30th December 1943

Thursday
Slept only 4 hours.  Shaved at 6.30, had breakfast, left in the dark.  The scarlet light still flashing.  Labourers moving to work in the darkness.  Cold, but fine.  Determined to go to the Roses’ tonight, to get some rest and pleasant company.  Saw Hervey Benham today.  He is preparing his history of East Essex during the war, but he did not seem very interested in my journals.  He had been to the ARP Control people, and had seen the official records.  These, he says are in a frightful muddle, and it is almost impossible to discover what really happened at all.

Left at 5.30 for Boxted.  The Roses very glad to see me, and we spent a pleasant evening, talk and radio, excellent food.  Stuart made up a bed for me for the night.  Bitterly cold black night, and very few planes about.

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