Monday 2nd
The Allies break through the final Axis defence lines on Sicily.
Thursday 5th
This day we moved to near Lentini which is more inland & nearer Catania our final objective. We did not get there till evening being part of the rear party. Johnny & I immediately after a meal set to work erecting our net & camouflaging it. That night the diarrhoea was very bad indeed.
Friday 6th
I woke up & felt really weak & ill & when I went on parade the officer told me I could go & lie down, which was all I could do anyway. “The Professor” one of the R.A. fellows had also diarrhoea badly & they arranged for the transport to an M.O. in the afternoon. This took the form of a jeep & with the bumping on the roads I felt pretty sore in the stomach when I arrived. He just gave us a dose of the old castor oil & told us to eat nothing until the following day & keep off all fruit with skins & pips including tomatoes. That night I felt pretty bad & also sore about the behind. During the evening “Dusty” was taken very ill with the complaint & was sick as well he was carted off immediately to hospital. That night I was in the net on my own Johnny was on guard. I must say all the fellows had been very decent to me while I had been ill & it meant the fatigues came round a lot quicker.
Saturday 7th
This was a very memorable day for me & the beginning of what proved to be a very tiresome journey. I went sick for treatment again but we went this time to a nearer M.O. in “Lentini”. I took no kit with me never imagining I would need it. The M.O. saw me & looked at my sit upon & said I had external piles. This shook me somewhat & he said I would have to go into hospital & have them removed. I therefore made my way from there to the 7 C.C.S nearby & the lads who were going back said they would send my small kit on to me. Well I got to this place & after hanging around in a marbled floored passage. A bunch of us went into a room & were interviewed by an officer who verified the M.O. diagnosis & put on my card “Evacuate Sitting”. We then went into the passage again & ate dinner of which I had little. I also managed to ring up & asked for my kit to be sent by D.R. Due to it not coming early I did not go with the first lot evacuated who I believe stopped in Sicily. I went eventually & was told I would be going by air. This shook me again for the second time in the day. We went by lorry to the airfield & our names were taken & we clambered aboard a D.C.3 which I noticed had no Red Cross markings on & off we went to N. Africa & I flew over Pantelleria this time. We landed a El Aouina (Tunis) & went to an R.A.F. General Hospital. Here we were interviewed & the M.O. decided not to lop off the piles & I was put in a Medical ward.
In Hospital
Things passed much the same each day we were roused very early & went to sleep very early. To begin with I was only allowed fluids to drink & felt very hungry I was also getting medicine and ointment for the piles although they never really pained me at all. Everything was quite pleasent & I was sleeping between sheets in lovely well sprung beds. I had just got onto solid food & was feeling a lot better when they decided to evacuate all the army personel & on Friday 13th we went down to the aerodrome again & into the D.C.2’s & were flown from there along the coast west to Philippeville. Here we were taken to the 67 General Hospital & our ward here was a big marque but very comfortable. I had quite a good time & did a little work being an up patient by now & helped to collect meals from the cookhouse & serve them out & wash up. I also had issued here a suit of blues. I also managed a swim in the blue Mediterranean which was about 100 yds from the hospital. I was eventually passed as fit & told I would be going to the G.R.T.D. the following day & had issued to me a blanket, KD longs, kit bag & mosquito net.
Friday 13th
The allies bomb Rome, Turin and Milan.
Saturday 14th
Badoglio declares Rome an open city.
Sunday 15th
The allies launch an assault on Messina.
Tuesday 17th
The last Axis defences on Sicily crumbled today as British and American troops met up in Messina, opposite the toe of Italy. The whole of Sicily is now in Allied hands. Long-range guns are already pounding coastal batteries on the mainland, Allied warships are shelling the coast roads out of Reggio, and bombers are harrying targets along the length of Italy.
John Daly, an American broadcaster, was with the first platoon to reach Messina city hall at 8:25 am – 50 minutes ahead of the British. “We did not arrive in style,” he reported. “In fact we walked the last seven miles practically on tip-toe, fearing to touch abandoned equipment lest it contained booby-traps. We watched the ground for mines until our eyes ached.”
Then, at 9:15 am, “a lieutenant colonel of the Eighth Army drove up to the advancing Americans. All he said was: “Hello, Yanks. Congratulations.” Daly added: “The city is a complete ruin. Bombs and craters take the place of streets and buildings. The few people were listless and haggard with the horror of what they had been through.”
Tuesday 24th
This day I left hospital & my troubles began & went to 7 Company 6 Brigade 1 G.R.T.D. During my stay here all efforts to get back to my unit failed. We had Basic training including Route Marches, weapon training & also fatigues & generally messing us about but no sign of a posting back to Sicily. Here I met a couple of nice fellows Syd who came from Whally Range & George. I also saw Sgt. Avins, Signalman Badcock & Tubby Stevens all of whom I knew in 8 AA. The day after I arrived there a draft came in & who should turn up but Freddie Lee a fellow whom I knew when I first joined up. He had been able to rise to the rank of W/Of. Whilst here I saw & played the old game of “Diddle & buck if you put it down you can’t pick it up” or Crown & Anchor & lost on it every time I played. Still it taught me. While here I also tried to become a wireless op & later on an E/S both I was promised various things but nothing came of it much to my disgust.