Folks, my humble apologies. I've checked back in his memoir and dad said he had 'yellow jaundice, or hepatitis'.
My mistake, sorry for the confusion and head scratching I caused!
Dad has this to say about innoculations. At the time (March 1943???) he was staying in a commandeered boarding house in Morecombe (ah the exotic life he led!!) This, of course, ties in with Blackpool.
We had inoculations against many diseases, including Scrub Typhus. We were issued with tropical kit, complete with a 'Bombay bowler', this was a large helmet, rather like the ones that the Royal Marines bandsmen wear.
We were transported to Liverpool Docks where we embarked on the 'S.S. Stratheden'. It was a modern 'P&O' liner.