5th & 6th January, 1948 - Heavy rain and future plans for the evacuation of Palestine..

Monday, 5^th January, 1948

What a beastly night it was last night.  From early in the evening when the heavy rain and cold set in it became gradually worse.  At about 3am I was awakened by a most terrific explosion which, if I had not known of the thunder storm raging outside, I should probably have attributed to Jewish origin.  I learned this morning, from one of the unfortunates who had to static guard in the storm that the explosion had been caused by a thunderbolt which, he said, had landed about three hundred yards away up the mountain.  Now the rains have started I expect they will continue through the winter.  It is only on rare occasions in England that I have seen rain fall as heavily as it did last night and this morning flooding the fields in just that period of time.

The cold has persisted though the rain has eased.  I sat in the recreation room this evening with about eight other chaps.  We all crowded around the fireplace competing with one another when a nearer chair became vacant.

Tuesday, 6^th January, 1948

This morning the Assistant Superintendent of Police held a meeting attended by all the Inspectors & Sergeants in the Sub-District.  I learned afterwards that it was to discuss the approaching evacuation of the country in as much as it would affect Nablus Division.  Apparently all, except a few H.Q. Staff, are moving to a Depot at Haifa or Jerusalem where they will await transport to take them home.  The Administration and Crime branches are all to be taken over by Arabs and a company or so of an Army Battalion are to defend the area until such time as the country is properly evacuated.  The Mayor is going to act as the Liaison Officer between the Police & the Army.  We have all been left very much in the dark over the whole affair and no-one yet knows any dates at which the handing over is likely to take place.  We rather think it will be in the very near future, and I for one am, in a way, looking forward to the move as it means one more step towards England and the beginning of a new job, a thing forced upon me.