26th April 1943

Easter Monday

Four years ago today I saw the last London Van Horse Parade at Regents Park.  I can see them now – United Dairies, Carter Paterson, Hays Wharf Cartage – 600 lovely turnouts.  I was with Woods and Day, and then I met Rose afterwards.  Now Day is dead, Rose is a stranger, and only Woods is really happy, still driving his Suffolk mare about Colchester's streets.  What am I?  A very bad and inefficient secretary of a War Agricultural Committee.

Terrible wind all day, with driving rain at times.  Writing, and mounting photos.  After lunch, harrowing with Roger in the paddock by the stream, levelling mole-hills.  Most satisfying work, to see the little hillocks break and spread under the harrows, the crumbs of dirt swept along by the bushes tied behind. 

This evening went up the hill with glasses, to see a very high tide, which covered all the marshes between here and East Bergholt.  Tiny figures of black polled cattle, picking their way through the water, and browsing on little islands.