Very warm day, with soft rain, the woods are now in full autumn colouring, everything looks very lovely, showing through the dampness. The papers very guarded in their remarks to day, but we gather that there is fearful & desperate battle going on near the coast around Ostend & Meuport [Nieuwport]. In the afternoon at Dorothea Father & I went in to Lanson, on the way to Lezant. Saw Betty & Eleanor in the street, they told us that Henry was on the way back again from India, they suppose he will be sent to the front. We stopped at...

A long despatch from the admirals in today’s paper, all about the battle of Heligoland. Such a long time ago that one’s interest cannot be stirred afresh in it. No more drills on Fridays, so we stayed at home. I spent the afternoon in making a henhouse windproof. Got Eli to plant the run I dug up with cabbages.

Some of our ships have shelled the German trenches near Ostend. There was a new destroyers of the River class, the Mersey,“HMS Mersey” the Severn“HMS Severn” & Humber “HMS Humber” . The German attacks on the Allies front had been repulsed, so altogether, things are beginning to look better, but still the papers seem to think that invasion is not impossible. Practised bandaging in the afternoon with the giggles girls. A wet afternoon & story evening, weather has broken up.

Change coming in the weather. War news improving. The Belgians are holding their own on the River Yser “Yser” , and our army is pressing on steadily. The Germans, however, hold the line from Armentieres to Lille. In the afternoon Father, Mary & I went to Tavistock, the former to Kelly College, whilst we went to a lecture on hygiene. Afterwards we went to tea with the Clarkes. We met their Mrs Hext. She told us her brother-in-law major Hext is out at the front & has been through is all from the beginning. His wife heard no news of...

In the Times of yest. There is a summary of Sir John French’s despatch & a leading article explaining it, showing how the allies have come on steadily ever since Sep 6th, & very slowly but surely driven back the Germans. They will not be able to recover themselves again, for we have broken the power of Prussian militarism. Also there was an article about the Canadian contingent, which said that never since the time of the Norman conquest has such an enormous force of armed men landed on these shores. But still, we are not told how many men...

Paper full of excitement this morning. First of all, an account of the naval engagement which was a very smart piece of work. Then there was a long despatch from Sir John French, however, I did not read as it was too technical, giving an account of the battle of the Marne, dated from Sep 17th to Oct 8th. The casualties of 500 officers & 12,000 men seem an appalling list, but he says it he might have been worse. He also mentions a long list of those who are to have special honour. Spent the morning wandering around the...

Lovely day. In afternoon I went with Jack to Tavistock, in his car. We went to the post office to see if there was any news, & when we got there I found quite an exciting telegram that an naval engagement had taken place off the coast of Holland, & that one of our cruisers, the Undaunted, & 4 torpedo boats, the Lennox, Lance, Loyal, Legion, had sunk German destroyers. The loss of life on our side being very slight. It was very cheering news & we – off home feeling quite elated & got back at 3.15. The road...

Lovely day. Official account of the loss of the Hawke. With a list of 50 who are known to be saved. The allies have got into Ypre’s and the Germans to Ostend. & That is all we know. Jack & Florence arrived in their car from Buckfastleigh at 12 Spent the afternoon wandering round with Florence. Mary came home from Wimbledon and made a hash of her journey & had to wait in Tavistock a long time.

Lovely day. Father had a letter from Frank dated Sep. 6th. They have up to that date received no letters from us since the beginning of the war. War news bad. The Germans have now occupied Bruges. In the Times of yest. is an account written by an American of the entry of the Germans into Antwerp. In it he describes the huge army & its numberless soldiers & guns. The dreadful part about it is that now that vast army of troops is free to attack the Allies front, & get to Calais. Went into Tavistock for drill. Afterwards...

Yesterday, a large number of Canadian troops landed at Plymouth. The W. M. News gave a full account & described the arrival of the ships. Never before have so many huge liners come in at one time to the sound. However, the account though long told, nothing, no mention was made of the number of ships, or their names, nor was any reference made to the numbers of the troops who landed. It must have been a fine sight

There is rebellion in South Africa. A part of the Boer army has declared for Germany. General Botha is taking decisive steps to put down the rebels, but this news on the top of the fall of Antwerp is very depressing. The Germans have now practically the whole of Belgium. The government having had to flee from Ostend to Havre. D & I went into Launceston in car on the way to Tolapit, & heard that Ostend had been taken. We had with us Mrs Smith & 3 of the children as there was a small party in honour of...

More sorry accounts of Antwerp. The Germans, however, have not got all the Belgian army about half of it has escaped. On the allies front, the fighting has been fierce, but nowhere have we given way. In the morning we had a wedding here. Annie Johns was married to a young man called Palmer. There were quite a number of people present, but a wedding here is not a very cheerful concern. The crowd, that stands at the gates to see the departure of the happy pair, does not show any demonstrations of joy, a certain amount of rice throwing,...

Terrible & heartrending accounts in the paper of the fall of Antwerp. The people fled by thousands. On Saturday 3000 came in 1 boat to Folkestone. The ease with which the Germans took the town shows the utter uselessness of forts, they are only death traps to the defenders. It appears that 3 of our naval brigades were there helping, but could not do much. In the morning. Mrs Smith brought me a paper to read in which was an account of Mrs Stobbart’s Hospital, written by Dr Florence Stoney, describing how shells burst into the hospital & they had...

Lovely day. Father went to Marystowe to take the duty. We had a very long service with 2 sermons from the Minister. The 1st one was about Evensong daily & complaining that no one comes to it. Continuations of Harvest Festival, it is a wonderful year of fruits of all sorts, every bush is laden with berries. The holly is lovely. Evening service also long, for after a sermon from Father (not short) we had another one from the Minister on the same subject as the morning. It was very wearisome. Change coming wind backed to S.E. during the day

Antwerp in flames. Such was the news in the paper. The inhabitants are fleeing from the town in thousands, and amongst others Mrs Stobarts’ Hospital has had to be closed. In the W. M. News was to say that Dr Mabel Ramsay had left with the hospital & gone to Ostend. Dorothea & I went to Lanson in the morning, to meet Joan at the Tamar Club & receive from her a parcel of flannel for our people to make into shirts. We sat there about an hour & talked, and this was one of the tales she told us....

Antwerp is being shelled & the Palais de Justice is destroyed. Tomorrow we shall hear of its downfall. If only the Allied army could have come up & helped the Belgians, but at present it is 70 miles away & matters are looking very serious. In the morning. Ellis & I rearranged the medicine cupboard. We want to have an emergency cupboard where are to be kept dressings & lotions & bandages. Wrote to Agnes, packed up eggs for Ursula, scolded both dogs for their bad behaviour, but fear they did not take it to heart. Went to Tavistock for...

The Belgian government has moved to Ostend, the Germans are shelling Antwerp, soon Belgium as a nation will cease to exist. Another lovely day. Warm & sunny & very still. There are such a number of Bella Donna lilies out in the walled garden, Dorothea picked a lot this morning & sent some to Ursula & some to aunt Ella. In afternoon Dorothea met Polly Harris, who was walking over to Smithson pushing the pram with one baby in it, & one walking. She was going to see her mother & write a letter to Alice, describing the harvest Festival,...

Lovely day. No signs of rain. The Germans are getting round by Lille, & then reinforcements are coming up in large numbers, and the seizure of Antwerp continues. Went into Tavistock in the afternoon for the last first aid lecture. On Monday the 19th is to be the exam. Father went out shooting with Mr Donaldson our preacher of last night. Father got very tired, which as he walked all day is not surprising, but after a good rest he ate his dinner all right. There was a little notice in the paper to day that Prince Louis of Battenberg...

Harvest festival. Tea as usual in the garden house, and rifle shooting in the kitchen garden at the Parsonage. Joan Coode came over to see Dorothea about the Fuss Association. When we told her the story about Prince Louis of Battenberg, she looked very confused, & said she would rather not talk about it, which looks as if she knew it was true. Service at 7. Large congregation, & very loud singing. Supper at Rectory afterwards.

Analyses still holding their own the Germans are pushing on their siege of Antwerp & from all accounts it seems as if they would take it. Dorothea went to Plymouth to see dentist. I went to Tavistock to attend a class held at Mrs Boggis’ house. She asked as all questions, it was quite helpful as it just showed what parts of the book one was shaky in. Came home at 5. After tea fed fowls. Such a glorious sunset and beautiful moon, Father who had also been in Plymouth met Admiral Hammick “Hammick” who told him that George had...