Heard from Bob that he was crossing last night. We had a letter from Agnes this morning announcing the safe arrival of Mary F. & Michael but she actually says she was disappointed in Michael, what a preposterous idea, evidently he was pale & not looking his beautiful self.

Heard that Bob has gone to France after all.

News still good. We & the French have taken Thiepval & Combles. Had a very excited letter from Mary who saw the burning Zeppelin.

Another big Air Raid on Saturday night & two brought down, one of them was destroyed & the other was only damaged & the crew captured. Three of them attacked S. E. London. They came somewhere near Evelyn & he had a disturbed night but did not see or hear anything. They came again last night but not much news about it. Good news from France this morning, we & the French are making a big advance on the Somme. Father had a letter from Nicholas this morning & I had one from Mrs Marsham who thinks I am Nicholas’...

The war news is still good. Bob came home on Sunday evening until yesterday, he may be sent off somewhere this week, but where & to what regiment he is to be attached he knows not. Poor boy, he was very dismal. The house has now resumed a normal aspect as the large curtains on the stairs are drawn at night so a lamp can be put in the hall. Frank Wollocombe has been killed. He was wounded in the leg and was left in a shell hole. They thought at first that he was going to pull through as...

News is still good, we are making progress all round, but the fighting is terrific. Beresford Gibbs has come home anyhow for a time. Reginald came on Monday for a holiday as he has had an operation on his nose. We are now under the new lighting regulations, therefore at present the house is as if an air raid was on, & we have to creep about the house like moles.

Thrilling account in to days paper of how the Zepp was brought down. It was the work of an airman called Robinson, he has got the V.C. The news from the front is cheering we are making steady progress all round.

On Saturday night there was the biggest raid there has been yet. 13 Zeppelins but very little damage & we brought one down & it is thought hit another. The whole of London flocked out to see the wreck on Sunday. On Saturday Father & Arthur went to Walter Woollcombe’s funeral. It is all so sad, to think that he should have had to suffer so, a man so brave & true & so full of vitality like all of them, how they must all miss him. Perhaps he ahs gone to help stop the war along with K of...

This diary gets neglected these days. War news seems good on the whole & Romania having come in is a hopeful sign. There have been a lot of raids in Aug. but very few casualties. Sydney Rundle has been called up again & Boucher & Eli have had a summons to be re-examined but as Eli is in hospital having an operation on his arm he won’t be able to go yet awhile. Ursula & Baby went back on Tuesday. Evelyn arrived on Saturday. Mr Coleridge has just paid his annual visit & cheered us all up. Rhona is here...

The second anniversary of the declaration of War& the one question in everyone’s mind is whether the end is at hand. The fighting in France has been terrific but on the whole we seem to be getting the best of it. There have been air raids again this week & we hear they have dropped bombs near Towcester but nowhere has there been any loss of life. They tried to find Bob but he had just left. Mary is home for her holiday & Bob had a week about a fortnight ago. Pan*1 died on Aug 1st, I fear I...

Great things have been happening in France. The great push has really begun but there is very little official news. Rumour says we have driven the Germans back beyond their fifth line of trenches, also that they are quite demoralised & in confusion. We heard from Mary that a list of 1000 officers casualties had come in, they are being published by degrees in the paper. Dicky Twining has been killed. U * I * Juliana came home on the 3rd & Elizabeth & Philippa on the 4th. We have been a funny little party, Margaret came home on the...

In yesterday’s evening paper there was the news that we had broken through the German lines along a distance of 16 miles. Does it really mean the beginning of a real advance? I went with Father to a play at Daly’s Theatre called “Happy Day”. It was quite pretty and very funny in parts.

I came to Wimbledon on Monday. It really seems as if the great advance is beginning in France, a fearful amount of heavy firing has been going on for the last week, it has even been heard at Tunbridge Wells. Everywhere the allies seem to be moving. It says to day that the result of our munition works are beginning to be felt. Sir Roger Casement’s trial is over & he has been condemned to death poor man, but I suppose it couldn’t have ended any other way, it would not have been fair on all the other who have...

Went with Father to some missionary tableaux yesterday evening, Mary was singing in the chorus. The music was very nice but the tableaux were uninteresting.

No special war news lately but what there is seems good. The Russians continue to advance, but the fighting at Verdun is still terrific. Yesterday I went to the Academy with Aunt Ella who came up from Wimbledon & joined me there. Afterwards we paid a pilgrimage to Capt. Scott’s Monument & found it all right, it is a very nice statue, * his expression is pleasing, happy & triumphant. Mary suddenly appeared.

Came to Widderlie on Saturday On Sunday & Monday went over to see Ursula. Found her sitting up for the first time. She was looking as well as can be expected & on Monday looked none the worse for the exertion, but I see Aunt Ella will have difficulty restraining her. Juliana is very sweet & attentive to her mother & says when U. is in bed “Mummy no sit up.” Yesterday I went with M. M. to a flower show which I should have enjoyed if I had been feeling better when I got back. Retired to bed with...

The Russians are advancing again & according to the reports it is a big advance. A few survivors have been picked up from the Hampshire but no one can tell whether Kitchener got in to a boat or not. The sea was too rough for any boat to live and though a great number got on to rafts they never reached the shore but died of exposure. The Memorial Services for Lord Kitchener were held in London & at home on Tuesday but Exeter had theirs last week so I missed it. I have been staying with Miss Sanders since...

Whit Sunday. The Church looked very beautiful decorated with scarlet poppies & flame coloured Azaleas. Feel rather desolate with no children & no Hector who has already gone for his yearly change of air at Rams Down. Mr Moore & Jack Boucher made their debut in the tower this morning & rang rounds before the early service. Mrs Yole played the Dead March after Evensong.

Heard that the little baby is dead, poor Ursula, feel very anxious for her. The baby dies on Tuesday & was baptised Antony.

The news is only too true. He & his staff were on board the Hampshire on their way to Russia. The ship was struck either by a mine or torpedo & so far no survivors have been picked up. It happened off the Orkney Isles & there was such a heavy sea that the boats capsized. A rather wonderful death for a wonderful & mysterious man. Much upset this evening by the news that Ursula’s little son is very ill.