Thursday 26th January 1939

There’s a new “digger” at no.5 – an architects assistant, named Wylie. We are all eagerly corrupting him. He smokes and drinks but does not, at present, use terrible oaths in ordinary conversation. Last night he was discussing dancing lessons and ended by saying, “Yes, something must be done about it”. we all roared with laughter, for, to our evil minds, that statement meant something quite different from dancing lessons!

Littlefield, our Poona sahib, (seven years in India) is always ranting about the natives and cherishes great hatred for “the niggers”. At the end of a discussion on somewhat milder lines he eventually said, “Well, it takes all sorts – I’ve seen some good niggers…” We were amazed at this relenting spirit until he added with sudden vehemence, “All the buggers were dead!”