31st January 1941

Felt ill. Wish I could stay in bed. Horrible, dark, cold mornings, hardly light at a quarter past 8. Another long day alarm today, nearly 6 hours, but few planes heard. Low clouds, dull. Alleged that bombs were dropped at Clacton. Yesterday a plane was shot down on St Osyth Marshes. It struck the ground at tremendous speed, and buried itself 16 feet in the earth, I am told. All the crew dead. What a horrible way for these poor young men to die. Another alarm tonight at 7.15. Trouble with a light at Kent and Blaxill’s.