26th November 1944 - Shurlock Row

Sunday
Brilliant dawn, cold, with a sharp white frost.  Land Army Girl's birthday – 23.  She went off to milk and then came in to unwrap her presents – nearly a pound of chocolate which her family had sent her.  Beef for lunch, Uncle saying the usual grace, which he only does at Sunday lunch.

This afternoon sent Pa a postcard – drew this house on a white card, and wrote “Love from Shurlock. Row”.   

Came on to rain about tea time.  About 5, in the wet dusk, saw and heard a woodpecker on one of the elms at the bottom of the garden.

Bush, the schoolmaster came in after church.  Said he had seen me at the Royal Show.  Talked cheerfully of the war – thinks it will be “over by Christmas”.  Yet Germans holding firm everywhere.

Grand tea for Land Army Girl – Margery made an excellent cake, iced and all.  As I was eating suddenly got a dull aching pain over the whole area of my back, quite frightening.  Went in a few minutes.

Preparing to go home tomorrow.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Catherine

Another entry with revelations about how the war actually was.

The Land Army girl (did she have a name?) received a 1lb of chocolate for her birthday and ER's relatives made her an iced cake! Pretty impressive during rationing.

My parents married in 1947 and the wedding cake was made only because all their friends and relatives pooled their rations for a number of weeks until they had enough ingredients!

Mike Dennis

E J Rudsdale said...

Hi Mike,
Thanks for your comments. No, there is no mention of the Land Army girl's name, rather unusual for EJR not to record this. Nevertheless, she enjoyed a delicious birthday tea by the sound of things, especially at a time of rationing. Margery must have pooled their coupons to achieve the iced cake!
Best wishes, CP