12th and 13th February, 1948 - Ron hits a losing streak at Table Tennis and has to polish up his gun...

Thursday, 12^th February, 1948

After yesterday’s lesson I did not lie back in bed after my alarm clock had wakened me at 7.45am.  In company with the other members of my room we repaired to the dining room and the guards “ate a hearty breakfast.”

This morning I played six games of table tennis and am still unable to account for my losing each and every one of them.

In the afternoon I indulged in a favourite occupation of mine, letter writing.  I wrote one letter a ten paged one to my mother, father & sister.  I hope my correspondents enjoy reading my letters as much as I enjoy writing them.  Todays letter what (sic - was) built around the themes of how I exercise my brain and how I remain sane on a six hour static guard point.

 

Friday, 13^th February, 1948

“Friday the 13^th,” the chaps shout, “I’m keeping my head down today.”

It was on a Friday 13^th that I signed my last document, my attestation, on arriving in Jenin.

The day was one of the quietest since we have been here.  It was spoiled by a rifle inspection held in the afternoon.  After all the recent rain I had several very bad rust spots

on my rifle and in preparation for the inspection I had to spend a great part of the morning & afternoon removing these.  About 60 of us were on the Parade.  I was in the rear rank.  The officer inspecting thoroughly examined the rifles of those in the front rank then the rain began to pour down so that he only glanced at the rifles in the rear rank.