大象传媒

From ;Journals of Blanche Polly [deceased]
August 20 1939
Excerpt; 'It fills me with tears to describe it [the wedding of my mother, the eldest daughter of James Winch]. The grandest and loveliest bride I have seen, it was a very proud moment for me when Phyllis came in on her father's arm, it was a perfect sight. I shall see it for ever. I was up at 540a.m., had a cup of tea and did my chores and made salads by nine. Every one going up to the wedding hall [a barn where the reception was held] took something.Inspected the tables that looked lovely with flowers,and the eatables, now 930 and time to put my dress on for church. We left for the church at 945 and phyl and Dad walked in as the clock struck 1000.'

The bride and groom left for Cornwall at 130 and the party continued till 1130p.m.
My grandfather wrote to my parents to come home from their honeymoon early and on the day they returned war was declared.

Excerpt;
Sunday 3 September 1939
War is declared today on Germany at 11.a.m. At 11.15a.m. the air raid warning was given and we rushed to do a bit more to the dug out.I had a chicken in the oven and bombs or no bombs I went to look at it but soon all clear ed siren went and we went into dinner Ma [my grandmother] was runnning out with her gas mask on her head shouting 'air raid, air raid.'
Just two weeks from the wedding and there was no thought of war and now we are in it.

September 4 1939
Lay awake in bed at 230a.m. this morning and heard the gun station air raid bell go. Jumped out of bed and listened for siren to go and it went and then I woke the family , all got dressed and went down the dug out. John[my father] and I filled sand bags to keep warm but it was a false alarm and we made some tea and went back to bed at 430a.m., all quiet on the eastern front.

September 6 1939
Heard the first guns of war the morning, anti aircraft guns were firing on german war planes and then the sirens went. Also heard some bombs drop on Southend, put the wind up some people but our guns were ready. North Ockendon did fire 7 rounds at one of our own, they thought they were the enemy. All clear at 9.a.m.

September 10 1939
Dad went over to Phylis after breakfast to help with their dug out, then home to dinner and we had a rest. The germans have nearly got into Poland and I feel very sorry for the Poles, it doesn't seem as if we are at war but I guess we shall know later.

September 16 1939

War is a very trying time, it gives one a very uneasy feeling, the Russians are fighting against the Poles. Mr and Mrs P came up this evening for an hour or so I was so pleased to see them.

September 22 1939

Phyllis came to tea today, all work done in good time, Joan is home and had a letter to say she had passed for a nurse at Oldchurch hospital. Next week I must seperate my pullets from the cockerel, they will soon be laying and must get them in their permanent lay house. Brought my knitting out again which I started in january, this war business, the sinking of our boats on sunday, the germans sank our battleship 'Courageous' with the loss of 500 lives.

October 14 1939

Air raid on the Firth of Forth Bridge but did n't do any damage although several were killed and some wounded. Seven nazi planes were brought down by our marvellous air force.

October 20 1939

More air raids on Scotland during the week, tried to bomb the navy but without success.. The cattle came home this afternoon, a nice lot arrived about 3.30, walked all the way from Chelmsford market, about 20 miles.

October 30 1939

More fog so got the coloureds dry after a struggle, but the wind got up and dried the white things lovely. James is cutting the spring greens in new meadow field, they are not selling well, the government seem to be humbugging everything up with their d--- controls, have to have a license before you can sell an egg, what the country is coming to with all this officialdom goodness knows.

November 20 1939

Sitting by the fire after doing my washing when I heard the guns fire, running out saw a german plane overhead, our guns on the farm open fire, it sure did rattle the old house. It made a trail of smoke behind it and we watched it till it was out of sight. I heard today it was fetched down in the North sea.

November 21 1939
More raiders today, another brought down and the men in it were found in a rubber boat and are now interred for the duration.

November 22 1939
More excitement today, more raiders over the river Thames and one pssed over our gun station twice quite low. I thought every minute it would blow up.

November 30 1939

Rain and more rain Dad came home to tell us that he had sunk in a mud hole up to his knees for about half an hour before anyone heard him. Some men working on the soldiers camp came and dug him out, it took 7 men to pull him out, he weighs so much. We sure did laugh and the joke lasted all day. More bad news, the russians have started on Finland today, why oh why do the big countries want to fight the little ones and bea everyone to the ground.

December 31 19939

So another year goes out tonight, very different from previous years, what with crisis and war we are well in it, everyting is being muddled along and even our farm seems in a muddle, no one takes much interest in the work and it greaves me, I like to see people work with a will.

Jan 1 1940

To start with the government are going to control all meat so considering whether to send to market tomorrow, some bullocks. The policeman came up and informed us foot and mouth had broken out at Bulphan so that put paid to that as we are now in a restricted area.

Jan 2 1940

Busy doing the bedrooms when the air raid bell went and almost at once the guns fired 9 rounds of amunition at a german plane. We could tell it was german as the engine made a different noise to ours. being frosty the guns did rattle in the air. James sure did miss that as he was at Chelmsford market with 4 bullocks and Daisy the red cow. I was n't sorry to see her go as she made me say more swear words than anything on this farm.

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