大象传媒

August 1939, on holiday in Cornwall.
Wed August 23rd - The Danzig problem has been coming to a head for the last week, and now this morning we were greeted by the news that Germany is about to sign a non-aggression pact with Russia - Russia who is negotiating with us for a military alliance. It quite spoilt the day.
Thurs August 24th - The news was so bad today with the Russo-German Pact signed and Hitler rampaging about Poland that we have decided to go home tomorrow.
Sun August 27th - Little fresh news today. The Cabinet met this afternoon. We went for a walk to see the new houses with bomb-proof cellars West is putting up.
Mon August 28th - The lights in the town (Ipswich) are mostly out and all round Ipswich the searchlights are practising.
Tues August 29th - Parliament met and the Prime Minister says we are all ready; anti-aircraft, balloon barrage, bombers, and fighters - all the devilish paraphernalia. They have even taken the stained glass windows from Canterbury Cathedral and buried them secretly.
Thurs August 31st - News today that they are beginning to evacuate the London children tomorrow. Percy is a billeting officer. I can't see that they will be much safer here.
Sat Sept 2nd - We are having an awful time darkening our windows. Nothing seems effective except black paper, which we simply can't get.
Sun Sept 3rd - Since 11 am we have been at war with Germany. Percy spent most of the day when he wasn't dealing with billets completing our trench. My people came round this evening. They have two soldiers billeted on them.
Fri Sept 8th - Today at least there has been no nerve strain - in fact, so far removed from war do we feel that we forgot to take our gas masks when we went into Halesworth this afternoon. The paper brought the news that Ipswich schools are remaining closed till they have built shelters for the kids, which is a relief.
Tues Sept 11th - Percy went to school. They have to start helping with the trenches on Thursday. Our petrol ration is only 5 gallons a month, so it looks like bicycles for us from now on.
Sat Sept 16th - I went shopping with Win this morning. We went into Footmans as usual and everything looked unexpectedly normal except for the smattering of khaki and the gas masks. We went blackberrying on our bikes this afternoon and this evening listened to Band Wagon, which, thank heaven for small mercies, has returned to the wireless.
Tues Sept 19th - Percy went to school this morning and no sooner had he gone than I found he had forgotten his gas mask. So I took it to him, much to everyone's amusement, but you never know.
Wed Sept 20th - Percy was fixing up the coalshed so we can get a stock of coal and coke in before we start being rationed on Oct 1st
Thurs Oct 5th - We went for a walk about 9.30 tonight, feeling fed up with sitting about, but with the darkness and the silence and the searchlights sweeping the sky, it's a weird experience.
Thurs Oct 12th - Mr Chamberlain gave his answer to Hitler's speech this afternoon. I thought he was quite reasonable but he made it very clear that we are not going to do any truckling. Ipswich is now a mass of air raid shelters, Percy says there was a foot of water in his butt this morning. It wouldn't be so bad if we thought it would be over quickly, but the Government talks blithely of three years.
Sat Oct 14th - A nice peaceful wet day in the country. We went to Mattishall this afternoon to collect rent and rates. We didn't even take our gas masks - a little respite from the daily nightmare.
Wed Oct 18th - Tonight Mr Wightman came in for a chat. His wife is on all-night ARP telephone work and sleeps all the time he is at home, so naturally he gets bored stiff.
Fri Oct 27th - We decided to go and see Deanna Durbin at the pictures tonight, but I couldn't really concentrate on it for wondering what we should do if the sirens did sound. You can leave if you wish or stay and see the programme through.
Sat Oct 28th - More jubilation today because the US Senate has passed the repeal of the arms embargo.
The male teachers are getting fearfully agitated because the Committee are not going to make up their salaries when they are called up.
Fri Nov 3rd 1939 - We have now heard that bacon and butter are the only foods to be rationed at present.
Summary at end of year - So far we scarcely know there is a war except for rationing which is now beginning in real earnest, gas masks, men in khaki and the number of aeroplanes overhead. Actually so far the war has not been nearly as bad as the crises that preceded it.

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