Diary Entry: Squashed finger in bike pump. Took Col. To Kings X [‘Cross’] Capt. Batty Oxford St. etc. & doodle bug fell Hyde Park Diary notes: The ‘Col’ may be ‘Lt Col. Mann’ (see entry for 18th July). The mention of the doodle bug is one of the relatively few direct mentions of “enemy action” …
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Diary Date: 23rd July [1944]
Diary Entry: Went up Orc[hard] Cottage Diary notes: Orchard Cottage, Crofton (near Farnborough, Kent) was the home of the Lewis family, former employers of KPD who became good friends.
Diary Date: 22nd July [1944]
Diary Entry: Home for night. Rather noisy. Diary notes: An enigmatic entry. Home, of course, was still Orpington which is situated south-east of central London. The noise was probably that of V1 ‘doodle-bugs’ flying overhead, but one can’t be sure.
Diary Date: 18th July [1944]
Diary Entry: Started to & fro Harrowdene Rd. Lt. Col. Munn arrived. Went dentist. Biked Harlesden to see “Fanny by Gaslight” Diary notes: A busy day! ‘Fanny by Gaslight’ was a 1944 UK film starring Phyllis Calvert, Stewart Grainger and James Mason. It was directed by Anthony Asquith (son of the UK’s WW1 Prime Minister, …
Diary Date: 17th July [1944]
Diary Entry: Brixton am. Joined Exhibition Wing (?) Diary notes: It’s not exactly clear whether the last word is actually ‘Wing’ in the diary. Any suggestions gratefully received!
Diary Date: 11th July [1944]
Diary Entry: On the Downs Diary notes: Reference to the Downs’, or hills, behind Brighton. Now the ‘South Downs National Park’.
Diary Date: 16th July [1944]
Diary Entry: Went to Chesham tea Webbs. Dorothy & Mollie Shaw there. Diary notes: The Webbs, who lived at a house called Ingleside in Chesham, were friends whom KPD frequently visited, esp. Dorothy and Marjorie.
Diary Date: 15th July [1944]
Diary Entry: Night Gerrards X [‘Cross’] with Dulcia & Ian Diary notes: Dulcia & Ian McDiarmid were friends of KPD’s mother, and of KPD herself.
Diary Date: 14th July [1944]
Diary Entry: Maintenance. Valerie came over. Diary notes: ‘Valarie’ may well be ‘Valerie Evans’, who was a friend KPD had met after joining the A.T.S.
Diary Date: 13th July [1944]
Diary Entry: Chipperfield. Rained. Drove Richard Green, Fred Piper & Julian Summers Diary notes: KPD obviously regarded these three actors as well known enough to actually be named in her diary. ‘Richard Green’ is probably actually ‘Richard Greene’: see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Greene#World_War_II ‘Fred Piper’ – for more information, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Piper ‘Julian Summers’ may actually be’ Julian Somers’ …
Aunt Pamela's War 