Tuesday 13th
… Strange news—Rudolph Hess, 3rd Nazi chief, has arrived in England, by ME 110 [a German fighter] and parachute, of his own accord. He was taken by a Scottish peasant, to whom he said how lucky he was. The Nazis say he is mad—our doctors say that he only has a broken ankle. I hope it is Hess, not a substitute to fool us. zgk zop zwe
Wednesday 14th
… Everyone hero worshipping Hess—I hope they’re beastly to him. … zwe zop
Saturday 17th
… I read ‘The old century and seven years more’ by Siegfried Sassoon—nice. zbf
… John has given me his Webley air pistol—won’t Margaret be furious! In bed I wrote a poem—’Early Memories’, didn’t finish it—I felt ‘inspired’. zwp zwt
HG and band marched through Newquay—looked v.g. band in cricket clothes. zct zmu zso
Sunday 18th
Soon after breakfast I walked off to West Pentire Headland. The weather was almost sultry, with big black clouds blowing over, and a halo round the sun. Quite a nice walk there but lonely. zwk zds zem
On the way back I passed some soldiers and two navvies building a Home Guard post. They asked if I’d like a job and I answered “sure, if you want help”. “Go and get 40 more and tell the blokes with the bloody bugles [the school band was practising] to stop blowing—our men keep thinking it’s dinner time”. I went back via Penpol creek; in one of the stone walls a cast iron cooking pot had been built in—about 2′ 6″ across. … zso zmf zmu zct zds
It rained all the afternoon. I wrote a poem re: the closing of Sunday theatres, which I’m going to send (anonymously as the School (capital S) wouldn’t approve) to P[icture] Post. … [a skit on A.P Herbert]. zwr zwn zwt znw
