Lovely day. Father went to lunch at Lawhitton & went to Stoke Climsland in the afternoon.

Had a busy day in the Saturday jobs & exercising the dogs. Sent off 3 beautiful scarves knitted by the boys at the school to Cicely Young’s mother-in-law. After lunch looked out beds & bedroom furniture for the Belgian refugees, also ordered some new blankets from Phillips.

The Admiralty have at last had news of the naval action in S America, the Good Hope^*1 is lost, & the Monmouth^*2 went on the rocks, so hope is entertained that there may be a few survivors on the latter.

The battle began last Sunday evening, just as the darkness was coming on. The German ships were superior to ours, & got away, but we cannot tell yet how much they were damaged.

In France the Germans are bringing up reinforcements, & will make a tremendous effort to break through our line. The WM news seems to think that this is not impossible. A Zeppelin has been rumoured to have flown over London.

Father bought back the following story from Lawhitton told him by Mrs Rodd.

Mr Ned Rodd has been buying up horses for the army & went across to France with them. Having completed his job, he thought he would like to see some of the fighting, so off he started utterly regardless of his own safety, & made sketches. How he managed this, considering he is nearly blind, history does not relate. His old appearance must have frightened the Frenchmen, to say nothing of his queer clothes, so it was not long before he was arrested. He had the greatest difficulty in clearing himself, & getting back safely to England.

^*1 Wikipedia Link – HMS Good Hope

^*2 Wikipedia Link – HMS Monmouth

Both ships were sunk at the Battle of Coronel – Wikipedia Link

Next entry November 10th