Joe's story began with his encounter with a German torpedo which changed the course of his war in 1942. This volume covers his appointment from 1944 until his return to England in 1946.
At the end of Volume One Joe had learned, much to his relief, of his appointment to a new post. But, before continuing the narrative, there is a small departure from strict chronology to place at the front of this volume three distinct events. The first is the story of Joe's first journey to Palestine - a rare glimpse of pre-Independence Israel - and then a visit to Luxor followed which, as usual with Joe, was embellished with a historical continuo. A further and later visit to Palestine is also within the scope of the present volume.
The third and last story included here is Joe's recounting of the trials of serving under a Squadron-Leader Welch, which Joe wrote as a complete vignette in its own right. These three stories are gathered here and, together help to effect the transition from RAF Signals to his new post, concerned with a different landscape.
When he left for the war, Joe had been teaching for only a few years. His letters were long, recording everything he saw, did and felt as well as much commentary (e.g. Greek Newspapers) which he probably felt might have been of use in his teaching career.
Joe takes up his appointment with the liaison service (AFALS) and is mainly concerned with cultural affairs involving Greek and Polish units in Italy and Greece, whilst he was still based in Cairo. But his duties encompass further extensive travel in North Africa, to places then little known but now familiar and on the 'tourist' trail.
This volume appears more sparsely illustrated with Joe's own photos, which reflects his even greater pre-occupation with duty during this period.