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Age
20 Years

24th October 1943

We sailed at 7am. The sun was just rising & there was a glorious glow in the sky. A perfect send off for a trip through the Med. A trip that will carry us within but a few miles of those historic places along the N. African coast, where not so long ago, terrible fighting took place.

Our 2nd Mate — A.C. Tyler — was in a Russian convoy to Murmansk. His ship was handed over to the Russians as part of the lease-lend. He and the crowd were put ashore with the survivors of other ships. They were there for 2 months. They were not allowed to touch the girls & were scarcely allowed to walk with them! The population was always looking behind them before speaking against STALIN. The girls were told not to believe that English girls wore dresses like the advertisements showed in the magazines. It was just propaganda!! Political prisoners were frequently shot in cold blood. Murmansk was very nearly in ruins before they left. Russian fighters used to stage mock battles between themselves so that the population would believe they were shooting down Jerry planes. Actually they were pretending to crash.

We are zig-zagging during daylight hours, even though the Commodore thinks it stupid! H.M.S. “RANPURA” is with us.