Richard G. Miller

June 22

Today is Monday, and it is the first time I've known the day of the week for about 8 days. Two weeks just went~ The raid last night was quite successful according to reports; not any difficulty with the exception that the Wellingtons that dropped the incendiaries and flares went into a veritable wall of "flack", - the Squadron Leader went down, or rather up, in a big explosion.

Our ships had to circle off the coast 4 miles for 1 1/2 hours _ that is what I call damned poor planning.

Only one Major went on the mission; all the rest were officers. Last night Tobruk fell; 250,000 English surrendered. Dammit I can't see how these British ever expect to win this war -regardless of how pressing things get, they still have their siesta and tea (in morning at 11:00 and afternoon at 4:30) - Hell, why don't they get on, the ball and so things fast and furious, or, at least let us fight their war for them in our own way

The heat is still very intense - a hot wind that de-hydrates you, no matter how much you drink. But still the British water their preoious flowers at the expense of our having showers. Two planes came in today - one from America and one that cracked the nose wheel in Irak; that bolsters our numbers quite considerably. The boys from Irak said when they were out on the desert with no shade, very little water and generally miserable, the British quit work promptly at tea-time and used the precious liquid - water - to make their tea.

Several of our men are down with fever (sand fly) and many more have “Gyppo Tummy” - the food is terrible by now. Believe me_ this is the hard way to fight a war.