page 244 — April 1943

to Glatting

Monday 19^th

[To Glatting via London] … we went to see [Nora]—a long tram and bus ride to Tooting Broadway. She was in bed with fear—of people and new things and her lack of book knowledge—her only escape, and the only way she becomes important, is by illness, and she probably convinces herself that she is ill. zfl zmh zem zil zmw

She wanted to give hospital nursing up, but Mommy, after talking to the Matron who was very understanding and sympathetic, told her she must at least try it first—Mommy was very kind but very firm. Poor old Nora—life can’t be easy thanks to that damn midwife doctor [she was born after a long difficult labour and suffered minor brain damage]. … zfl zmw zil zem

at Glatting

Wednesday 21^st

Margaret and I went for a long walk—all day with lunch. We went first past Bishop’s clump along the North edge of the downs. … Eventually where a N–S line of trees was, we stopped and ate lunch—near a big crater. zfl zwk zss zfd zar

Then we turned south, and followed a long path down the valley and up the other side—containing tileless stone farm buildings and many mortar bombs etc. Also large white boards like this about 30ft high. At the top we rested in the sun for a while … and we learnt that we had been through a military range from a notice on the other side: ‘W D DANGER. Artillery range. Dangerous when the red flag is flying. Any objects you touch may explode killing you and others.’ The way we had come in had no notices or obstructions. zfl zwk zss zwp zdg

We pressed on through a little village with a nice church on the Singleton road, and up through beechwoods. … Here we found ourselves zfl zwk zss