Scans of original diary pages - transcript below each page
April 1st we arrived at Gravina Campo 65 How good it seemed two sheets two blankets a straw palliase
I commit to cook Italian rations for 2000 men
The daily scale being
66 grams two and a quarter ounces rice or macaroni
30 grams equals 1 ounce of dried peas
30 grams equals 1 ounce of green veg
7 grams equals a quarter ounce coffee
15 grams equals half ounce of sugar
15 grams equals half ounce olive oil
40 grams equals 1 and a half ounce of cheese
15 ounce equals half ounce of tomato puree
218 grams equals 7 and three quarter ounces per man
This together with 7 ounces of bread made up 14 and three quarter ounces of food per day. Our army ratons averaged three and a half pounds
May 18th the first Red cross postal parcel and 50 gold flakes
June 3rd my first letter from home
August 18th I left for Chieti after having been to Bari hospital about my eyes
Aug the 20th, my birthday, I commence to cook for 1300 British officers
September 25th I am put in 'clink' with Percival
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for helping Captain Meares to escape
I learn Italian quickly and work for the I (Intelligence ? ) branch. Our combine Percival, Jock Boyd and a Jack Butterworth.
October I receive my first clothing parcel from home
Christmas 1942
Angelica Felice Captain Croce
January 1943 the Red Cross clothing arrived and was distributed
Our tunnel is discovered
September 8th 1943 we are refused permission to leave camp
Sulmona
September 28th we jump the train Goriano Sicoli
Cucollo , Pepino Benadetto. Nonni
The night in the mountains
Scanno and Villa Lago
The deserted village of Frattura
The National Park of Abruzzo
Bisegna and Pescasseroli
The German officer who picked us up, Stan Grey, J Butterworth, J Smithson and self
The trip to Sora and the Blackshirt the cloth in the barracks.