Tuesday October 14 7 pm [1941]
# GRADUALLY RECOVERING FROM ILLNESS
# SKEGNESS BATHING POOL BOMBED
# NEW CONTINGENT IN NEARBY ARMY BILLETS

I have just come up to bed, got up about 2 o’c to-day, have not been up for dinner except Sat. Was hoping Dr. would come as I want fresh medicine. Am decidedly better, but not very brisk yet. Expect Ron will come tomorrow, had a letter from him today also from Emmie, he had told her I was ill. Roy home on 7 days leave, also Billy Hallgarth. Jessie sent me ½ doz pears off the wall tree. Had a parcel of useful jumpers from Mrs Denman a.m. today. She says she is also sending a navy coat for Jean in a separate parcel. The things are very useful.

Daisy came Sun afternoon. Mr Wells has not been able to get Norman off so she is afraid he will have to go. He does not want to go which is hard for himself and harder for his mother. Peter wants to go but is hardly old enough. Mavis and Jean going to Parade to-morrow afternoon to see Ginger Rogers. Roy and J[oan] gone tonight I think. It rained all this morn and is very cold tonight. Jean is just bringing me a cup of tea. Rene got me 2/6 jar of Horlicks yesterday, they only let invalids have it at Stows so am being careful of it. E light keeps dipping, is not very good in any case, wonder if Jerry is about. He dropped bombs in Sk. bathing pool Sun night, no casualties.

Wonder if Jean can get a chop tomorrow, had no meat yesterday or today as warmed up beef not very digestible for invalids. Wouldn’t mind another rabbit, the last was very good, fried it with carrots and onions then the gravy thickened and stewed altogether until tender. Sent Pauls half of it. Jean has brought some white chrysanths in and some small bronze button ones, it was whipping them so in the garden. Have got to the heel of Ron’s second sock. The pair Jean knitted in Aug he brought home to be washed and mended last week. (I am knitting the toes and heels double now). They are enough to make one weep, Rene vows they boil them at the laundry and of course the wool isn’t like pre-war. He had his RAF ones lost at the laundry and could exchange for new, don’t think he can exchange knitted ones.

Father took car to Mrs Smith’s funeral (Parish’s mother-in-law). 7/6. Mrs W [?] Green was there and rather amusingly Hugh who has left the sea and is in a garage at Alford now and drove the solic[itor?]. Father said he was rather grubby and wondered how she liked to see him. Rene did not come back tonight, I told her not to, she seems never to get any rest. On Sunday Mr A came for tea considerably improved by having cysts removed from head, not at all sensitive about it. Think a fresh consignment of soldiers have just arrived, heard marching, then “here we are” and considerable banging of doors at Ashleys, their billets. Believe they are the Sherwood For[esters]. Think S. Lancs are going into Nissan huts at Bilsby. Have written to Emily, Emmie and Mrs Denman today.

Billy Hallgarth (jnr.) was the son of Bill Hallgarth, coastguard (see 31 Jan. 1941).

Norman, nephew, Daisy’s eldest son, was employed by Mr Wells, butcher.  Peter and Chris were Norman’s younger brothers (see 17 Feb. 1941).

The ‘Parade’ was a theatre/cinema in Skegness.

Mrs Smith, here, who lived at ‘Moggs Eye’, a small cottage (whose name was later given to the nearby beach) between Anderby and Huttoft, was the mother of ‘Bert’ Parish’s wife (see 2 Jan.1941).

Mrs Green was the wife of Captain HH Green and mother of Hugh (see 2 Jan.1941).

The ‘Sherwood Foresters’ were the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire regiment of the Army.

 

Have you read an introduction to May Hill & family (includes photographs) and explored ‘The Casualties Were Small’?
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2 Comments

  1. Would anybody know whether the Stows mentioned was the butchers shop situated on Roman Bank Skegness?

    Neil Brooks

    Reply
    • Stows’ Stores mentioned in the Diaries was a grocery shop in the village centre, near the Pullover, in Chapel St Leonards.

      Reply

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