Monday 25th October 1937

Drear at Rayleigh, with buyers out or utterly uninterested. I felt fed-up and had an early lunch. A fresh start at Hullbridge; it seemed just as bad and soon all my “drive” had deserted me, so that I felt like packing up, allowing it to be one of those grim days without a single order. However, at my second call I found Kempton the philosopher. No – it was my fourth attempt to find him! He gave me a lecture and an order for two gallons.

Then I returned to Roedean; brushed my hair, straightened my tie; went to Westcliff. First I met two “Terriers”, one a recruit, the other a man who was Number Eight on my gun at Watchet, during our first “shoot”. Next, useful contact with a builder named Ellis, in a snack bar.

Turning the car, I happened to pass the offices of Ramuz Ltd. Contractors – one of the principal firms here. Realising I’d never yet been able to see the buyer, I went in and told the clerk I had a bargain to offer. To my surprise the buyer was “in” and I was interviewed. This was so encouraging that I sold five gallons of Special Offer (“as an introduction to our products”). It changed the whole feeling of the day. Just luck! A day that had seemed hopeless at 3 o’clock ended at 5 o’clock with two new clients!

Evening: 193rd Class for trained men and NCO’s Dismantling and re-assembling the breech. Beastly mechanical, all bits and pieces and things. Hadn’t the nerve to take a turn and felt jolly glad I wasn’t detailed.