We have lost a destroyer & a torpedo boat of the E coast by a mine, the destroyer was HMS Coquette*1. Germany & Portugal are now at war. General Smuts*2 is getting on in E Africa & THE French are still holding their own at Verdun. Yesterday Janet & I & Miss Moore went to a meeting in Tavstock on Women’s Work on the land, Sylvia Hamlyn spoke remarkably well.

Jones, auntie Mabel, Mr Moore & I went to Lanson to see a competition for women’s work on the land. We saw the women sawing wood, hedging & the faggots they had bound & the manure they had spread & also went through mud ankle deep. Janet came away with all wish to work on the land finally & entirely quenched. The rumour of the German fleet has now increased from 25 cruisers & one Zeppelin to 50 cruisers & 2 Zeppelins & several armed trawlers.

(Ash Wednesday) snowing all day but evidently only in Ramsdown there being hardly any snow Lifton way or towards the Tamar, but very thick up to the Lodge & last night the baker could not reach Cloggs, we hope they are not starving up there. Still more reports of the German fleet being out, a report from Amsterdam that 25 cruisers & one Zeppelin passed northwards, not nice to think of. Janet & I waded through the snow up to see Kingsland. Had first working party this afternoon quite a lot of people in spite of the weather.

(Shrove Tuesday) Alice Wills & Nimrod Davy were married this morning, I played a hymn & a wedding march of sorts, 2 little girls Davy’s daughters children were bridesmaids. It is colder than ever the wind is biting. A card from Evelyn containing the following diary of Sunday night: “5.30 p.m. Police say no service to be held, warning of aircraft about. 6.15. Report from sidings that several zeppelins are coming over North Sea, sidings will not light up. Ammunition factory is now lighting up. Gas fairly moderate though not very good light. 6.45. News through that zeppelins have been...

The Germans have reviewed the attack on Verdun. What is going to be the end of it, & what terrible things shall we be hearing soon? That’s seaplane was wrecked on the French coast. Captain Gordon had fresh tales to tell the other day. He said we were building super super dreadnoughts as fast as we can build them, a very unlikely tale, as it is not dreadnoughts we want but torpedo boats & submarines. It has been a lovely day, had my 1st practice of Mary’s play “St George” which we are really trying to do this year &...

Nicholas is 8 years old today, it does not seem 8 years since that momentous telegram arrived. The German attack on Verdun has failed for the time but it is expected that they will renew it. A seaplane dropped bombs somewhere on the S.E.Coast.

More snow last night. On Monday night Plymouth had a real air raid alarm but whether there was a Zeppelin seen or not is not clear, it was reported that one was seen at Salcombe, but all lights were put out in 10 min. The news for in France is that the German attack has failed for the time & their losses have been terrible. It is still very cold & raw. Janet & I went down to Yalford to see Exlby [?]. Approached Mrs Hick & Mrs Lane on the subject of war work the latter expressed great willingness...

Still terrific fighting going on around Verdun but the French are holding there own & seem to have executed marvellous counter-attacks. It snowed again last night but to day it is thawing fast. The road by Pomfleet Hill was blocked the snow from edge to edge so I hear, hope to go & see it this afternoon. Janet is coming to day.

It went on snowing all Saturday till the evening & there was a little more in the night, but yesterday was a sunny day & a good deal of snow went & the grass is showing in places. This Wigan (one of them) is staying at the Rectory. No special preacher for S.P.G. could come for yesterday. Ellis & miss Wickett thought they saw the lights of an aeroplane go by here yesterday evening after church, great excitement, Ellis came up to show it to me but I couldn’t see anything, once I thought I saw a light through the...

Still snowing, we have not had such a fall of snow since we have been here.

I came home on Wednesday, it began to snow that night & snowed all next day & last night there were 17 deg. Of Frost. The enemy are continuing their attacks in France & gain a bit here & there.

Lovely day that cold. The French have brought down a Zeppelin which is good hearing.

While we were have our good old misty rain yesterday the East Coast & Kent were having bright sunshine and visits from German seaplanes, but not much damage was done. They came during morning service. It is horribly cold today rain from E on NE.

It has rained all day, misty stuff. Stayed to the choral celebration, they sang Merbecke. Margaret has been on night duty since she went back but she is sleeping better this time. I am making a surplice for Reginald’s ordination which is to be at Trinity.

Yesterday it rained all day. I went to tea at the Shaws. To day is cloudy but fine, Mary Shaw is coming to tea here, I am going to see Mary Pult.

Same sort of weather, heavy showers & bright sunshine in between, see very rough. The Russians had taken a strong Turkish fortress in Mesopotamia some way north of Bagdad. Mr Balfour tells us that the defences of the country a hopeless deficient because we haven’t enough guns or aeroplanes to defend us, but that we hope to soon. This is encouraging, but how can we expect to have enough to defend us as well as to take part in this vaste war.

Stormy & a gorgeous sea. Not very nice news from France, Germany have broken through our line about 500 yds.

The “Arethusa” *1 has struck a mine on the East Coast, but only a few lives lost. The saucy Arethusa as she was called, I forget why but she played a prominent part in the autumn of 1914 in various engagements in the N sea. Another lovely day but very unsettled.

(Salcombe) I came here on Friday. On Thursday we had a concert at the school, mostly children, a very good one but much too long. Yesterday & to day the weather has been glorious just perfect weather for Salcombe. Yesterday I had a lovely walk round Sharp Tor with Banksey. We passed by the convalescent home. There are no territorial’s quartered in Salcombe now the Boy Scouts guard the coast but we saw no sign of any during our walk.

The ground is white, snow showers. MCK went back to the hospital yesterday. There are reports of heavy firing in France. What is happening there I wonder?