page 79 — December 1940

to London

Tuesday 17^th

Up at 5 o’clock, and after breakfast we got on the bus at 5.35. Two buses (Kenwyn and Woodlands) pretty full. A lovely moonlight morning. When we got there the train wasn’t in; when it came I didn’t get a seat, nor did the Woods at first. We started fairly punctually; I looked out of the window for the first hour or so, absolutely still, frost on the fields, and looking back round a corner you could see the smoke curved back in the moonlight. At 8.30 I got a seat … I eventually got to London at 5.45, 2½  hours late. Mommy met me, Daddy examining at Cambridge. Supper in the [Pilgrimage Street] flat at 6.45, then [we slept in a] room under Hospital [Guys]. Room full of noises caused by water pipes and Mr. Entwhistle (a cricket). ztv zfl

A man from the Works Department showed me several bits of shrapnel etc. and took me up on the roof. Unfortunately no blitz. Bed 9.40. zar

to Glatting

Wednesday 18^th

… I went to the dentist, who found a small hole in the back molar of my left lower jaw. He drilled and filled it. Horrid feelings—but doesn’t actually hurt. … zmt

Off at 2.20. V. cold, quite a lot of bomb damage, but less than I’d expect. Glatting at about 4.45. Lovely. Tea and supper, bath and bed by 9.30.  zar zfl

Thursday 19^th

We didn’t get up until 9.25. After breakfast we went by car to Petworth to register ration books and buy Christmas presents. …  zrn zsh zcl

After supper we heard four or five planes go over, the gun over the other side of Farm Hill fired five rounds rapid. Bed at nine because Mommy thinks that I’m too thin.  zar zfl