are of no intrinsic value (we don’t pretend they are particularly), the increase in knowledge and interest is very considerable; and there is the great thing of meeting live contemporaries. The latter holds particular attraction for me, I’m lonely here. zic zso zfr
Thursday 11th
A day of cynical memories for many; merely memories of pre-war hypocrisy for me. The poppies for the school, stupidly ordered from Holt, did not arrive. zpn
… prep fairly quiet, no punishments—and some perhaps deserved. It remains to be seen if the principle of no use for punishment is practical, or if people are going to take advantage of it. zsd
Kiev bulge swelling rapidly. Churchill talks tactlessly of 1944 [for a second front], while Stalin has just spoken of 1943, and while Italy creeps funereally. … zru zlb zwg zpl
Monday 15th
… Explosives blitz [a search] through school; in (early) extra PSN showed some of the results, including sawn open rounds to remove cordite—some bloody fools in the world. … zsd zdg zwp
Am reading Strachey’s ‘What are we to do’, which is helping considerably to resolve my conflict (Wed. Oct. 20th ’43—see earlier). zbp zpn
Tuesday 16th
After a lovely vivid sunrise, a wet day. Read Strachey most of spare time. Indoor miscellaneous signals. zwr zbp zct zsg
Good biology extra both biologically and sociologically—discussing drinking, masturbation and hence segregation. zsa zse
Wednesday 17th
A photograph in the paper of Yugoslav men, women and a child or two come to Italy—they were wearing uniforms, and on their hats were five pointed stars. I begin to feel comradely pleasure at such sights. zwg zpn
