Perkins, Les MM (Private, d.1991)

This collection comprises six small notebooks containing the diary of Private (Pte) Les Perkins MM. Pte Perkins was an original member of 13 Platoon, 'C' Company, 2/13th Battalion AIF but after the Battalion's arrival in North Africa was transferred to the unit's stretcher bearers. The diaries cover the period from March 1941 to late 1942, when the 2/13th Battalion was stationed in North Africa, and describe operations at Tobruk and El Alamein. Pte Perkins won his Military Medal for his part in an operation in August 1941 when he went to the assistance of several wounded men under heavy fire. These events are covered in the 4th notebook. Two of the notebooks used by Pte Perkins were captured from enemy soldiers. One, Pte Perkins notes, was taken from a wounded German soldier on 29 November 1941 and the other appears to have belonged to an Italian soldier. Both these captured notebooks also contain original entries by their "first owners" in addition to Pte Perkins' entries.