Saturday
Dull again, but warm. Two Suffolks rolling the field
behind the house this morning.
When I got to the office found
everything in an uproar, so slipped home for a few minutes. Miss Payne said Father seemed a little
unwell, and complained of pain round his heart. Annie Ralling is no worse, but her
mind is wandering. While there found a
form which had come to me from Writtle, addressed to me as the occupier of
Bourne Mill, and enquiring (a) am I occupied full-time on this holding? and (b)
if not, what other work do I do? This is
signed by Thingood of the Labour Department, who has known me personally for
three and a half years.
Up town this afternoon, shopping
and Library. Called
at the Castle, and found Mr. Middleton, the radio speaker, talking to a large
crowd about gardening. Sounded very dull
to me. Arranged to take the “rat-lady”
out to supper tonight. Went home to tea,
and stayed an hour, then back to Holly Trees.
Saw a card from Christopher Hawkes, announcing that he and his family have
returned to Fitzroy Terrace permanently.
Curious thing to do at a time when more and bigger raids are expected on
London at any
moment.
Took the “rat-lady” to the café
in Culver Street
and then went for a walk through the Park and along to Partridge’s, strolling
in the quiet evening. Then we went back
to Holly Trees and sat on one of the seats for an hour or so, until it became
too cold. Left her at 11.30, and said
goodbye, as she is going back to London
tomorrow.
Noticed a Home Guard sentry patrolling
under the railway bridge at North Station.
So far as I know they are not yet stopping people from coming into the
town, and there are no signs of any particular military activities.
Planes were flying over tonight
in formation, the wing-tip lights glimmering like little coloured stars. There was a new searchlight on, somewhere in
the Horkesley direction, beyond the Plantation .
In the “Essex Telegraph” this
week is a piece of the vilest hypocrisy I have ever seen. It is stated, in order to show how religious
the Americans are, that two Yankee airmen spend their time between air-raids
sitting in a cathedral “near their camp”, praying, and recuperating their
depleted strength for the next effort.
It would of course be hard to say whether the English or the Americans
have destroyed the most churches and cathedrals in Europe ,
but to print such rubbish as this is an insult to the public. One only hopes that
both British and American airmen will agree to leave unharmed any cathedrals
near German aerodromes, so that their enemies may have the same opportunities
for quiet contemplation, before coming over here to bomb schools in mistake for
factories.
Boxted at 1a.m. Had to walk most of the way, having no
lights. Beautiful warm night.
No comments:
Post a Comment