27th & 28th January, 1948 - On guard again Ron manages to sort out the Army - then gets 'decorated.'

Tuesday, 27^th January, 1948

A bitterly cold morning, I spent this morning on guard.  The Royal Artillery men who are doing a twenty four hour check on the road which passes us are fortunate in only working two hours on followed by four hours off.  They thus have a chance to recover the heat lost in the two hours on.

This week’s static is much less boring than was last week’s as there is an almost continuous flow of traffic on the road & pavement.  My friend and I chat to the soldier who is checking pedestrians’ passes as they enter the zone.  Occasionally he meets with an obstical (sic) for with his “muckers” he knows next to nothing of the Arabic language, we are then able to sort out the trouble for him.

One of my friends took quite seriously a comment I made at dinner to the effect that he sponsored a trip to the cinema for my guard friend & I.  He producing the necessary money was surprising and very pleasing for with the greater number of chaps in camp I have for a change reached the stage of being “broke.”

Wednesday, 28^th January, 1948

(He mentioned Mules -  I can't resist posting this one again...)

The plans I had made for this morning had all to be cancelled when workmen arrived to distemper the barrack room.  They did the walls and the ceiling and the greater part of the floor with a pleasant yellow wash.  It took us the rest of the morning to remove that portion on the floor and windows.  The doors have been painted green and although bare of any wall adornments the room is now looking at least respectable.

I was working the evening shift today from 2pm to 10pm with a break for dinner.  After this break I went into the actual buildings of the Socony Vacuum for the first time.  I also entered the stables where 21 mules are housed.  I had a long and interesting chat with the Groom who was very pleased to find an Englishman who could speak Arabic.  He has been on night-work for about ten years so probably has not spoken to many Englishmen anyway

25th & 26th January, 1948 - The Socony Co benefits from Ron's watchfulness and he gets to know his Army comrades

Sunday, 25^th January, 1948

The beginning of another week and a new series of “Static Guards” of “Stags” as the army call them.  This week I am guarding the filling station of the American “Socony Vacuum Co.[1]”  Alternating, one day I do from 7am to 2pm the next from 2pm to 10pm.  This post is in the zone in which our billet is situated and as it is so near we are walked to and from duty accompanied by a sergeant.  Why I do not know.

There is a certain cult existing among the sergeants who try to make all our live as regimental as possible.  Fortunately they do not succeed as they are balanced out by other more sensible men.  We are paraded by the former type, a quarter of an hour before proceeding on duty.  The roll is called.  Certain men are detailed to draw Thompson Machine Guns for which no less than three books now have to be signed.  After this we are “fallen out onto the truck or duty sergeants”

Monday, 26^th January, 1948
I made the most of my morning off this morning, the first for a week, to lie in bed until eight o’clock.  After breakfast I had a few games of table tennis – a very popular game here – then I dressed and took a walk to the Y.M.C.A. where my friend (a friend indeed) stood me a cup of tea and two of the fancy cakes to be had at the counter there.

It was quite warm when we went on duty at 2 p.m. and chatting with the army guards – a more intelligent lot than was our lot last week – the two hours passed very quickly.  At four we were relieved so that we could get our dinner.  We returned to our posts at 6pm.  It was a full moon this evening and there was a great deal of traffic on the road.  I am actually guarding the Socony Vacuum Petrol Co.  while my friend is guarding the Shell Petrol Co. between us is a French Co,  we were invited into the tent where the army guards sleep while off duty and we were given a cup of tea & made as much at home as could be.  Their only advantage over us lay in the fact that they possess an oil stove.



[1] The SOCONY Vacuum Oil Co (Standard Oil Company of New York) was later to become Mobil now a subsidiary of Exxon

11th - 14th August, 1947 - For an adventure, nothing much is happening at the moment and the swotting is a struggle!

Monday, 11^th August, 1947

Nothing very exciting happens here at any time.

We are rather looking forward to the Army as it will be some change in local conditions.

 

Tuesday, 12^th August, 1947

A Major in the Welsh Guards turned up today to look the district over before sending his troops here.

“Blanko” asked him of his intentions, he replied “Too damn hot here for them” so it looks as if that’s off.  

Masoud Shedadeh did not apparently let the Palestinians know about these troop movements as the wireless operator, a peculiarly bad-tempered Palestinian, came and asked me if I knew anything about it.  I told him it was probably too damned hot for them here.  This apparently satisfied him.

Wednesday, 13 August, 1947

I went to Court this morning, was bored stiff with the many R.T.O. contraventions the fines fore which have very little affect on the finees I fancy as the majority were smirking rather contemptuously as they left the dock.

Our Prisoner accused of robbery down the Ghore was dismissed as the Magistrate saw reason to doubt the truth of the complainant’s statement.

Thursday, 14^th August, 1947

Bags of Law again today

Why can’t those words like “Dwelling House” “Law” “Public” etc have shorter definitions.