Monday January 25th 1943

Today's news:

Morning:

"The mate took so many bearings the other night that one of them was a seagull. There is a slight argument as to whether the cook is a dinner or tea cook. A WAG suggested a galley survey to find out the truth. They say the Chief Steward is jealous of the attention the cook is getting and is talking about cutting down the stores.

Tonight's news:

Owing to finance getting low, it is suggested for funds to buy more chalk. More news to come.

We saw another tanker today but it seemed to avoid us and was soon to disappear. That was from the top deck where I dumped 10 sacks of spuds overboard. They were frost bitten exposed during that blizzard only a few days ago when we left New York. They were fermenting now through the sacks in this horrific heat. We are listening to all Mexican music now - very peculiar.

You know seeing the various jobs aboard ship all of them, I cannot understand why the bloody fool doctor passed me in the first place for the galley. All I can say is they know very little about sea life.

Saw plenty of planes today - some Trippers - private planes from ashore. They flew over to sea our ship.

I felt horrible selfish today. I had a gorgeous sweet orange, big and juicy. I said to my mate I cannot help but think about Margo every time I suck this, and that's the truth. I would give anything a few of these, perhaps I may, I will if I possibly can.

There was a bit of a scare last night. In the moon light half past midnight, two vessels could be seen, looking very much like surface U boats.  Even the Captain could not make them out and was in two minds whether to sound the alarm or not. They turned out to be Yankee patrol boats. The chaps have been swimming in the tanks again today, right up til dark. The clocks have gone back another half hour today. Makes it lighter in the morning, that is 6 hours we have gone back.

Oh! It was terrifically hot all night. So much so it made my bum bad again. I could not sleep at all, nor have I today, I hope I will sleep tonight. Bum is better, am going on deck for a while to ruminate with an unlit fag in my mouth. We have seen real subs today, another momentary scare. There were Yanks. A whole fleet turned out exercising at Key West, an island turning into the gulf of Mexico.

Had words with a fireman today. First for some while. Otherwise this is a happy ship again. Still he asked for it and he got it the ignorant guts.

Just turned ten. the heat is oppressive.  I have been on deck with the Cook. We were talking. Very dark.  I turned and conversed with a sailor and as I turned back so I noticed the moon coming over the horizon on the starboard. The next thing we were watching it actually rise. The face take shape. I have never seen it rise so fast before. The next thing it was in the sky and dead aft. As we watched so the moon shone on the wake of our vessel.

Someone is having a terrible storm. Miles, goodness knows how many, away from here. But the whole heavens and the sea lights up with the flashes. Here it is quite calm, clear and sultry. . The world is a wonderful place, my mind, my brain, is very often , as I see this nature, calm, yet so far away. Stormy wild terrible storms. Another time just vice versa but ever on the Go.