27th January 1944

Thursday
Fine morning.  Much warmer.  Had to call for a gallon of oil at Brown’s, East St., as we had missed the delivery at Higham.  Chaos at the office, as the daily woman had not been and there were no fires alight nor any cleaning done.

Clouded over about 10, and the sirens sounded, the first alarm in daylight for several months.  Several fighter planes came over, apparently from either Wormingford or Langham, so apparently we are not quite unprotected now.  The all-clear came within 10 or 15 minutes, and nothing happened.

Tonight went to the Roses at Boxted, and had supper.  A new crescent moon, lying on its back, and twinkling stars.  A lot of planes about, and I heard heavy bombers going out in the distance about 6 o’clock.  Got to Higham at 10, no beacon.  Apparently the beacon only flashes on certain nights now.  During the last few weeks it has been every third night.  Cloudy at 10, but I wish we had more really bad weather.

Saw Hervey Benham, and lent him a series of aeroplane photos, all local.  One shows the flight on the Abbey Field in 1913, which I well remember.  Strange and horrifying to think what these crude contraptions have developed into.

1 comment:

Jane said...

I remember Brown's was still open as a hardware shop about 10/12 years ago and since then converted into residential use. It still looks much the same though!