23rd March 1943

Tuesday

Another lovely day.  Very busy.  Walling, new chief clerk, anxious to learn the ropes of this office.  I think he will be useful, but too early to say yet.  Home to tea.  My dear Father’s birthday, 71 years old.  Took him quarter pound tobacco, which now costs 9/6.  He had had a letter from his brother Will, to say all are well in the North, but are growing very old.  What a pity all the old people cannot get together again for a few years.

Beautiful evening, with the noise of planes, very high, over the town.

Back at 7.30.  Mrs. Symonds, Joy’s mother, there.  About 9 o’clock, a few planes began to move about, apparently British, but I suddenly heard one dive, ending in a dull thump which shook the house.  I thought at first it was bombs, but I believe it was a plane crashing.  Soon after several more began to dive and rise over the farm, searchlights trying to pick them up.

Benton came into the office this afternoon, and wanted to know where Wire’s Diary was.  Unfortunately Sam Blomfield borrowed this ten days ago to read in his own home, and had not returned it.  I did not quite know what to say, realising that if I denied all knowledge of the diary’s absence Benton would at once rush to Hull and the fat would be on the fire.  At last I said I believed Blomfield might have it.  Benton was very annoyed, and pointed out that the manuscript was actually the property of the Essex Archaeological Society.  I had forgotten this.  I shall have to see the Councillor in the morning and get this back.

Wire’s copy of Morant is still missing, and no steps have been taken to trace it.  Poulter is positive that it was not sent to London with the other books by mistake, so I suppose it is either in the Castle or at Hull’s house in Elmstead. 

Hull is now “back on duty”.  That is, he arrives in the morning about 9.30 and leaves about midday, after which he is not seen.