Special Collections

Letter dated 13 January 1943

Manuscript letter including references to the life in the desert, the army, aircraft and spitfires, RAF and US AAF, El Alamein.

Tags: Africa, Battle of El Alamein, desert, Desert War, Libya, North African Campaign, Second World War, war, war poetry, Western Desert Campaign

Letter dated 12 February 1943

Manuscript letter from Tripoli including references to the scarcity of food supplies in the city due to the retreat of the German and Italian soldiers.

Tags: Africa, Desert War, Libya, North African Campaign, Second World War, Tripoli, war, Western Desert Campaign

Letter dated 12 April 1943

Manuscript letter including references to bombing in Europe, troops advancing in the desert towards Tunis, Rommel and telephones.

Tags: Africa, desert, Desert War, North African Campaign, Rommel, Second World War, Tunisia, Tunisian Campaign, war, Western Desert Campaign

Letter dated 11 October 1942: draft of poems 'Bivouac' and 'Mirage'

Manuscript letter including drafts of the poems 'Bivouac' and 'Mirage', Jarmain's reflections on his poetry and a structure for a book. Also providing an insight into the practicality of living in the desert, including sketches of his dugout, a…

Tags: Africa, desert, Desert War, Egypt, North African Campaign, Second World War, war, war poetry, Western Desert Campaign

Airgraph dated 9 October 1942: draft of poem 'Bivouac'

Manuscript letter including a draft of the poem 'Bivouac'.

Tags: Africa, desert, Desert War, Egypt, North African Campaign, Second World War, war, war poetry, Western Desert Campaign

Airgraph dated 5 December 1942

Manuscript letter including references to life in the desert.

Tags: desert, Desert War, Libya, North African Campaign, Sahara, Second World War, war, Western Desert Campaign

Airgraph dated 28 October 1942: amendment to poem 'Bivouac'

Manuscript letter mentioning the acceptance of some of Jarmain's work by the 'Daily Telegraph' and including an amendment to the poem 'Bivouac'.

Tags: Battle of El Alamein, Desert War, North African Campaign, Second World War, war, war poetry, Western Desert Campaign

Airgraph dated 26 November 1942

Manuscript letter including references to Tobruk and the following journey through the desert and the Nile. John Jarmain and his anti-tank unit were probably somethere between Tobruk and Mersa Brega.

Tags: Africa, Cyrenaica, desert, Desert War, Egypt, Libya, North African Campaign, Sahara, Second World War, war, Western Desert Campaign

Airgraph dated 26 December 1942

Manuscript letter from Libya, mentioning air raids.

Tags: Africa, Christmas, Desert War, Libya, North African Campaign, Second World War, war, Western Desert Campaign

Airgraph dated 23 October 1942

Manuscript letter.

Tags: Desert War, North African Campaign, Second World War, war, Western Desert Campaign

Airgraph dated 20 January 1943

Manuscript letter mentioning the desert.

Tags: Africa, desert, Desert War, Libya, North African Campaign, Second World War, war, Western Desert Campaign

Airgraph dated 19 December 1942

Manuscript letter.

Tags: Africa, desert, Desert War, Libya, North African Campaign, Second World War, war, Western Desert Campaign

Airgraph dated 19 August 1942

Manuscript letter depicting life in a transit camp in the desert where the soldiers are learning the desert ways. Also including references to the food rations.

Tags: Africa, desert, Desert War, Egypt, North African Campaign, Second World War, war, Western Desert Campaign