23 Jun 1944, R. E. Jones Wartime diary

Rain & heavy cloud. Cleared up 4pm.

Flaherty buried, & in a coffin too. Many moons since coffins were seen, rice bags are the usual thing. (The wood was more or less stolen for this coffin anyway?)

Allies approaching Cherbourg 21st. Battle on 87mls front intensified in Italy 20th. Viipuri evacuate by Finns 20th. No news of S Pacific or Burma again today.

Poor food due to yesterdays non arrival of rations, & it doesn’t seem that they made up for it today.

Still rubbing in “new weapon” & now are threatening New York with trans-Atlantic super-rockets. Changsha occupying Jap attention at present per paper.

Small quantity of mutton available in town, the first in two years, Y40 per catty, or 2/4 per oz.

Yarn with Mary. Some camp yarns very malicious & dangerous. Joan tells of going into Prison & seeing Indian head hung on a wall. ((Not sure which Joan he is referring to.))

Vic Garten’s “Vaudeville” not so good.

H.M.King with Sir R. Campbell in Normandy 16th.