A Story of War

Was preparing for a long weekend in Missourie when Wigg suddenly comes into the pupils room to say that Dunford Wood and Haig will go down to Karachi tonight with Ft/Lt Gambert to collect three Audaxes. Johnny Benbow came down the other day from Karachi as Adjutant to the 7/15. Well, we left Ambala by Frontier Mail at 2.30, actually 4.30 after we;d spent time waiting on the platform, and managed to get an air-conditioned coach from Rokri, after all the Staff College had got out.

Arrived here yesterday, and spent the morning checking a.c and trying to swing the compasses. I have shot, correcting for coefficients ABC and the result is 342 degrees instead of 360 degrees. Eventually I try again and get it right.

After lunch Allan and I pick up Reggie Wall, and go to the Simonsons, and then I get 30 10.75mm cartidges off Suleiman Omer. Then to the boat club for swimming and tea. That evening, after drinks with the Simonsons, and chuff about twins and quins (as Joan’s ETA is next week sometime), Reggie, Allan and I dine at a Chinese Restaurant off “Stillborn baby soup”. Then on to the Gym Club and join up with Gambert (“Gosling”), Bishop and Nick Tremblett. A bottle of whisky is produced and Kummels for Reggie and Allan, and down we get to it. Towards the end I get Horse Evans over, and the Gosling prepares to pull his leg, finally ending up by being damn rude to him – all over nothing. Or rather over “us chaps who teach bloody Indians to fly and you young fighter boys”. Bishop in the meantime telling me about “2000lb overload and the soldier didn’t know how to fire his anti-tank rifle”. Saw Walsh, RA.