Caucasus, Stalingrad unchanged, Jap. defeat in New Guinea. … zwf zlb zru zws
Monday 23rd
… Works in the afternoon—to Mrs. Hamnet at Trevone. There was next to nothing to be did, but we did it as long as we could … zhk zsu zgk
The Russians seem to have made a successful offensive on the Don, cutting railway lines important for Stalingrad. … zru zlb
Thursday 26th
Nice long letter from a recuperating Daddy, growing fatter at Glatting. He said “I think as a family we have combined the job of remaining individuals and a loyal group pretty well”—he hoped that it had been partly due to Mommy and he not being too coercive and dictatorial—and in having married young. Which is very true and lovely, and also is what we are aiming for in the world. Poor old Johns had dysentery—but zfl zil zop zem
