page 169 — May 1942

carriers engaged etc. Gullible hon. housemaster tells terrific tales of whole fleets sunk for only three planes. … zro znb ztc

[See note]

Letter from Mommy—one of our (gallant) night fighters brought down a Stirling [a British bomber], the crew landed all round Glatting, but Mommy found none. All safe. Did not dare show flares believing to be over France. … zfl zam zac

In the evening I received one jaw from (very hon.) housemaster re: cricket. 2 alternatives:-  I play cricket with a more co-operative spirit, or I go on no NHS expeditions (I chose the former). In a violent attack he showed how I ruined the game for the others (about 8 people in the game liked it), and how I have a mean and childish side to my nature. True, my attitude to cricket is not, to put it mildly, constructive, but it was partly as a (childish) protest and partly in the (vain) hope that I might get left out of games [I thought we could be doing more useful things]. zsd zsp zmb zpn

He squashed war effort arguments by saying—free time—though why I should not do bird watching and works, and no cricket—O hell I dunno, but I must play cricket as I don’t like it. It won’t harm me anyhow. zsd zmb zsp

Sunday 10^th

… with RJC and Smith iii we went and rang the 3 young tawny owls—in fear and trepidation, having been told that one person per night was attacked. Luckily no parent appeared. … zwl zfr zsa

I did lots of Chaucer [in chapel]. Habershon preached, began by apparently damning capitalism but changed to [talking about] shepherds, so I reverted to ‘Prologue’… zrl zpo