The strange dead January of 1940

The start of the year has been a strange. The Soviets have pushed at the Finns again, and again been defeated, loosing multiple divisions. On the 28th, numbers of Soviet troops were forced to surrender around Lake Ladoga. A German plane containing plans for the invasion of the low countries crashed in Belgium, which has roused those smaller, vulnerable nations, to our benefit I suspect. There have been ships lost, but U-boats sunk in return. The war has stalled.

Convalescence

By far the worst has been the weather. On the 17th of January the temperature fell and the Thames has actually frozen - for the first time since 1888, according to the paper. Lucky we have a full coal bunker, through we've been sparring with it, only heating the living room. A tree has come down in the garden, which I will split up and season, so at least we should be alright next year.

Then there is the vexed subject of teeth. I went to the dentist just before Christmas with a wobbly tooth, and have ended up with two extractions, and some more painful procedures all of which have left me weak, more than a little dizzy, and almost disinterested in the news. We took advantage of a chance to get up to the beach hut, but it was so cold we could only manage a couple of hours. There is barbed wire along parts of the beech now at Hunstanton, which wasn't there before, though I find it hard to image why the Germans would attack 'Time and Tide'.

December 1939

Finland has achieved something little short of a miracle. Details are sketchy, but the Soviets seem to have underestimated the harsh winter conditions, and despite all odds the Finns have held them. By the 5th December the Soviets had reached the Mannerheim Line - prepared defences using all of natures advantages, After a few weeks hard fighting, the Soviets halted, their offensive finally halted at Kelja and Taipale on the 27th. The map of Finland that I ordered from Stamfords arrived for me to point out to the family where the fighting had just ended.

I don't usually sleep well, and in the early hours of the 18th a distant drone woke me. I wasn't sure what it was, but it came from the west. It was only in the newspapers over the next few days that I realised must have been RAF bombers taking off from the airbase at Mildenhall, down across the Suffolk border. They raided a German port that night, but the press weren't really clear with what result.

Graf Spee showing battle damage whilst in Montevideo - public domain

The biggest event of the month, though, has to be the Graf Spee. Cornered on the 13th of December by the cruisers Ajax, Exeter and Achillies a great naval engagement off the South American coast. The Exeter, it seems, was very badly damaged, but the Graf Spee retreated into Montevideo. Uruguay is neutral of course, and the German battleship was forced to leave on the 17th, and the German captain, Langsdorff, scuttled his ship in the River Plate.

After a steady stream of ships lost, this felt like a message to the world, and faith in the navy has certainly been restored amongst my drinking friends in the White Hart.

News Reel: Graf Spee scuttled!

All through the month help has started to arrive. An Australian fighter squadron and the first Canadian troops have arrived. In contrast, the Americans have underlined their neutrality, and even complained about us seizing German goods on neutral shipping.

News Reel: President Roosevelt stresses American Neutrality

On the whole, though, we enter 1940 in good spirits, except that rationing, neusacnce value until now, will bit a little more in the new year and is extended to butter, bacon, ham and sugar. Never really that fond of bacon anyway.