War Diaries (February 1) (nonfiction)
War Diary quotations for February 1.
Previous: January 31 - Next: February 2
Quotations
= : February 1, 19..
...
DUBHAI, BAHREIN, BASRA all on the Persian Gulf but quite cool at 8000 ft.
Just remembered that at Karachi there were errors in decoding and Storey was described as "Commissioner of Aircraft Disarmament!" I must tell Hackett this.
Once more, at every stopping place, I am impressed by the cool, youngish, educated and good-looking Englishman who materialises, whether as Resident, Commissioner, Law Officer, adviser to the local Sheikh (pronounced SHAKE) or whatnot. These mysteries under which Englishmen hold posts of authority in non-British countries are quite beyond me, but the breed is superb. After all, if the system were simple and logical, the British probably would not have thought of it.
Bahrein — a flat city on flat sands by the side of the sea. Received by Commander Graham, whom I met once at 'Parkwood' with Clive Baillieu. Bahrein — pearls and an oil refinery, which the Italians came over and tried to bomb about 2 mos. ago. They missed by 500 yards. As Graham says, they "could have landed and pitched their bombs over the refinery fence", but they didn't. Before the war the buyers from places like Cartier's used to come out here and buy their pearls direct. No fear of a cultured or imitation pearl — their possession in this country is a crime.
Getting stuffier and more tired each day — a few days break in the Middle East will be welcome.
Approaching Basra, we pass over the enormous delta of the Euphrates and the Tigris, vast sandy flats, some showing the marks of drains to get the salt out of them. Then date palms — millions of them, on the flat. I discover at dinner that Australia is Iraq's chief date customer. Splendid port, aerodrome and hotel, all run by a small dynamic person Sir John Ward, who for 20 years has been railway chief, port authority, aerodrome builder &c &c &c for Iraq and wishes GB would take the place over. "Si monumentum requis circumspice". Dine at hotel as guest of Consul Weld-Forester. Also present Holman, Counselor at Bagdad and good sprinkling locals. I make a speech emphasising the Empire and Australian effort. Iraq has been playing ambiguous game. P.M. resigned yesterday & we are hoping for a safer & more loyal government. Holman thinks sending a brigade of Australian troops via Basra wd be a good demonstration.
Shatt-al-Arab Hotel. Patridge, foie gras, chablis and Nuits St George — how odd. First black-out — queer to have no bedroom window open.