Wednesday 23rd February 1944

At midnight last night there was an air raid that lasted an hour; and I knew that this was April's night for fire-watching and that she would be out in the streets.
I wish I had not known.

Things are getting steadily more unbearable and hopelessness and frustration increases. Thank God I've a little extra money left in my wallet, beside my meagre weekly pay. By drawing on my reserve funds I can afford to keep on smoking, nearly all the time; it is a great comfort.

My God, it makes all this much more terrible when I realise that if I were out of the Army – at liberty, free – I could make a home somewhere and have April there, right away from the dangerous area she lives in at present.