Author: 2nd Lieut CDC Dunford Wood
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October 17th 1940
Hugh still missing. Nothing of note for a month now. I just live and eat and sleep – or seem to. Saw David Cole get married the other day. There won’t be many girls left when I get home, if I ever do. A bit of bridge with Rosemary Abbott, though she can’t really play.…
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September 26th 1940
Nothing of note. Letter from Tony Cotterill, Wana getting sniped and the other day 6 B.O.’s and 3 orderlies out exercising hounds were ambushed by 30 Dushmen at 200′ range. Two horses were hit and the remainder missed. However, Arthur Murray and an orderly fell off in the general confusion and bolt for home, and…
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September 12th 1940
Letter from Ma saying Hugh missing on 11th June. “He went on a raid in his Blenheim, the most glorious hot day and though no fighter was after him, he was under fearful A.A. barrage and went up to 7000′ and was seen no more – ” Peggy (JDW: Hugh’s new wife) produces a daughter…
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September 5th 1940
Set off for Nasirabad on 30th. Took over train, but my lilo was punctured of course, and with John Stephenson I set off. Parted company at Lahore, where he went on to Solon. Got onto the metre gauge railway at Bhatinda and nearly shook my guts out. Fed very well on a tin or two…
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August 25th 1940
Letter from Uncle George dated July 12th sympathising with the loss of Hugh. (JDW: his elder brother, a pilot flying Blenheims for 21 Squadron in the RAF, who went missing over France in 6th June 1940 and is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension ). First I knew of it, and he doesn’t make it…
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August 19th 1940
Went off to Peshawar on Thursday for the weekend. Had some stomach trouble and car conked out at Attock – this was mended (carburetter) by a lorry driver and I reach Peshawar Club and hand it over to Ghulam Sarwar. Dudley Withers in Srinagar unfortunately, and I know what he is doing! A chap called…
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August 13th 1940
Went and had a drink with Ray the other night. Abbo and Willie expecting to go home any time now. Freeland apparently commanding Razmak. That’ll be nice for them. Not feeling too good these days. I seem to be getting fat and unable to chase a foot or a squash ball with as much vigour…
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August 8th 1940
Dick went off to hospital and died on the night of 6/8. He had been ill on and off for three weeks, and it appeared to be stomach trouble. The post mortem said it was an enlarged heart which had choked him. He always was a runner, and I suppose he strained it. It didn’t…
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August 5th 1940
The car not too good in petrol. The snake tongued salesman said 30-40 per gallon. The first two gallons went 20 miles and the next three since have done about 23 miles each. The carburettor needle is wrong. Henriques and young Fisher killed, and Halliday got an MC in Egypt. Had drinks with Abbott last…
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July 27th 1940
I now have a car, Triumph 8hp of about ’31 vintage. I went down with Pat Kenny to look at second hand cars and found this, which the experts think is OK. Got down from Rs650 to Rs525 and even then the fellow had a hell of a profit. Kenny did the bargaining, I signed…
A Story of War 