Diary extracts for June 1944
4th Jun 1944:
Mavis to have taken Mrs Garraway to hospital today, but she had gassed herself. She left a note: apparently had thought of this way out before.
5th Jun 1944:
Rome has fallen to us today.
6th Jun 1944:
Started work on Invasion Preparations (30x50) Everything very quiet here! No restrictions.
12th Jun 1944:
Churchill visited France for the 1st time in 4 years to the day. Germans in Italy in full retreat. Russian offensive on the Finnish Front . . .
12th Jun 1944:
Working all day. Eyes none too good.
16th Jun 1944:
Germans starting to use pilotless aircraft
16th Jun 1944:
Painting all day.
22nd Jun 1944:
Sent off Toby the bear to Crispin (Béchervaise said he could have him)
24th Jun 1944:
Doodlebug attack at 6.30 in the morning:
I got up to see if I could see it, but couldn’t. Then the engine cut out! So I got away from the windows. There was a hell of a loud crack, not a crump, and looking out saw smoke rising somewhere in the Dibden fields direction. No windows broken with us, but other people have. But my studio door blown open even though locked, and one window which was latched, and things lying about all over the shop. It seems the studio must have been lifted up in the middle as the lock was not wrenched. The larder door blown open, and the window which was open, shut!
26th Jun 1944:
Moved Caroline’s cot to under the stairs as there are so many alerts . . .
Painting all day but tired from lack of sleep.
Rain after long drought!