15 Dec 1941, W J Carrie's wartime diary

7am

Well we’ve been at it for a week now – another quiet night but they must be planning something – they’ll try to land on the island of course.

No gas this morning - I think they hit the gasworks yesterday.  Well I‘ve still got my electric kettle – what we’ll do when they hit the Electric Power Station – DOK.

((Here, Billie draws two heavy lines to indicate a break in his letter writing half way down a page; leaving the office to go home to 152))

((New sheet of paper, continuing writing having arrived home from work to 152 on 15/12/41))

152

15/12/41

Darling,

It is very late and I am very tired but I must write a few lines - on the last night – for a while at least that I shall be in 152.  I don’t know if they tried for this house though it looks like it.  One bomb fell just at the wall of the Villa’s Compound - another just on the back of the Peak School and the third just on the road halfway between 152 and 153 and just above the B.A.T. house.  Every window on that side and the next is completely shattered - not only glass but frames as well. I shall have a lovely souvenir to show you when you get back.

I was downtown of course and the coolie rang me up.  I came up at once and while I am sleeping here tonight my den is practically O.K.  I am moving out tomorrow.  Amah was of course in a complete flat spin - she was ironing at the time and her room faced that way and was wrecked too.

So we are all moving down tomorrow to Northcote Training College.

I’ve been packing all evening and am just about done in.  Of course I have to leave an awful lot and can just hope for the best.  If I have time I’ll remove it all later – if I have time and if I have transport and if the road is still clear.

So Goodnight Loved One.  These are thrilling days.       Billie