Sunday 10 September 1939

Went to Communion (just six people), came home, cooked breakfast for all, cleaned up, by that time too late to go to Matins. Dad says church about half full, and two men from choir are gone – both joined up.

Article in Times about W.A.A.F. – pay for motor transport drivers starts at 1s. 4d. a day, rises to 2s. 4d. a day 'when mustered as aircraft women first class.' Not enough to live on, really – then again everything seems to be provided for them (meals, uniform, etc). Quite unlike M.T.T.C!

At war for a week now, but does not feel any different than Monday.


Braithfield Farm
Fullerton Road
Red Rice, Andover, Hampshire

11 September 1939

My dear Sam,

Thank you for your letter of Thursday last. I have read it over a number of times and spent some time during the week-end considering your dilemma and discussing it with your Uncle Michael. (I do hope that you don't mind this, seeing that you addressed the letter only to me. Remember that Michael is an old soldier as well as an old yeoman farmer, and has had lots of experience of solving hard problems!)

From what Laura has told us I have to say that enlisting in the W.A.A.F. without a school certificate would be difficult at best and I was probably unwise to send you the article about that body. The same appears to be true of the A.T.S. (I do not propose that you should join the Women's Royal Naval Service. One hears unsettling things about these 'Wrens'.) It would be much easier for you to join the M.T.T.C. – which might then lead to the A.T.S., remember – but you are quite right that before that can happen we will have to address the question of your support. I don't think that's completely impossible, and will be happy to take charge of the effort; it will give me something to do and will keep me from spending too much time worrying about how your cousins Alex and Teddy will fare in this war!

The problem of your age will be knottier, as it will be nearly a year until you are able to move from Lyminster without your father's permission. I suspect that this will require not only my persuasive powers, but also those of as many of your uncles as we can enlist. I wrote we in the previous sentence; but please let me begin the campaign, and I will let you know how things progress.

In the meantime, be sure to get in as much practise driving as you can. As you doubtless know by now they are going to start rationing petrol on the 16th, so you will not be able to go for a jaunt on the spur of the moment, but if your father needs to go anywhere in the car, or if your mother wants a change of scenery, offer to do the driving for them.

Uncle Michael joins me in sending his very best wishes; he has asked me to leave some space at the end of this so that he can add a few words of his own.

Your fond aunt,

Amy Braithwaite

Sam, dear girl,

I am delighted that you want to serve the Nation at this hour of need – and especially that my Laura seems to have inspired you! I always thought it was a pity that the women's auxiliaries were broken up after the last war. My best advice at this point is to keep up with the war news at all times, and to point it out to your parents when you learn of a girl of similar age and situation to yours going in for war work of any kind – both of them, as your aunt and I believe it will be essential to bring your mother around to our point of view! And do try to keep in good spirits.

Your doting old uncle,

Michael Braithwaite


Braithfield Farm
Fullerton Road
Red Rice, Andover, Hampshire

12 September 1939

Dear Aubrey,

I hope that this letter finds you as well as possible and not too discommoded by the change in our circumstances. I do apologize for not writing to you more quickly after war was declared. As you may imagine, I have been much occupied with various matters close to home, not least the question of what war service my boys will perform. Of course I use the word 'boys' in jest. They are grown men, one of them a husband and a father, and it is hardly my place to meddle in their lives. Still, a mother worries.

An aunt may also worry, which is the real subject of this letter. I think you will agree with me that our cause and that of our allies will require that every sound mind contained in an able body, of either sex, be put to use. For some this will be a tremendous burden; for others it will be as if they had been granted wings. There are too many young Britons whose gifts are not being adequately employed where they are and who until now have lacked the means or the impetus, or both, to change their situations. For young men, means and impetus will likely come in the form of conscription, or of course the wish to volunteer. But many of our young women will require great reserves of will and persuasiveness in order to serve, as they will need the backing of their families, which for various reasons may not be immediately forthcoming.

Our Sam is one of those young women. As you know, Michael and I visited Lyminster for Sam's birthday, and although she was her usual cheerful self I have to say that what I saw did not make me optimistic for her future there. She is expected at all times to be available to attend to Emma's various needs and wants; and because Emma cannot, or, as I am increasingly convinced, will not, perform the normal duties of a vicar's wife, Sam must undertake those tasks as well. This is no life for an intelligent girl of her years, particularly given the smallness and isolation of Lyminster. She sees no-one whom, and encounters nothing which, she has not known since infancy. Her skills as a carer, her excellent powers of observation, the remarkable physical courage and steady nerves that both you and I have noticed: all of these could be put to much better and wider use that they are now. If nothing else, let us admit that in her present situation Sam's prospects for finding a suitable husband are slim indeed.

I see that I have vented my feelings to a much greater degree than I had intended, to the point, essentially, of accusing Emma of malingering. Well, so be it: I have grown tired of pretense on this subject. I suspect that Iain and Emma would be quick to insist that Sam's stinted education leaves her poorly qualified for national service; but whose fault is that but their own? First Emma insisted that Sam could not possibly continue her studies alongside the villagers' children; then Iain refused, even with an offer of material assistance, to send her away to school, and admittedly a tutor was beyond anyone's means, leaving no alternative but for Sam's schooling to end at just fourteen years of age. It really is too bad!

There, I do feel a bit better now!

What I hope to do is to persuade you, along with as many of our brothers as I can enlist, to join me in convincing Iain and Emma to allow Sam to join either the Auxiliary Territorial Services or the Women's Auxiliary Air Force or, if that proves impossible (as I fear it may), a private women's service organisation called the Mechanised Transport Training Corps, which received some attention in the press during the winter, shortly after it was launched.

You'll recall that my stepdaughter, Laura, joined the A.T.S. when it was organised last year; she was transferred in June to the new W.A.A.F. and is now a Senior Section Leader. She tells me that neither branch of the forces is willing at present to accept any volunteer without a school certificate, and that matters are unlikely to change until – steel yourself, dear Aubrey! – conscription is expanded to include women (something that Laura believes is possible and even likely). I cannot envision Sam in the Land Army – her efforts to help out in the fields here have been comical at best – so you can see that the M.T.T.C. is the best place for her at present. There also seems to be a possibility that girls who successfully train for that group could join the A.T.S. in future.

There are two difficulties. The first is that the M.T.T.C. is a private organisation, something I confess I had not understood when I first wrote to Sam about it. Members receive no payment of any sort and must pay all of their own expenses, which in Sam's case would include rental, as she would have to go at least as far away as Brighton. The second, of course, is that Sam is still nearly a year away from her majority, so until then enlistment of any kind will require Iain's permission. Thus, we must secure two objects: Iain's consent (which is unlikely to come without Emma's blessing, I think), and a source of support for Sam. The latter, I believe, will need to be a group project. If each of the Stewart siblings' households were to contribute 5s. per week to defray Sam's upkeep, and if Sam were willing to use interest from the sum set aside for her by Emma's father to pay for her uniform and any initial travel costs, I think she would be able to live decently, albeit modestly. As for the issue of consent, I have written to you ahead of any of the others because, being nearest to Iain both geographically and in age, you seem the most able persuader. I realise, of course, that your plate is likely to be quite full just now, but a carefully-worded letter to our dear Iain would be very helpful.

As for this letter, it has grown far longer than I had planned; thank you for your patience as I have unburdened myself. Michael joins me in sending his fondest regards, and in asking to be remembered to the Harpers – what a grand time we all had at Easter!

Please do let me know what you think of all this.

Your affectionate sister,

Aemelia Braithwaite


Wednesday 13 September 1939

Item in Times today notes fewer letters being sent since war began. Family not contributing to this trend.

Was meant to spend day in garden helping Dad (esp putting in air-raid shelter – should have been done by now), but Mother twisted her ankle getting out of bath so had to care for that. Shouldn't admit this, but can't help wondering sometimes if she does this sort of thing deliberately.


'Dad, may I ask your advice about something?'

'Of course, Samantha, at any time.'

'Well... ' Sam hesitates, takes a deep breath to steel herself and goes on. 'How do you think I can best be of service to our cause during this war?'

'By remaining where you are and being a help to your mother and father.' The Rev. Iain Stewart looks directly at his daughter for what feels to her like the first time in ages. 'I do hope, Samantha, that you don't imagine casting your lot with these one of these new organisations that allow women to pretend that they are servicemen.'

'They're not entirely new, Dad. There were lots of women in uniform during the last war. Aunt Amy has told me all about it.'

'Your mother and I did not make the wisest choice in asking your Aunt Aemelia to stand godmother to you, I fear; she's decidedly not the best influence. I do wish, for one thing, that the two of you wouldn't call each other by those vulgar diminutives that you favour. More to the point, however, she forgets, and you ought to consider, what Deuteronomy tells us about women captives, they way in which they are inevitably degraded and humiliated.'

'But I wouldn't be going anywhere near the actual fighting, Dad.'

'We have no way of knowing where the actual fighting will be.'

'Well... that's true, of course. But if it were here, I might be taken prisoner anyway, whether I was in the service or not.'

'We can cross that bridge when we come to it, and if we do so. In any case, by the time you attain your majority we will once again be at peace. And victorious, I might add.'

'Do you really think so?'

'I am sure of it.'


The Vicarage
Leavenham, Hampshire

Friday 15 September 1939

Dear Aemelia,

Your letter of Tuesday has given me much food for thought, and I must confess that I am in something of a quandary as to how best to respond.

I agree with you wholeheartedly that Samantha's situation at home is unfortunate, to say the least, and that Iain's disregard for her education is deplorable. While we must not discount the lasting effects of Emma's long struggle to bring a healthy child into the world – it is a bit hard to argue with three bouts of bronchitis and two of pneumonia – I am also bound to agree that Emma has become one who 'enjoys poor health,' as they say. You certainly have my complete sympathy in your desire to see Samantha liberated, for lack of a better way of putting it, from her present circumstances.

The question is whether a war can ever be the best instrument of liberation. I must submit that it cannot. Even if it will be 'over by Christmas,' as some are saying (and I am quite skeptical on that point), it is bound to bring carnage, the deaths of innocent civilians on both sides, and the corruption that is always and everywhere the handmaiden of warfare. I would be deeply unhappy to see our niece exposed to any of this, and am equally reluctant to take part in what could become another family quarrel.

And yet I agree with you that all hands – Samantha's included, without doubt – will be required to bring this conflict to its desired end as quickly as possible. While I consider how best to approach Iain, here is an idea for you: why not ask your stepdaughter to write to Emma? Emma is quite fond of Laura, as I recall. Laura should not mention Samantha in her letter, except to be remembered to her of course, but simply express her enthusiasm for the service she is now performing. (Please do remember me to Laura as well, and of course to Michael and the boys. You are in my prayers at all times, needless to say.)

Regarding the matter of Samantha's support, I would be quite willing to do my bit, and actually think that you are being a bit ungenerous – 6s. 6p. per week from each of us would be a more realistic sum. (Don't forget that Desmond has announced that he plans to rejoin his regiment and thus won't be in a position to be of much material help.)

I must close this letter now, but will write again if anything more occurs to me.

With every best wish as we head into the uncertain future, I am,

Your affectionate brother,

Aubrey Stewart

P.S.: Although I suppose that you would want to be Sam's bursar, it occurs to me that it might be best if I were to broach the issue of funds with both Iain and Timothy.


Saturday 16 September 1939

Petrol rationing began today.

Item on wireless: a British convoy sailing from Liverpool to North America was attacked today by a German submarine ship. One ship of ours, HMS Aviemore, was sunk. Wireless describes this as first clear convoy contact in British waters since war began. Item in Times: Welsh National Eisteddfod and various exhibitions, AGMs, etc., being postponed until further notice, or simply cancelled. People have been calling this a 'phony war,' but sounds as if they are beginning to take matters seriously.


Sunday 17 September 1939

Good crowd at Matins this morning but mostly women and girls. Seventeen men from parish called-up during last fortnight, nine others volunteered. Also, Hattie Powell enlisted in A.T.S. and awaiting assignment! Told this last bit to Dad and Mother, got chilly looks in return – more from D than from M, but clearly different approach needed.


Monday 18 September 1939

Admiralty announced this afternoon sinking of our warship H.M.S. Courageous off coast of Ireland by German submarine (called u-boat, apparently), which they think was then sunk by our destroyers. Some survivors were rescued, but no more information than that.


Tuesday 19 September 1939

Drove Dad and Mother to visit Mr and Mrs Powell and Hattie. Mr and Mrs P very proud of H – wonderful to see. However Mr P told us British forces now leaving for France, also insisted Courageous was sunk with help from Ireland – all on Germany's side, he said. Dad furious, gave him stern warning about spreading gossip. Quite right, too, but nice visit ruined.


Wednesday 20 September 1939

More news about HMS Courageous – 681 rescued, but 518 of our servicemen dead or unaccounted for.
Am feeling especially useless today.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Braithfield Farm
Fullerton Road
Red Rice, Andover, Hampshire

20 September 1939

Dear Laura,

Just a brief note to underline my good wishes. I hope you are settling in nicely up there in Cheshire. When you have a moment to spare, I wonder if you could do me a small favour.

Before you left we spoke about my niece and god-daughter, Sam Stewart, and how her parents have kept her locked in a tower, so to speak. I have now begun a stealth campaign, in which I need to enlist you, to induce them to release Sam for war service. (She is still a minor, remember.) Of course this authority lies with my brother Iain, but I feel certain that he won't act without my sister-in-law's blessing. Could you please write to Emma? Don't mention Sam in connection with war work (and certainly don't mention that I asked you to write!) – just enthuse about your own service. That would be most helpful. My thanks in advance.

Your step-brother Teddy went to Winchester on Monday to enlist and was told to wait for a call-up letter. Meanwhile Alex, as a husband and father, had determined to do just that, but received his letter this morning!

Fondly,

Amy


Friday 22 September 1939

Longish article in Times today – Home Secretary says only one-third of civil defence workers being paid, so M.T.T.C. not out of step.
Dad says I am spending too much time reading newspaper, does no-one any good.


Saturday 23 September 1939

Dad very bucked up by letter from Bishop of St. Albans in Times today, calling for relief from petrol rationing for clergy.


Sunday 24 September 1939

Times reports Friday will be National Registration Day – 1931 census out of date, so census to be taken for use as basis of emergency measures including food rationing(!).


Tuesday 26 September 1939

Received National Registration forms in morning post – to be filled and returned by Friday night. Instructions state that 'the occupation of wives not following any employment should be listed as "unpaid domestic duties."' Does not say anything about twenty-year-old daughters not following any employment.


Thursday 28 September 1939

Times reports Warsaw on verge of surrender. Went to village to run errands – very sad atmosphere.


Friday 29 September 1939

Times and wireless confirm Warsaw surrendered to Germans. Tried to talk again to Dad and Mother about war service. M took my part up to a point, said there's a need for everyone to do something, but still insists I must do my bit at home, billet not appropriate for young girl, etc., etc.


Saturday 30 September 1939

Man came by to collect registration form this morning. Was rather rude to Dad – told him 'there's a war on,' and said I should be 'put to use!' Not sure if this helps or hurts.


Sunday 1 October 1939

Can't think of a single thing to write today.
Really no point in keeping diary if I am to spend war here in Lyminster knitting Balaclavas or the like.


Tuesday 3 October 1939

At war for a month today. Nothing else of note.


Thursday 5 October 1939

Times announces that Mr Bernard Stubbs will cover home front, civil defence, war at sea, etc., for B.B.C. using recording car. Wonder if I could get job driving it for him?


Author's notes:

Another thing that I have had trouble researching is what Sam's cost of living would have been. I finally found a web page, titled Wartime Money, that states that average weekly earnings in the UK in 1939 amounted to £3 17s., and in the absence of any other figures I am assuming that this is accurate. Sam has only herself to support, so I am also assuming that she can make do with considerably less than that.

The Scripture that Sam's father refers to is Deuteronomy 21:10-14, which instructs victorious soldiers on the treatment of female POWs (and whose opening words, in the King James Version, give this story its title). I have always been taught that this passage, while acknowledging the realities of warfare, is intended to discourage men, and society as a whole, from thinking of women as chattel. Mr. Stewart, coming from a different tradition than mine, might perhaps have more literal - and less optimistic - view of these verses.