4th - 6th August, 1947 - More studies planned, and some recreation...

Monday, 4^th August, 1947

Sgt Blanks asked me if I would like to take my Pro. Pay exam.  I had not intended to but now it seems I am not to be transferred I think I will try it.

It would be almost impossible if I were in Nablus owing to the never ceasing pressure of work.  If I am to stay here and I work very hard at it I may be lucky.  So much of the law has to be memorised.

Today was nothing like a Bank Holiday here.

Tuesday, 5^th August, 1947

Tennis this morning with Ryan on the tarmac before the Station front door.

We have no court but knock the ball with full force at each other.  This gives us plenty of exercise and is about the only way we can exercise except by going for walks.

Dear sarg. won’t let us put a chalk marked court for a form of deck quotes [quoits?] which we have obtained from Welfare complete rings & net.

I think it is probably safe to post this address now, after 63 years.
I don't know whether Cousin Sylvia ever engaged in correspondence!

Wednesday, 6^th August, 1947

Swotted some law today or at least started to then Mohd.  Kanan came in and of course engaged me in conversation.

I have sent a letter of his with an introductory one of mine to Cousin Sylvia who wants an Arab to add to the 13 other pen pals.

28th July - 3rd August, 1947 - Ron is disappointed in his transfer hopes. He hangs with the locals...

Monday, 28^th - Wednesday 30th July, 1947

No Entries

  

Thursday, 31^st July, 1947

We were paid today which pleased everyone and especially the Canteen Manager to whom a sum of £30 was owing by all but fo[u]r of us.

Inspector Coles told me to come to Nablus tomorrow.

I packed my case and box and was all ready by this evening.

Sgt Blanks asked me if I would like to go up this evening but while we were discussing this a W.T. message came telling me that the transfer was cancelled.

I don’t know why this is but guess it is because the B/C I at the Urban is on leave & my relief was detailed to do his job.

Friday, 1^st August, 1947

Well I must settle down to Tubas again.

This evening all the Foot except me went to the cinema.

I joined the Palestinians and played my first game of cards with them.

15’s it was called very much like Rummy, everyone was dealt 14 cards and one had 15.  He threw one away the next man had a chance of it or the down-turned pile to make blocks of 3 or 4 or runs of any suit.

Saturday, 2^nd August, 1947

The truck went to Nablus and when it came back I was told that the B/C “I” in the Rural is going on a Fingerprint Identification Course.

Sunday, 3^rd August, 1947

Was very quiet today as usual nothing to do.

25th - 27th July, 1947 - Ron is fascinated by the locals and their religion.

Friday, 25^th July, 1947

An old woman came to the station today and said a boy had hit her.   A boy or child of this age is criminally not responsible so she was sent away unsatisfied.

She was interesting only in that her hair was red* which for such an aged one rather suggested to me she had dyed it.  I questioned a Palestinian about this & he said it was so.  A powder made from a special tree is put into the water & the hair washed.  In the morning it is again washed in clean water and is now red.  He further told me that as a sine (sic) of pending wedlock the bridegroom dyes his right hand and wrist red.

I have re[a]d somewhere that a Moslem is not allowed to show signs of age so white hair on head & face should be dyed.  This is not adhered to I think.

*Henna presumably...

Saturday, 26^th July, 1947

There was no work today so spent what I the time reading.

This evening Roughton & I went for a short walk down Wadi El Faria.  I here tasted my first pomegranate no great experience & rather laborious.

Sunday, 27^th July, 1947

I spent this morning sitting in a shaded place before the station talking to some of the Palestinians here.  I always find such a time well spent both in Arabic I learn & the ways of living of the Arabs.

Insert: Poem “Call to Prayer”

                                                        Call to Prayer

                                  Valley bare below bare mountain,

                                                        Scorched all day by Sun’s high arc,

                                  Searching, on the winds it cometh,

                                                        Calling to the faithful heart.

___________

                                  From a high tower over dome top,

                                                        Looking on the roofs below,

                                  Calling, searching, for the faithful,

                                                        “To the East bow thyselves low.”

___________

                                  In the valleys; on the mountains,

                                                        All do stop in fear and awe,

                                  Listening to the voice that tells them,

                                                        “Time is here; a prayer for all.”

___________

                                  Rich men from the shops go forward,

                                                        From the houses they come out,

                                  To the city of their Prophet

                                                        Go hearts with no trace of doubt.

___________

                                  Mosques they cannot stay to enter;

                                                        No time workers spare for that,

                                  Nor time off from their labours

                                                        So the earth their prayer-mat.

___________

                                  Thus for centuries have they heard it.

                                                        And for centuries to come;

                                  Till upon this earth they finish

                                                        When their Armageddon comes

___________

26.7.47

                                  REB

21st - 24th July, 1947 - Ron's suffering from the wind... ('twas ever thus!) and more trouble with knives.

Monday, 21^st July, 1947

The Kamseen [1] which has been blowing dropped a little today but the heat is still pretty bad.

I have not met the heat I was expecting to encounter from the tales I had been told before I came here.

This may be because I have become more or less acclimatized.

Tuesday, 22^nd July, 1947

Nothing of interest occurred on this day.

Wednesday, 23^rd July, 1947

All the five foot went out again this evening on a volunteer ambush patrol.  Nothing occurred I rather think because the moonlight was too bright for flights.

Thursday, 24^th July, 1947

A rather petty but complicated assault was reported this morning.  A man, the complainant, complained to his partner that the latters cattle had been allowed to stray on ground they mutually owned.  The argument was not heated but the partner reported the incident to two of his friends who thought retribution should be made.  These then went to the Comp. & assaulted him with sticks & a dagger.  The case no matter how slight the injuries are has to be accepted as a dagger was involved.

---

[1] The Kamseen or Khamsin  is an oppressively hot, southerly wind from the Sahara that blows across Egypt in the spring.  I am indebted to Jim Wright for the use of his striking photograph above.  Visit his blog The LeftWright Brain for more pictures of this amazing meteorological phenomenon.

17th - 20th July, 1947 - An eventful trip to the cinema then a Foot Patrol

Thursday, 17^th July, 1947

No entry

 

Friday, 18^th July, 1947

I did all the weekly reports this morning this exhausted the work for the day.

In the early evening five of us including the Sargeant went by truck to Nablus to see the film in the Club, Random Harvest.   A very good story well acted.  The projector became faulty and the actresses all developed Basso Profundo voices.  After the show we set out for the station & the truck broke down about quarter of the way from Nablus.  We pushed her over the first hill & rode down the long slope of the other side.  When we encountered the next hill we were still 6 kilos away from the station.  These we walked at a terrific rate arriving in a terrific sweat at a quarter to one in the morning.

Saturday, 19^th July, 1947

After last night’s walk no-one was feeling very energetic today especially as the terrific heat of the last few days continued.

Sunday, 20^th July, 1947

This morning all the Foot Personnel went for a Walk-Patrol.  We went in “Yasid” direction.  The rocky barrenness out there is the worst I have yet seen.  A veritable desert of rocks.  The heat was terrific all the morning.

14th - 16th July, 1947 - Lost property, new recruits and trouble in Nathania...

Monday, 14^th July, 1947

Nothing much happened this morning the Inspector & Corporal went to Court so I was left to my own devices.

A wallet containing some papers, a comb & 6½ piasters was found & brought to the station – the finder was an illiterate farmer.  The owner's name & address were inside so he will come in in a day or so.

This afternoon three older B/Cs were added to the station strength.  B/C Humphries who has just returned from his N.C.O’s course in Jenin is being made up very shortly.  The other two B/Cs Roughton and Kirk are old members at Nablus Foot Police.

Tuesday, 15^th July, 1947
Nothing very exciting again today.

Wednesday, 16^th July, 1947

I went to Nablus Magistrates Court this morning to hear the examination of the charge of manslaughter against a youth accused of killing his father.  A witness from Nazareth did not arrive so the hearing was adjourned.

I heard today of the struggles in Nathania.  The place is just being uprooted in the suspected fruitless efforts to find the missing policemen.[1]

Nathania Main Road - see below for information
regarding this photograph[2]

Floors are being torn up, cupboards, doors, windows in fact anything capable of holding two dead or alive bodies is [broken].  As a corollary a terrific amount of looting is in progress.  A diamond factory was searched but not even a diamond was found.  Bedrooms are entered at very inopportune times more to the embarrassment of the Police than the occupants apparently.

[1] I have no information about this story and wonder if something has happened during the two days that Dad didn't write in his diary.
I have subsequently found the story of two Police Sergeants who were kidnapped and murdered

[2] In researching this entry I came upon this website www.palestine1947.co.uk a fascinating collection of photos by the late Harry Charles Farmer, an exact contemporary of Dad's in Palestine.  Mr Farmer was posted with the Army - a keen photographer, his photos seem to be of rather better quality than Dad's.  The website has been created by Harry's son, C A Farmer but unfortunately there is no email address attached whereby I can ask for permission to use this photo.  So I hope he doesn't mind.  Maybe C A Farmer will one day find his way to this blog!

8th - 12th July, 1947 Ron's sorting out the Mess... and "Hooray for Chicken!"

Nablus Souk or Sukh

Tuesday, 8^th July, 1947

A return visit to the scene of Sundays escape proved fruitless tonight.

The Contrabandees are probably shy of the hitherto popular track now.

Wednesday, 9th July, 1947
I went with Ryan to Nablus today.  We went to the Sukh for minor requirements & later I visited the Nablus Rural Mess Caterer who has a big mess.  I bought all his spare tinned food from him for our mess.

Thursday, 10^th July, 1947 & 

Friday 11th July, 1947

No entries

Saturday, 12^th July, 1947

The outstanding incident today occurred at dinner time when to the great pleasure of the mess, three chicken were served.  It is the first chicken the majority of us have had since we have been here.

Sunday, 13^th July, 1947

After yesterday’s gourmandising we were disappointed in the dinner today as Spinneys [1] truck did not arrive with the weekly rations.  I had to send the mess boy running to get stuff for a quick meal as we delayed hoping the truck would arrive.

[1] I've linked through to Spinneys before but this is a Wikipedia entry about them.