29th April 1942

Felt quite glad to be alive this morning. Had a busy day in the office, and took Robin for a run tonight. Got him harnessed single handed, and he went very well.

Poulter told me late tonight that a notice was put on the screen at the Regal ordering all Canadians to report to their units at once. At the Liberal Club there was a rumour that they are all being sent back to Canada at once.

No relief firewatcher at the Holly Trees tonight. What a farce this firewatching is. No water or sand on the Castle roof yet.

Rather a strange item recorded in the “Manchester Guardian” yesterday, perhaps illustrating the temper of Wales. The Secretary of the Welsh Nationalists was charged at Caernarvon Police Court for refusing to submit to a medical examination. He had already been removed from the Register of Conscientious Objectors as he had appealed on political grounds. He now stated in Court that he did not feel he could serve in the English Army. The magistrates fined him £5. In England he would have been imprisoned and then re-arrested and held for an army escort.

2 comments:

Barbara Critchley said...

The comment about the Welshman is so revealing. It is probably not appreciated now how widespread consciencous objection to the war was in the British Isles. Most people here had no notion of the political and racial oppression which was going on inside Germany at this time.

E J Rudsdale said...

Thanks Barbara, Yes - this extract does reveal much about the time. EJR took a great interest in Welsh Nationalism owing to his Welsh ancestry on his mother's side. The war also gave the Welsh Nationalists an opportunity to highlight their campaign. The British Government relied so heavily on Welsh coal and industrial supplies that it could not afford to offend Welsh sensibilities and in some cases Welsh conscientious objectors were treated with greater consideration and sympathy in Wales than in England. CP