14 Jan 1944, Barbara Anslow's diary

Mrs Grace Rose Smith (75) died.  She was blind.

Mabel and I were digging a garden on our tiny allotment on the ex-football ground, when Mabel fell over the edge, 16 feet on to the concrete slope leading to the hospital.   She arrived at the feet of Dr. Hackett, and Nursing Sisters Mrs. M. J. Staple and Miss I. Warbrick ((who were blood sisters)).

When I got down to Mabel, she was conscious but dazed, half-sitting on one side, being tended by Dr Hackett etc. I raced to hospital to get a stretcher, and saw her taken to the hospital.  She was wearing grey slacks (once Dad's trousers), an old converted shirt of Clifton's, her red white and blue jumper and Welfare shoes; also her best mosquito net camp-made pants which (and she was most disgusted) they cut off her. Then I ran to find Clifton - her new boyfriend - and my Mum, who was playing bridge with the Tribbles.  Olive heard about it while in the water queue.

There was a blackout that night, but somehow Professor Digby and the others worked like Trojans to see to Mabel.