It did not rain after all but after dinner sun came out and it was fine and cold. Not very light yet but seems clear with breeze getting up. Rene did part of her collecting yest. morning but was so cold she did not finish. Father went to Redcott for an hour. I found some very stiff cardboard and have started on Father’s slippers. Have finished one. Covered board with tweed from Rene’s old coat (good coat that, she has already made a hat and skirt from it and we have had other slipper soles too) for the outside of sole. I have put leather from my old coat. The slipper top is from old railway upholst[ery] bound with silk, no less, from an old dress! Something new out of something old. The first one is quite successful. Its chief fault is that it is too large. I was so afraid of getting it small. However they are only for indoors so think a little kapok in the toes will remedy that. They look quite nice too. I lined them with a bit of sateen.
An ? [as written] says there are no signs of the war being over for a long time and urges people not to be optimistic about an early finish. Says Gers are not whacked yet, and will fight desperately to the finish. Then Japs must be completely conquered. In view of the terrible way they are treating our men and internees we must all agree with that however much we want to see the end. Whenever I feel inclined to fret over Ron, I remember the mothers and wives with boys in the hands of Japs and instead of fretting am thankful he is where he is instead of there. They have reason to fret and cannot help.
Will would have been carrying out lawn maintenance at ‘Redcott’, for absent owners, the Denmans (see 29 May 1945 and Village Map).
Where May wrote ‘An ?’ she may have started to write the first name of Aneurin Bevan and been unsure of the spelling. He was then an outspoken Labour MP and was later architect of the National Health Service as Minister of Health in Attlee’s post-war government.
Have you read an introduction to May Hill & family (includes photographs) and explored ‘The Casualties Were Small’?