October. "Out of the pit of peril". Prayers for the people of the Soviet Union. Trafalgar Day at HGS.
Wednesday, Oct 1st
Speech by Churchill in House last night. Gave very little away but contained news that shipping losses last quarter only 1/3 of those in previous quarter and may expect improvement in food situation this winter.
“We are no longer alone. Little more than a year ago we seemed quite alone by as time has passed our steadfast conduct and the crimes of the enemy have brought two other very great states into most intimate and friendly concert with us”
“We have climbed from the pit of peril onto a fairly broad platform. We feel round us the upsurge of the slave countries of Europe….the patient, faithful, inexhaustible spirit of the Chinese people….We are marching in the company of the vast majority of mankind….towards a goal which although distant can already be plainly seen.”
Just heard noise on the terrace. Went out and found khaki figures dismantling a machine gun by the light of an electric torch. They turned out to be Home Guard, including an ex parent.
The Germans still hold a million and a half French prisoners as hostages to blackmail Vichy. Promises of release have been made, but the only men allowed home so far have been veterans of 1914-18. Calculated attempt to cause a sharp fall in the birthrate and limit the numbers of the next generation.
Thursday, Oct 2nd
Snow falling in the Ukraine and Russians hitting back at Leningrad. Occupied Europe in grip of German frightfulness, more executions in France and Czechoslovakia….
A parent to see me tonight thinks the war will go on three or four years more!
Big military exercises have been going on in Southern Command and civilians warned to expect unusual sights, tear gas and bags of soot falling from aeroplanes. But so far nothing but m/gs at Henley Bridge and Bren guns on road….
Thursday, Oct 9th
The Russians admit seriousness of the situation, and it is very serious indeed. The greatest offensive in history has been launched by Hitler in an attempt to reach a decision before winter sets in and German columns have penetrated deeply towards Moscow, cutting off large bodies of Russian troops…. A terrific battle is going on and if the Russians break the course of the war may alter altogether….
Friday, Oct 10th
The Germans claimed in Berlin yesterday that Russia is finished as a military power and on the day that offensive was launched Hitler in an order wrote: “We can now deal the enemy a mortal blow. Today the last decisive battle of the this year begins. By smashing Russia we shall eliminate Britain’s last ally on the continent.”
“It is all too obvious” The Times wrote, “that the situation is extremely serious.” All the press are asking whether more can be done to help – “A sharp questioning” – again The Times – “whether we are doing all in our power.” But it is too late whichever way it goes…Reminds me of Reynaud’s appeal to Roosevelt to help France in 1940 when French army already in dissolution.
Sunday, Oct 12th
Visited Communist friends in Reading, now running a People’s Bookshop. Found them in a very poor way, like most people when our army [was] at Dunkirk. “The governing class had betrayed Russia and wished for her defeat etc etc”. We stood alone after Dunkirk and may have to again, but certainly don’t like the prospect much……..See that various organizations have sent resolutions to P.M. asking for counter measures in west…. Communists argue that friendly populations would make a lot of difference….News tonight prefaced by: “People of Soviet Union, our thoughts, our wishes, our prayers are at this time with you."
Tuesday, Oct 14th
One German column within 65 miles of Moscow. State documents etc have been sent to Kazan. Women and children being evacuated.
Wednesday, Oct 15th
Head of German columns now nearing Moscow, but Russian armies still resisting fiercely. The drive in the Ukraine seems to have slackened and weather there is reported to have broken.
Reduced now to attempting to coach small boys at rugger.
Friday, Oct 17th
Widespread feeling that we have missed an opportunity of forming a bridgehead on the Continent, which may not recur again. The Germans with the help of the Rumanians, Finns, Hungarians, and Italians have drained the west dry of troops and, by announcing through the mouth of Lord Halifax that we do not intend to invade, we have encouraged them. The government and their advisers charged with underestimating the Russian equipment, morale and power of resistance through political and social prejudice, and regarding Russia as a country to be “aided” by munitions while we sit back….The ordinary man and the amateur strategist hasn’t got the facts, but what he does know makes him suppose that there are never likely to be so few enemy aircraft or soldiers on the channel coast as there are now….It looks to some as though we are more interested in protecting our imperial communications than in fighting Hitler in Europe…. All the old suspicions of Chamberlain’s day raise their heads again, the prejudice of the Conservative Party leaders against Russia, the assumption that anyway she will be defeated…The danger is that this distrust of the government’s war policy may lead to disunity in the nation.
Are we ourselves living in the kind of Polish lull the French lived in the autumn of 1939 when they sat tight behind their Maginot Line while the German armies overran Poland? Hitler is approaching step by step to the creation of a continental block, too vast to be stormed and too strong to be attacked. Then we, living off this continent and with access to it denied to us, will be finally crushed by invasion. Not a pretty prospect, and only continued Russian resistance stands between us and it!
Our own wireless has been interrupted, as the German has been by us, by a “voice” that shouts “Rot” etc. I haven’t heard it, but its strength is weak and its wit feeble, I am told.
Sunday, Oct 19th
Went up to London yesterday, saw a picture exhibition, Sickert, at the National. Gallery and then to a ballet. Walked in Green Park as dusk was falling. The line of houses facing the park was a depressing sight, some were empty shells in others the remains of curtains flapped in the gaping windows; all seemed tenantless and deserted.
Moscow is holding.
Con at lunch yesterday talking of conscientious objector in prison, long periods of solitary confinement, a very meager allowance of letters, few visits, slowly being driven potty.
As came home by Tube at nine o’clock, shelterers with bedding waiting at bottom of escalators and in approaches to platforms, including one very hairy tramp. A three-decker tier of steel frame bunks line the walls of the stations. Paddington almost completely black with small blue lights and the big clocks painted with luminous paint.
Wednesday, Oct 22nd
Trafalgar Day yesterday celebrated by special hymns and reading account of battle. Today a naval officer turned up to give us a talk on the Fleet Air Arm. He was an ex-commander of the Ark Royal and told some stories of the various attempts by bomb and torpedo to sink her when the Germans claimed her sunk. Naval aircraft owing to the landing space are much slower compared with R.A.F. machines, but the list of battleships and cruisers sunk by the Fleet Air Arm was impressive when he detailed it. He was a small man but very tough with a loud foghorn-like voice.
Friday, Oct 24th
Russians still holding defences of Moscow and for last ten days Germans have made little progress. Weather very bad, fog and rain.. In south position still serious, Germans advancing towards Rostov and attacking Crimea.
Saturday, Oct 25th
In reprisal for shooting of German officer in France, Huns have killed 50 hostages and threaten to shoot 100 more if not discouraged. Denunciation of this savagery by Beneš, Churchill and Roosevelt.
Wednesday, Oct 29th
Description how our bombers flew at 0 feet over the French coast to Nantes and how the people lit their lights, opened their doors and windows and turned switches on an off and ran outside waving to welcome them. Wonder what the hostages thought as they heard the bombs thudding down on the docks on the Loire.
Hilary in bed today with bad cough. Celebrated the occasion by cutting off all his front hair. Now looks like an evacuee suffering from ringworm!
The N.S. this week had a competition for ruthless rhymes.
Landing from their parachutes
The Huns raped cousin Flo, the brutes.
“Cheer up Flo” exclaimed her mother,
“One man’s very like another.”
To critics of Lord Halifax for saying their would be no attack in the west, A.P.Herbert writes in Times: Sir, Why so much indignation because a British minister says we do not intend to invade France. After all Hitler said the same thing for years!
Thursday, Oct 30th
Moscow still holds. “The lesson to be derived from recent experience is never to give in. Never, never, never, not in any event, great or small, large or paltry, never, never yield except to conviction and good sense.” W. C. S. at Harrow.
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