Battle of Britain Diary Part 5

This is the 5th part of the diary kept by my aunt Dora Church who died in 1997 aged 84 years.

August 24th
London bombed for the first time. Many air raid warnings here. Incendary bomb fell on Epsom Common.

August 25th
Lovely day. Cricket. Flares dropped over London. Bentalls of Kingston hit.

August 26th
Air raid warnings last night twice. Reigate badly bombed. Shelling from France. We shell back.

Wonderful epic in submarine Sealion damaged near enemy port. Only came up at night for repairs, reached home safely. Enemy boat went over here.

Started filling in my needlework for Josie Lawrence.

August 29th
Went to Cheam pictures to see Dark Victory last night - air raid warning in the middle. Stopped to see the finish, came out into a blaze of searchlights. Taken by warden to shelter. This was 9.30 p.m. We came out at 3.15 a.m. Bombs fell in Craddocks Avenue at end of Dorking Road, also Ashtead Park, soldier killed. Lovely day today no raids here but suppose they are waiting for tonight.

September 2nd
Air raids one after the other. Many on Ashtead not much damage. London bombed often, Berlin more often still - our planes are wonderful. Many brave and fine pilots doing their damnedest to win this war.

Machine gun just fired off in Dorking Road just outside our house. Made up jump. waiting for all clear to go. Want to go to pictures at Cheam. Saw a parachutist yesterday. Had a lovely time at cricket at Ashtead. lovely game. Fine fielding. warning at breakfast this morning, Stopped to finish my work here. Then went to Ewell after all clear.

I wonder how the people are who have been bombed, I mean their houses gone. I can't imagine how sad I should feel, so lonely without this house and all it stands for. Perhaps what it stands for counts for more than what it is or what its value is. Shall we ever get back to previous times I wonder. The opera, days in town, the green line coaches - I haven't gone without yet, and even if I were without I've had such a grand time that thought alone with all its pleasant memories would serve me for many years. The tennis at Wimbledon, the excitement, the crowds, The Derby, the cars, horses, people's frocks, table tennis, cricket commentaries on the wireless, all have been great and delicious moments in my life and the memory of these will always be very fresh in my mind.

Well this all clear hasn't gone yet. I wish it would.

September 5th
Yesterday I was sacked at work because I would not go into the air raid shelter the instant the warning went. I wanted to wait until planes and anti aircraft guns were going. The instant I suggested this Miss Ellis demanded I go in at once. I refused. She said "Either you go in at once or take your notice". I took it. But Diana tells me I was given notice because I was rude. I have never been rude to Miss Ellis in all the 7 years I have worked for her. Her temper and nerves got the better of her. I was most emphatic and stuck to what I had first said "I will work on but look out"

Well I expect I shall leave Tuesday. I shall miss Diana very much. I have seen her grow from a tiny kid at school to a lovely young lady. Have to think of Trevone and Miss Ellis's broken leg. I did have some times, good and bad.

September 6th
King Carol of Rumania gets the sack too. A large raid today. German bombers came down in Ewell. Raids all night. Eric home on leave, Diddy expected tonight. Vickers bombed yesterday. Heard many bombs today.

September 8th 1940
Last night a huge fire was seen blazing over London. It was the docks - was burning from 5-6 hours to under control at 4 a.m. Went up to Castle Road to watch with some Army officers. Went to cricket. Cricketers very nice - not very brave. Looks like rain at last. Diddy came. Going up to London with Babe and Diddy. Hope we don't get an air raid. Saw one of our planes crash yesterday while we were at cricket. Heard that V C Nicholls is not dead after all. He has a young wife and baby. How wonderful for them. First official report on wireless about the London bombing and fires says London docks, oil refineries, store houses all fired. 400 dead, between 13-14 hundred seriously injured, Railways and communications badly damaged.

So glad they let us know and didn't pretend no such bombing took place. We can take it. 88 enemy planes down during raid. Now know 107 planes down.

September 9th
Came back from London all right yesterday, saw some damage to power station.

Just seen huge V formationn of enemy planes. Wonderful sight. I think we broke them up quickly - saw three come down, pilots bale out.

September 10th
Left Ellis's today. Sorry to leave Diana. A bomb fell in Old School Lane near Ellis's house, broke window. June at Ewell Station shop had house wrecked by bomb. Next door here there are many people from London staying. Still very thrilled over yesterday's air raid. A wonderful formation with our little planes flitting in and out like moths and how that formation scattered.

London was badly bombed again last night - hospitals, children and maternity. I bet we pay them for it. The king visited some of the poor people, they cheered him and were grand. Trust the English people to take what's coming to them.

Hundreds killed, a good thousand seriously injured. Sudden death is very near to us all at the moment.

I think we are all more or less ready to meet what comes.

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