PERL version 5.10 
======================== 

$lines2 = "     PERIOD                                       13 OCT    06 OCT";

$lines2 =~ /\d\d \w\w\w/g;
$lines2 =~ s/(\d\d) (\w\w\w)/"\u\L$2 " . ($1 + 0)/eg;
$lines2 =~ /(\w\w\w \d\d) \s+ (\w\w\w \d\d)/;
print "dates: $1 and $2 \n";
#this line only works with 5.14.
#push (@date, map { s/(\d\d) (\w\w\w)/"\u\L$2 " . ($1 + 0)/er } $lines[2] =~ /\d\d
\w\w\w/g);
push (@date, $1);
push (@date, $2);
$date[0] = $date[0]. ", ". $currentyear;
$date[1] = $date[1]. ", ". $currentyear;

##</code><code>##

dates: 06 and OCT

##</code><code>##

dates: Oct 06 and Oct 13