Sunday January 3rd 1943

Well, here I am in bed again and glad to get here for the night. I had a horrible fear this morning , I wanted to go to the lav but new if I did, it would pain me, and believe me it did, and so it has been all day.

I managed to do my share of the cooking but at seven bells I had to come and lie down. I got up again at 11.45 to assist serving, in agony, and was in bed again by 12.30 till 3.30 when I got up to help my mate with the tea. Then back again, no wash, no teeth clean, nothing. I could not bear to stand at a wash basin, I feel horribly dirty. I darned some socks before writing this.

They managed to give a Destroyer some gas today in the varying seas. Have seen nothing of the Corvette. I got my life belt light today, about time too. I'm still short of tin hat and whistle.

I forgot to mention this amusing story. The galley boy was sitting on an upturned pan peeling spuds during the rough weather. Big tall boy, our floor is tiled, when suddenly he went sailing as the ship rolled. He had to keep his feet up to avoid other things which were placed on the floor for safety. There he was, nothing to hold onto, spud in one hand, peeler in the other, arms waving, feet up, sitting on the pan sliding up and down the galley, doing his upmost to keep his balance on the pan. His spuds stayed where they were. The Cook stopped him after several free rides. He was hanging on to a rail at the end of the galley. I laughed myself sick, we all did as he was apparently the only thing moving.

Bacon, Egg, fried bread, Porridge or Cornflakes, Grapefruit, for breakfast this morning. Roast Duck, Roast Pork, Cabbage, Baked potatoes, Plum pudding and custard for dinner, And for tea Ham and Chips, fish cake and jelly. All I've eaten today is a plate of porridge this morning. I am afraid to eat, for if I eat I shit.