Fighting with the Desert Rats - H. P. Samwell

This is a descriptive account of what it was like to serve as an Infantry Officer with the Desert Army in the - Western Desert and Sicily between 1942 and 1943. - - The author is Major H.P. Samwell, MC, who was unfortunately killed on 13 January 1945, whilst serving with - the 7th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 51st Highland Division. - - The chapters include: - - FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF EGYPT AND ITS WARTIME POPULATION * JOINING THE EIGHTH ARMY - THE BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN * THE ATTACK IS RENEWED * - - IN A SOUTH AFRICAN HOSPITAL (The author was very badly wounded during the fighting, an event he graphically describes
along with lying in a trench, with an injured German soldier, awaiting rescue) - - AT THE INFANTRY TRAINING DEPOT AND UP THE LINE * FROM SIRTE TO TRIPOLI * EARLY DAYS IN FRONT OF THE MARETH LINE * ROMMEL ATTACKS * PATROLS AND KEEPS * HOSPITAL IN TRIPOLI - - UP THE LINE AGAIN * RESTING IN SFAX * ENFIDAVILLE AND THE END OF THE CAMPAIGN * - TRAINING FOR SEA INVASION (Sicily) * FOLLOWING THE SICILY CAMPAIGN FROM AN AFRICAN BASE - LANDING IN SICILY AND MOVE TO MESSINA * PROBLEMS OF OCCUPATION