10th December 1941

News today that the “Prince of Wales” and the “Repulse” have been sunk in the China Seas by Japanese planes. Quite incredible. Apparently these huge ships were sent out without air escort into a region infested with Japanese air-craft carriers. There was a large notice in the “County Telegraph” window at lunch time, headed “Naval Losses”. Hervey Benham was at lunch, full of gloom and misery.

My photographs are going well. Got another lot from Mason’s today and paid them a bill of £2-10-0.

EJR's collection of historic photos of Colchester, entitled 'The Prospect of Colchester' was assembled as a record of historic buildings and streets in Colchester in case they were destroyed by bomb damage.

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