18th and 19th January - Ron takes a trip to Haifa - but it's closed!

Saturday, 18th January, 1947

"January 19th 1947
Shafa Amr Police Training Depot
Group on a Sanger
with "Wilson Brown" Police Station
Right to left
Ron Brown  Jock Bruce  Blondy Pierson
Lofty Spencer (Ganet)  Paddy Graham

A Storm coming up so hurried snap."

Fine Today.  Lectures & Drill in the morning.  Passed the afternoon “Bull shitting” boots.

Heard this afternoon that it is my turn to go to Haifa on the “Passion Wagon”.  Left camp at 6.30pm with a party of 20 on a three ton truck bound for Haifa.

From 6.30pm Friday to 6.30pm Saturday Jewish Sabbath.  Not many shops reopen on Saturday night so not much to do.  All café’s & bars in Kingsway & Jaffa Rd. out of bounds.  I went to St Andrews Club for something to eat and wandered Haifa with another chap who used to be here in the R.A.F.  Several of our 20 inebriated, (fools to call it enjoyment)  [Ha! ...Dad enjoyed the odd pint of Tanglefoot later in life!]

Bought watch £4.10s [1]

Sunday, 19^th January

Rained slightly this morning after we had scrubbed out Barrack room.

Police Band gave recital at one o’clock today.  Very good.  Band composed of German Jews.  Finished Letter No. 3 home.  Wrote Joyce No. 4.  Billiard table now in use.  Played on it tonight.  Very Good. Lost Game.

[1] I remember this watch well.  Dad wore it for many years until one day, after mislaying it, he discovered it in the ashes of a garden bonfire he had made a few days before.