Battle of Britain Diary Part 3

This is the third set of entries from the diary, spanning 3 months written by my aunt Dora who died in 1997 aged 84 years.

18 June 1940
We have waited all day for the terms Hitler is offering France, so far we have heard nothing. We wonder and above all hope that France will not give up her Navy. We have bombed Germany's vital spots again. I hope we will do more. This evening Churchill made a fine speech telling us of our hopes, also straight facts about what we are to expect in the way of air raids. It seems we must expect much too. Anyway his speech was an inspiration to us all, we felt better for it. He certainly makes us feel confident and ready. I feel a little nervous as to what to expect. I feel I wish I could get the first air raid over, so that I shall know in the future, that is if I'm still left after the first raid. The future holds some very gruesome things in store for us. We haven't released France yet from her treaty with us. It seems we are not going to either - I wonder what the outcome of that will be.

19th June
Am on Brighton beach now. Had a lovely coach journey down, everything looks fine. Read in the papers we had a large air raid last night on the South and East coast. So far 11 dead and 14 injured. We got down 7 German planes. I wonder if we lost any planes. I heard none of this myself. I slept too well, anyway it wasn't near enough for us to hear. Today is quite fine so far, I hope the news will be brighter anyway. We understand we shall hear the terms of Hitler tonight. We can only wait and see - as usual.

"He nothing common did, or mean, upon that memorable scene" - from Churchill's speech June 15th 1940.

June 20th
Diddy's birthday. Big bombing raids over our coasts from Wales down. About 200 planes in all. Yesterday we had big raids over Yorkshire, some say one fell in Addiscombe. We have completed our shelter. They have proven to be good and useful. About 24 people killed yesterday and 6 today and 60 injured, I suppose these are mild figures when we come to think of it. I wonder how long it will be before we get a warning. I'm for the shelter if we do get one.

Evelene came home from Oxford today. Baby looking lovely too.

The weather was grand today but tonight its one of those lovely nights when the wind blows rather gustily and the trees rustle and sway. The clouds are in large black rolls with a grey horizon and blotchy black and bluey grey patches everywhere. Just a wild night its going to be and maybe at about 12 o'clock we shall hear the patter of rain on the panes of glass and the wind getting stronger as the night wears off. I love these wild lovely nights, the mornings following them are sweet and fresh.

I hope we shall not get the pitter patter of something else on a wild night in other respects. Well I'm going to bed.

June 24th
Monday today and since I last wrote France has surrendered unconditionally to the Germans - airforce, navy men and materials. Also waiting for Italy's conditions in which strong colonial demands are excpected. When this goes through six hours will go by and then war with them will cease.

France will he totally disarmed and an army of occupation will be kept by the French. These demands are shocking for them.

June 25th
We learn this morning that France has accepted Italy's terms. Heaven knows what they are and that the war is over now as far as the French are concerned. Last night at l o'clock approx, an air raid was sounded. We all came downstairs, didn't go into the shelter and no bombs dropped round here. 3 people killed in west of England,. Not much damage reported.

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