War efforts

Sunday, December 6th., Comarques, Thorpe-le-Soken.

Major Danielson asked me on Tuesday to write to the Press about behaviour of civilians in case of a raid. I did so, and sent the letter to, interalia, The Times, where it made a great effect. Major-General Heath, G.O.C. South Midland Division, wrote me on Friday evening saying that he agreed with every word of the letter, but that I ought not to have written it in my capacity of Military Representative, or to have mentioned him as my authority. This is very characteristic of the official fear of responsibility. The military are really very anxious for their views to prevail, but they don't want anybody to know!

Meeting yesterday of the Emergency Committee at Colchester. Quite busy on the High Street, enlistment notwithstanding. Not sure the gravity of the situation has really come home to people yet. Representative of the police there - an awful, beefy, decent piece of stupidity. I paid for maps for Parish Councils. Badges for Special Constables simply cannot be got. Amazingly the Committee haven't yet been able to get out of Headquarters what roads they will want if there is a raid, nor to settle with the police what the signal is to be. Well, we are only three months into the war and hopefully the Germans will do the decent thing and hold off with their raids until we get properly organised.

I am now fairly in the last part of the third Clayhanger, which I intend to call "These Twain". Very pleased with the way it is going. The writing is well up to the standard of the first two and, I think, for psychological insight into marital relations, it stands alone. I could not have written it even four years ago but my own marital experiences are giving me all the material I need. It occurs to me that I may want to return to the Clayhangers at some point in the future when my experience is even deeper - a realistic view of marriage when the first flush has well and truly been left behind! Who knows, perhaps even the disintegration of a marriage?

Distinctly liverish after my sleep this afternoon. I haven't felt quite well for several days but milder conditions starting last evening combined with heavy rain have brought on my symptoms. Good in a way. get it over and done with.