21st May 1943: encyclopaedic Methodist

21 Fri. Rather warm, pleasant because the wind had dropped; the sunshine was hazy. Did all the |Friday morning shopping including cycling to the Morden meat shop. Read some interesting papers by Mr. Bonham on the Methodist Hymn Book; his knowledge is encyclopaedic.

20th May 1943: gold brooch repair

20 Thur (con.) Between very mild and rather warm; some pleasant sunshine between cloudy periods. Did shopping locally including taking Ciss' gold brooch to Ellis to have a new safety pin fitted. Did some gardening also some more cleaning of paintwork in scullery. Aunt Liza called. Warning from 11.35 to  11.55 p.m.: no incident.

19th May 1943: Methodists & marigolds

Raynes Park Methodist Church, Worple Road. The church also houses the Lantern Arts Centre (LAC) and Lantern Cafe. This was the church attended by Ciss (Fred's sister) - they called it by the name of the area, 'Cottenham Park'. The church is a Grade II listed building, octagonal-shaped, built in the Byzantine style 
Google Street View, 2012. 

19 Wed. (con.) The chilly E. wind completely spoilt an otherwise brilliant day - pity.  Did shopping by cycle including going to Morden. Sowed four varieties of my own experimental marigolds. Mr F. J. Bonham came to interview Ciss; he is writing a history of Methodism in Wimbledon and Ciss was able to give some interesting particulars. Started washing the painted walls of the scullery. Warning from 11.55 p.m. to 12.25 am. on 20th Thur. Warning from 1.0 a.m. to 2.45 a.m. Three enemy planes came from the N. and took moderate gunfire: the Raynes Park guns fired a few rounds at the last plane.

18th May 1943: bomb swished down & exploded

18 Tues. Very mild, the bright sunshine was not able to make itself felt because of the very rough chilly E. wind. Shopping locally in afternoon and along rail path. Uncle Tom & Aunt Nellie called in morning. Alan Spooner called in evening. Warning from 1.0 to 2.00 a.m. from 2.20 to 3.0 a.m. A few machines and moderate gunfire, and a few bombs heard one bomb swish down and explode. From 6.30 to 6.43 p.m. From 11.55 p.m./ to 12.7 a.m. on 19 Wed. Also from 2.25 to 3.36 a.m. Three enemy planes from N. to S. The first one was followed fairly closely by one of our night fighters because it was not fired at. Gunfire was a little more accurate but still not anything like enough of it: one machine was destroyed but not known where.

Note: Fred's entry for '19 Wed (con.)' appears tomorrow.

17th May 1943: the dam busters

...17 Mon. Then further warning at 12.30 a.m. A few machines from N. to S. flying very high received moderate gunfire but they did as they liked and a few bombs were dropped. All clear at 2.35 a.m. Also 3.50 to 4.15 a.m.: one more machine which was almost ignored by the gunners dropped one bomb over London: local guns did not fire.     

17 Mon continued. Rather warm, lovely genial sun all day. Cycled top buy cats' meat at Morden, also bought lettuce seed and took accumulator. Sowed two sorts of lettuce seeds and cut lawn. Last night our airmen burst 3 great reservoirs in Germany with bombs and let the water free which flooded great tracts of the Ruhr. Warning at 11.25 p.m. a single enemy plane passed over from N. to S. and to eastward; it dropped a bomb which I heard coming down, it drew only very slight gunfire; the local guns were again silent: all clear t 11.43 p.m. This bomb fell at Brixton Hill. The bomb before midnight last Sunday was at Richmond.

 "Last night our airmen burst 3 great reservoirs in Germany"

16th May 1943: midnight air raid

Salmon-cream Admiration

16 Sun. Rather warm, bright sunshine all day, but spoilt by a chilly wind. Short walk in afternoon, along rail path in evening. Warning from 1.40 to 1.50 p.m. The first rose out in back garden is Admiration, salmon-cream. A loud bang just before midnight followed by the sirens; all clear at 12.19 a.m on 17 Mon.

Note: Fred runs his Sunday entry on into Monday - when he gives details of that German air raid. And tomorrow he also reports the raid by the British forces on German reservoirs that we now know as The Dam Busters.