Rummaging through the relics of those days I recently came across a letter that I had sent to my mother back in 1945 and amongst the scribble I found the corpse of the mosquito I had swatted in mid-blood-suck and sent home; there was still a red stain on the letter. Life drifted on. Just before Christmas I had a cable from father telling me that mother had had surgery and was seriously ill; I applied for compassionate leave and travelled to Cairo for an interview in the Hotel Semiramis. The officer said that it could be arranged but since my demob was imminent I would probably get home quicker if I let things take their course. I did. Before we were demobbed we had to undergo a medical examination to ensure that we couldn't make any post war claims for incapacity due to our service; at the same time we were asked what medals we were entitled to. I said that I didn't want any medals, being only too glad to be getting home again. We were never actually discharged from the army but placed on "Z reserve" and were instructed to report any change of address to the authorities. In January I was on the homeward stretch, first to Qassassin by lorry then by train to Alexandria. We assembled at the quayside; "Right, lads," said the sergeant, "pick up your monkeys and parrots and get fell in facing the boat." We wasted no time boarding the Colorado Springs Victory. She was American, a welded Liberty Ship and naturally had an American crew. The sleeping arrangements were not hammocks like the British but were double decker steel framed beds The route taken was known as Medloc; we steamed across the Mediterranean between Italy and Sicily, passing a smoking Stromboli as we headed for Toulon. Being an American ship we didn't have oatmeal for breakfast but were served what they called farina which many years later I discovered to be cream of wheat. The dock area of Toulon was a bit of a shambles, bomb damage everywhere and sunken ships. On our way through the town we came across many roadside graves, bayoneted rifles stuck in the ground surmounted with the German helmets of those who didn't make it.