26th August 1944

Saturday

Brilliant hot day, the glass high, and rising.  Busy morning in what was nothing more than a madhouse.  Went out this afternoon, bought my rations, and bought a new pair of pyjamas – the first I’ve bought for years.

Went down to the stables, and saw Hampshire’s latest, a pony mare and a foal, both looking very sweaty in a hot, closed stable, but he was so proud of them I had not the heart to criticise.  Called at home, found the old man very well, and then rushed to Horkesley to be at the Post at 5.  Pawsey was on with me, so told him that I must really give it up – that I’m quite useless at the work, and that I’m getting no sleep at all now.  Told him I did not intend to do any more after I’ve had my holiday next month, but he asked me not to do anything until then as several men are ill, and all the rest of us are doing extra watches as it is.  Agreed weakly.

There have been no ‘divers’ over England since 7 o’clock yesterday morning, and rumours spread that “the end is in site”.  Other rumours however say that the launching sites are being moved further north, and that the next lot will come in by the East Coast and pass over Colchester.  The papers have been taking quite an optimistic line this last day or so, but they are now so unreliable that it is hardly worth while to read them.

Spent a nice quiet evening, the most interesting sights being a flock of sheep driven slowly down the lane by a shepherd with a bicycle and a dog, partridges rising out of the stubble, and a woodcock flying over.  A little later some seagulls flew in, very slowly, and seemed as if they were scanning the ground carefully.

Got away at 8, called at Lt. Rivers, and found pretty Camilla Wybrants there.  Talked half an hour, then to Woodside for supper.

Called in at the Public Library this afternoon, and saw one or two interesting items in the papers.  In the “Essex Weekly News” we are told that one Lieut. Nunn, a local soldier, has brought home a fragment of the Bayeux Tapestry as a souvenir.  One can be pretty sure that the Tapestry is somewhere where the Lieutenant and his kind can't get at it, but it is interesting to see this sort of hooliganism recorded in the press with pride.

There is a very interesting article in yesterday’s “East Anglian Daily Times” by “Pighole” on horses on farms, in which he states very plainly that the process of mechanisation has been carried much too far.

The third item which interested me was an account in Friday’s “Guardian” of the sale at Moy Hall, Inverness, I should think one of the saddest sales ever held.  The Prince’s bed is gone at last, and the hall is to be unroofed in order to save paying rates on it.

Had a delicious supper, read for 2 hours, and crept up to bed at 1.00am.