Friday, 13 August 1943

21 Squadron War Diary

Gela, Sicily

Although this was Friday the 13th, the day on which the superstitious people hardly leave their homes, for fear of any mishap, no evil befell the Squadron. The senior N.C.O.’s even went so far as to arrange a sight-seeing tour, which turned out to be a very good and interesting trip.Lieut. Thompson, who was admitted to hospital while the Squadron was still in Africa, arrived by Boston.

Transcriber's Notes

N.C.O: Non-Commissioned Officer.

Friday the 13th: The diarist's lighthearted comment about superstition contrasts with the ongoing war environment. The fact that senior NCOs were able to take a sightseeing tour implies a relatively low operational tempo for the ground crews at this specific moment as they awaited the airfield to become fully operational or for the squadron to settle into its new location.

AIR 27/268 · The National Archives