16th March 1941

Miss Knight, who we [the War Agricultural Committee] were responsible for evicting from her holding at Aldham, brought three of her horses down to Bourne Mill today. They are a mare and two youngsters, all terribly thin.

Went over to Fingringhoe this afternoon and saw Grubb. Everything much as usual, just the same dirt, old tins, bits of food, harness all over the dining room, papers, books, old clothes. We went round her 6 acre field. Not much grass coming up yet. Very bad stony field. If we do not get rain for the spring she will get very little grazing. Talking of the trouble to get it grass-harrowed, as Judy the only workable horse, “refuses to pull”, and she used to be in the artillery!

Had to go on duty tonight at 8. Don't like these Sunday night arrangements.
Glorious day. Warm and sunny. Fingringhoe looked grand.

The War Agricultural Executive Committees were empowered to take over land if the landholder was considered to be unable to carry out the Committee's orders to plough up land and increase food production. Miss Knight, mentioned above, appears to have been a victim of this policy but EJR seems to have tried to help her by offering shelter for her horses.

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