Palestine
It was when I was at Khyat Beach that I got sand fly fever. It's like malaria, except that it doesn't recur. You run a very high temperature, hot, next minute shivering. The hospital was absolutely full - even the corridors were full. I was taken by ambulance to the hospital at Nazareth. While I was there, General Wavell announced on the B.F. Network that Italy had entered the war. From then on, the Med was closed and all supplies and troops would have to make the long journey round the Cape and up through the Red Sea and Suez. Italy declared War on 10th July 1940 and Paris fell 14th June 1940.
Aftermath of Italian air raid on oil terminal at Haifa
When hostilities ceased, and France accepted terms, on 25th June, what concerned us all was the number of French Foreign Legion troops, all over the Middle East under the control of the Vichy government. We knew trouble would come from them.
Meantime, we continued as before, but realised that the war was on its way to us. The driving instruction was mostly completed; we learned navigation, map reading, how to use sun compasses.
Aftermath of Italian air raid on oil terminal at Haifa
On one of my leave days I went to visit Jerusalem. I went through the Allenby Gate in the wall, into the old city - walked down the Via Dolorosa, saw all the stations of the Cross, and right down into Gethsemane. I went to the Church of all Nations at the foot of the Mount of Olives. I remember St Stephen's Gate where the first Christian martyr was stoned. There was even a room of the Last Supper! I visited the Wailing Wall. It was most interesting - made a great impression. I remember it very clearly: as if it were yesterday!