22 Nov 1942, W J Carrie's wartime diary

I am really all better now - I had horrid gastritis and am sure it was just because I was trying to "feed up". It was rotten while it lasted - for a while I had to go off rice altogether - I got such awful fermentation and belched rotten eggs at one end and could have filled a Zeppelin at the other! Early on Smalley gave me Streptocide - that stopped it at once but it started again the next day.

I am feeling all right now. Our Red Cross Parcel was perfect - a slab of Chocolate, 1 tin Boiled Beef and carrots and Dumplings, Galantine, Bacon, Margarine, Jam, Biscuits, Cheese, Potted Meat, Creamed Rice (Rice in thick Devonshire Cream - luscious!) a Jam Pudding, Condensed Milk and some Tea and Sugar. It fairly put me on my feet again - then there is some bulk stuff - we are to get sugar, tea, cocoa, dried fruits and bully beef. The issue is being spaced out to last till the end of March.

Then the news is splendid. The landings in North Africa have stirred us and the latest battle in the Solomons. It can't be so very long now.

I had one awful disappointment however this week - some letters arrived from home but none for me. I hear Ben Evans heard from his sister that Margot is in England but no letter from Margot. I am sure lots have gone astray. If a letter is too long or is not very legibly written - almost printed - the Jap Censors just don't bother about it and there it lies. I wish Edith had written - I hear it was announced over the wireless last July (all the letters are dated early in July) that a mail was going to Lourenco Marques and would reach H.K. but she may not have heard it. Well I must just still have patience. Dora's birthday was yesterday - I gave her a cake of toilet soap - much sought after and very expensive now but I have two or 3 cakes yet. I had a coffee and cake with her at 10.30am! Bertie sent a cake in to her - how he did it D.O.K.

Bombers have been over H.K. again today and we wonder when the offensive about here will start. We hope they don't hit the power station - so much of our cooking is done by electricity.

Goodnight L.O. AMLA B.B.