5th April 1943

Monday

Glorious day, blazing sun, very warm.  Woke at 6.30, to the songs of birds and the crowing of cocks. 

Committee at Birch, very long, very tedious, lasting from 2 until 7.30.  Came back all the way with Moorhouse.  When I got in, heard that there had been an alarm for about half an hour, just after 6, and the Harwich guns fired again.  Hope these alarms are not forerunners of daylight raids.  German prestige is rather low, and they may be trying to work up some sort of spectacular exhibition.  While we were sitting at Birch, a plane dived down very low with a tremendous roar, but whether enemy or not I do not know.

In High St. today saw a soldier in Khaki with the name “Danemark” on his shoulder.  This is the first “Free Dane” I have ever seen.

Tonight at half past 9 it was still dusk, with low ragged clouds blowing across the sky in front of a strong N.W. wind, very warm, like the soft, warm winds we get in Wales.  Oh, how I wish I was there now.

Going to Birch this afternoon, saw they were cutting timber in the wood opposite Stanway Hall, and were hauling the trunks away with horses, a fine sight.  Caradoc [a horse that Rudsdale had owned in the 1930s] and another old pony are still turned out in the hilly paddock below the Hall.

Some of the Poles from Mistley are going away.  Smygelski is off to Persia, very reluctantly, and the Ostracaviches are going to Ashford in Kent.  Mrs. O. was warned that there have been very bad raids there, but she did not seem to mind in the least.