16th September 1940

Rain all day. Went over to Dedham this evening. Had a long talk on farm-work. The Sissons are most kindly trying to do all they can to help me. There was an alarm from 9-11pm, which I missed, as I did not leave Dedham until 11.15, and another from 12.45 – 2.45am, Tuesday morning. A policeman came in, and was talking very bitterly about the discipline of the force, how recently a sergeant and an inspector spent two hours in the middle of the night watching to see if he visited a certain point.

A few people came in to the Vaults. Mrs. Shepherd was one, and I was amazed to hear that her husband has been called up. He is 30 in December, and in spite of being owner of an undertaker’s business, in charge of the ARP mortuary arrangements, and a part-time fireman, he has been taken.

This does seem unfair, as it leaves his young wife in charge of a business which is hardly nice for a woman to look after.

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