We have ways of making you talk presents One Man's Window, an illustrated account of

10 weeks of war, Malta April 13th to June 21st, 1942 by Dennis Barnum.

Chapter 3.

Final Briefing

I'm in my cabin, and our aircraft carrier is pitching forwards and backwards and rolling

from side to side.

This comfortable little cell of mine leans over, and when it orders to stop it goes on further.

I'm at my writing desk, feeling vaguely seasick.

Perhaps it's the chocolate I've eaten, three bars of it, and I'm just not used to this

stuff.

Real milk chocolate too, and real silver paper, quite different from the airs that's chocolate

and transparent wrappings that we've been getting on the ration at home.

I can't bear to look at the creamy brown lump with its crinkle paper twinkling and

sparkling in the cabin lights.

I push it away into the shadow of the books piled up in front of me.

Not far enough.

I push it out a site behind the books.

Before me, I have HD Wells outline of history, a history of art, and atlas, and the third

volume of the history notes I'm making.

To bring these books, as well as my sketchbooks and painting equipment, in addition to my clothes

and personal kit, is to break the orders we've been given about the limited weight of luggage.

I hope that the heavily laden spitfire, with all its extra fuel and guns, will lift off

...