17th July 1944

Monday

Lay too long on the stack last night, not waking until the cows were brought into the sheds a quarter of a mile away at 6.30am.  Result was I did not get back to Woodside until 7, and walked into a scene of great confusion.  Wendy’s husband went over to Severall’s yesterday, and after a lot of argument with the doctors brought her away, and was going to take her up to Lancashire today.  When I walked in I could hear Wendy sobbing and crying and Hartley talking to her very kindly, while Miss Bentley was saying “Don't be so silly, Wendy, for goodness sake.”  Apparently she had suddenly decided that she could not face the journey north, and refused to get out of bed.  The taxi came to the door, and had to be sent away again.

Early to office, then called at home.  Found that Father had been ill on Saturday night, with heart pains, but was alright now.  Miss Payne was very worried and irritated me with her fussiness.

The fog was very thick until 10 o’clock today, but a lot of ‘planes were going out.  Heard more of the great damage being done in London today – Bank, Liverpool Street Station and Trafalgar Square have all been hit.  On Sunday one diver scored a direct hit on a home at Margaretting, killing 2 or 3 people. 

This evening saw Alderman Blomfield, and had another talk about Museum matters, but got nowhere at all.  Just a waste of time.

To Boxted at 7.30.  Lovely evening, and a fine copper-coloured sunset. 

Heard that one of Stuart Rose’s orchard women, Eileen Wratten, was killed in Lexden Road on Saturday afternoon by an Army ambulance.  She was epileptic, and apparently had a fit while riding her cycle.  Some time ago she had a child by a sergeant who had promised to marry her but then disclosed that he was married already.  The Roses were very good to her over that trouble and helped her a lot.