WW2: A Civilian in the Second World War

This blog posts extracts from E J Rudsdale's diaries of life on the home front in Britain during the Second World War. Each extract was posted exactly 70 years after it was first written, marking the 70th anniversary of the Second World War between 2009-2015.

30th November 1943

Tuesday Very bad night. Throat felt almost closed up, and began to wonder if I had got diphtheria. Had about 4 hours sleep, and did not...

29th November 1943

Monday Throat a little queer and painful to swallow. Heard on 8 o'clock news that there has been a hit and run raid – harmless – on ...

28th November 1943

Sunday Lovely quiet night, thick mist. Rain most of the day. Stayed warmly in bed until midday, reading “ Quiet Street ” by Elliot. Mo...

27th November 1943

Saturday Wakened by sirens shortly before 2. Nothing happened for nearly an hour, then I heard a distant plane, and the Colchester guns...

26th November 1943

Friday Late again. Another lovely day. About 3am this morning I heard All Clear sounding, the first siren for more than a fortnight. M...

25th November 1943

Thursday Another brilliant sunny morning, though cold. Got up rather late, and did not get in until after the District Officer had arriv...

24th November 1943

Wednesday When I opened the door at 7.30, I found it was a lovely clear morning, with a thin crescent moon hanging just above the leafles...

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E J Rudsdale: Born on 14th February 1910 in Colchester, Essex. Began work at Colchester Castle Museum in 1928.

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