Part 1 of 9
Part of a series of recordings made by the New Zealand Broadcasting Unit, in which Frank Jopling [Military service number 1314], a young soldier serving with the Long Range Desert Group, reads entries from a diary he kept during a patrol into the desert interior of Libya in December 1940 and January 1941. [This was the Fezzan operation which aimed to raid Italian positions at the town of Murzuk.] Frank himself reads some excerpts, which commence on 26 December 1940. New Zealand Broadcasting Unit commentator Doug Laurenson also introduces and summarises some of the diary entries. [At the time of recording, military censorship prevented Jopling's surname being mentioned.]
Dec. 26. This morning we packed up. The Captain has been promoted. 2.30pm Departed from base and arrived within sight of the first dunes by tea time.
Dec 30. That night by radio they heard extracts of President Roosevelt's speech, news of the German fire raid over London and destruction of the Guildhall. They were thrilled to hear news of the military decorations received by two New Zealand members of the LRDG team.
Jan 1. New Year's Day was spent on the Egyptian Sand Sea, 1,000 miles from anywhere. There was a 5 degree frost this morning. 12.30pm The patrol pushed on into Libya and stopped at 5.00pm.
Over the next few days they pushed westward into Libya. A truck crashed on one sand dune but fortunately no one was hurt and the truck could be repaired. Some of their patrol split off to make contact with Free French forces in Chad.
This item is part of a collection of recordings made by the Mobile Broadcasting Units, which travelled overseas with New Zealand forces between 1940-1945. They recorded New Zealanders' experiences of war and messages to their families and friends, which were sent back home to be played on a weekly radio programme.