Book 14

Monday 19^th August 1940

Mr Buttle came back from his holidays.  He had the raids worse than us.  One of his friends was shot through the heart by a machine gun bullet.  He counted 12 bombs drop and he said 26 were dropped altogether East & West Molesey was bombed and a train was machine gunned.  He saw the train and said every window was smashed and it was a mass of holes, there was blood everywhere.  It was a Southern Electric train. An old man and his daughter who live near Mr Buttle were in the train and all you could see of the girl’s face was one eye, the rest was swathed in bandages.  Another train was in a station and all the people went down the station shelter and a bomb dropped right into it.  

Went to library & got “Charles Laughton & I” by Elsa Lanchester.  In the evening I went to the library & got Gibbons Stamp Catalogue.  Fred, Bert & I went to the East Ham Palace & saw “Ladies Be Good”.  It’s not a bad show.  We saw Ern & Vic in there.  Vic had the programme with the lucky number.  Home 10.45

Tuesday 20^th August 1940

Got “All Quiet On the Western Front” E.M. Remarque.  Mr Buttle told us that he found out that on Friday evening German planes were right over London.  

In the evening Bert brought his drums in and we had a swing session from 7 till 9.

Wednesday 21^st August 1940

Capt. Macaskill of the Woodstock came in , Capt. Broughton of the Doro Fedora has just arrived.  Capt. Macaskill told us of the following dialogue between a wounded Nazi pilot and a British nurse in a hospital.  

W.N.P can I write a letter to my Mother before I’m shot.

B.N. you won’t be shot here.

W.N.P. but they told us we’d be shot if we landed in Britain.

B.N. you won’t be although you deserve it for machine gunning civilians.

W.N.P. well you should see what the R.A.F. have done to Hamburg.

It’s good to know Germany is being smashed up.  Capt. Broughton told us that a German shot himself rather than be taken prisoner so they evidently do put the fear of hell into them before sending them over here.

Home 6.  Bert came in with his drums again.  Fred came round later.  When Ern came in later he joined us. One of Bert’s pals is interested in the Harmonica and Bert said he might buy Erns big one.

Thursday 22^nd August 1940

I’ve passed my exam.

The result came this morning.  So that’s one step nearer my ambition.  I went in for the exam on April 30^th so that the result has come through quickly really, last year it took nearly 6 months – or so I heard.

Went to library got “Secret Asia” by Charles Law.  In the evening I got a book of music from the library. & Bert & Fred came in.  Bert brought in a small accordion he’s got and I could play it as soon as I picked it up.  They stopped till 9.  Buttle brought in a postcard with “I’m dreaming oh my darling love of thee” on it with a picture of a soldier and a donkey and got me to send it to Miss Purser with “All my love” on it. 

Friday 23^rd August 1940

Another raid alarm. I woke at 3.20 am and could hear mum & dad calling & saying “look! There it is”.  Then I heard bang, bang. They were bombs dropping so I got out of bed and began to dress.  When I was half dressed the sirens went off.  Ern & I were down first so we helped Yvonne down the shelter – she said she had been up since 3.  After a while mum went down the shelter with Yvonne & Ern, Dad & I made them coco.  The ARW went at 3.30 and the all clear at 3.57.  We went to bed at 4.15.  the bombs seemed to drop somewhere over towards Wanstead & Leyton.  The Huns were right over us (I know that because the searchlights were nearly upright) and we could hear the Germans flying around, an AA gun seemed to be in our garden it was so loud.  All this happened before the warning, after it had sounded we didn’t hear a thing.  Newman the Warden said the Jerrie’s had been over all night.

Everybody seems to have had the planes over them.  Buttle, Cureton & some of their friends – they’ve all heard it, and all about the same time.  Miss Pursers card came this morning – of course I’m suspected – as usual – but I stoutly denied it.  Went to library & got “The Cave Girl” E.R. Burroughs.  When I got home Mum had Cynthia.  The poor kid had been bad & Yvonne had gone up the chemist. They got the kid better eventually and Yvonne stopped till 9.

Went to music.  Bert came in after. Fred has made him a wood block and we spent some time putting it on the drum with elastic, but it broke so we fixed it on with some of my Meccano.  While we were doing it Fred came round. At 9.30 Bert, Fred & I were out the front talking when we heard guns, they went home.  The guns got louder searchlights came out and planes were overhead so Yvonne & mum went down the shelter.  After about 5 minutes it quietened and Mum & Yvonne came out at 9.45.

Saturday 24^th August 1940

Another A.R.W. 8.28 am to 9.18 am.  We were halfway through breakfast, so Mum went down the A.R.S. with Yvonne and Dad and I finished our breakfast, Ern came down & had his.  Planes were going backwards and forwards most of the time, and as soon as the all clear went, Dad, Ern & I came to work.  I got in at 9.45 TEB & Simpson at 10.15, Cureton 10.30 & Miss Purser 10.50.  

They all said the same “Nothing heard except planes”.

I made a deposit of 3/- in the P.O. Bank today.  Got “Rag Time Memories” & “Dancing Time For Dancers” from Ebblewhites.  

Bert came in.  We had another warning at 3.47.  Bert and I were mending the Air Raid shelter door when it went so we just bashed in a couple of nails & took it through to the shelter.  Mum & Yvonne were going out they were at the gate in fact – so they ran through. They got me down the shelter. As soon as the A.R.W. finished we could hear bombs and guns all around – after about ½ an hour we heard a low pitched drowning – one that had been hit and was coming down  – lower & lower – louder & louder, all of us in the shelter looked at one another, Yvonne, Mum and I – will it hit us – will it hit us. -nearer & nearer – it’s over us – it’s passed over.  Those few seconds seemed like years & I’m sure I felt like a murderer who has had a last minute reprieve.  Soon after this I came out of the shelter and it quietened down.  The all clear went at 4.57.  

In the evening I went into Bert’s house and played cards with him, his sister Ivy & her young man Stan.

About 11.30 we heard several planes and the wireless went off.  A.R.W. at 11.35.  We heard guns & bombs immediately after. We saw 2 big fires from the front of the house one over Chingford way and the other towards London.  They were getting bigger and bigger and we could see the low clouds in the sky getting more and more fiery.  After about 30 minutes the one on the left (in the city) was subdued but the other one still could be seen dimly when the A.C. went at 1.25.  

The plane (or planes) kept climbing and then gliding down and dropping some more bombs, but I think there could only have been one plane because about 1.20 a screaming bomb dropped and immediately after A.A.s all went together and the all clear sounded just after, so I suppose they got him down.  I heard after on the wireless that it was in the city, and I think it was near St Pauls from what I’ve heard. 

Sunday 25^th August 1940

We went to bed at 1.45 and about 2.15 we all got out of bed because we could hear guns & bombs.  Yvonne came in and we made a bed for the baby on the chair with the back that can be put down.  We stopped up till about 2.50.

While we were watching the fires this morning a big crowd gathered and watched it – suddenly we heard a plane  – did that street  clear quickly or did it.  Later on the same thing happened again.  

Up 11.30.  Bert came in. In afternoon Fred & Bert came, we painted the Temple Block Fred made for Bert’s drum and broke the skin.  I’m going to enquire the price of a new skin at Ebblewhites for Ern.  In the evening Fred & Bert came again.  I had a bath. Yvonne was in our house and Valerie & her mother called, so we had them in as well.  At 9 when we wanted the news the wireless was very distorted, we got “Hi Gang” alright at first but it cut off dead about 10.  Fred & Bert went and Mum & Yvonne prepared to go down the shelter.  Yvonne’s mother went home.  The ARW went at 10.35 we heard a few planes & some bangs in the distance but it was quiet most of the time.  AC at 11.23.

Ern & I played cards after & about 12.38 we could hear planes about & just after that mum & dad called us upstairs.  We could see 4 lights a square on one point just like 4 candles in the air, they seemed to be perfectly still and went out one by one.  The ARW went at 20 to 1.  After we had got Mum & Yvonne down the ARS Ern went to the wardens post about the lights we saw.  The warden came down & we described the lights to him & he will put in a report.  A few searchlights were out but we didn’t see anything and the AC went at 12.55. It was our shortest raid – 15 minutes.  Yvonne came in and we sat talking till 2 and then we went to bed.  

The fire was at Aldersgate Street & Pour Street.  We still don’t know what the lights were last night, but they may have been flares dropped from a plane.  Some telephone wires were damaged by the fire.  I had to ring a firm in Cripplegate Bldgs.  NATIONAL 7282 but I couldn’t get through so I got the operator and she said the fire had put the line out of action. I know the exchange is not damaged because I could get Metropolitan numbers and Metropolitan & national exchanges are in the same building.  

Buttle said all round Kingston & Isleworth was damaged a lot, he seems to have had it a little worse than us but it was bad enough with us, bombs on Becton Road and all round there – in fact bombs were dropped all round us in a ring.  

Simpson & Collins didn’t hear a thing over the weekend, and then Simpson tells T.H.D. “I suppose we will get used to it” – the old !* why he’d run a mile – if he wasn’t afraid too because of his trousers if a bomb dropped near him.  They have dropped a bomb on Bow Cemetery where Dads parents are buried – they won’t even let the dead rest in peace. 

I’ve just finished a cup of tea after coming up from the shelter we were down there from 3.25 to 4.3.  we heard a few thuds but the ARS deadens sounds so they must have been pretty near. I hope they are all alright at home. 

Cureton just said that some time ago he was told that the June raid we had was not a raid at all but some French planes come over to clear out of France before the capitulation.  There were 180 planes and we shot down 2 before we found our mistake out.  But it was a 3 hour raid, and I’m sure it wouldn’t take 3 hours to find out a mistake like that.  

Bert came in for a while and afterwards I went into his house and helped him with his model aeroplanes. At 9.20 the wireless went off and I came home just after we go the ARW at 9.29.  all through the raid the Jerries’ were coming over in intervals of about 5 minutes and circling round, then going away.  We heard about 15 bombs drop at 1 time and there were a few more after.  But we didn’t hear any AA guns.  We were messing about playing cards etc and once mum came up and got something to eat for us all & I went down the shelter with Yvonne till mum came down again.  The AC went at 3.40 am so it was the longest raid we’ve had so far 6 hours 11 mins.  We got to bed about 4.15.

Tuesday 27^th August 1940

They all had the same thing last night except Thurley & RJS.  But Buttle heard a heavy barrage after the A.C. So they are still trying for Kingston.

Went to library & got “Panics” a book of mystery stories.  Fred & I went in Bert’s house. At 9.30 the sirens went so Fred & I went home.  Ern & I played cards, I cooked my supper & read so the time didn’t seem long.  We heard some bombs go off in the distance and there was some AA fire.  The planes come over at short intervals.  All clear at 11.51

Wednesday 28^th August 1940

The swine’s only gave us a few minutes to get into bed before they were over again.  ARW went at 12.28.  I just spent the time reading until 1.8 when the AC went.  The west got it worse again – RJS & CWT heard bombs fall near them.

Went to library & got “A Genius in the Family” by H.P. Maxim.  “The Mucker” by E.R. Burroughs.

Fred & I went into Bert’s house & played cards.  The ARW went at 9.  Fred stopped with us.  We heard planes at short intervals throughout the raid and there were many bombs dropped.  Just as I dozed off the A.C. went at 4.5am.  so this is the longest raid now. 7 hrs 5 mins.  As usual it was the same all over London.

Thursday 29^th August 1940

Simpson was up all night last night as when he came in today he said that 2 of us could have the morning off & 2 the afternoon so that we could make up any sleep we lost.    So it was arranged that SEC & I would go in the afternoon and TEB & Miss Purser take the morning for the rest of this week and we would change over next week.  SEC & I went about 1. 

I went to the library & got “The Man Without a Soul” E.R. Burroughs. I saw on a placard “Bombs on Berlin” Official – the best bit of news I’ve heard for a long while.  On the news at 6 it said some people were killed & some injured – maybe the Huns won’t be so keen of bombing London now they know what they get, and even if they do we shall have the satisfaction of knowing when the raiders are overhead, that the Germans are having the same thing and it will be easier to put up with. 

When I got home I had my dinner and tried to sleep.  But I couldn’t so I read instead.  In the evening I helped Bert to make his shelter safer.  We nearly finished it.  Fred came round for a while. Bed at 10.30.

Friday 30^th August 1940

First peaceful night for a week. Buttle & Miss Purser came in this morning as we had a nights rest and from now onwards we only stay out from work if our rest is broken.  

ARW at 11.46am.  Mr Cureton Miss Purser myself and a girl from Marine Rutter’s played cards TEB said he heard 2 or 3 bombs but I didn’t.  AC at 12.32

When TEB came back from lunch he said there was a cloud of smoke near East India Dock Road.  So SEC and I went on the roof but we couldn’t see a thing.

Next ARW at 3.18pm.  Miss Purser myself and Marine Rutter’s girl played cards.  I heard a few thuds.  AC at 3.32.  while I was at lunch I got Bert’s Drum.  Next ARW at 4.38.  SEC, Miss Purser, myself, Marin Rutter girl and RJS played cards.  RJSD won one game I won the other AC at 5.51.  Home 7.15.  Bert & I played cards.  ARW at 9.10.  I won’t think of everything that happened but briefly we heard planes or bombs all the time.  At 3.30 there was a terrible whistling noise just after some AA fire – it got nearer and nearer – we were all in the kitchen tonight. – then it was right over our heads & – Boom! – Boom! Yvonne grabbed me and went into hysterics.  We finally quietened her and then we tried to see what damage had been done.  There was an intensely white fire up the High Street.  We thought one bomb had dropped somewhere in East Ham and another in the High Street.  The fire died down & the AC went at 3.50 am.  So Ern and I went up the top as we had heard that a bomb had dropped in the Broadway.  When we got there, we found all the glass around shattered into small pieces.  We couldn’t get past the sweetshop on the corner of North Street because of a line of soldiers & HG’s and ARP wardens across the road.  But we could get to Martins etc, the line was like this 

• 

We heard then that one bomb dropped on the little Post Office & one on Byars Bake House.  When it got light Dad, Ern & I went to U. Bobs.  We could get to his house but May Road we saw was barricaded.  The other line of men stretched across High Street from Clegg Street to Bachms Walk.  So that you could get to the station. U. Bobs place was o.k. but Aunt Liz was very upset.  We went back along St Marys Rd and found out that Plaistow Park Rd was closed because a bomb dropped there.  That was why May Rd was closed.  There were a tremendous amount of rumours but this is the position.  A bomb dropped in Milton Rd East Ham and killed 3 people in a shelter.  One dropped in Plaistow Park Rd next door but one to Bert Clays relations – incidentally part of the ceiling of Bert’s room collapsed.  His relations from PP Road come to him, 2 men a woman and 2 dogs.  They were going to have a wedding today and a girl who had come from Oxford to be a bridesmaid was injured.  An old woman was rescued but there is no hope for her, but an old man was in bed who didn’t get a scratch though the roof fell on the bed.  One bomb fell between Byars and the little post office – one the women there is injured but best of all – the Hun came down in…

Book 15 – MISSING

Book 16

Continued from missing diary

Gate and just outside it.  I found over half a dozen bits round the streets and Ern found some bits as well.  Ern and I cooked our own breakfast.

I just messed about all day .  Bert got up to the L &T B too late for his interview and didn’t get the job.

We had 4 raids during the day.  The first 3 I was down the shelter but the last I spent listening to the news with Bert. The first went at 12.57 till 1.20 and I heard planes.  No 2 was from 4.1 to 4.18 and it was all quiet. No 3 was between 5.25 & 5.44 and in the distance I think I heard one gun.  The 4^th was the one when I kept out of the ARS and lasted between 5.56 to 6.24.  When dad came in he went to bed.  Ern brought home two more little lamps – one for us and one for Yvonne.  The ARW went at 8.12pm & lasted till 4.38 am.  We kept the Jerries away from us except for 2 or 3.  2 bombs dropped close to us – one in Selsdon Rd.  killing 2 people.  A fire was started in a timber place at Canning Town.  We could smell the burning wood with the peculiar smell which water gives it.  When the AC went we had a cup of tea, and then went to bed.  I never knew bed could be so wonderful.  After not being in it for 4 nights.  I had 4 hrs sleep.  When I got up I went to Walters place.  He doesn’t know what to do, his done hardly anything since Sunday except get his furniture out. I helped him for a while. I really went over there to get a drum to hold some more paraffin.  Walter said he would bring one over in the car.  

Our butcher, Minall, has cleared off now the raids are near us, and mum had to get some meat today at one shop in the Broadway and she will re-register there.  I had to go to the Town Hall to effect the transfer.  There were crowds there, of people who had been bombed & had shifted somewhere else.  Just as I pulled up outside our house the Siren went off.  It was 11.53.  I went down the shelter & we heard nothing. AC at 12.18 Dad got home just after.  I spent the afternoon condensing the contents of my desk into a small space & packing a case.  

It was quiet till 3.26pm I stayed out of the shelter till they got fairly close, after I got down the shelter things really started.  They weren’t too close but it was close enough for me, I could hear the burst of machine gun fire.  The bombs were fairly near but there was a preponderance of guns. The A.C. went at 4.41.

We had over ten down the A.R.S. for the second time in two days because we had another A.R.W. between 5.3 & 5.21. but all we heard were a few planes.  When Ern got home he packed a case.  He said that over Deptford he could still hear guns firing in the interval between the 2^nd & 3^rd raid he said it was idiotic for them to give an A.C.  He said between 5 & 8 planes were about down near them today – one  in the next street, that one made them think their number was up.  A Junkers was brought down on Blackheath yesterday.  

The other day Ern told me about a new fighter – bomber we’ve got.  It beats everything we’ve ever had before.  It will be called “Manchester —“ something.^III Well! Apparently, they had 8 of them made and tested & they were going to be sent up to engage the Germans today, and the Jerries blew the 8 of them to Hades.  There’s some 5^th column work for you.  A chap who has been working on camouflage told Ern tonight.  Just as Ern finished packing the siren went.  It was 8.34,  about 5 or 10 minutes after the warning we got a lovely row near us.  Bombs, guns & planes all together.  It is 9.10 now and there are still a few bangs in the distance.

Thursday 12^th September 1940

The all clear went at 5.37am.  this was the longest raid 9 hours 3 minutes.  It was the noisiest as well, but the planes were kept off – at least except for a couple but they did hardly any damage.  The AA Barrage was simply terrific and they’ve got a mobile gun that goes about all over the sewers and it came very close to us.  Still I wouldn’t mind if we had that every night if it kept the Jerries’ off.  The papers were full of it, and the American opinions of it.  It was all over the front pages of the various papers.

I had a few hours sleep during the raid, and the rest of the time I was reading or stuffing myself.

After the raid I went to bed for about 3 hours.  I got up at 10.  At 11.15 I got a letter from the boss.  I know Miss Purser is alright because she typed the letter.  I think Buttle is ok because the letter was folded the way he does it.  They are at Collins office at Oakfield corner, Amersham,  Bucks.  He said he would send me my wages till the end of the month but I had better look for another job.

A bomb dropped in Balaam Street and several were near us but that one was nearest.  In the afternoon I got a registered letter from Thurley’s with a week’s wages in it.  They repeated I had better get another job.  But I don’t think I’ll bother because I think they’ll keep me on.  We had an Air Raid Warning from 4.43 to 5.43.  But we didn’t hear anything except when one of our bombers passed over our heads.  It was very low too.

I replied to the firms letter tonight.

Next ARW at 9.13.  Ern said that he had heard planes about for some time and just before the warning the guns started firing.  I don’t know what the matter is with the officials.  They should be able to hear –planes long before we should and give a warning but so it was.  We wouldn’t let mum and Yvonne go down the ARS but made them come in with us.  All through the raid we would get a few minutes of gunfire then a few minutes of quiet towards the end though there was a long quiet spell and dad went to bed.  We must all have gone to sleep then because the A C went at 5.45 am but we didn’t know till I asked Mrs Reddin if the AC had gone, this was at 6.25.  We all went to bed then.

Friday 13^th September 1940

We had an ARW from 7.40 am to 8.35 am but although I heard both sirens I was too tired to get up.  Mum and Dad got up but Ern and I stayed in bed.  It was all quiet anyway.  We had another ARW at 9.49.  that was the only thing that got Ern up.  He has to go to East Ham to see the bosses today.  

About 10 I saw a plane come over from the N.N.E. it was very low.  Ern, mum and I went to the front door to see it again and as we opened the door, it dropped a bomb.  Newman was over the road.  He flung himself down as we heard it scream down, and we all fell in again and I pushed the door shut.  It hit my school – Credon Road and cut it clean in half.  Luckily no-one was hurt.  2 time bombs dropped in Western Road.  Ern went about 11.  After that we had a long spell of quiet and then a few bangs and then some more quiet.  About 1.50 I went to Dad’s shop.  When he saw me he decided to come.  As I turned into Southern Road on my bike the AC sounded.  It was 1.58pm.

We had another ARW from 3.56 till 4.15 pm.  And it was all quiet except before the ARW when I heard guns, and a burst of machine gun fire.  Mum and Yvonne went out shopping but I stayed in.  Ern came in again.  Mum and Yvonne got caught in the rain.  After tea Ern left us to go to Ilford to see one of his bosses.  Fred called round.  He said that 1 H.E (High Explosive) and 7 or 8 incendiaries were dropped on his work and many more dropped round it.  He was just going back to help finish the fires that had been started.  All but 2 of the fires were out and he said that probably one of these would be out when he got back , and unless the other reached the Cellulose place, they could subdue it by about 9.  Once or twice I looked over but I couldn’t see any glow so I presume the fire is out.

A strange coincidence occurred tonight.  Mum has got an extra blackout blind on a spring roller over the kitchen window, and when mum pulled it down tonight I asked if she had some way to keep it down so that it couldn’t spring up like Erns did when there was an explosion near.  Mum said she hadn’t and she didn’t think it mattered.  Five minutes after we were all sitting round and there was a sudden rattle that made us jump out of our skins.  it was the blind springing up.  After that I fixed up the curtains with a piece of string so that it can’t move.

We had the news on and just as it started Yvonne came rushing in and said, “the sirens are going”.  It was 9.2 pm.  Within 10 minutes the guns were going and now (10.40) the guns are still going.  I heard a couple of Jerries.  Ern managed to get in about 9.45.

It appears they cut my old school in half with a bomb.  Luckily no one was hurt.  The caretaker and his wife were in the boiler room.  Orwell Road (or Irwell) was slightly damaged, it was damaged before this week.  We will have to give Jerry a bashing for messing up my old school.

Saturday 14^th September 1940

AC at 5.30am.  All through the raid, the guns would be firing for a while – then a pause – then some more gunfire.  We all dozed in turns, and mum was the one who heard the AC first.

We’ve had 3 ARW’s so far.  The first got me up and lasted from 9.29am to 9.44 am and we heard nothing.

I was up the Broadway when the second one went.  It was quiet during the warning but the guns were firing before it went.  By the time it did go the streets were nearly empty.

I forgot to go to music last night so this morning I went to see Miss Elson but another woman told me they have left.

The third siren has just gone.  The time was 11.55am.  AC at 12.5 so this was the shortest raid.  The next shortest was on Friday 30^th August when we had a 14 minute one.  That raid was the 2^nd of 4 in a day.  We heard nothing so I suppose someone else was being bombed.  I went round to the bakers to get some biscuits.  Florrie has lost her home.  She looks rather bad.  Hilda was still joking,  thought in a slightly macabre fashion.  She said to one man for instance :- “I hope the Air Raids let me see you again” or words to that effect, I can’t remember her exact speech, because the sirens began their wailing and I had to cycle back home as quickly as I could.  The time was 3.50.  the AC went at 5.7pm  At the beginning of the raid I think it was 2 bombs that I heard drop, but maybe I was wrong and it was something else.  Mum and I saw 12 planes go over from West to East towards the Thames.  I thought they were fighting at first, actually 2 of them had lost formation and were circling to regain it.  After about 30 seconds they vanished into a cloud formation.  Mum and I were having tea when the AC went.  Bert came in about 6.  He stayed here during the 5^th raid between 6.17 to 7.14.  During it we heard planes at intervals and from the sounds I wouldn’t be surprised to hear a fight had been going on over us.

The 6^th ARW was sounded at 7.48 and lasted till 8.59.  we heard a few guns at the beginning but it was quiet after. 

Ern came in as the AC went.  During the news at 9 the announcer said we had only 5 raids today and missed out the short mid-day raid when he gave the times.  I think that this raid was only a local affair.

I don’t think there should have been so much fuss as there was about the damage to Buckingham Palace.  After all no-one was killed and the King & Queen are safe.  – they’d  push off soon enough if anything did happen.  Why should so much fuss be made of them anyway.  They are of less value to the country than the humblest worker in Britain.  In fact their only use is as a figurehead for the ignorant masses to look up to. 

We had another ARW from 9.41 to 9.55pm.  It was quiet.  Vic came in.  Mum and dad went to bed.  Ern, Vic and I played cards.  I went to bed at 11.20.  guns had been going at irregular intervals.  Reddin’s cleared off today.  And I am glad the ******************

Arthur Major came home today with the 9.29 warning.

Sunday 15^th September 1940

Ern woke me up about 1.45.  He said he had gone to sleep and when he woke Vic had gone.  Then the guns had become very intense.  The guns kept on so we woke mum and dad.  They eased off about 2.45 so we all went to bed about 3.00.

I don’t remember anything else till 11.54 when they woke me because the sirens were going.  The AC went at 1.10 pm.  The guns had been going at intervals and planes had gone over.  Bombs dropped in the distance.  During the raid I saw Bert and he said there had been a raid between 1am and 3.15 am.  So we went to bed just before the AC.  He said the gunfire was terrific.

At 10 to 2 we heard a time bomb explode.  

The wireless went off at 2.05 pm and we got an ARW at 2.20.  just after 2.30 a fight commenced overhead.  Ern and I kept look-out.  Once while we were looking out of the back door we heard a rattling on the roofs and then something fell on our roof, did we dodge in quick or did we.  At first we thought it was a Molotov breadbasket but actually it was machine gun bullets.  I found one after.  Dopey Albert Ewes was walking about while they were falling collecting them.  The fight went on for 20 minutes and then ———- we heard a whistling sound.  Ern and I raced in yelling “Down Down”.  Dad, Ern and I all crouched down by the wall – and mum just sauntered round the table and joined us.  I never thought she was like that.  For, I suppose, a ¼ of a minute it was sheer Hell.  Zing – Bang Zing ing ing bang ing bang bang bang.  About ½ a dozen bombs fell.  Time bombs as well.  Our house was shaking all ways.  We were thrown in the air and down again.  The windows were going in and out, it’s a wonder they didn’t break with a million bits because they were closed.  Maybe the brown paper helped.  Actually no description would fit what we went through.  When we finally picked ourselves up dazedly and looked out the back we could see nothing unusual. But when we opened the front door, you couldn’t see Tweedmouth Road for dust.  I was saying “there’s a bomb in Tweedmouth” over and over again, everybody else was talking and babbling away.  We went in for half a minute, then we went out again, the dust was beginning to clear and we could see Tweedmouth was all right.  Then we saw a man stumble across from Stirling Road to Southern Road.  He seemed dazed and was dabbing a handkerchief to his noes as though it were bleeding.  Ern and I were going to help him when suddenly a man dashed out from a house near the alley waving his hands and yelling “Help! Help! Help!”.  Ern, Vic and I dashed up there.  I got there first.  He led us through the 3^rd house into the garden.   In the next garden there was a bomb crater just outside the shelter where a 250 pounder bad dropped.  The shelter was all twisted and battered about.  We could see the bottom of it where the earth had been blown away.  The 3 houses were in a bad enough condition, but the shelter – it was terrible.  From nowhere it seemed a dozen or so men appeared and they all set to work tearing the shelter apart to get the occupants out.

I wrote that Monday and today (Tuesday) I’ve found what really happened.  Cherry’s (lived in first house) didn’t have a shelter and used to go with a young man and his wife next door.  The 4 Cherry’s were killed and so were the man and his wife.  The wife had a sister about 19 or 20 years of age.  She has had both legs amputated.  The man in the 3^rd house was a Mr Bentley.

The men who ripped the shelter up were about to get their hands under the bottom of the shelter as the earth had all been blown away.  I got a spanner and Ron undid some of the nuts to get the shelter apart easier.  When some of the side bits had been torn away we could see a young girl (the one who had her legs off we found it was, after) was sitting buried to the waist.  As they took the top off the shelter she looked round in a rather frightened manner – as though she were dazed, which no doubt she was.  At the further end of the shelter there was the body of a woman buried almost to the shoulders, with only the tops of her shoulder and the back of her head showing.  She had dark brown curls down to the back of her neck.  I can imagine who that would be.  They managed to get another woman out.  Someone had already broken down the fence leading to the sports field with a sledgehammer I found and with pieces of this they made splints for her legs.  Her face was so dirty that I couldn’t recognise her.  Her moans were heartrending, and she kept saying “oh my legs, my legs”  Someone was saying to her “They are alright they are numbed” and was stroking her face in an attempt to calm her.  After this I was dashing about to get water and covering for them.  Curtains were ripped down and someone went upstairs for the bedclothes (even though the rest of the house was in a bad way, the stairs were alright) anything we could find was used to cover the dead and make the injured more comfortable.  Ern and I came away after this.  There must have been at least 50 helpers by this time and the ARP etc had arrived, and we felt we had done all we could.  There was the usual crowd of persons come to see the damage, and dad had come to tell us to come back so we all came together.  Someone had burnt open the gates of the playing field at both sides as we came back that way.  All the windows at the top of Southern Road were smoked like those down the bottom or our road.  Mr Abrahams said he picked up (as he thought) a bundle of rages, but he dropped it quicker than he picked it up when he realised it was a bundle of human flesh and clothes.  The ambulances arrived about 5 past 3 and we directed them round into the field.  Another bomb which dropped in Glasgow Road near another shelter killed Mr Williams,  buried and suffocated Teddy and gave Bert a broken leg and cuts.  The elder brother who is a warden has the job of taking 2 more children down to his mother, who is evacuated with some kiddies, and breaking the news to her.  Another bomb dropped in Richmond Street and destroyed Skinners and damaged Ambrose’s and the old church school.  There is also a time bomb there.  St Marys Road has a huge hole in the road near Queens Road, and Plaistow Park Road near Russell school got another.  The High Street near Larkins is in a bad state and near Uncle Bobs in Clegg Street got another.  May Road had one, and some say Queens Road also but I don’t know about that.  The rest of the afternoon and evening there was Bert , Denis, Ern, Vic Mr Parker and occasionally others, redirecting traffic that had come down Tweedmouth Road thinking they could get up Glasgow which of course they couldn’t as the ARP were blocking the road.

Plaistow Station was also hit again.  Arthur and Yvonne cleared off after the raid, so did Floods.  the Gas and Electricity went off. The electricity came on again later, but the gas, which we had only had on a few hours, didn’t.  Majors had left their scullery light on so Dad, Ern and I broke in and made sure they were all off.  Then with Councillor Walker we went through the other houses.  We had already broken into Reddin’s once because there was a dangerous glass on the bedroom windowsill that would have been coming down soon. 

We had another ARW at 7.17 till 7.40 and there were some guns fired at the start but it was quiet after.  The all-night raid commenced at 8.13 and we were all asleep when the AC went about 5.40am.  The Jerries’ were about all the time and dropped some bombs uncomfortably close but the barrage was fairly effective.  At 10 we heard a thud that shook the house.  We came to the conclusion it was a time bomb, and when I asked Newman about it on Monday he said they think it is in St Mary Road, but they don’t seem to have found it.

Monday 16^th September 1940

First ARW 10.8 to 10.42 all quiet

Another 11.2 to 11.46 all quiet

All quiet 12.19 to 12.58

In the next one 2.13pm to 6pm, Mrs McGarry came in with us and the 2 girl Peattie’s were in till about 4.15.  The planes came over in waves.  The guns were going and I think I heard bombs in the distance.  Another ARW from 8.12 pm till 2.41 am.  Guns, planes and bombs all heard at times the barrage was very heavy.

Tuesday 17^th September 1940

I was asleep through the first ARW from 3.50am to 4.20am in fact mum and dad were the only ones to hear it.  They said the gunfire was heavy.  I got up with the second raid at 8 and it lasted till 8.46.  we heard nothing.

In the 3^rd at 9.13 we heard a few guns but it soon quieted and the AC went at 10.5.

We had another raid from 2.57 pm to 4.28pm.  Planes were about almost all the time and we saw 6 go from the East to the West and at the same time 9 went from the North to the South.  The 5^th raid was from 6.34pm to 7.2 pm.  In this dad and Ern came home.  It was quiet all through, in fact Bert came in with us, Ern and I talking about a new mouth organ Ern got.  Albert McGarry knocked about 7.45 and suggested that we knock down some of the fence between Reddin and us so that we could get through if necessary.  So we did so.  We can now get direct from Egmeads to Floods back gardens.

Bert stayed with us until the next warning at 8.8pm. the guns made a terrific barrage nearly all the time.  Many bombs were dropped all around.  2 fires were started – one at the docks.  The AC went at 6am.

Ern’s ceiling came in this morning & mum and I had an awful time getting it right.  Ern will have to sleep with me.  Walter came in the afternoon.  He wanted someone to help him get his lino up.  I would have if it had not meant leaving mum alone, besides we were busy upstairs in Ern’s room.  Walter was going to a shop in Auntie Aggies Road so he is going to see how she is.

Wednesday 18^th September 1940

We all went to bed except Ern.  He dozed off downstairs and said he woke up and heard an AC at 7.30

There was another warning at 8.18 and I got up just after when the guns were getting rather loud.  The AC went at 8.41am.  there was another raid from 9.40 to 10.24.  There were planes about all the time.  Bert came home just after this.  The docks are closed because they are alight and are crowded with time bombs.  He’s virtually unemployed now because he only has to go in for a couple of hours a day to book in the men.  We had another warning from 11.36 to 11.45.  It was all quiet and this is now the shortest raid – 9 minutes.  The longest was last night 9 hours 52 minutes or 592 minutes.  The 5^th raid began while dad was in, at 12.48.  At the beginning there were many planes about and we could see them making smoke lines in the sky. They came very close to us once or twice and the sky was covered with them at times.  Dad went to work about 1.45, the AC went at 2.30pm.

This was also the 100^th warning we have had.  Bert was going to Buyers so I went with him.  On the way we met Walter.  On the way back the ARS went, time 4.12.  Walter was still there when we got home.  Auntie Aggie is fine, he said.  He left while the raid was on AC at 4.29.  During the raid we heard a few planes.  That was all.  After the raid about 50 planes came from the N.W. to the S.E.  Some of them let smoke out of their exhausts.

We could still hear planes at 5.15pm when the 7^th alarm sounded.  AC at 5.58.  All quiet after ARW.  Next raid at 7.52pm till  5.27am.  Barrage was fairly intense and the Jerries came over in waves.  Many time Bombs dropped.

Thursday 19^th September 1940

ARW 8.54 till 9.6am, all quiet.  I heard a plane about at about 10.15.  Mum went shopping then at 10.30, the plane which had been circling around dropped a couple of bombs, we had no ARW though.  When the bombs dropped I didn’t know what to do because of mum being up the High Street.  She came back though.  The bombs dropped near the railway the other side of Pelly Road Bridge as far as I can make out.  In the afternoon at 3 we heard planes again and then we 

Heard gunfire. The plane dropped bombs in the city.  Mrs McGarry came in & we couldn’t get rid of her till nearly 5pm.  

Went to library & got “William – The Showman” R Compton “The Night-Watchman & Other Longshoremen” W W Jacobs.

Night Raid lasted from 8.2 pm till 3.44am. during the raid the noise hardly ceased and some bombs dropped near us.

Book 17

Friday 20^th September 1940

First Raid 11.7am to 11.59am.  there were planes about.  Fred came round in the evening.  He has had incendiaries dropped in his road.  When he left I was talking to Bert.  When the ARW went he came in with us.  It was 7.51pm.  The AC went at 12.18 am during the raid planes came over every 5 minutes.  Many times bombs dropped.  Dad said a land mine dropped near St Stephens Church Green last night.  We all went to bed when the AC sounded except Ern who had been in Powders.

Saturday 21^st September 1940

Raid again at 1.21 after an hours sleep.  It was the same as the last raid at first then I went to sleep, although I tried to keep awake.  We missed the AC.

I went to library & got “I found Africa” Van Nes Allen & “African Man Hunts” Lt Col H.F. Trew.  ARW again at 11.10am till 11.24am all quiet.  Just after that an R.A.F. chap called at a house in Tweedmouth Rd but could get no answer.  Mum in company with some others had to black her nose, it seems he met a girl who lives in the 3^rd house in a train & wrote to her & then as he had 48 hrs he came from Plymouth where he lives to see her.  He stood about for some time and then Mum asked him in to wait until either the girl or one of the people who live in the first house (the Burrows) because they all know the girl.  About 12.45 Eddie Burrows came along so we asked him to see the RAF fellow.  Eddie didn’t know the girl but his sister & mother do so the airman said he would wait for one of them.  About 2 Mrs Burrows came along with her daughter & the airman spoke to them, I don’t know what actually happened but they said something about this girl – Miss Way – the airman said her name was – being evacuated , so the airman said he’d best return home to Plymouth, he said it cost him £2 all for nothing.  Bert & I escorted him to Plaistow stn & saw he got the right train.  Incidentally he said he was going to be a fighter pilot & would soon be going in training.  Just as we got back who should come along but this girl with her fiancé, she had been leading them both on, & Mrs Burrows had been aiding her. When her boy heard about the RAF man he got mad & threw her over which I think serves her right – the cat.  

Bert & I went to the music shop.  We bought “The Isle of May“ “Sons of the Old Contemptibles” & “Famous Songs” a book of tunes, & we ordered “Lords of the Air”.  Next air raid warning at 6.6pm till 7.5pm, just after Ern had got home.  We heard planes about but it was quiet otherwise.  Today’s 4^th raid began at 8.12pm and lasted till 4.38am.  Bert was with us.  The barrage wasn’t so heavy as on previous nights but we could hear Jerry about & he dropped H.E’s and T.B’s near us.

Mr Williams & Teddy were buried today. 

Sunday 22^nd September 1940

Bed 4.45.  Walter called about 11.  I got up just after, Ern wouldn’t get up till 2 though.  First ARW came from 2.33pm till 4.10pm.  During this Dad & I got washed & Ern commenced to wash.  During the raid we heard one or two explosions & planes were about.  Next ARW 4.45pm till 6.9pm.  For the first 15 mins it was as bad as a night raid. The wispy clouds were very low and the planes couldn’t be seen but as they passed the cloud breaks the engine would get very loud & then soften as they went back above the cloud, and the barrage – all the local guns opened fire and they would be a terrific bang followed by a whizz & a scream as the shells shot over us.  For 15 minutes the place shook with the guns & then it went suddenly quiet & after we only heard a few planes.  The night raid began early – 7.6pm.  Bert was with us & Ern only came in once – for some grub & then he went over Powders again. It was quiet till almost 8, in fact we stood talking to Newman.  But when it did start it was terrific in fact we got hardly a break for 2 hours.  Once during that & once after bombs dropped extremely near & we had to dive down on the floor.  Guns still fired spasmodically till about 2.  We got the AC at 2.35am.  Just after Walker came along to say the water was off.

Monday 23^rd September 1940

Woke up after an hour of sleep by the sirens.  It was 3.32am. at the beginning of the raid it was very noisy & when bombs dropped very close the electric light went out.  We thought it had failed but it was the bulb that had gone we found after.  After 4 it was fairly quiet.  Ern came in sometime after 4 & I went to sleep till the A.C. at 5.59am.  The water was on then.

For a change The Leader^IV was delivered with the Express & I was able to get my Everybody’s at 9 when I went for it the first time.  ARW from 9.39 am till 10.45am. Quiet except for patrolling fighters.

The Cherry’s are being buried today.  They had 2 hearses & 2 coffins in each.  Mrs Cherry’s mother in Dundee Rd had them buried. Walter came just after the funeral left.  He said that he was machine gunned by a Heinkel at Dagenham yesterday.  He was at the gate & there were 2 men going by on bikes.  No one was hurt though.  The bullets just missed his car.

I went to the library & got “William The Detective by Richmal Crompton.  At 1.28 we had another ARW but the Jerries had gone over about 1.20 & the guns had fired at him.  After the warning I heard one plane over, otherwise it was quiet.  AC at 1.44pm.  Today’s 4^th raid was from 5.30 to 6.2pm during it I heard several patrols go over & I saw 2 lots, nearly a dozen in each group.

The all-night raid commenced early, in fact it was the longest we have endured.  The ARW went at 7.44pm & the AC went at 5.59am.  The barrage was heavy & bombs were dropped very close to us.  I said they were Molotov Breadbasket & they were.  Vic got the bottom of one.  New City Road School was burned in the raid, and 2 oil bombs were dropped near Freddie’s Road.  Once when I looked the front & then the back we were ringed by small fires.  Cave Road also got some firebombs. Ern was in Powders & Bert didn’t come in.  Ern came over some time after one but I was asleep.  Altogether I had 3 sleeps 1 till 3 3 till 5 & 5 till 7.

During the afternoon I went to the electricity place opposite Trinity Church to change a couple of bulbs.  Coming back I stopped to see Olly, he’s had several bombs near him.  By the bus stop outside the cemetery I met Mr Johnston one of my teachers, but I didn’t have time to call to him as his bus came along.

Tuesday 24^th September 1940

When I woke at 7 I had a wash & a look round. I found some shrapnel & during the day I found a good deal more, in fact I found more than I usually do, which is saying something, but then today I went on a lot of errands.  1^st ARW 8.35am to 9.23am.  We heard planes before the ARW but it was quiet after.  Bert didn’t go to work today as he is chucking his job in, so I went about with him.  Another couple of his relations have been bombed out again.  They certainly are chasing his people, Cherry’s were related to them even.  I went to the off licence & Mrs Dowsett said Doris Cherry was the last person she served that Sunday morning.  She also heard Len the soldier had every bone in his body broken.  Went to library & got “Cab Sir?” by Herbert Hodge & “Down Chinese Trails” by Galloper Light.  2^nd ARW at 11.50 till 12.21.  Dad came home during this raid.  We saw one of our patrols – 36 planes go over.  It was quiet after the warning except for a couple of shots at beginning but planes were about before the ARW in fact the guns fired at them before the ARW.

Night raid started at 8.14pm but the Bosch came over before that & the AA batteries were in return as well.  Bert didn’t stop with us & Ern went over to Powders.  There has been some kind of noise ever since and just after the news – say 9.20 a bomb came very close to us, it made the house rock.  It is now 9.35pm.  3 times during the raid we had to get down when we heard bombs fall.  I said I thought one lot fell in Green St, actually they fell in the Barking Rd, just round the corner from Green St. almost opposite The Odeon.  Links, Savages and some other shops copped the bombs.  Dads shop is only about 50 yds further on from those shops.  The barrage was very heavy at times, they evidently brought the mobile gun near us because we were suddenly startled out of our wits by a tremendous explosion that seemed just outside the house, I thought it was goodbye to our windows, but they are miraculously intact.  I went to sleep eventually.  When I woke up at 5.31 when the siren went Ern was in.  We went to bed just after. 

Wednesday 25^th September 1940

Mum woke me about 10.10 to get the key of Ern’s shed as Bert had knocked to borrow my pump.  The ARW went at 10.17 & that made me get up.  Mum had not heard the siren & was surprised when I told her of the raid.  Everyone takes the daylight raids much more casually now instead of leaving their carts & horses the tradesmen continue their rounds & hardly anyone goes down the shelters.  We heard planes once or twice & once the guns opened fire for a couple of rounds.  In the daytime the only explosions, almost, are the time bombs exploding & there are a good deal of these, and quite often we will be startled by A.A.’s going off.  The AC went at 12.9, just after dad got in.

After dinner I got the laundry.  It was taken up over a week ago & I think I must have made 2 dozen trips up after it & it only came in today, and then coming home the brakes on my bike were wrong & I went clean over the dustbin which was on the kerb.  The bikes brakes are in bits now waiting to be seen to.  Fred called round twice today.  I messed about with Bert in the evening & went in at 7.15.  the raid commenced at 8.21pm & we had peace for about ½ hour after.  After that ½ hour things warmed up but on the whole it was quieter than previous raids.  We heard bombs drop, but in the distance.  I went to sleep later on and woke up when the AC went at 5.32am.  I went to bed then after a cup of tea. 

Thursday 26^th September 1940

Up 11.30.  1^st air raid 11.37am.  till 11.58.  During the alert I heard planes but I think they were ours. After dinner I went with Bert to Freemason Rd Labour Exchange. Bert went there for Mr Egmead. While we were there we had a walk round.  All around there the damage is simply awful.  Almost every Rd is damaged in some way.  Most of the big buildings round the docks are down or else severely damaged.  In fact I was glad to get home again.  We had another alert from 4.9 to 4.38pm. But we heard nothing.  In the evening I went to Bert’s house.  I came in at 8.15 and just as I finished my supper the ARW went.  The time was 8.31pm.  Jerry came over almost at once.  After he had gone it was quiet for ¾ hours.  Then some more came over at a time every few minutes.  That mobile gun must be near again because it keeps shaking the doors and windows.  We found out today that when we heard the mobile gun terrifically loud it was outside North St School.  There’s a Jerry over us now.  The time is 10 past 10.

I went to the library & got “Claws of Africa” Mr Courtney & “A Century of Horror” Dennis Wheatley.  Up till midnight we could hear something all the time – either guns or planes or both, but usually in the distance.  After 12 it gradually quietened and the A.C. went at 3.58.  we all went to bed. Ern came in after. 

Friday 27^th September 1940

We had an air raid an hour after the AC, the sirens went at 5.4am.  Most of the noise was at the beginning and after ½ an hour it was all quiet, the AC went at 5.58.  Ern & I didn’t go back to bed.  Mum & dad hadn’t got up.  They heard some bombs fall but Ern & I didn’t. I had just got to sleep on the Lilo when Dad came down at 8.  Just after Dad went to work we had a warning at 9.9, we could hear the Jerrys & the AA guns were in action.  After a while we heard some more planes but I think they were our fighters.  We could hear planes at intervals all through the day & they weren’t always ours.  At 11 a lone German came over & the AA guns opened fire.  Bert & I were out so we got home as quick as we could, we could see the shells burst but we didn’t see the plane.  Another ARW went at 11.44.  The AA guns opened fire at some planes.  Dad came home through it.  For the last 20 mins it was quiet.  AC at 12.31.  When the warning sounded Bert & I were on our way to the Greengate on an errand. After the AC we started again but we were turned back by another siren 6 minutes after the AC at 12.37.  The AC went at 12.57 and during the raid we heard nothing.  Our 3^rd attempt to get to the Greengate was successful.

We could still hear planes intermittently and at 3.9 we got another ARW.  Just after the warning we saw 9 planes go over.  Bert & I watched them go over from the E to W.  The AA’s started.  The puffs of smoke got nearer & nearer to the planes & at last one burst in the middle of them & down came Jerry with smoke pouring from him.  Did we cheer when we saw that.  Then a dozen fighters came from the N to intercept them over the city and then over 30 more came from the N.E.  Just after they went over we got the AC at 3.47 pm.  We certainly live in stirring times what with planes coming over all day sometimes with & sometimes without warnings.  Then we get AA’s going off at any time.  Life is just one big scare.  Fred came round about 5.  He left at 6.  Mum had gone shopping.  Bert came in to discuss carving planes from some wood we’ve got.  We got the wood ready for marking out, just as we finished this Mum & Dad came along so Bert & I went to his place & marked out the shapes.  Then I brought them back to our house to shape in the raid.  The alarm went at 8.18pm but just before that the AA’s were in action against the Jerrys.  It is now 9.10 & there has been hardly a halt in the noise.

Yesterday a fire bomb dropped on Samson St Hospital.  A land mine was falling near the Golegh & a HG shot it to bits in mid-air.  Another mine fell in Water Lane & did terrific damage.  Oh well I may as well get on shaping these planes.  

Raid was fairly noisy after that.  Went to sleep later.  Woke up at 8.

Saturday 28^th September 1940

The AC of the last raid went at 5.59am.  After breakfast I washed & went on an errand for mum.  When I got back there were 2 men chasing a cow down Tweedmouth, which was the last thing I expected to see.  One of the men was lagging behind & the other was trying to lead it off.  Eventually he turned the cow back & the other fellow grabbed it.  It was rather playful, & the men had a bit of a job to get it along.  I suppose it got out of the Dairy in Balaam St.

Air raid from 10.11am to 10.46am.  There was plenty of AA fire & a bomb was dropped.  It fell on a heap of coal in Plaistow Stn.  Bert & I went to Green St & the music shop, but the music shop was shut.  Just as we got back another warning sounded.  Time was 1.39pm.  the raid lasted till 3pm.  There were plenty of planes about & the AA batteries were very active.  After tea I went to the music shop but they hadn’t got any music I had ordered or which I wanted so I came back home empty handed.  Bert & I carried on carving the planes when I got back.  

Bert stayed with us during the night raid which began at 8.13pm.  We put some more work in on the planes.  Jerry kept coming over in waves & the guns were intermittent, following them.  As I write this, Mum, Dad, Ern & Bert are stretched out asleep.  It is 11.16 & 3 or 4 bombs just dropped terrifically near to us.  I think I’ll join the others on the floor.

I said I would join the others on the floor but I was wandering around the room for 10 minutes trying to find a space between the 4 sleeping beauties.  I did eventually find room & I soon went to sleep.  I woke up once or twice.  So far as I can remember it quietened after about 12.30 and the guns would be silent for long intervals.  About 5.45 I work up to find Mum making tea.  While we were drinking it the AC went.  Time was 5.55am.  All went to bed just after.

Sunday 29^th September 1940

The next thing I knew was Dad calling Ern to get up & see Bert & another young fellow who wanted to see him.  Ern got up after some time & went down to see Bert & the other chap who turned out to be Bill, the fellow who was going to buy Ern’s mouthorgan.  He bought it for 15/- from Ern.  I got up just after this at 12.30.  Dad said there had been a raid from 8.35 to 8.50am but it had been all quiet.  

Walter called in the afternoon.  He wanted to know where he could get some bread as they had run out.  After scrounging some of ours he left.  He had a soldier & a sailor he was giving a lift to, in the car.

Just as I started to wash the sirens sounded, it was 4.30 pm.  I continued my wash, however.  During the raid a good deal of planes went over but as the guns were silent I suppose they were ours.  AC at 5.2pm.

Ern had some N.C.V. enrolment forms so I filled one in and he is going to enrol me.  I went & knocked for Bert.  I was in with him till nearly 7.  Then we went to buy some sweets.  Then we went in his house again.

Sirens went at 8.3pm.  Bert came in with me.  During the first hour, only about 3 Jerries got through but afterwards they came through every 10 minutes.  The guns were pretty active & they brought the mobile gun near us once.  It is now 11.15.

I went to sleep about 12 & although I woke up once or twice or & once I had something to eat, I can’t remember anything about the raid, apparently it was pretty bad.  The guns were firing 30 minutes before the A.C.

Monday 30^th September 1940

Woke up at 8. While we were having breakfast a time bomb went off very near to us.  I think it is about the nearest to us that they have been, out of the many that daily go off.  However we couldn’t see in which direction it was.  Mum heard from Savill the other day, he said he would be coming to do Ern’s ceiling today, so mum & I finished preparing the room.  Then I went out & got my “Everybody’s”.  Just after I got back we had our first ARW of the day.  It lasted from 9.22 to 9.49.  During it, several of our planes went over.  The second warning was from 10.19 to 11 am and we heard some more of our fighters.  The clouds were too low for us to see them thought.

I wanted to go to the Post office so when Dad went back to work I went with him.  I put 5/- in the savings bank.  I got my wages today, they weren’t posted till last Friday.

I went up the High St after & met Fred so I went to his work with him, while I was there the siren went. I raced home & got there 5 minutes after the siren went.  It sounded at 1.20 & we got the AC at 2.11pm.  We heard a few planes during the raid.

During the afternoon Bert & I got on with our planes.  We had another ARW at 4.36.  During this Bert went in to his tea.  After a while I went in and found Mr Webster here.  His had his home bombed but luckily its mostly the building that suffered & most of his home is safe.  Also a couple of days before it happened he & his wife went to Didcot.  He had to come back because of his job though & he called to see Dad at his place.  He wanted us to keep some papers for him so Dad told him to call on us & that was why he came.  Mum found out that he had had nothing to eat so she made him some tea & suggested that he should stop the night with us as otherwise he would have to go to a school & he didn’t fancy that.  The AC went at 5.56pm.

Finally we persuaded Mr Webster to wait till Dad came in & then decide whether he would stop or not.  Mum said he could come here every night & also have his meals here but he said he felt he would be imposing.  His feeling was quite understandable.  Eventually he said that if we would accept a remuneration he would get his rations transferred to us and do as mum suggested.  So he waited till Dad came in to make arrangements.

Then Bert called & asked me to go with him to some club in Balaam St.  it was then 6.15 & we didn’t get back till 7.15 & by that time Dad had got home & made all arrangements so I don’t know what transpired, but Mr Webster stayed & had supper & then stayed with us.  At present he is asleep in a chair.  He is frightfully worried by everything & he doesn’t know whether or not to chuck in his job.  The time is now 5 past 11.

The ARW went at 7.51pm.  Bert didn’t come in as he said he felt he would be in the way with someone else here.  Ern went over to Powders.

The guns soon started & there has been hardly a lapse since.  I am going to try to read a bit now & then go to sleep.  Savill didn’t come to do the ceiling.

Tuesday 1st October 1940

AC at 5.49.  About 10 minutes after, siren had gone in distance, Mum picked it up and then some more did the same. At first we thought it was another ARW.

Woke up about 8.  Savill came this morning.  He took down all the rest of the ceiling & went out to buy the asbestos board for the new ceiling.  While he was out the guns fired on Germans twice.  Once at 10.35 & again at 10.55.  Neither time did we get an ARW.  Savill got back at 12.15, he made the excuse he couldn’t get any boards, but he was probably down a shelter somewhere.  Bert went up the city this morning & got a job.  When he came back we did a bit more of the planes.  Then the first siren went at 1.27pm it lasted till 1.54 & during it we heard a few planes & some gunfire.  The second raid went at 2.4pm.  At 2.9pm we heard in the distance some more sirens gong off.  But it was a continuation of the ARW & not an AC as we first thought.  AC at 3.21.  We heard a good few planes & the guns were active.  Just after AC a couple of dozen fighters went over.  3^rd warning at 4.16 pm.  During this Mr Webster came in.  He had his dinner & tea in one as he couldn’t get back before.  AC at 4.54pm.  We heard a good number of planes and the guns opened fire once or twice.

Fred came about 6. I rode home with him.  When I left him I went to the music shop for the 2^nd time today.  The first time I went the woman in the shop next door said they were out.  The 2^nd time I saw her but they still didn’t have in my music.  She asked me to come again Saturday.  She also said they will probably shut up as they are doing hardly any trade.  I was able to start painting my plane when I got back & during the 4^th raid I finished it.  It looks alright too.

Bert came in for the Night raid.  But it only lasted from 8.8pm till 11.18pm, why the Hell they sounded the AC I don’t know because at 11.40 the siren started moaning again.  Lately they seem to be daft with those sirens.  This time our siren was 3 minutes slow in picking up the warning & by that time Jerry had arrived.  He dropped some bombs near us at 1 & just after I went to sleep.

Wednesday 2^nd October 1940

Woke up at 8.  AC went at 5.30am.  Air Raid W at 9.3am but the plane had been over 10 minutes before.  Maybe they were ours thought, still, with the daft arrangements they seem to have the plane may had been Nazis. During the alarm we heard plenty of planes about.  AC at 9.31am.

Until the next ARW at 9.50 am we could still hear planes.  During alarm a few guns were fired.  AC at 10.54.  We had another ARW at 12.8 till 12.31 between raids we heard a lot of planes & a fight was on during the warning.  We could hear the planes diving & climbing but they were too far for us to hear the firing.  We heard another fight before the next ARW at 1.24pm.  There were many planes about during the warning.  AC went at 1.52pm.  During the 5^th raid, from 3.4 pm till 3.26pm the guns fired on some planes.  We had a short raid of 9 minutes, it went at 4.34.  We heard some planes.  We got 2 AC’s at the end of the raid. One at 4.43pm & the 2^nd at 4.45.  another example of official blundering.  

Bert came in about 7.30pm.  He started at his new job in the City today.  He says he likes it.  The ARW went at 7.49pm.  Jerry arrived soon after warning, the guns were very active at the beginning of the raid.  I worked at the model aeroplanes for a bit.  I’ve nearly finished one now.  It only wants a propeller.  I have painted it already.  During supper the AC went.  It had got quiet about 8.30 & after 9 we didn’t hear a thing.  It was 9.16 when the siren gave the AC. After supper I got the games out & Bert and I played draughts & Mum & Dad, Ern & Mr Webster played dominoes. 

Today’s 8^th warning went at 10.13pm but we heard noisy engines before then.  The raid was fairly noisy until 1 when we settled to sleep.  I don’t remember a thing after that.  Mum & Dad said 2 bombs were dropped very close to us.  Saville finished Ern’s room today. 

Book 18

Thursday 3^rd October 1940

Woke up at 8.  From 9 o/clock onwards we could hear planes about us.  At 10.20 during the service on the wireless I heard an AC come over the ether.  There’s proof the BBC haven’t all returned to London.  At 10.46 we had today’s first ARW during the alert it was comparatively quiet, which is just how I like it.  AC at 11.10.  Next alarm 1.11pm just after Dad got in.  Ern & Mr Webster came in during the alarm.  We could hear planes flying about & the guns fired on them.  AC at 1.41pm. 

At 2.22pm we got another raid.  Compared against the other daylight raids we’ve had the last few days this one was very noisy.  One plane for instance was circling around, turned back in all directions by our guns, for nearly ½ an hour.  Most of the time it seemed to be in our vicinity.  Eventually it got away. I hope it was brought down as a punishment for the nasty moments it gave us when it came very low.  Mr Webster left to go down to his wife at Didcot when the raid slackened a little.  He will be staying till Sunday.  The AC sounded at 5.15pm.  We were left in peace till 7.58 when the siren commenced its ululation (Nice word that & it’s easy to see how the siren got the name of Lulu) the siren has several names, Moaning Minnie, Wailing Winnie etc.  Bert & I came to the conclusion that it would be better if instead of sirens they played records, & amplified them, of the introduction & end of the BBC show “In Town Tonight”.^V

At 8.3pm all the sirens sounded again but it was a second ARW.  I’d like to know what the Authorities think they are doing of.  The guns opened fire on a Nazi soon after the alarm at 8.10.  One of the raiders left a visiting card not far away.  After that it was more peaceful and it slackened altogether at approx. 8.45.  The AC sounded at 9.30 as I am writing this.  Next ARW at 10.9pm.  the guns were active for some time.  About 11.30, Mum Dad & I went to sleep.  The AC went at 2.10am but none of us heard it.

Friday 4^th October 1940

Ern’s 25^th Birthday

I woke up about 6 & found Ern was in & asleep.  I went to sleep again & got up at 8.  During the morning I got on with the planes.  Mum took Mrs Clay into see Yvonne’s house.  About 20 minutes after they came out Yvonne herself arrived.  She came in a lorry with her brother Ray.  They commenced to move her furniture out right away.  There were 3 removal men with them.  They had finished & gone before 12.  

Yvonne told Mum to take the coal she had left.  After they had gone I had a look round & found some paint, bottles, paintbrushes etc & took them for myself.  Dad came in to dinner then.  During dinner, 12.41 to be precise the siren gave the alarm.  The planes were over just after the ARW & the guns put up a steady barrage at 12.55 they dropped 2 bombs.  I heard them falling first & yelled “Down”.  We all got together under the lintel of the door leading to the passage.  After they fell Dad & I went into the garden & we saw the smoke & rubble rising in the air like a giant toadstool.  I said it was over near Upton Park Station.  Vic told us after, one fell in Neville Road near the Carlton & one in Boleyn Rd.  Mrs McGarry came in after that because she was nervous.  The guns slackened off for a while & Dad went back to work.  The guns continued till 1.30 then it became quieter.  Fred called then, on his way back to work.  He promised to get me some petrol for my lighter.  After 1.30 the guns only fired sporadically but at 4.30 they started again.  They continued till 5.15pm & we finally got the AC at 5.33. we only had a short respite however and at 5.55pm we got another ARW.  The Jerries were over almost immediately & most of the raid the guns put up a heavy barrage.  AC at 6.30.

During the afternoon raid I got in the coal and of all the rotten jobs I’ve had, that was the worst.  Still it was worth it because it will be hard to get coal soon.  Dad & Ern came in about 6.45.  Ern went out again though.  We had a short raid from 6.56 till 7.10pm in which a Jerry came over, circled round a few times & then vanished so I wouldn’t be surprised to hear he was shot down.  At 7.45 the guns opened fired on some Jerries that came over.  Bert came in. Then from 8.10 till sometime before 8.40 we were without electricity.  I don’t know when it actually came on again but it was 8.40 when we switched on.  When it went out it was like gas fading – slowly growing dimmer & dimmer till at last it extinguished.  The Jerries keep coming over & they seem low, still the weathers bad – it has been all day, raining nearly all the time & even when it was not raining it was a depressing day.  At times there has been a tremendous blaze of light not far away to the north, maybe it is some light that shines on the clouds & shows up planes in a wide area, thus being better than a searchlight.  It was seen the other night & Bert said one of the daily papers mentioned it.  It is now 9.45 with no sign of the raid diminishing & the sirens have still not given an alarm.  It gradually quietens after this and at 1.30 an AC sounded. 

Saturday 5^th October 1940

From 2.14 am to 3.35am we had a raid.  The guns fired on a few planes but it was fairly quiet compared to the previous raid.  We had a raid from 11.23am to 11.54am and the guns fired on 2 or 3 planes.  Mum went out during the raid but it was all right as the guns were not firing in our direction.  Next raid was 2.13pm till 2.43pm.  Heard a few planes & the guns fired a few times. After this raid I went to the music shop.  They were selling off their music 1/- copies 6d & 6d copies 4d because they are packing up tomorrow.  They have stuck it very well because Jerry has been dropping bombs closer & closer to them.  They are coming back when things are quieter.  

I bought:

Tiggerty Boo 6d cost me 4d

Sweet Little Sweetheart 6d   “ “     4d

When I Dream of Home 1/-  “ “…..6d

This Years Kisses 1/- “     6d

Nice Work If You Can Get It 1/-  “ “…..6d

I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm 1/-  “ “…..6d

Waltzing Matilda 1/-  “ “…..6d

Pull Down the Stars 1/-  “ “…..6d

Creaking Old Mill 6d   “ “     4d

Say It 1/-  “ “…..6d

Let the People Sing 1/-  “ “…..6d

The Navy’s Here 1/-  “ “…..6d

Pessimistic Character 1/-  “ “…..6d

I Hear Bluebirds 1/-  “ “…..6d

12/6       6/6

And Bert will help me with most of them as per our arrangement.

When I got home I saw Bert & we went round to Jagger’s & bought a Propeller for our Messerschmitt’s. 

At 4.4pm as we were coming home the siren commenced its ululation.  We got home in a couple of minutes & in that time was packed all the actions of the raid – a few rounds of AA fire.  Bert & I spent the remainder of the raid digging up the potatoes in Yvonne’s garden for Mrs Clay. We had some fun doing it too.  

Oh dam it.  I’ve put it all wrong.  I went to the music shop & Jagger’s before the 2.13 raid & it was then we dug up the spuds, during the 4.4 raid there were only 1 or 2 guns fired & we saw 37 of our fighters go over us.

The night raid commenced at 7.32pm & lasted till 6.9am.  Just after the ARW Jerry arrived & the guns got busy.  But after 10 it was quieter.  I went to sleep at 12.  Dad told me that one of our balloons got loose during the raid.

Sunday 6^th October 1940

Up at 1.16pm with the siren. U.Bob & A.Liz were here.

We had had 2 sirens previous one from about 9 and it lasted, so far as I can make out, about 10 minutes.  The AA guns fired on a few planes apparently.  There was another from 11.55 till 12.10 but that was all quiet.  The 1.16 one ended at 5.41pm.  the guns put up a good barrage at the planes which came over every few minutes at the beginning of the raid.  It quietened from 2.30 till 4.30 then the fun began again but it wasn’t so bad as before.  It finally quietened about 5.15. Mr & Mrs Turner came back from Cardiff the other day & they have now got a place (Temporary?) at Ilford.  They are moving their furniture tomorrow.  The Surveyor said that their house is dangerous.  They left here about 3, just before we had dinner.  After dinner I finished the Messerschmitt & it doesn’t look too bad with the prop on.  The AC went while I was having my wash & Mr Webster came back just after. After tea we all just sat abut reading waiting for the siren.  Bert came in about 8.  At 8.15 Fred & Bill called.  Fred wanted to know if I had a stamp he wanted.  While they were here the siren went so they dashed off.  It was 8.20. the raid was short & sharp.  It was noisy but the AC went at 8.39pm. after a while the guns began again but it wasn’t much & it was all quiet by 11.30.  At 12 we had some tea and Bert went & we all went to bed.

Monday 7^th October 1940

Woke up 5.40 by Lulu.  Dad & I got up.  Mr Webster was still asleep downstairs.  I made a bed under the table.  There was some gunfire now & again & the AC went at 6.39am.  Dad went back to bed & I slept under the table.  I woke up at 8.50.  I was just going to go & get my “Everybody’s” when my nose started bleeding.  When that finished we heard a siren at 9.46 till 10.16.  It was perfectly quiet during that.  Just as I was going again Jerry has another pop & at 10.22 the sirens start.  That one lasted till 11.13.  A good few batches came over & the guns were kept busy.  At 10.40 2 bombs were dropped.  After this one I did go out for my book & he also had my “Gibbons “ but it was this month’s, so I had missed the September issue but he will try to get it for me.  I got my letter from Thurley’s when I got home but my cards were in it.  Last September the same thing happened in the same circumstances.  I think September is my unlucky month.  After dinner I went to the labour exchange.  As I got there the warning sounded & we had to take cover.  I went to Odys St stopped there but actually it wasn’t safe because there was a time bomb under a shop over the road and another round the corner.  Those bombs that fell today were one opposite Trinity Church & the other in the park off the pub where the road branches.  It blew a tree out of the ground.  The ARW went at 1.15 & it lasted till 2.13.  We heard a few planes & guns.  When I got home uncle Albert was here.  He has sent A Lisa & the kids away again as they had a bomb near them also a lot of incendiaries.  Knocked a lot of furniture about a bit & all the soot came out of his chimney.  Uncle Will has been bombed out.  Aunt Maud & Arthur were away & Stan & his pal were the only ones in the shelter.  The bomb dropped outside the shelter & blew half the shelter outside the Odeon. By a miracle Stan’s friend escaped & Stan was only cut about the face a little bit.  Next door people were killed.  The house is ruined.  

While Albert was here there was a good deal of gunfire & we had a warning sometime after 3.53 to 4.34.  It was quiet during the Raid.

Albert left during the raid.  He told us that the allied airman, who was saved from being killed by the crowd, by a busman, was a Pole & he landed at the “Merry Fiddlers”.  Another ARW from 4.48pm to 5.14pm.  We heard a couple of planes & the guns fired on them, but there was more action before the warning.  Fred called just after.  Walter came later.  He is going to call tomorrow & see if Mum wants to go away.

Bert came in about 6.45. Night raid commenced at 7.31pm.  It was very noisy for some time, in fact the barrage was one of the best we’ve had.  It was continuous at first but after 10 it was more spasmodic. 

Tuesday 8^th October 1940

At 2am I was awakened from a doze by 2 or 3 terrific bangs – bombs.  We could hear the glass going – then all was still.  I raced to the back door & Ern to the front.  I saw a tremendous black cloud of dust & debris over our head.  They were alright along the back, so I went out the front with Ern.  We couldn’t find where the bombs had fallen although I said I thought it was in Glasgow Rd.  Indoors they said 2 bombs dropped but I said I heard 3.  After seeing our glass was intact & no ceilings down we went to sleep again.  About 6.30 Dad & I went for a walk round. 1 bomb fell in Glasgow and bashed Curwen’s a bit.  It fell very near the previous bomb.  It ruined about 6 to 12 houses.  2 bombs fell close to each other in Dundee next to Huxtables.  Huxtables rear wall is down & so are 3 houses while others are inhabitable. The road was covered with bricks, wood, bits of furniture, glass etc & rounded off with a layer of soot & dust.

In our road there are dozens of ceilings down.  Mrs Parker has 3, Mrs McGarry 2 & Ewes & many others have one down.  As to glass I think we were extremely fortunate the paper we put on them saved them & all we have is 2 windows slightly cracked so Ern & I put more paper over the cracks to hold it.  A bit of the landing ceiling fell in Majors & the box of the of the lock has been torn away by the blast.  Everyone seems to have windows out except us.  In Tweedmouth Rd there is hardly a ceiling left according to the piles of plaster in the road.  We had another ARW at 8.41.  Just after the ARW there was a fight.  The guns were active, 1 plane was brought down I think.  It was quiet for a while & then some planes came over at a great height & made a pattern in the sky like this ——–

• 

We heard a few more planes after & then the AC went at 10.11am. Next ARW at 10.37am till 11.20am.  Just after the ARW 2 of the very loudest guns I’ve heard were fired.  There were a lot of Jerries fired on.  Later we only heard the RAF patrol.  During the next sounding of the siren at 11.43am the guns fired but after the siren finished it was quiet until the AC at 11.59am.  In the next warning between 12.35pm & 12.39pm we only heard a few guns & a couple of planes.  It was the same during the next raid between 2.45pm & 3.4pm.

Bert came in about 7.15 & we had the siren at 7.22pm.  During the first couple of hours or so it was terrifically noisy.  In fact there were only a few breaks in the whole of the raid.  The AC went at 6.39am.  Walter called in the afternoon & I took my books back to the library.

I heard they machine-gunned Upton Park Stn this morning.

Wednesday 9^th October 1940

First air raid at 11.21 am soon after the warning we heard some terrific explosions.  I wasn’t sure what they were but I found later they were bombs & they hit Plashet Grove the Memorial Hospital & some other places.  They dropped a Time Bomb in St Marys Rd just past the Stanley, so we had better look shifty and get under cover when that goes off.  After the noise in the raid we only heard a few planes & we saw some more skywriters towards the North.  Then after that we only heard a very few guns AC at 1.7 pm.  During today’s 2^nd raid we saw nearly 50 planes at different times. It lasted from 2.43 till 4.14. At 7.21 the night raid commenced.  Bert was with us.  Huns came over just after the warning & gave us little rest during the whole night, in fact just before 7am the guns were still firing.  AC at 7.5am.

Thursday 10^th October 1940

First raid at 8.57 till 9.15. I heard one or 2 guns fired. I heard that in Dundee Rd no-one was as much as scratched but a few people were hurt in Glasgow Rd.  2^nd raid 1.53 pm till 2.6pm. Mum and I are probably going away so Dad told Webster & during the morning he found himself another place.  In the afternoon he went to Didcot to his wife.  We had a 3^rd raid between 3.26pm & 3.57 pm & I heard some planes go over & the AA guns opened up on them.  In the evening I went to the library & got “Puzzles & Curious Problems” H.E. Dudeney & “Hunters book of Indoor Entertainments”.  When the Siren went at 7.42 Bert brought in his chess men.  He knows a bit about chess & with what I learned from Hunters Books of Indoor Entertainment”.  We played 3 games.  Bert won the first I won No 2 & the 3^rd was a stalemate.  Not bad for a beginner playing against a chap who was taught by good players – which Bert’s uncles are supposed to be.  

At 12 we laid down, Bert & I, after that the raid, which had been quite intense dropped a bit & then it quietened down and we had the AC at 4.58 am.  

Friday 11^th October 1940

During breakfast we had an ARW at 7.42am.  We heard planes & one of them dropped a bomb.  AC at 8.8am.  When dad had gone I found he had left his belt behind so I was just going to dash round to the shop on my bike with it when the siren went at 8.53.  We heard a few planes, and as soon as the AC went at 9.14 I went round the shop.  On my way back I had a look at my old school.  The bomb destroyed my first-year classroom, the Art Room & the Science Room & altogether the place is in a terrible mess.  I’d like to get to work with our club on the bastard that dropped the bomb.  We had another raid from 10.53am to 12.20pm in which I heard a lot of planes & some guns.  During the 10.53-12.20 raid we got our gas on after letting it run for ½ an hour.  We had another raid from 2.28pm to 2.44pm in which we heard a few planes about.  We had a 5^th raid from 4.7pm to 4.33pm.  At the beginning we heard some planes & AA fire.  The night raid commenced at 7.10 pm & Bert came in.  We played 2 games of chess. Bert won the 1^st & I won the 2^nd.  It was very noisy and some bombs were dropped near the us.  Actually they were round near Swete St & Stock St & a breadbasket was dropped near the station & Everett’s set alight.  The other fire bombs fell nearby.  The AC went at 2.30am but none of us heard it.  Between the 5^th & 6^th raids mum & Dad bathed.  I went to the library for the 1^st time in weeks and got “Hoyles Games, Modernised”

Saturday 12^th October 1940

Air raid from 9.20am till 10.45 heard planes & guns.  I started to make a chess set out of some bits of wood.  Peter Emanuel called about 11 & we had another ARW at 11.8am after the AC 11.40 we went on a couple of errands during the raid we heard planes & guns.  When we got back from doing the errands we went for a ride round the streets near where Peter lives & saw some of the damage.  Its colossal.

At 12.30 pm another siren went but we didn’t hear it but we heard the AC at 12.59pm & wondered what it was about till someone told us.  But apparently only a few planes came over.  Next warning at 1.18 pm till 2.16pm heard planes & guns.  After the AC mum went shopping & I had a bath & was it lovely.  I could have stopped there all day but I was unaware of what Goering intended to do so I had to have my bath quickly.  But I got finished & Mum got home before the next siren. In fact it went at 4.13pm.  we went into our garden during the raid.  We heard the planes very close & the AAs were busy for a while.  Next raid was the evening one.  It went at 7.17.  Bert came in & we played a game of chess which I won.  It was about the best we’ve had.  I had Bert in check in 4 moves but the game actually lasted more than 2 hours.  The raid was noisy spasmodically with varying periods of quiet in between.  Mum brought my bed down & she & Dad are sleeping on it. I think I’ll finish painting my homemade chess set ready for use tomorrow – or perhaps I should say today as it is now 12.20.  Walter called this evening.  He wants me to help him tomorrow & he will call for me at 9.

Sunday 13^th October 1940

I soon went to sleep & then, still half asleep, I heard Ern come in & say the AC went at 2.10am.  it was turned 2 apparently when he got in.  But I was too sleepy to realise what he said & I went to sleep again till 9am & then I had to dash to get ready for Walter.  He came just before I was ready. The garage he goes to is under one of the railway arches in Grangewood Road.  We started on his car & after a while a fellow came in his car & Walter went somewhere with him & came back with 10 gallons of petrol (Outside the rationing allowance).  When we left the garage at 4.30 Walters car was in bits on the floor.  The big ends all gone wrong & something has got to be done to the sump.  While we were there Walter repaired another car for a fellow & when he had finished using it for the day the owner brought it back & lent it to Walter for a couple of days till Wal’s is repaired. This owner doesn’t seem to know much about cars because he said “The car does 30 to the gallon & I’ve only done 45 miles & there’s 2 gallons in the tank,”  & when we finally got the rattletrap started we only got as far as the “Princess Alice” before we ran out of petrol.  But as it happened it was lucky we did.

While we were at the garage we had 2 raids. The 1^st began at 12.45pm. we heard a lot of planes & the guns fired in the distance.  One bomb dropped in the direction of Wanstead Flats.  A.C. at 2.45

About 3.40 we heard planes & the guns.  After looking a while we saw the condensation made by the planes & afterwards we saw the planes themselves.  There were 7 very high making the condensation & 2 very low & very big.  They dropped another bomb over towards the flats again & then the authorities decided to tell us there was a raid on, & they sounded the sirens at 3.50pm.  After the alert we only heard a few planes but I could see the condensation marks & I thought they were almost over home.  

When I was coming back to the car with the petrol I met Ern.  Mum had sent him to fetch me because they had had bombs near home before the 2^nd warning & Mum was worried frantic about me.  That was why it was lucky we ran out of petrol, otherwise we should have missed Ern.

Coming home Ern said the bombs dropped, getting nearer & nearer & he thought it was his bundle, but the last bomb dropped in the Stanley Alley, plumb in the middle of it.  Other bombs dropped in St Marys Rd next to Curwen’s.  On Russel Road school in Chesterton Rd & 2 other places.  If there had been another bomb it would have landed only a few yards from our house.  Thank Heavens there weren’t.  We came along the back turnings and we could see all the rubble in St Marys Rd.,  and as we came down Glasgow Rd we could see that the 4 corner houses in the alley were all ruined by the bomb which must have dropped almost on the lamp-post which is in the centre of the alley.  One person was killed in St Marys Rd.  I didn’t hear of any other causalities. 

When the night raid commenced at 7.6pm I was in Bert’s house so we soon nipped through the back gardens into our place.  We played 2 games of chess.  Bert won one & we drew the 2^nd.  The raid was terrifically noisy until about 1 when it began to slacken.  Several bombs dropped near us & we could hear shrapnel falling all round us – in the gardens, on roofs & outside in the street.  We saw a couple of flares as well.  

I went to sleep on my cushion “bed” about 1 & woke at 8.  The AC went at 6.5am.

Monday 14^th October 1940

A.R.W. at 12.4pm but guns fired before the siren.  At 11.32am. I heard very faintly in the distance an A.R.W.  It was over in Kent.  We heard planes & guns at intervals during the raid and we got the AC at 2.10pm but at 2.26 another alert was sounded which lasted till 2.54.  We heard planes & guns during the ARW & after the AC we could hear guns but I heard they were testing some big guns at Woolwich.  Next raid we had was the all night one.  It began at 7.3pm.

The raid was louder than last nights.  At 8.30 6 bombs fell near us.  When they came down all you could see of Bert was his behind sticking out from under the table.  The guns were still busy at 5am I’m told, & the AC went at 5.35.

Tuesday 15^th October 1940

All today has been nothing but one raid after another.  The 1^st at 8.20 till 9.31.  In this raid we had a few very noisy spells & some bombs fell near.  Next one at 10 till 10.30 and it was fearfully noisy nearly all the time with the planes & guns.  Just after this Uncle Albert came & he left just as the next warning began at 11.27.  The landladies arrived then to see mum about having Mrs Clay as a tenant for Yvonne’s old house.  It was all settled & Mrs Clay has the house.  We showed Miss Nickelson the various damages to our place & they will be seen to in a couple of weeks’ time.  AC at 11.54.  We didn’t hear a thing during the raid which is rather a change.  4^th raid at 12.42 till 1.12.  We heard planes & guns.  Mum went to the hairdressers then & while she was out I made a new blackout for the kitchen out of some cardboard packing cases & a few struts.  We had 2 raids while mum was out.  One from 2.29 till 3.18.  I only heard 1 or 2 planes & guns.  The other was from 4 till 4.43 & was rather more noisy with plenty of planes & a lot of guns.

When Bert came home he gave me the Box Office address of a firm of Accountants who want a boy so during the night raid I wrote a letter to them.  The siren went at 7.27 but before that we heard the guns firing overhead at a few planes.  Bert was with us.  The raid was one of the noisiest yet.  We heard a new type of gun which is more like an extremely loud machine gun than anything else.  I dare say nearly a dozen bombs dropped near us in a few minutes about 9.15. & 3 fires started.  One in Balaam St one towards the docks and one in the city.  It’s now 11.30 & I’m turning in now. 

Wednesday 16^th October 1940

Walters Birthday 31 today.

Woke up at 8.30.  Went & posted letter.  Found out the AC went at 5.5am.  But at 5.50 till 6.15 there was another ARW but it was all quiet.  During the morning I put 5/- in the savings bank.

Mum got some wood & I spent the morning & afternoon chopping it.  We had 2 ARW’s in the afternoon but really we should only have had one.  At 2.30 I heard a siren in the distance & 32 minutes later we had the local siren at 3.11 (last Monday I heard a siren in the distance 32 mins before we had a local warning).  We heard a plane before the ARW, & during the raid we heard a few planes the AC went at 3.23 but we could hear a Jerry then a couple of minutes later the guns fired at him & at 3.26 pm the siren went again.  This was all quiet after that Jerry eased off through.  AC at 3.43.  We had no more alarms till 7.3pm.  

Bert came in & we played 2 games of chess.  I won both.  Planes & guns were heard just after the siren and they have kept up all the time till now (11pm) at 9.45 a sudden thud shook the house & immediately after we heard the whistle of another bomb, but neither went off so the first time bomb must be very near us as we didn’t hear it fall.  Still it must be o.k. or the wardens would have raked us out by now.  I’m going to turn in now.

Thursday 17^th October 1940

AC at 6.8am. Up at 8.  That time bomb fell near the station with some other bombs. 1^st raid 8.20 till 8.47 & we heard a few planes during warning.  Next one at 9.23 till 10.3.  I heard many planes but I think it was our patrol.  3^rd one at 7.38pm till 1.54 and we heard a few planes.  After the AC Dad & I went for a walk round.  At 3.14 we got the 4^th ARW we heard a few planes & the AC went at 3.52.  Ern & I were looking for shrapnel on the roof & we found a hole on my bedroom roof. The other night we heard something fall & it must have been that.  While Ern was on the window ledge looking at the hole another warning went.  He got in quicker than he got out.  The time was 4.30 pm.  At 3.55 while the previous AC was sounding one siren gave a warning.  We couldn’t make out what it really was but we thought it was a mistake.  We heard some planes thought.  But when the warning sounded at 4.30pm we decided it was a mistake.  A few guns fired & just after that 4 bombs dropped.  After that it was quiet.  Bert came in when we got an ARW at 6.51 & we played 2 games of chess Bert winning the 1^st and me the 2^nd.  The raid was very noisy at first but after 12 it stopped although the guns still fired occasionally.  Went to library & got “Conflict” by Rosita Forbes. 

Friday 18^th October 1940

AC at 6.47.  The raid lasted 12 hrs all but 4 mins – longest yet.  I got up at 8.30am & spent the morning chopping wood.  We had no raids for nearly 9 hrs our 1^st warning of the day went at 3.26 but it lasted till 5.34.  We heard some planes at start of raid but after that we didn’t hear a thing.  Night raid at 7.10.

Bert & I played a game of chess & I won.  The raid was nothing compared to previous raids & we got the AC at 1.44am.  Mum & Dad went to bed but Ern, Bert & I stayed downstairs.

Saturday 19^th October 1940

Warning from 3.55am till 6.50am.  It was fairly noisy & some bombs were dropped in the distance.  In the afternoon Bert wanted to get a shirt at Dad’s shop.  As we were walking there we heard a warning but it didn’t come near & only 1 siren sounded so we went on.  It was 2.25 pm.  Bert couldn’t get suited at Woodmansee’s so we came out, as we did so the ARW went.  Time 2.40 pm. Just then the guns fired & a bomb dropped so we went back to Dad’s department.  Dad said we could get what we wanted at Finkel’s next to the Odeon.  So after a while when nothing else happened we went over there & Bert got what he wanted.  The AC went as we got home at 3.15pm.

Bert & I messed about till 7.13 when the siren went & then he came in.  We played 2 games of chess, both of which I won.  The raid was noisier than last night’s one & the planes were frequent.  2 big fires were started.  Went to sleep at 10.45.

Sunday 20^th October 1940

AC at 2.12am.  But another ARW at 2.30am till 5.52am but it was nothing compared to the previous raids.  Very few planes & very little gunfire being heard.  I spent the morning with Bert & Stan, distempering Bert’s Air Raid Shelter. We had 2 raids while doing it.  One from 10.8 till 11.11 & we heard a few planes.  At 11.20 in the middle distance we heard a warning then it was quiet till 11.22 when our siren started.  We heard a few planes at the start of the raid and it was quiet after.  AC at 12.10.  Just as we finished dinner another ARW went at 1.26pm.  Just after the alert a plane began dive bombing.  We heard him climb & then — down he came with his engine growing louder & louder then – down came the bomb & up went the plane.  One of his bombs hit Tunmarsh Lane.  The raid was quiet after.  AC at 2.9pm.

We had another raid from 2.26 till 3pm & we heard a good few planes.  During the next raid from 3.21pm till 4.6pm I got washed.  We heard a few planes during the raid & just after the AC we saw 5 planes go over.  The night raid commenced at 7.2 Bert & I played 2 games of chess.  I won the 1^st & Bert the 2^nd.  The raid was very noisy & planes were often over. The guns were very loud.  It quietened towards the end 3.30am.

Monday 21^st October 1940

Up At 7.15.  Washed and dressed & set out at 8.20.  At the Station could only book to the Monument.  On the platform I could see that some of the sheds had been done in & platform 5 by the stairs was damaged & down the other end an electric train was bashed about & the platform was damaged.  Bert told me in the evening that the train had been there for a long while.  All along by the sewers was damaged & West Ham Stn was a wreck.  All the houses by the side of the Stn had their roofs off & 1 in 5 or 6 was down.  At Bromley^VI we all had to get out & a bus took us to Whitechapel, the damage along the road was terrible.  On the way back I counted approximately 60 obvious bomb craters and besides that there were many places slightly damaged & the bombs must have fallen nearby.  From Bromley to Plaistow I counted nearly 50 hits along the railway.  The canal bridge is intact so far but the canal is damaged & many factories are smashed about.  B.A.A. is working again & Brown & Travis’s have been hit several times.  Glico have had some bombs.

I got out at the Monument & walked to the Bank.  The damage in the city is incredible.  Last night Gracechurch St was hit.  They were clearing the debris away as I went along.  There are many craters near the Bank.  I booked my ticket to Chancery Lane & from there went to Bedford Row.  I walked round for a while.  They have had bombs a couple of doors away from where I hope to work.  I went in just turned 10 past 10.  After a little delay I got my interview with the boss.  The name of the firm is Eldred Tunnel & Co 43 Bedford Row W.C. 1.  I saw Mr Tunnel & after the interview I was given my fare 1/6d & he said he would let me know shortly.  I walked to Fenchurch St from the Bank & called in at 112.  John said there was someone in the office & when I asked who he said Simpson & Buttle but as I only wanted to see T.E.B. I didn’t bother to go up.  As I walked out the siren went (10.57am) I walked to the Stn & came home.  On Bromley Stn I heard the guns & we all had to get under the arches till the train came in.  The guns were firing as I walked from Plaistow & while we had dinner the mobile gun came very close to us.  The AC went at 1.14.  I went & got “Everybody’s” then just as I was going to the pictures Freddie called & the siren went simultaneously.

After Freddie went & decided to go to the Odeon as I walked round there I could hear planes.  It was the first time I have been to the flicks for weeks & I saw a film I wanted to see for a long time. “Dr Cyclops”.  It was jolly good.  I also saw Vic Oliver & Frances Day in a daring comedy “Room for 2”.  There was an advert film “Little White Lies” & a picture about the air raids called “Britain can Take it”^VII   Quentin Reynolds made it for America but it was so good it was decided to show it here as well.  The actor’s shots were taken during an actual raid by a GPO film unit.  Home at 5.15.  The AC went at 3.35 while I was in the Odeon.  Home at 5.15 & I messed about till 7.13 when the night raid began.  Bert & I played a game of chess that ended in stalemate.  The raid was quiet compared to others.  Went to sleep at 1.30.  the night alarm was actually 30 minutes late because I first heard planes & guns at 6.45pm.

Tuesday 22^nd October 1940

AC at 4.30am.  Went to the library in the afternoon & got “Traps on the Chess Board” by Znosko Borovsky.  Had an ARW from 1.44 till 3.21 heard planes & at the end saw 7 planes make this smoke  pattern in sky

• 

Had another ARW from 4.54 to 5.11 but only heard one or two planes.  Freddie called later & gave me some petrol I had asked him to get me.  Then I fitted up a piece of wood on the shelf in the shed that I keep my bottles on so that none of them can fall off with the jolting they get during raids.  I’ve had several fall & one smash already.  It was dark then so I went in & read about chess till 7pm when the siren went.  Bert came in & now he’s lying under the table on the Li-lo asleep.  Mum & Dad are upstairs & Erns over in Powders.  The time is 11.25pm.  AC at 11.36pm.  I was asleep on my bed on the kitchen floor before 11.40.

Wednesday 23^rd October 1940

We had a warning at about 1.10am till approximately 1.45am.  Heard a few guns & planes.  Got up at 8.30.  During morning & afternoon I shifted round a lot of the things in the shed to make more room.  We had 2 warnings one at 1.13 till 1.40 pm & the other from 2.2pm till 2.15. During both raids I heard gunfire but I heard no planes.  Freddie came round about 5.  He brought me some stamps (I suppose he wants me to get him some more of my duplicates). About 6 I heard a jerry & the guns fired.  I suppose he was a scout.  At 6.35 pm the warning went.  Bert came in.  I beat him at a game of chess.  The raid was very quiet. AC at 2 am.

Thursday 24^th October 1940

ARW at 4.50 till 6.55am.  Heavy gunfire & bombs were dropped at Barking.  Up 8.15.  ARW at 12.35 till 12.46 all quiet.  Another one 2.26 till 3.19 also all quiet. Messed about in shed all day.  Night raid at 7.22pm.  Bert & I played 2 games of chess winning 1 each.  AC at 12.45, the raid was fairly quiet.

Friday 25^th October 1940

Another ARW at 1.15 till 4.30 which was fairly noisy.  Another ARW at 8.55 am.  2 bombs were dropped by dive bombing planes.  They fell at Poplar.  The raid was noisy.  At 10.24 a siren gave the AC & then some others gave another warning so maybe the siren went off accidentally & then others corrected it.  The AC went at 10.39.  I spent the morning & afternoon painting round the stove.  I did it green & although it looks nice it could be a better colour.  We had a warning at 12.2 till 3.17.  Planes at intervals fairly heavy gunfire.  At 6.49 the night raid began.  Bert came in. the raid was heavier than the last few nights.  The AC didn’t go till 7.4 am so we had a raid that lasted over 12 hrs – which I hoped wouldn’t happen.  The exact time was 12 ¼ hrs.

Saturday 26^th October 1940

All quiet raid between 7.28 & 7.40am.  Another ARW between 10.19 to 11.2 also all quiet.  A woman over the road moved and as mum knows someone who wants a house I went round to the persons house but she was out.  Another alarm 11.58 – 12.31.  A bomb dropped before ARW & gunfire was heavy just after.  Another from 12.56 to 1.52pm.  Heard planes & guns.  Mum had a brainwave and thought Aunt Lily would like the house.  So while mum went to see Lily I painted the grates in mums and my own room.  Mum wanted hers green but I did mine stone & I’m going to do a bit of red in it.  ARW’s from 1.57 to 2.22 

all all quiet 3.12 to 3.32

4.17 to 4.35

Freddie called.  Bert’s people moved in next door today & went down the shelter at No 25 with his family.  Siren went at 6.37.  The raid was a normal night raid and at 9.40 I thought I heard a knock & went and opened the door.  As I did so a stick of bombs fell not so far away.  Well mum and Dad have bathed during the raid so now I’m going to wash now.

Sunday 27^th October 1940

Up 8.  Got washed & dressed.  ARW 7.55 till 10 & we heard planes.  At 11.30 Lily called to see the empty house with Leslie & his girl Doris – nice girl too.  The empty house is No 30 next to Gardner’s.  At 11.35 we had another ARW.  We went over to see the house, it’s not bad.  AC at 12.16 we heard several planes & some of them were diving.  We had another raid from 12.46 to 1pm before they went.  It was the same as the previous raid.  Air Raid just after dinner at 1.46 till 2.20 pm.  Heard planes.  I helped Bert make a blackout for the kitchen.  Alarm from 4.43 till 5.38 heard a few planes.  At 6.30 am AC went in the distance and at 6.50 we got our night alarm.  I read some of “50 years a Borough, the Story of West Ham”.  When I go to the library tomorrow I’m going to see if they’ve got a book called “Old Plaistow” by John Spencer Curwen.  

Mum & Dad went to bed about 12 – they’ve done it for nearly a week now & about 12.20 I decided to sleep upstairs as well.  I never knew bed was so comfortable.  I had a terrible hard job to get up in the morning.

Monday 28^th October 1940

Up 8.20.  When Mr Fox came Mum fixed up about Aunt Lily having No 30 & then Fox gave me a ride in his car for me to show him Lily’s shop.  Aunt Lily fixed up with him & takes over from today.  

In the afternoon I went to the library & got “Revisiting my Pygmy Hosts” Paul Schebesta & “Young Men in Spats” Wodehouse.

“Old Plaistow” is a reference library book so I glanced through it in the reading room.  I must get it again when I have time to read it all.  It’s very interesting, apparently they used to have bull baiting in the Broadway years ago & it mentions about Dick Turpin working in Richmond St.  I went over the house he used to live in, years ago before it was pulled down, I suppose I was about 10 or 11 at the time.  There was a whole gang of us & it ended by us being chased away by the chap next door.  No-one lived in the house & it was in a terribly dilapidated state.  Actually it wasn’t safe because the ceilings were falling & the stairs were rotting but still – we had an afternoons fun.

The siren went while I was in the library.  It was today’s 3^rd.  The first went at 6.45 am and lasted till 7.5.  it was quiet.  The 2^nd one went at 1.7 till 1.34 I heard a few lanes.  That siren went while I was listening to the news that Greece is at war with Italy.  That gives us our chance now.  If we can drive the Wops out of Albania maybe we could invade Italy.

The 3^rd warning went at 2.43 till 3.32.  All quiet.  Another at 4.34 till 5.30.  We heard planes just before the siren but it was all quiet after the siren went.  A Lily called about 5.30 & stopped till 6.15.  the night raid began at 6.49.  I spent most of the time reading.  The raid was fairly noisy.  Bed about 1.

Tuesday 29^th October 1940

AC at 7.20.  Up 10.  Air raid at 11.1 till 11.33 few planes about.  Next ARW at 12.40 just after ARW the guns opened fire & 6 bombs were dropped.  Quiet after.  AC at 1.17.  another alarm at 1.30 till 1.46.  Guns opened up on a few planes.  Went to library & got “A Child in the Sun” Trevor Dalton & “Hot Water” by Wodehouse.  Alarm at 4.8 till 5.36.  A lot of planes were over I saw 1 flying very low I think it was a bomber.  Night raid began at 6.54.  It was fairly quiet.  Several flares were dropped all round us.  I stopped up reading & went to bed at about 4.15.  I started to teach Ern how to play chess & we had one game which I won.

Wednesday 30^th October 1940

AC at 4.55 am.  Up 10.45.  AC at 11.49 till 12.39.  I heard a few planes just after siren.  In the afternoon Mr & Mrs Rose came round to clean up Lily’s house.  While they were working the siren went at 3.55 we heard a few planes.  Mr & Mrs Rose went before the AC at 5 pm.  Went to library & got “Eggs Beans & Crumpets” by P.G. Wodehouse.

Night Alarm began at 7.7.  It was rather noisier than the last few night raids but it quietened after a while.  Bed about 1.

Thursday 31^st October 1940

AC at 4.43am.  Up at 10.30.  It had been arranged for me to go & meet Mr Rose & take a truck to Auntie Lily’s house and then help to load some of her coal onto it & bring it to no. 30.  I was going on my bike but it was raining so hard that I went by bus.  There was a “clippie” on this bus being taught by a man conductor – the first one I’ve seen. I took the truck to Aunt Lily’s place & then came home to dinner. While I was at dinner the siren went – at 1.49.  just as I was going to go to Aunt Lily’s, Leslie turned up with a truck full of coal so we emptied that load – and a job it was with the rain pouring down in buckets.  We made 3 trips after that with it raining all the time – pushed the truck to A Lily’s house – up & down the cellar with buckets of coal – push the truck back to No 30 – back to A Lily’s.  when we had finished I had about ½ a dozen cuts & grazes & I was wet through & there is still more to come – a job for Saturday.  Just as we were leaving A Lily’s with the last load the AC went & as the siren is on the coffee house we heard it – it was nearly as bad as when I was at Thurley’s with a siren next door.  Time was 4.39 and the raid was all quiet.  

Next alarm at 6.39pm.  Ern & I played 4 games of draughts which I won.  1 game with 4 draughts which Ern won & 1 game of pyramids which Ern won.  Bert came in for a while then as they didn’t go down the shelter we played a game of chess which I won.  The AC went at 9.6pm.  there were a few noisy spasms but on the whole the raid wasn’t too bad. 

Before we went to bed Ern & I played cards for a while.  Bed 1.30. 

Saturday 1^st November 1940

I woke up in the night & heard the guns firing.  The ARW had gone at 3.16am, the raid lasted till 7.14.  I got up at 8.13 when the siren went.  We heard nothing during the raid & the AC went at 8.27.  At 11.24 the sirens went & as it was still sounding about 8 bombs were dropped – all near the Barking Rd.  After the first couple of minutes we only heard a few planes now & again as usual, just before the A.C. the guns fired at the Jerries and the siren went at 11.52am.  Next ARW at 1.22 till 3pm.  We heard a few planes.  I spent the afternoon in the shed.  Today’s 5^th alarm was at 6.45pm.  I had arranged to help Bert make his model planes in his house during tonight’s raid but he didn’t give me a call so I played patients most of the time.

Saturday 2^nd November 1940

AC at 2.8 am there were noisy spells in the raid but there were periods of quiet.  At 2.55am another alarm went & it lasted till 4.55.  A few planes & guns were heard.  A 2^nd alarm went at 6.15am till 7.25am.  Planes were heard.  At 8.45am till 9.2 another warning.  Heard planes & guns.  10.8 till 10.44 another raid heard planes & guns.  

Another 1.37 till 1.45. Heard planes & guns at beginning.

Night raid began at 6.50 but it frizzled out & the AC went at 11.18pm.  A fire was started towards the docks early in the raid.  I was in with Bert helping him to make his Hurricane.

During the morning Leslie & I got nearly all Aunt Lily’s coal away.  I got 2/6 for it.

Sunday 3^rd November 1940

Up 10.30 after I had washed & dressed Ern & I went over to No 30 to mend a blind.  When we got over there we heard footsteps & some whispering upstairs & then silence.  Ern & I looked at each other & then I tore up the stairs and as I turned round I was just going to punch a fellow on the jaw when I saw I would have hurt Leslie if I did so.  Joyce (Alberts girl) and he had brought some of his books along & they put them in a cupboard.  When Ern & I finished the blind we put the globes and bulbs on the room that were without.  Then they fused, we were messing about for a long while before we got things right.  It seems that the previous occupant had been messing about with the lights thinking he knew all about electricity & he’s messed them up.  Even when we finished one room still would not light – the flex was broken somewhere evidently.  Before they went I took Les & Joyce round to Giles to see why he hadn’t called to see Lily.  While we were round there the guns fired at a plane.  Mr Giles said he would call on Lily later on.  Today’s only raid lasted from 5.30 till 6.30pm & we heard a few planes & some guns.  I went in with Bert for a few hours & did a bit more model aeroplane.

Ern and I played about ½ a day games of draughts before I went in & before I went to bed.  We played some more games of draughts and also cards.  Bed 2am.  

Monday 4^th November 1940

Up 11.  We heard a plane come over very low in the morning & in the afternoon the guns fired on a plane but there was no warning.  I spent the afternoon going through the music as I’m Cataloguing it.
Today’s only alarm went at 6.36 & lasted till 7.5am. I was in with Bert till 10. The raid was noisy at times & we had lulls after every plane had gone over. Bed 2am.

---

I: On clearing dads house I found an old battered, brown, cardboard suitcase full of rusty meccano, which sold at auction for over £100.
Wikipedia –  Meccano is a model construction system created in Liverpool, United Kingdom, by Frank Hornby. The brand now maintains a manufacturing facility in Calais, France. Meccano consists of reusable metal strips, plates, angle girders, wheels, axles and gears, and high quality plastic parts that are connected together using nuts, bolts and set screws (also known as grub screws). It enables the building of working models and mechanical devices. Although Meccano has always been seen as an engaging education toy, today the brand focuses on promoting engineering and robotics through fun play to support STEM learning.
The ideas for Meccano were first conceived by Hornby in 1898 and he developed and patented the construction kit as “Mechanics Made Easy” in 1901. The name was later changed to “Meccano” and manufactured by the British company, Meccano Ltd, between 1908 and 1980. It is now manufactured in France and China by Meccano S.N. of France, part of the Canadian Spin Master toy company. In the United States, a competitive toy with a similar play pattern was launched in 1913 under the Erector Set brand. Erector was purchased by the Meccano company in 2000 and continued to be sold under Erector Sets in the US through early 2015. After August 2015, the Erector brand was relaunched under the global brand name Meccano.

II: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1633409/Historic-inflation-calculator-value-money-changed-1900.html  Today (2017) £ 7.70p

III: Wikipedia
The Avro 679 Manchester was a British twin-engine medium bomber developed and manufactured by the Avro aircraft company in the United Kingdom. While not being built in great numbers, it was the forerunner of the famed and vastly more successful four-engined Avro Lancaster, which would become one of the most capable strategic bombers of the Second World War.
Avro designed the Manchester in conformance with the requirements laid out by the British Air Ministry, which sought a capable medium bomber with which to equip the Royal Air Force (RAF) and to replace its inventory of twin-engine bombers, such as the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, Handley Page Hampden and Vickers Wellington. Performing its maiden flight on 25 July 1939, the Manchester entered squadron service in November 1940, just over twelve months after the outbreak of the war.
Operated by both RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), the Manchester came to be regarded as an operational failure, primarily as a result of its Rolls-Royce Vulture engines, which were underdeveloped and hence underpowered and unreliable, and production was terminated in 1941. However, the Manchester was redesigned into a four-engined heavy bomber, powered by the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine instead, which became known as the Lancaster.

IV: Wikipedia
The Leader was a Pearson’s magazine that became part of Oldham’s and then Holton Press / Associated Periodicals in the mid-1940s. It came out on a Saturday as an ‘all-family news magazine’.

V: Wikipedia
In Town Tonight was a BBC radio programme broadcast on Saturday evening from 1933 to 1960 (except for a period of 26 weeks in 1937 when The BBC presents the ABC was broadcast instead). It was an early example of the chat show, originally presented by Eric Moskowitz.
Its theme music was the Knightsbridge March by Eric Coates. Its introductory sequence had a voice crying “Stop” to interrupt the sound of busy central London, before an announcer said “Once more we stop the mighty roar of London’s traffic …” At the end of the programme the voice would say “Carry on, London”.
A series of outside broadcast spots were included in the 1940s: “Standing on the Corner” with Michael Standing, then “Man on the Street” with Stewart Macpherson and Harold Warrender, and “On the Job” with John Ellison, later Brian Johnston; Johnston continued in the segment “Let’s Go Somewhere” from 1948 to 1952. As part of this he stayed alone in the Chamber of Horrors, rode a circus horse, lay under a passing train, was hauled out of the sea by a helicopter and was attacked by a police dog.
The 1000th episode included appearances by Errol Flynn, Gary Cooper, Jane Russell, and Doris Day: this was a few weeks before it ended.

VI: Bromley By Bow

VII: British Universities Film and Video Council
‘The film was a collaboration by the whole unit. Everything else stopped for it’ Harry Watt has said. ‘I think I wrote the script. At least I wrote it down, but let us say it was a communal script. It was one night of the Blitz, from sunset to sunrise. The whole theme was how extraordinary it was that London went back to normality so quickly. We worked literally day and night’. The American journalist Quentin Reynolds, who presents it as a film despatch from London, took it straight to the White House where (under the title LONDON CAN TAKE IT) it gave Roosevelt the kind of material he needed to swing US popular opinion behind Britain in the war.