The Henson Journals

[266]

12th Sunday after Trinity, August 30th, 1914.

A wet morning, infinitely depressing. I celebrated in the cathedral at 8 a.m. The post brought a long & interesting letter from Marion, narrating the experiences which she & Carissima have passed through since the war broke out. There was a very small congregation at 10.30 a.m. when I preached. It is doubtless very salutary that the Dean should understand that folks in Durham have no sort of interest in his preaching! The evening paper contained a long communication from the Press Bureau giving an account of the fighting of the British Expeditionary Force. For 4 days it seems to have been severe & continuous. French places his losses as between 5000 & 6000 men.

Young Tucker came to return some books & papers of mine which he had found among his Father's possessions. I gave Bishop Mann my copy of Henry VIII's "Defensio Septem Sacramentorum".

A persistent rumour that a Russian Force landed at Aberdeen has been pressing southwards in numerous trains is categorically contradicted in the evening papers. Yet Watkins had been telephoning right & left, & had convinced himself of its truth. And there were many who had themselves seen the uncouth foreigners at divers points in their journey!!

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