page 230 — March 1943

… played the gramophone and read part of ‘Cripps, Advocate and Rebel’ by Patricia Strauss. … zmu zbp

[See note]

March

Tuesday 2^nd

Sixteen years have passed since first I saw this earth. Today was not an inspiring anniversary—a dull grey day with dull, grey periods and JTC. A letter from Margaret … promising a gramophone record, and letters from Mommy and Daddy, cheered it up a lot, so did the parkin which came by parcel post. zcl zfl zem zfd

Wednesday 3^rd

…News [received of a] schools conference … at Cheltenham; I think I might go despite missing a week of home. … zic

W met Jane C by arrangement—L is not keen on me despite rumours to the effect, she’s busy with four already! Ah me. zfr zse

Soc. Soc. was a sickening major (rumour says of the Salvation Army!) on the Good done by the British. He gave quite impressive facts, but also asserted that good colonisation was a British monopoly; we’ve a divine mission and colonised for humanitarian not economic motives. He evaded skilfully, if untruthfully, the barrage of hostile questions. zcb zlu zpn

Thursday 4^th

I fired 2 rounds Sten [gun] in the afternoon. … zct zwp

Wrote to Cheltenham … and also am writing thing on train journey back after the play [the journey to Glatting at the end of last term]—Kelly has set four preps to produce literature for next Truro festival. Wrote amusing (to me) speech against Free Trade—making my sympathies obvious. zic zpn zey zsw ztv zcp zwt