21 Dec 1941, W J Carrie's wartime diary

9a.m.     No more news yet but we had a very quiet night.  So we hope things are going well.
Later  12.30pm.    I got some lime juice today so I'm having a gimlet!  No more news but things seem to be developing all right.  I have authority now to send lorries to Aberdeen again and as far as Causeway Bay.  I was making a joke today and tried to take bets that we'd be all in our homes by Christmas - we might!  Here's hoping!  Well I'm told tiffin is ready so I must run - and I've hardly touched my gimlet!      Cheerio, Darling.    B.

Later 5.45       Poor Roe - I let him off this afternoon and he went up the Peak  - his wife and 2 children were in Peak Mansions until yesterday  morning,  when after a plastering  * there -  they went to 178 - then they got a frightful  plastering there this morning so he has brought them down here. 

*I had to stop there and have chow. Now it is rather dark and I am writing with my flashlight on.

We have all done our best for the Roe family - it's not quite right however, and I don't know what to do!   After all several of the Inspectors have wives on the Peak too and we can't put up the lot.  But we'll see how it pans out.

News is not quite so good tonight - I think they got some reinforcements over last night and today - well we can only hope the Chinese are coming nearer.  We hear they are at [?Sha Tanbot]  and  [?Shamchun]  and one rumour is  that they are  as near as 13 1/2 mile Beach on the Castle Peak Road.  We can only wait and see.

I saw Bertie again today - up and about - but still a good deal shaken.  I took him cigs. and cashed a cheque for him, H300 out of my imprest account. Well this is not easy going so I'll stop.  All my love  Darling.   Billie.