28th September 1941

A beautiful day. Drove over to Lawford with Bob, then put Mrs. Parrington’s Roger in my trap, and she drove Parrington, myself and Penelope Belfield over to East Bergholt. Penelope and Parrington sat behind. Roger went very well, this being the first time he had ever had breechings on. He turned round once, on the Ipswich road, but fortunately a car which was behind us had good brakes. Home to Colchester, and took three eggs for Mother.

Supper at the café. Welsh girl not there.

Update: 28th September 2011
Following my request for help to translate EJR's Welsh phrases in his diary extract for 23rd September 1941, I am very grateful to Brett Colley and Derek Jones for providing the translation for me and I have now been able to update the extract to reflect this. Thank you again, Brett and Derek. CP

4 comments:

BobRocket said...

It's sweet that Eric is rather taken with 'the Welsh girl', rushing around on Sunday and hoping to see her at the cafe and again today.

Of course in the modern era he would be called a stalker but that's progress for you :)

E J Rudsdale said...

Thanks Bob, good to hear from you and yes Eric is something of a ladies' man to say the least! CP

BobRocket said...

Thanks again for taking the time to publish Eric's diaries, it is an education.

I like his weather reports, the other Eric and I planted potatoes within days of each other and enjoyed apple blossom in a very close spring.

This Eric and I have been lucky to have a few warm days together late in September. It's good to see he has cheered up a bit since his epic 1/1 post (which is well worth re-reading in a modern context)
http://wwar2homefront.blogspot.com/2010/01/1st-january-1940-new-years-day.html
he seems to be having a jolly war so far :)

It is difficult to believe that all this was going on barely 20 years before I was born.

These day to day lives relived, on a 70 year delay are fascinating and give an insight into how our world today is formed.

I'd like to see The Benn Diaries 1940-1990 published in a similar manner, perhaps you know the publisher.

E J Rudsdale said...

Thanks for your kind comments, Bob - much appreciated.

I always enjoy the comparisons between these diary entries and our experiences today and quite often both Erics provide such a valuable historical perspective as well as a dose of common sense!

It's also nice to think that Eric was enjoying the same late summer sunshine 70 years ago that we are experiencing now.

Eric has been very lucky in the war so far, although things did seem pretty bleak to him on 1 January 1940.

I do like your idea about the Benn diaries. I don't know the publisher but it would be fascinating to read them on a daily basis. Let's hope someone puts them on-line before long. Best wishes, CP