29th February 1944

Tuesday

Was wakened at 7, and had an excellent breakfast.  During the night suffered two frightful bouts of pain in the jaw, but was able to eat this morning.  Caught the 8.10 bus.  Very cold.  Brilliant morning, but bitter NE wind.  Became hazy this afternoon, and the wind turned NW.

Went home to tea, and found Mary Ralling there – Annie has been sent off this morning by ambulance to London Hospital for treatment.  There is no doubt she has cancer, but even now nobody dares say it.  Poor Mary looked terribly worried.

Slight fog came up this evening, so hopes for another quiet night.  Having nothing much to do, walked down to Stratford, and called at the King’s Arms for a drink.  Overheard the landlady talking about letting rooms without attendance.  Thought that might suit me, as I cannot stay at Dedham long.

Back to Dedham and called at the Sissons.  They had been right up into Norfolk today, to East Dereham, on a business trip, and had much enjoyed it.  He still has not heard anything further about going to Italy.

Late in the evening the moon became covered by cloud, and there was no sign of a raid when I went to bed at 11.  Felt very nervous.

28th February 1944

Monday

Brilliant day, but bitterly cold.  Got to Colchester by 9.15, not feeling very grand.  Saw a team of Suffolks ploughing opposite Higham Hall, coming down the long slope with the brown furrow stretching out behind them, sea-gulls wheeling and shrieking. 

Felt bad all day, and could hardly eat.  Took Father six eggs which I got at Lawford yesterday.

Tonight went back to Higham, and did a lot of packing up, then to Dedham, under the cold glittering stars, and found the “Sun” warm and comfortable.  Was given a tiny, cosy little room overlooking the yard, with a good bed.

Amusing mistake about the Colchester raid last week – a lady solemnly read the list of Freemen of the Colne Fishery, on the front of the Town Hall, under the impression that they were persons killed in the raid.

27th February 1944

Sunday

Slept warm and comfortable until 10.30, only waking twice during the night.  Sunny, with clouds, but still cold east wind.  Had breakfast by myself.  How good Joy is to me.  Stayed on for lunch, and felt very much better.  Heavy clouds came up, and there was some rain this afternoon.  Went down to Dedham, called at the “Sun” to make myself known.  Hope I shall be comfortable there.

Had tea at the café.  The old woman was very indignant about the 8^th Army men who are now in the village and have been making a nuisance of themselves in the café on Sundays.  There is only one canteen for the troops and that is not open until 6 o’clock, so the men have no where to go but the pubs or the Corner Café.

The clouds drifted away, and I went back to Higham in the quiet of the evening.  There was a little mist, and a thin crescent moon hung over the cottage, with a plume of smoke drifting up from its chimney.  Not a sound to be heard.  Spent the evening packing up.

No planes about tonight (10.30pm) nor any about during the day.  Very curious, as the weather was mostly clear and fine. 

It is on my conscience that I do not see very much of Father.  Is he lonely?  I wonder.  Miss Payne is obviously an excellent housekeeper, but she would drive me mad if I had to live in the house for a single day.  Her tongue is never still for a month, and her conversation is such that requires constant replies.  Father, after nearly 40 years with Mother, is used to this sort of thing.  I wish I could get away to Wales and take Father with me, but I doubt if he could stand the journey.

26th February 1944

Saturday

Not much better.  Both jaws painful, and splitting headache.  Stayed in until the afternoon, then to Colchester.  Raining and hazy.  Felt a little better when I got there.  Went home, and found another paper from the Ministry of Labour, requiring full details of my present employment, as if they did not know already.  It was marked “Grade III C”.

Went to the office and found that both Folkard and Walling were away ill today.  Phoned Folkard and found him much better.  Then phoned Joy, and asked for a bed, so as to avoid the light tonight, to which she most kindly agreed.

Called at Holly Trees.  Poulter told me that Scarfe had been in, and had calmly told Hull that he had written a new history of the Castle.  Hull was speechless with fury.

Left Colchester at 7.30, with no lamps, so had to walk as far as Parsons Heath.  Went by the Crockleford Rd, to avoid police.  Dark and cloudy.  No ‘planes.  Everything quiet and still.  When near Hungerdowns, I suddenly heard a train pulling out of a station on the Clacton line, I suppose Bentley, about 7 miles away.  Could hear cows lowing and dogs barking on distant farms, the sound of lorries on the main road, and the thump of a dance-band at Lawford village hall.

At Sherbourne Mill found the ambassadorial Rolls-Royce from Lawford Hall standing in the yard, so crept in quietly.  Had supper, and dozed before the fire.  Suddenly struck with the most terrible pain in the bottom jaw, in the rotten teeth in the front.  Have never known such pain before, but it soon faded.  My heart beat madly, and I nearly collapsed.  Rain beginning as I went to bed.

25th February 1944

Friday

Felt terrible this morning.  Bitterly cold, and overcast.  Could not face the journey in.  Made up the fire, and crouched over it.  Spent last night in the chair.  The days seem to be spent waiting in anxiety for the nights, the nights in waiting for the dawn.

Went out at 12, phoned a house at Horkesley which takes guests, but no good.  Full.  Tried the “Talbooth”, the “Sun”, Dedham, and got a room with great difficulty, by mentioning Sissons’ name, but this is only temporary.

Cycled slowly into Colchester by Severalls Lane and Turner Rd, to avoid our end of the town.  Noticed a lot of AA guns near Upper Brickhouse Farm, and a big American encampment in High Woods, opposite the REC Institute.

Had a cup of tea at Rose’s café, and noticed two black Americans at one table and three white Americans at another.  Have never seen this before.  One of the black men was a Captain.  Overheard a lot of badinage between the waitress, Connie, and the Americans, about “Miss Browne” getting married next Wednesday.  Could not make out whether this was some stupid joke.  As far as I know this man “Bill” she has been carrying on with is still abroad.

Went up to the Cemetery to see about Mother’s grave, as nothing had been done since the funeral.  The sandy soil had sunk, and you could see the outline clearly, so tiny it seemed.  Two men nearby were sweeping up leaves, moving quietly among the sleeping dead.  A soldier came by, walking slowly, reading the inscriptions on the tombstones.  Called at the Cemetery Office, and paid 5/- to have the grave turfed.  American ‘planes came sweeping over as I left the Cemetery, and went home to tea.  Felt too ill to eat.  Back to Higham at 7.  Very dark, rain beginning.  Hope for a quiet night.

24th February 1944

Thursday

Up at 7, in a lovely pale blue dawn, and cycled back to the cottage.  Had breakfast and got to Colchester by 9.15.  Busy day, but felt rotten.  Beside bad pains in the head, am coughing very bad, every cough being agony.

Demolitions have been going on all day at the ruins.  The roadway is open, and I went down there at lunch time.  One odd thing is that the “Woolpack” Inn, in the very middle of the fire is quite un-harmed, yet everything is burnt out all round.  The top floor of the “Plough” is burnt out, and Bare’s fish-shop, near the station.

The café is open, everybody looking at the hole in the ceiling and the scorched mark on the floor.  Two soldiers who had just come from Aldershot that morning, said there was an alarm down there at about 8, and that on Tuesday night there were fires at Staines and a bomb on a house near Virginia Water.

After lunch cycled to Layer to see Mrs Roger’s “cottage”.  Very disappointing.  Really nothing but a derelict shed, situated just behind the “Donkey and Buskins” at Layer.  Could make it do, but should have to spend quite a bit on repairs, blackout, furniture etc.  Seems to be quite remote, and not in any particular danger.  Must consider what I shall do.

Went to see Poulter.  Showed me several very bad photos which he had taken of the great fire, all quite useless.  Also showed me an excellent lot of prints, drawings, and photographs of Harwich, from Carlyon Hughes’ collection, which he has just acquired.  I regret bitterly that I know so little about the place.  Poulter is thinking of buying more property there.  His interest in Colchester seems to be nil.  Heard that Sam Blomfield has made arrangements to re-open immediately, in the shop which used to be Daldy’s, at the top of John’s Street.  While I was in the Holly Trees, Hull walked in, in Observer Corps, uniform, and gave me a barely civil “Good morning”.  Felt an awful fool at being found there.

Father went out to see the ruins, and met Mrs.  Dennis, an old friend who lives next to Bare’s, St. Botolph’s, and she told him how they broke into a little café near there and made 200 cups of tea.  Everybody expected the petrol in St Botolph’s Station yard to go up.

Noticed that the “Empire” Cinema was open tonight as usual, with ruins all round, wisps of smoke still rising.

Worried because I still have no home next week.  Heard distant gunfire 9.30-10, but felt too ill to bother.

23rd February 1944 - Incendiary Attack on Colchester

Wednesday

Thick fog.  At Birchwood corner came across Polley, the Dedham coachbuilder, who said he had seen a big fire during the night, in the south, and thought it was either at Colchester or beyond.  NFS lorries standing about and policemen.

Strange police on duty and could not get through.  They refused to give any idea of the damage and pushed me roughly up Priory St.  Saw the wooden stone-shed next to Markham’s, pawn-brokers, a heap of smouldering ruins, surrounded by a crowd of small boys and American negroes.  Down Childwell Alley and onto the foot-bridge, from which you could see a column of smoke rising beyond the station, drifting across the façade of Hollington’s factory, a roofless ruin.  Both of Alderman Blomfield’s shops have gone, Geary’s, Cheshire’s, a boot shop, a tobacconist’s, a fruit shop on St Botolph’s Corner, a barber’s on Stanwell Street corner, two shops next the ‘Empire’ in Mersea Rd, and four or five more shops on the W. side of St Botolph’s Street, including Hancock’s the old sweet-shop, a 17^th century place.

Went next to St. Giles’ and found the place quite undamaged, not even a window cracked.  Somebody had removed all the altar ornaments to the west end of the church.  Saw Duncan Clark outside, and he asked me if there was any damage in the church.  Looked at the Abbey Gate, which is untouched, and then worked my way round to Osborne Street, over dozens of hose-pipes, which straggled in every direction.  

Went down as far as the Electricity Station.  Saw Alderman Harper going towards the ruins, and Orchard, the Deputy Engineer, with ARP officers, on the other side of the rope barrier.  More fire-pumps and lorries, and more American police.

Went up to the High Street bought myself a new neck tie at Johnson’s, and at last got to the office an hour and a half late.

This evening went down there again, and walked along Vineyard St.  From there the ruins of Hollington’s look huge and majestic, more like the Baths of Caracalla than a mid-Victorian clothing factory.  There was still smoke drifting up, and several hoses were sending plumes of shining water high over the blackened walls, while the sun sank into a bank of golden mist which made a background to the empty windows.

This is the biggest fire that Colchester has ever known, and the whole thing seems to have been caused by two or three canisters of incendiaries.  This is the German’s latest scheme, and it seems incredible that it has not been thought of before.  The greatest damage ever done in London was in the great fire-raid at the end of 1940, when no explosive bombs were used.  Meanwhile the RAF concentrates on getting larger and larger ‘planes to carry even heavier explosive bombs with which to destroy German houses, churches, or museums.

Tonight went to Boxted, collected 6 eggs, and then went to see the Rushburys at Higham.  The beacon light was flashing brilliantly, and I could see it as far away as Boxted.

Spent a pleasant evening at Rushburys.  They were both very friendly and charming.  Next week they go to York.  He showed me a piece of shrapnel and several of the black paper strips which the Germans drop to confuse radio-location.  These he found in the garden.

Felt very nervous when I left at 10.30, and rather ill.  Dark, and bitterly cold, glittering stars, and the crimson flash of the beacon on my left.  Never seen it so bright before.  As I crossed the Brett, at the foot of Higham village, the sirens wailed, at first faintly at Colchester, then louder at Hadleigh, ending with the distant blare of Brantham factory.  I felt I could not under any circumstances go to the cottage, and decided to go up to the Pentons at Lark Hall, late as it was, (Higham Church clock had just struck eleven.)  There was not a ‘plane nor a gun to be heard, and I sped along with no lights, hoping not to meet a policeman.  Great relief to find Jack Penton still up.  Felt very foolish, made excuses about the noise of the beacon motor.  I think he saw the situation at once, and with great kindness gave me blankets to sleep on a very comfortable sofa.  Mrs. Penton was already in bed.

At about 11.15 came the “all-clear”, and I curled up under the warm blankets.  Got neuralgia on the left side of my face.