5th April 1942: Easter Sunday

Working in the field this morning, carting wood to the house. After lunch to Dedham, to the Sissons’. Some pleasant talk during the evening but soon after dusk, when the RAF bombers began to drone their way over the coast, Sisson remarked very bitterly “There go the RAF to bomb more cathedrals!” I fear he is only too right. Hour extra light tonight. Back late.

Sisson's remarks referred to the RAF's devastating raid on the historic city of Lübeck on 28/29 March 1942, which destroyed three of the city's main churches. The air raid marked the start of the RAF's adoption of area bombing tactics. The targeting of civilian cities had been authorised by a new directive to RAF Bomber Command in February 1942.

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