UK National Archives, 24th Armoured Brigade War Diary, 29 October 1942. 'Brigade ordered to hand over all tanks that were or could be made fit to 8 and 2 Armoured Brigades. The Brigade went forward into operations on 23 October with 95 Shermans and 58 Crusaders and during the battle received 3 Shermans and 4 Crusaders as replacements. 77 Shermans and 48 Crusaders became casualties during these 6 days ... Personnel casualties killed, missing and wounded were 250 officers and men.'
Reed papers, letter of 4 November 1942. ‘Tonight we celebrate our return with whole skins from the Valley of the Shadow, or rather it was a ridge … I don’t suppose it was much better or much worse than war is for most men, but it needed more courage than I’m ever likely to have and the memory doesn’t leave me much to be proud of … I was horribly frightened but much more disgusted at the extraordinary offensiveness of it all. It all seemed such a fearful crime against human dignity …
I was damned glad to be out of it but was left, when I recovered from the relief of escape, with an overpowering sense of despair and disgust that I’ve never known before.’
Immediately after sailing for the Middle East his appointment as ship’s broadcaster unexpectedly returned him to his peacetime profession and in the process brought him to the attention of his Brigade’s commanding officer, who then attached Reed to his staff. In Egypt Reed remained with the Brigadier’s staff as a liaison officer - a combination of scout and messenger.
This chapter follows his progress from southern England to Egypt, and ultimately to the battlefield of Alamein...