single line Southern [i.e. not Great Western main line] track. Saltash bridge had received a near miss. … zar
The country round Dartmoor—vast undulating stretches of dead bracken, with occasional stone cottages accompanied by stone hedged fields. Here and there tough, scraggy little sheep ran loose, otherwise there were no living things but birds. Further on, as we approached Wadebridge, the country was more hilly, with drum-shaped stone hills and instead of stretches of bracken, the plains were walled in, a few grass fields, but the rest the usual bracken. This view was rather depressing, as with the slight mist everything seemed grey. zds zem ztv
After Wadebridge we got to Par (by a very strange and devious route), but as we left Par and returned twice, we got to know it well. Now it was blackout time, but the lights would not work, so I suggested a sing song, which went on to Newquay … zmu ztv
I have a four, Cruickshank, Wood and Smith, the same room… zfr zsa
Saturday 3rd
… Wood heard that his brother’s ship had been sunk, with heavy casualties [survivors were later picked up by another destroyer], and then re-sunk—poor devil. zwc zfr znb zsl
Sunday 4th
… 50 survivors from about 1000 were picked up from the two destroyers, so there is one chance in about 10 of Wood’s brother being alive (some got to Greece). Even so he was strangely cheerful, refusing to believe, I think, that he could be dead. … zwc zfr znb zsl zem zop
Double summer time. No blackout for us. zwn
Tuesday 6th
… Wood heard that there were only about 20 ratings saved from the ‘Diamond’, so the only chance of his brother being safe is that he swum or was in the only boat to Greece—rotten luck. zwc zfr zsl znb
