Have been 2 or 3 days at Wallington. Saturday night’s blitz could easily be heard there – 45 miles distant.
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As soon as the air-raids began seriously it was noticeable that people were much readier than before to talk to strangers in the street. . . . . This morning met a youth of about 20, in dirty overalls, perhaps a garage hand. Very embittered and defeatist about the war, and horrified by the destruction he had seen in South London. He said that Churchill had visited the bombed area near the Elephant[1] and at a spot where 20 out of 22 houses had been destroyed, remarked that it was “not so bad”. The youth: “I’d have wrung his bloody neck if he’d said it to me.” He was pessimistic about the war, considered Hitler was sure to win and would reduce London to much the same state as Warsaw. He spoke bitterly about the people rendered homeless in South London and eagerly took up my point when I said the empty houses in the West End should be requisitioned for them. He considered that all wars were fought for the profit of the rich, but agreed with me that this one would probably end in revolution. With all this he was not unpatriotic. Part of his grouch was that he had tried to join the Air Force 4 times in the last 6 months, and always been put off.
Air-raid alarms now frequent enough, and lasting long enough, for people habitually to forget whether the alarm is on at the moment, or whether the All Clear has sounded. Noise of bombs and gunfire, except when very close (which probably means within two miles) now accepted as a normal background to sleep or conversation. I have still not heard a bomb go off with the sort of bang that makes you feel you are personally involved.
Post-tweeting 1940
War Secretary: List of 16779 miners serving in Home Forces "out-of-date". Names duplicated, some men discharged in 1928 http://t.co/U0acE4er4 weeks ago
Mr Nehru warns of crisis. "No chance whatever of any compromise between the British Government and Indian nationalism" http://t.co/cFXLEw504 weeks ago
Chiefs of Staff: Local Russian attacks and German counter-attacks continue without any
noteworthy territorial changes http://t.co/az5rWUib1 month ago
India Secretary: US to aid evacuation of Indians from Burma by running service between Dinjan in Assam and Myitkyina http://t.co/hltXZ02N1 month ago
Cabinet agrees "public ought to be told more about the positive achievements of the nation's War effort" http://t.co/38yTlHUn1 month ago
Minister of Information directed to circulate monthly reports to Cabinet on "the state of public morale" http://t.co/mNJkrTHr1 month ago
Colonial Office receiving reports of heavy Japanese bombing of Burmese capital Mandalay. Much of the city set alight1 month ago
Attlee to report on whether civilian anti-gas precautions are "more, or less, complete in Germany than in this country" http://t.co/EMs3SYjP1 month ago
Eden: Bomb explosion at Angora threatens relations between Russia and Turkey. Situation "somewhat disquieting" http://t.co/LXFTV3431 month ago
PM: "Important that we should make the Russians realise the extent of the risks" which
are being run in supplying them http://t.co/0Na0ahH51 month ago
Admiralty: Of the last convoy returning from Russia, one ship had been sunk by air action and two by U-boat http://t.co/AOVTI4xQ1 month ago
Air Chief: We raided Italy overnight "for the first time for several months". RAF targeted Turin where blackout relaxed http://t.co/eGhEZSKk1 month ago
Prime Minister welcomes Mr. Harry Hopkins and General George Marshall, Chief of Staff of the US Army to Cabinet meeting http://t.co/G4BV6R1W1 month ago
Joint Intelligence Committee: Japan's aims "peace in China", occupying Burma, "compelling us to dissipate our troops" http://t.co/Pb8rwaqy1 month ago
Joint Intelligence predicts no invasion of UK in 1942. Hitler characteristic "to try to defeat his enemies one by one" http://t.co/QynlQhik1 month ago
India Secretary: Serious problem arisen in Burma. Up to 1m Indians anxious to depart. Danger "there may be a stampede" http://t.co/Rg5O6oFb1 month ago
Foreign Secretary circulates drafts of proposed military and political treaties with Soviet Union http://t.co/0xhl0Fqj1 month ago
Information Minister reports "widespread decrease in confidence" on Home Front. "Prevalent sense of frustration" http://t.co/HVbsLhYs1 month ago
Morrison: Can release men from civil defence to industry & "replace defensive thinking by an offensive will to victory" http://t.co/mWbzmEtR1 month ago
Chancellor has "communicated to the War Cabinet full particulars of his financial proposals for the forthcoming Budget" http://t.co/C1LfyUap1 month ago