2nd February 1944

Wednesday
Sat up again last night, doing Journal extracts, yet do not feel tired today.  Still very high wind, but not so many clouds.  Poulter ‘phoned this morning to say that some sheds were being demolished against the Town Wall in Vineyard Street, so I went along there at lunchtime and found Bullock’s old stables and sheds were being taken down – Kenn, as Buildings Inspector, had had them condemned as a dangerous structure.  This is of course nonsense, but Kenn seems to have taken leave of his senses lately – Sisson, who at one time rather favoured him, now considers him to be a serious menace in the town.

However, in this case no harm has been done, and about 50 feet of the Wall, standing to a height of 15 feet, has now been exposed.  At one point there is an arched opening, rather like a drain, but the top has been broken away and it is difficult to see exactly what it is as it is so dark.  This may possibly be the drain to which William Wire refers [in his diary], when he mentions one on the E. side of Scheregate.

Must see Sisson and ask him to get in touch with O’Neil [from the Ministry of Works], so that steps may be taken to prevent rebuilding there.

This afternoon should have gone to Fordham, but could not face the wind, as heart pains have been rather bad lately.  Suddenly decided to go to the cinema with Diana, which I did, and much enjoyed it – Arnold Bennett’s “Buried Alived”, called “Holy Matrimony”.  Very well done.  Afterwards we had tea at Last’s.  

To Higham at 7.  Still no beacon.  This is very odd indeed.  Can there have been a big RAF disaster?  The men are still there on the hill, as I can hear their voices in the distance.  I believe they came into the house today, as the furniture in the sitting room had been moved, and the radio changed to long-wave tuning.

Heard on the Calais radio tonight a long list of names – about 80, of British N.C.O.’s and men who were killed by American bombers at a prison camp in Italy.  The list was read out with great dignity, and then a beautiful and very sad air was played.

Tonight the clouds cleared completely and the moon shone out brilliantly, yet there were no planes about.  Still busy on journal extracts.

No comments: