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[Page] 108
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coming up to town to give my lecture & returning
to South Nutfield after it. The worst of making
all such arrangements in these times is, that
you never can tell if any London stations may
be in existence when you wish it, or if your
train will be comparatively punctual in arriving
or many hours late!

7th. May. '41
Practically a repetition of last night's performance
but not quite so intensive. It is said that Greenock
was badly bombed. Edinburgh again seems
to have escaped. On the 8th. and 9th. the sirens
sounded but as I have now acquired the faculty
of sleeping through them, and as there was
really no firing there is nothing to record.

11th. May Sunday, '41
Today spring has arrived and the air is
warm. Tonight I travel up to London en route
to Crab Hill. As the Metropolis got badly battered
last night, I may have many difficulties to
overcome before I reach my destination.
However, at least 33 enemy planes were brought
down – a record!

28th. May. '41
Spring indeed! During all the time in which
I was in the South, mainly in Dorset, I was
never really out of my winter's clothing though
for a day or two I modified it. For a few nights
there was hard frost, (as much as 12° one night

it was said.) Whatever the intensity the young
foliage on oak and beech was brown & withered.
When the night express left Edinburgh at 10.0 p.m.
on 11th. May it was only the night following the
worst raid, which London had experienced, and
it was doubtful if the train would be able to get
into King's Cross. & passengers were all warned
to be ready to alight at Finsbury Circus. As a
matter of fact we ran into King's Cross 1 hour & 40 mins. [minutes]
late, chiefly due to delay owing to a raid on
Newcastle – of which I heard nothing in the steel
built coach. At King's Cross the section containing
the booking offices had been wrecked and
several platforms were put out of use. 'Don't
you think we were really very lucky to have only
that?' Asked my porter. To me it seemed
tremendous destruction but by the time I
had made journeys from Victoria, Waterloo,
and Paddington, I understood what the man
meant and was inclined to agree with him.
The hotel at King's Cross had mercifully escaped
with a few broken windows & was carrying
on with a limited service so I went there for
breakfast. As I was going to visit the
Butlers at Crab Hill I took a taxi to Victoria.
Going past the front of the B.M. [British Museum] and on across
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