Tag Archives: Home Guard

23.6.41

Posted on 23 June by orwelldiaries

Churchill’s speech in my opinion very good. It will not please the Left, but they forget that he has to speak to the whole world, e.g. to middle-western Americans, airmen and naval officers, disgruntled shop-keepers and farmers, and also the … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

28.4.41

Posted on 28 April by orwelldiaries

Churchill’s speech last night very good, as a speech. But impossible to dig any information out of it. The sole solid fact I could extract was that at the time of his offensive in Libya Wavell could never concentrate more … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

25.4.41

Posted on 25 April by orwelldiaries

C, of my section of the Home Guard, a poulterer by trade but at present dealing in meat of all kinds, yesterday bought 20 zebras which are being sold off by the Zoo. Only for dog meat, presumably, not human … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

9.4.41

Posted on 9 April by orwelldiaries

The budget has almost knocked the Balkan campaign out of the news. It is the former and not the latter that I overhear people everywhere discussing. [1] This evening’s news has the appearance of being very bad. The Greek C. … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

24.3.41

Posted on 24 March by orwelldiaries

The reports of German heavy cruisers in the Atlantic somehow have the appearance of being a false rumour to draw British capital ships away. [1] That might conceivably be a prelude to invasion. Expectation of invasion has much faded away, … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

23.3.41

Posted on 23 March by orwelldiaries

Yesterday attended a more or less compulsory Home Guard church parade, to take part in the national day of prayer. There were also contingents of the A.F.S., Air Force cadets, W.A.A.F’s, etc., etc. Appalled by the jingoism and self-righteousness of … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

20.3.41

Posted on 20 March by orwelldiaries

Fairly heavy raids last night, but only 1 plane brought down, so no doubt the rumours about a “secret weapon” are all baloney. A lot of bombs at Greenwich, one of them while I was talking to E[ileen] over the … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

1.9.40

Posted on 1 September by orwelldiaries

Recently bought a forage cap. . . . . It seems that forage caps over size 7 are a great rarity.  Evidently they expect all soldiers to have small heads.  This tallies with the remark made by some higher-up to … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

23.8.40

Posted on 23 August by orwelldiaries

This morning an air-raid warning about 3 a.m. Got up, looked at the time, then felt unable to do anything and promptly went back to sleep again. They are talking of rearranging the alarm system, and they will have to … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

20.8.40

Posted on 20 August by orwelldiaries

The papers are putting as good a face as possible upon the withdrawal from Somaliland, which is nevertheless a serious defeat, the first loss of British territory for centuries. . . . It’s a pity that the papers (at any … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments