MAY 27th. 1942.
P.O.W. 11.30am. Left ammo point 10.30am. Enemy shelling very heavy. Drove to company H.Q. given orders to rake positions near EL-ADEM. Time on arrival 11.30am. Found we were surrounded by Germans. Stood no chance, were all taken prisoners. All my possessions were taken from me. Just had what I stood up in. Taken to a ring where more English P.O.W's were seated. Moved us by lorries at night. Shelled very heavily by our own guns (R.H.A) Lost one man out of our company. It was murder.
 MAY 28th.1942.
Still on the move. Enemy taking up position. Still being heavily shelled by our own guns. Strong artillery duel ensues. We managed to break through, Germans contact main Panza division. Our convoy gets attacked by HURRICANES. Eventually dismounted from the lorries and made to form a square, in the area of BIR-HAMET. We were then handed over to the ITALIANS. Tank battle in progress. Two of our tanks break through, GERMANS and ITALIANS on the retreat, at the same time trying to drive us before them. Machine guns - we jumped on to moving lorries for safety(German ones) Every one of us was in a panic and going crazy. Things quieten down. Taken to water point and put into a large gorze tent. Found water point was broken. NO WATER OR FOOD, feeling very hungry and worn out. NO SLEEP AT NIGHT.
MAY 29th 1942.
STILL NO FOOD OR WATER. Dare not go to sleep because of shells falling very near us, from our guns. Dawn breaks, still being shelled. A NIGHT OF HELL. Layed flat all the time , scratching with our bare hands into rock and sand to bury ourselves from shrapnel. Found it impossible to dig more than a foot down, hands were cut through hard rock. PRAYED EVERY MINUTE. One of my best pals near my side gets hit in the shoulder by shrapnel. What a sight, covered in blood. Some of the boys passing out through lack of food and water. Saw one lad drink his own urine, another gave 3 English notes for a drink out of a bottle. Big tank battle starts again, found we were dead in the middle of it. Gerry tank gets blown up just outside the tent. 6 men get injured, and 2 killed. Given 2 very small biscuits and a little water, it tasted of petrol. Shelled again at night. Taken from the tent on a long march under cover of darkness and put into lorries. Lads passing out again, all of us very weak. Travelled all night long.
MAY 30th 1942.
Still no food or water. Travelled through a MINE FIELD. Shelled again and bombed by R.A.F. Convoy stops. Good news. Lorries went to pick up water, while waiting, big battle starts again and we're in the thick of it. Managed to climb on retreating lorry. Quiet once again. Gerry gives us 2 hard biscuits and a small piece of raw bacon(very tasty). It was a Godsend. Shelled again. Reformed. More prisoners. Found one or two of our boys among them.
Story Location: North Africa
Story by Harry Sole
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