To London to study @ British Museum.
[The following was crossed out. “I watch air raid over London from Thames embankment. Great spectacle. Tube station full of people.”]
Tuesday 5 March to Saturday 9 March 1918
No entries.
*First German aeroplane raid on England undertaken on moonless night.
Saturday 16 February 1918
– fair
Have a little difficulty in getting my leave. Catch the 11.25 from Egham to London. To Manuscript Room British Museum. Later to Aunt Rhia’s. Leave @ 8 pm for Central London. In bed at my hotel when Air Raid alarm is sounded. I go upstairs & witness it.
Wednesday 4 July 1917
Air raid in Harwich 11 killed & 23 wounded.
In afternoon to see Capt. Forbes @ Broadstairs.
[Monday 25 June 1917]
*
Left Newcastle for Ramsgate @ 10:25 am. Arr. Kings Cross @ 5:15 pm. Motored to Charing Cross. Train for R. leaves 7:15 pm. Party numbers 39 men.
We change @ Ashford and Minster & arr. Ramsgate 10:30 pm. Full particulars taken then a bath, hospital clothes are issued. Supper & then to bed @ sometime in the morning. Reveille 6 am. Breakfast 7 am dinner 12:30. Germans dropped bombs here on Sunday much damage.
*Entry is undated in the diary, but reference to Sunday air-raid suggests at least June 24th as the likely date for the entry.
*Ramsgate gained a reputation as the most bombed seaside town in the First World War, suffering many Zeppelin and Gotha bomber raids and being shelled several times from the sea. Tunnels into the cliff provided civilians with shelter, and in 1917 an air raid shelter was opened at Ellington Girls School.
In common with other coastal towns, large hotels were taken over to be used as hospitals and convalescent homes, not only for the British Army but also for those of other nationalities. Canadian troops were sent to the Granville Special Hospital and to the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Red Cross Hospital.
Saturday 2 June 1917
Air raid in Kent town makes a big casualty list.
