Tuesday, June 2nd
Another shattering raid with 1,000 planes, this time on Essen. I think we’ve got them groggy, as the best answer they could make was to send 50 aircraft to Canterbury for the attack on Cologne.... Our Air Force already must be enormous and when it is joined joined to the U.S. we shall be able to blast the Westphalian towns to smithereens. I feel no exhilaration, but horror that such destruction has been made inevitable.
The shape of the battle in Libya becoming clearer - a right handed scoop [by Germans], a break in our minefield barrier through which transport columns could be pushed to nourish the outflanking panzers. Appear to be withdrawing eastwards through the gaps, leaving us in possession of the battlefield. Losses heavy on both sides. Revealed to-day that tank crews have a mask by which they can self administer temporary anaesthetics and so enable wounded to be extricated from tanks. Grim enough.
Wednesday, June 3rd
It is calculated that 20,000 were killed at Cologne and 50,000 injured. Frightful. This however corrected in news – a wild exaggeration, but dead may run into four figures.
Thursday, June 4th
About ten o’clock this morning a bomber came in very low and later there was a crash, which I thought for a minute was a distant bomb. Hilary was out and I told him to go far away. The curious crackling noise I heard must have been the breaking of tree tops. It crashed just the other side of the road about 400 yards away and burst into flames. All the poor devils were burnt, except one who jumped out and was killed. It must have been a very lame duck coming back from Germany, and it was bad luck that it could not quite make it. The plane was operational as it carried live ammunition, which went popping off in the fire.
Friday, June 5th
Very hot day and about 5.30, doors all open, a heavy tread down gravel; thought it was postman, but bell rang and visitor did not go away. Lying alone in bed bawled to him to come in and upstairs. Tread approached and wondered what was coming round – a small red-faced, much beribboned R.A.F. officer. Said he was looking for tail plane of aircraft, which had fallen off. Did not think it was here. He was from salvage department; others coming from accident dept.
Wednesday, June 10th
Picked three deep-red and sweetly-scented roses for a visitor, for M able to come and see me again.
Thursday, June 11th
Going into osteopath, but battery flat. Hived a swarm.
Friday, June 12th
Rained most of to-day. A 20-year treaty with Russia was announced last night. Full understanding has been reached about "the urgent task of creating a second front in 1942”. That’s specific enough. Wonder if it means what it says! Anyway the treaty is ten years too late. Churchill and Uncle Joe have exchanged telegrams. All very cordial and proper.
Sunday, June 14th
United Nations Day (28 of them!). Some flags hung out. Saw with sardonic amusement that the Red Flag with hammer and sickle in corner hanging on the front of the Town Hall. Nora said she had pointed this out to Hilary. Succeeded in getting into Reading to osteopath.
Rommel striking hard again for the west round round Tobruk. Heavier battles than ever before taking place.
Before nine o’clock news it is practice to have a programme in honour of various allies; this evening had an effective Salute to the United Nations. There are such lovely names to use – Rostov, Belgrade, Warsaw, Rotterdam, Guatemala, San Salvador, etc, etc. The main theme was the man and wife looking out at the road to London – but also Moscow, Chungking, New York – ”There’s a man on the road!” ”What, only one?” ”Yes”. The symbol of the United Nations, the common man, marching to the drums with one purpose, freedom – freedom of speech, of writing, freedom of religion, freedom of thought.
Monday, June 15th
Just completed my 17th week in bed. A funny life! Almost becoming habitual now! Oh my! Oh my! To-day is cold enough to be October and the weather has been so bad over Europe that there has been little bombing.
There were some notable speeches yesterday. Roosevelt spoke of the four freedoms – freedom of speech and religion and freedom from want and fear. "We know that man, born to freedom in the image of God, will not in the end suffer the oppressor’s sword. The peoples of the United Nations are taking the sword from the oppressor’s hand; with it they will destroy those tyrants. The brazen tyrannies pass – man marches forward to the light.”
1,377 people killed in raids in April and May - this covers Bath, Exeter and York. Apparently between 11,000 and 15,000 killed in Cologne and 250,000 have been evacuated out of 760,000. Evacuation of 30,000 from Lubeck and 80,000 from Rostock.
News from Libya bad to-night. Situation has become ”fluid”. Don’t like that word..... Position admitted to be "critical” and "serious”. The fall of Bir Hakeim seems to have been followed by a tremendous armoured punch.
Nora was talking to a woman on night shift at the local engineering shop [Ed: Stuart Turner’s, in Market Place, Henley]. Nine o’clock to eight with two quarter hour breaks and half an hour for dinner. Pretty tough, but ends at 8 on Saturday morning till nine on Sunday evening. Gets used to sleeping by day and does shopping on Saturday morning.
Wednesday, June 17th
There is no doubt we have suffered a defeat in Libya, where our tanks were badly caught by the German artillery. Our advanced positions now rest on Tobruk and we are back to the old battlegrounds of the last offensive. It is a bitter disappointment to everyone, especially those who have fought so many battles. Even Hilary has picked up some ideas. ”It is a pity Ronald (i.e., Rommel) is not on our side”, he said to-day.
A Beaufort fighter flew at roof level over Paris, dropped a Tricolour on the Arc de Triomph and Place de la Concorde, where it also fired cannon shots through the window of the German G.H.Q. It dodged under high tension cables and brought back photographs of the flower beds in the Tuileries Gardens. A pretty good gesture.
Was up to-day from eleven to five thirty and visited school (ground floor) to astonish the natives. Feel at last have made some slight progress. Heard to-day of a man who had sciatica for two years and spent £280 on it!
Tuesday, June 23rd
News coming in from Libya most unsatisfactory and disappointing. As old Fisher said in 1914, Jack Johnson won because he had the bigger punch.
Our troops have left Henley. Rumoured that the next lot will be Americans.
Wednesday, June 24th
Mr Luce in to see me this a.m. Escaped from Rangoon to India using his own car most of the way and then trekking across the mountains. Had to leave behind at the university all his years of research, which he says will probably turn up later in Tokyo. Later he got a very old ship from Bombay and eventually arrived in England. Says our defence based on roads and railways, which the Japs bypassed. Our frontier town garrison had most carefully rehearsed a movement in buses to the end of the road. This went like clockwork. As soon as the defenders had left the buses, the Japs emerged from the jungle and got into them and drove back to the town! Rangoon badly raided on Christmas Day; fighters and bombers came from different directions and bombers were not intercepted. A Babu postmaster on the coast had seen them and telegraphed a message: ”Much aeroplanes come.” The Babu at the other end was not going to accept this and proud of his grammar answered ”Message not understood.” By the time this point had been settled, much aeroplanes had come!
Thursday, June 25th
Enemy now over 50miles inside [Egyptian] frontier. Churchill according to Congress leader said in Washington Egypt not in danger. Hope leading Rommel up the garden path.
Sunday, June 28th
Tom, the caretaker, on leave. Contrary to usual custom is very optimistic. Says thousands of men are in movement pledged to secrecy and that second front will be opened in a fortnight! That war will be over by Christmas (which Christmas?). Driving to osteopath this a.m. saw American car with warning painted on back, ”This car has left-hand drive” - the first swallow of summer, but one swallow does not make a summer.
Monday, June 29th
Went into school for an hour to-day, but leg rather painful for sitting for long and got rather depressed with it. Rations for hens are to be cut. Meal is only to be given on the surrender of egg ration coupons on the basis of one hen per person in the household and no one is to be allowed to keep more than 25 (till now 50).
Tuesday, June 30th
Auchinleck has taken charge of the 8th Army himself and a confused and deadly battle is taking place..... Correspondents say there is no real idea of what is happening..... The military correspondent of The Times thinks it is "incredible" that the Canal should be in danger from a force the size of Rommel's considering the vast numbers of men sent to the Near East.
The U.S. Navy sank 4 aircraft carriers at Midway Island, sank 2 heavy cruisers, damaged 3 battleships, 3 heavy cruisers and sank 3 destroyers. 275 aircraft with the carriers were lost. This for 1 destroyer sunk and 1 aircraft carrier damaged.
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