Diary extracts for Feb to March 1942

[unknown date]:

A Bouncy hefty daughter was born about 1.30 this morning…. Talk about excitement! I thumped Grock telling him it was a girl, but he was not impressed!”

13th Feb 1942:

42 planes lost

13th Feb 1942:

Stretched canvas and prepared with ground 30x50 for the Portsmouth subject of “Revenge” leaving after bombardment.

19th Feb 1942:

Nan Kivell says he would be pleased to be godfather to Caroline

[unknown date]:

The Vaagso raid was a very quiet affair. I can’t remember a great deal about it. I was given full details about this stealing up through the fjords in Norway to destroy certain enemy installations. I don’t understand the technical side of it, but the Germans were making heavy water whatever that may be, something apparently very dangerous up in Norway. And they wanted to destroy this affair. This painting was very much liked by people who had taken part in the raid which rather surprised me.