Sunday 7th December 1941

Don came over in afternoon. Hilda Don & I went to the Gaumont. Dad met us as it was snowing & a thunderbolt had dropped quite near.

In other news...

The Japanese attacked the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, with the loss of four ships, 2,402 killed and 1,282 wounded. The attack led directly to American involvement in the war.

On the same day Japan also invaded Thailand and British Malaya, and launched aerial attacks on Hong Kong, Singapore, The Philippines and Shanghai.

Wednesday 27th August 1941

Went out looking at the shops with Gladys. Went to the Pictures in pm. Planes collided & crashed on Central Station. 15 killed. Saw wreckage. Pelted with rain in p.m. Went dancing in the Winter Gardens.



According to wikipedia two aircraft — a Blackburn Botha trainer and a Boulton Paul Defiant fighter — collided in midair over the sea, just off Blackpool's central seafront. The debris from the collision was strewn over a large area but a large part of it struck Central Station, causing severe damage and killing twelve people.

Sunday 22nd June 1941

Went to Hampton Court with Don. Weather is too hot. Not a breath of air anywhere.

In other news: Germany invades the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa.

Tuesday 27th May 1941

My 19th birthday. Freddie came through. Thinks my birthday tomorrow. Don came over. Went out with Mum & Dad for a drink.

In other news... The Bismarck was sunk by the British.

Saturday 24th May 1941

Went to a Home Guard Dance with Don, Hilda & Doris. Enjoyed myself very much.

In other news: HMS Hood was sunk by the Bismarck. Of the 1,418 crew on board, only three survived, pulled from the sea two hours after the explosion which sank the ship.


Image source.

Wednesday 19th March 1941

Had ½ day. Went to the pictures with mum. Went to Aunt Mary’s & stripped her wall. Very heavy raid.


On this day: a 500 bomber raid on the docks and East End of London killed 750 people and injured over a 1000 people seriously.

Thursday 13th March 1941

Stopped in all evening. Jerry paid us another visit. Dad on all night duty.

On this day: Glasgow is hit by its first significant air raid of the war. Because Clydebank, Scotland, with its vast areas of dockland, lay so far north, its citizens dared to hope that they were safely beyond the range of German bombers. However, on the nights of March 13-14 and 14-15, they were disabused of any such hopes when 400 bombers dropped more than 500 tons of high-explosive bombs and 2,400 incendiaries on Clydebank. In addition to devastating the docks, only eight of 12,000 houses escaped damage. Approximately 35,000 people became homeless and more than 1,000 were killed. The resulting fires were visible 100 miles away.

Saturday 8th March 1941

Blitz came back to London in evening. Fairly lively. Had my ends permed. Doesn’t look so bad.


On this day: The Cafe de Paris, London's most fashionable nightclub, was packed out. Officers on leave and their girlfriends, a wedding party and a birthday party danced to the music of 'Snakehips' Johnson. Nobody bothered when the sirens wailed, the nightclub was underground and they felt safe. Anyway, there was a war on and everybody was determined to have a good time while they were still alive. Just before 10 o'clock a bomb crashed through the roof and exploded on the dance-floor - killing 33 of the revellers and wounding scores more. 'Snakehips' was decapitated. Among the dead were all the people around one table; their open bottle of champagne still sanding upright in the centre, with not a drop spilt.

Saturday 1st February 1941

Up at 6.30 am. Playing table tennis by 7.30 am. Saw "Brigham Young" in the afternoon. Stopped in during evening.
 


On this day: Recognizing a need to protect merchant ships in the Atlantic, the U.S. Navy creates the Atlantic Fleet, with Rear Admiral Ernest J. King commanding.

Saturday 11th January 1941

Went to Gaumont with Mum. Saw "Neutral Port", Will Fyffe & "Cross Country Romance" Gene Autry. Weather rather frosty.
 
Will Fyffe and Yvonne Arnaud in "Neutral Port"

Also on this day: 117 people were killed in Bank Underground station when it took a direct hit.