The first (21–28 September) was marked by the same intensity as before. The attacks on London were even stepped up. There were several air raids every day. Groups of 150–200 planes crossed the Channel on each occasion, but no more than 10–15 succeeded in breaking through to London. The ratio of fighter escorts to bombers rose, becoming 4:1 in favour of the fighters. The raiders were repelled mostly by Spitfires and Hurricanes, and to a lesser degree by anti-aircraft fire. The material losses from the air raids were not large. It is reported that, having lost many bombers, the Germans started using faster and more manoeuvrable fighters (Messerschmitt 109 and 110), but this information needs to be checked.

Much more serious were the night raids in that period – mostly on London, though some provincial centres were attacked, too. These were mass raids, with up to 400 bombers engaged every night. Bombs were dropped chaotically, without military targets being sought. The bombers simply pounded residential homes, shops, cinema houses, and so on. London is a gigantic city (50 km in diameter): wherever you drop a bomb, you’ll hit something. The bomb weight kept increasing: 250, 500 and 1,000 kg. There appeared the so-called [word missing in diary], huge mines weighing up to 1.5 tons dropped by parachute. These mines don’t go deep into the ground, but their destructive power is immense: they bring down entire blocks. There were many delayed-action bombs, too. I remember paying a return visit to the Siamese minister

Phra Manuwajwimonnat, Siamese minister in London, 1940–42.

during this period. He received me in a room with knocked-out windows: a 250 kg bomb had fallen not far from the Siamese mission the previous day. Twice during our conversation we heard the crash of an explosion nearby. These were [word missing].

The second phase (29 September–5 October) was characterized by a decrease in the intensity of attacks both by day and by night. The effectiveness and accuracy of the bombing did not increase. True, the Germans had some successes. They sank a cruiser in Glasgow, hit the aircraft engine factory in Bristol, etc., but the material losses were not significant on the whole. For instance, the aircraft factory in Rochester, about whose alleged destruction the Germans made a great fuss, is intact and continues to operate. All the London bridges are intact, the BBC is intact, and so are nearly all the ‘military objects’. One bomb fell on St Pancras Station, where there was at the time a great quantity of explosive material. The English got very lucky on this occasion: the bomb fell at a sufficient distance from the dangerous freight for catastrophic consequences to be avoided.

I do not know how to explain the slackening intensity of the air raids over the last week. Maybe the bad weather and the good defence of the English are responsible. Or maybe it’s just a German trick: to lull the enemy before delivering a crushing blow. Some are of the opinion that the German offensive has begun to exhaust itself. We shall see.

Although the two-week air raids have not caused great destruction, they have exerted, and still exert, a considerable influence on London’s general condition. The life of the city is undoubtedly thrown into partial disarray by the night raids. The matter of sleep is central to the emerging difficulties. The people do not get enough sleep and their work capacity naturally decreases as a result. The transportation services also suffer from the air raids: the ‘tube’ from being transformed into shelters, and omnibuses, automobiles, etc. from constant route alterations owing to the temporary closure of streets wrecked by bombs. Hence the confusion, crowds, queues. In the evening the city turns into a desert. The omnibuses, taxis and trams stop. Only the Underground functions, but even then with interruptions. As a result, labour efficiency in London has decreased by approximately a fifth. For instance, the output of the 40 London factories which manufacture aircraft parts has decreased by 18%.

The morale of the population and government remains high. People are growing accustomed to life in shelters, and these have noticeably improved. The appointment of Morrison as home secretary and Wilkinson as his deputy has certainly influenced the mood of the masses.

The capitalist firms that sustained damage from the air raids display an exceptional, even animal-like power of survival. Peter Robinson and John Lewis [department stores] were bombed to pieces about three weeks ago. They have already managed to recover and are continuing a lively trade in ladies’ articles.

The probability of the German air offensive succeeding diminishes by the day.