22nd February 1942

This afternoon stables, field, and an hour in the office. After tea to Seymour’s. Miss Coope the schoolmistress was there. I was interested to hear her say that the Government were fools to take away precautions to minimise damage to civilian property at Brest when bombing the [German warships] “Scharnhorst” and the “Grieseman”. French civilians are of no importance, and deserve death anyway for “letting us down”. Saunders agreed, and said the French were “yellow” all through. Yet this woman is teaching young girls!

Mrs. Seymour showed me a photo taken last week of four generations – Alan’s baby, Alan, Pa Seymour, and his father. Facial resemblance most remarkable. Alan is now a dentist in the R.A.F., with the rank of Flying Officer. Left at 11p.m., and saw Miss Coope home. Fine, but very cold. Looks like more snow. Everything frozen solid at the Castle.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Catherine

My late mother had the same sort of attitude towards the French because they 'gave in' so easily.

She lived and worked in Dunmow for most of the war and I have often thought about how she would have reacted had German troops marched down Dunmow high street.

Mike Dennis

E J Rudsdale said...

Thanks for your comment, Mike. I often wonder how any of us might have reacted to an invasion. Certainly your mother would have shown plenty of fighting spirit! CP

Anonymous said...

Catherine

I don't think she would have done, which is one reason why I always wondered about her view of the French (she didn't marry until after the war so had no children to protect, but her brother - her only sibling - was killed in the war.)

Mike

E J Rudsdale said...

Thanks Mike - that's an interesting insight into your mother's feelings. In my haste I had jumped to a different conclusion and yet as EJR's blog shows people's reactions to the war were often more complex than we realise. Thanks for the clarification - much appreciated, CP