Wednesday 10th
HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse [British capital ships] have been lost! Depressing—POW brand new, best out. Japs doing OK. All round. … znb zws
Friday 12th
News a bit better—Luzon landing party smashed, most of P. O. Wales and Repulse crews saved. Americans have sunk a Jap. battleship, a cruiser and more. The Russians are advancing all along the line. znb zws zru
Very near the end of term. Lovely. A letter from Mommy—a Belgian pancaked [landed without his wheels down] a petrol-less Spitfire in Shiners field right by Glatting—no wireless—he was lost. He stayed to supper and tea. Francis guarded the plane until the military arrived. It would happen while I wasn’t there. zfl zhy zac zpp
Sunday 14th
… As I was fairly tired, and as the Headmaster was preaching, and as variety is the spice of life, I cut chapel. I lay under my bed and snoozed—Miss Milner came in twice and put my circulation rate up a bit. … zrl zmb
Monday 15th
… Crawshaw read to us from ‘The good soldier Schweik’ and he drew a picture of Schweik on the board. In the break PSN came in and [taking it to be a picture of him] said “How Young we are”—rub it out at once before I get annoyed—go on—hurry up. The form, in unison, said “Mr. Crawshaw did it, Sir” and PSN went out quickly, amid cheers, clapping and hoots of laughter. … znb zsd ztc zmb
[Prediction] Written on Oct 17. Odessa may be taken. fighting on Moscow’s outskirts. What is happening on this page. Has Germany cracked or has Russia? is America in? has the winter suspended operations or has it helped the Russians? Have Moscow and the Donetz basin fallen? Have we started an offensive in the East? is there a stalemate? I don’t know on Oct 17 and I wish I did. zwg
