'cartoon' sketch 31st Aug '42

I found this loose-leaf sketch of my dad attached to a page in his diaries. Hard to decipher the writing: drawn by Franks, another PoW in the camp at Benghazi, the last day of August, 1942.

A few lines from my dad's diaries:

"The days dragged on. We saw the R.A.F. bomb Benghazi on several occasions. New prisoners drifted in almost daily and brought with them news of the war. My old complaint (dysentery) returned for 2 or 3 days but in spite of this I was able to carry on eating normally.

Everyone was losing weight rapidly. I noticed my ribs became quite prominent. I have learnt to understand that being perpetually hungry is a PoW’s privilege."


I wonder what happened to PoW Franks - no further mention of him. How strange if a descendant of his saw his drawing.

[Peter]

Very interesting story and wonderful sketch beautifully capture in lovely detail Hazel I could read all the writing no problem " Benghazi POW camp Aug 31 1942" I hope that Franks also got back to his family at the end of the war :)

[Denise Wood]

What another great find. Hope frank also got to go home. Thanks for sharing :)

[Hazel]

@pcoulson

I do wonder about several folk which my dad mentioned. Just one discovery I had in 2012 through a post from my dad's diaries on 365 which I explained here: http://365project.org/quietpurplehaze/365/2012-03-28

[Peter]

@quietpurplehaze How amazing Hazel its a small world with the internet now, thank you for sharing the link very interesting keep posting the snippets I for one love reading them:)

[Helen]

Amazing find & a wonderful insight into a part of your family history. Thanks for sharing, Fav

[Penelope Ann]

Very moving

[Julie Duncan]

Wow, that is very humbling, Hazel. Thank you for sharing it.

[linda]

thank you Hazel, very touching

[tommykeith]

Wow. Amazing pic/story.

[mittens (Marilyn)]

Such an interesting picture to find in your dad's diary and such interesting information, too.

[Richard Hickey]

Cool picture.

[Graham Thresher]

A genuine piece of historical interest.

[gloria jones]

Thanks for sharing your dad's writings and this wonderful sketch.

[wendy frost]

An excellent drawing from Mr. Franks under the circumstances and a sad account of the food situation.

[Hazel]

@pcoulson

Pleased to hear that you enjoy these extracts, Peter, as I never want to bore anyone.

[Rosie Kind]

Such interesting information in your father's diaries and a very revealing sketch Fav

[Deni]

Very poignant and a marvelous sketch, I hope Frank's returned safely too, very talented man, as was your father with his diaries. Fav.

[Hazel]

@denidouble

Thank you. I think the fate of Franks will not be known.

[Hazel]

@seattlite @rosiekind @wendyfrost @thresheg @agedrunner @mittens @gilbertwood @tommykeith @pinkpaintpot @pennystot @juliedduncan

Thank you so much for your interest. I'm rather used to this sketch of my dad now but when I first found it in his diaries I was amazed and also rather sad.

[Sarah Bremner]

Wow that's a piece of treasure if every there was one!! So precious to have his diaries.

[Tami Skipper]

Very interesting….I do genealogy, too. Following. FAV for the story.

[Pam]

That is a great find! It's good!

[Babs]

Another great piece of history from your Dad's diaries.
Maybe this link could be of interest. http://www.wartimememories.co.uk/pow/powcamp.php?pid=3538

[Hazel]

@onewing

Babs, thank you very much. The accounts on here confirm what I have long suspected: that my dad made light of the horrors of PoW camps. I could not get any access to the site but after a Google search I have found that The Wartime Memories Project have a page on Facebook so I may try tentatively posting something on there. They state that they have a huge backlog of material to organise.

[Babs]

http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/index.php
http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/form.php

Here are a couple more links to the project if you are interested.