Oliver Perks' Wartime Blog Summaries

Oliver Perks' Wartime Blog 1 - 1940-41

Being called up from Oxford.
Being best man for Clifford and Ruth.
The 16th Field Training Regiment in Exeter (practices Woodbury Common; gun seized up; regimental marches) August 1940.
Posting to 123rd Officer Cadet Training Unit in Catterick (Lance Bombardier and posting to Weston-super-Mare; Inspection by HM King George VI on the beach lawns) November 1940.
Journey via Cape Town to Tufia (Suez) on SS Empress of Asia (jugs of water, stokers, rough weather) April-July 1941.

Oliver Perks' Wartime Blog 2 - 1941

Arrival in Suez July 1941.
Travelling to Cyprus from Alexandria on HMNZS Leander.
Cyprus (Larnaca, one star whiskey, sea swimming with the battery).
Egypt (gas course, Cairo).
Port Said November 1941.

Oliver Perks' Wartime Blog 3 - 1941-1942

Palestine (Haifa, Kibbutz, Jordan valley calibration shoot, swimming in the Dead Sea) November 1941.
Egypt (Christmas near Alexandria; Goods train to Sidi Barrani; Getting lost during night time troop watch) end of 1941 early 1942.
The desert near Alexandria just before Christmas 1942 (Gazala Line column patrols, leaving the gun behind, ammunition safety devices doing their job).
Bir Hakeim - falling into the ammunition pit.
A night move near Bir Hakeim and misadventurous tea making.

Oliver Perks' Wartime Blog 4 - 1942

Martuba airfield (JU87 Stukas; wounded in the legs) 21 March 1942.
Tobruk Hospital, Stuka Raid on Tobruk Harbour and Journey to Alexandria (Duke of Gloucester's visit; 'Mae West' naval nurse; shaving).
63rd General Hospital at Helmieh, Cairo and 2 convalescent camps (delayed skin graft; moving from number 5 to number 2 convalescent camp).

Oliver Perks' Wartime Blog 5 - 1941-42 Overview

Oliver's time in the Royal Artillery from his posting to Weston-super-Mare in 1941 until his evacuation to Cairo in 1942. Note that Blogs 1 through 4 cover this period in more detail.

Oliver Perks' Wartime Blog 6 - 1942

Abbassia barracks - and bed bugs.
Stuart tank course.
An evening with Mr. Hannah.
Tank Delivery Regiment 8th Army.
Escorting prisoners - Italian and German.

Oliver Perks' Wartime Blog 7 - 1942-1943

The train from Cairo to Haifa - getting left behind in Sinai.
Course at OCTU - an Australian's struggle with his gas mask.
Swimming with the Australians, a march with full kit and assault course, Christmas 1942.
The importance of drill; and variations on 'idleness'.
The story of the purple hose tops.
Exam results and moving on to the Royal Artillery base depot.

Oliver Perks' Wartime Blog 8 - 1943

Royal School of Artillery at the RABD in Almaza and Tiger Jarvis.
Gunnery theory with Major Pope.
The mess near Cairo: a leaky corrugated iron roof, brandy and ginger.
Kit allowance spent on high living in Alexandria.
On draft to Sicily - July 1943.

Oliver Perks' Wartime Blog 9 - 1943

Picnic on the beach, August bank holiday.
I don't know old boy, I don't know (Lt. Col. I.G.G.S Hardie D.S.O.).
Leaving the trucks, time in Carubba and the wooden signs made there.
Red wine, a long sleep and a clear head for marching.
Return convoy to the UK, arriving in Avonmouth, November 1943.
Military police and the Duke of Beaufort on the quay.

Oliver Perks' Wartime Blog 10 - 1943

Leave for a week.
Preparing for D-Day (re-equipping, re-training and re-equipping with self-propelled guns).
Waterproofing course in Rhyll, and testing the tanks.
OP Shermans, detonating fuse and a new dummy gun.
Run-and-shoot demonstration exercise at Studland fired in the wrong direction.
Getting stuck in a bog with Major Gilbert Wells.