13th February 1941

Took an hour and a half off this morning, and went down to Mersea with the Parringtons, to get a chaff cutter from Grubb’s place. The whole proceeding was rather risky, as Folkard and three of the Committee had left for Peldon just previously, and I feared we might bump into them along the road.

At Blackheath I was surprised to see a battery of horse artillery, also about thirty pack-horses from a mountain battery. When all those artillery horses were sold in 1936-7 I never thought I should see any more in Colchester.

Much military activity at Mersea – putting up ‘phone wires, despatch riders, etc. rushing madly about. Got the chaff cutter onto the trailer quite easily. Poor Grubb’s stables look very forlorn. The grass grows high and rank in the yard. The last time I was there was the Sunday before the war began.

Got back to Colchester, calling at Rehberger’s house on the way, ascertaining that the Essex Archaeological Society books are there alright, locked in the stables. The house is a military Headquarters now. No one in the office knew where I had been.

No comments: