September 11th 1940

September 11th Thursday

Last night the attack on London was not so heavy owing to a new technique with anti-aircraft guns and predictors. Many of the enemy raiders did not get through. Theo* predicted something like this. O God may it be soon that we can beat them off altogether.

I forget which day it was between this and the last entry in this diary that we were bombed**. Fortunately no-one was hurt and the concussion was not particularly awe-inspiring, but then they were only small bombs.

I was practically asleep so I did not hear the worst. All I remember is a series of thuds which made the dog bark furiously. I clutched her while remarking fatuously “Keep your seats please”, which happens to be the title of one of George Formby’s films***.

We have been sleeping in the dining room for a long time now as the noise of aircraft - ours and theirs buzzing about overhead - is too irritating.

89 planes downed yesterday.

*Lorna's brother.
**The day was Wednesday 4th September. There is an eye-witness report of the bombs that fell on Malvern on this date at https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/7790498.wardens-son-was-eyewitness-to-raid/. Link Common - where three bombs landed - is very close to Lorna's house in Malvern.
***Details of this 1936 film can be found on Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Your_Seats,_Please