1200 Still on reporting watch only with Controller and two Communications Officers — no equipment. Approx half population seem to have left. Armed police are bringing looting under control. Two looters shot, one policeman murdered and two injured. A number of fires which a depleted fire brigade have difficulty in controlling.
2300 Signal that bombing attack expected. District sending two spare Communications Officers with radiac and chemical detectors. Two Emergency Committee members reporting at 1000 tomorrow.
2400 Electricity cut.
Branscombe
0350 Air raid alert.
0415 Sound of A/C overhead. Bombs falling to east and west.
0430 Signal that our airfields under heavy bombardment.
0730 ‘All Clear’ sounded.
1000 Signal received that bombs dropped during night had contained HE, incendiary and nerve gases (tabun, sarin and VX). 1700 Air raid alerts and All Clears have followed each other all day.
Controller directed that no further air raid warnings would be sounded in
the village unless bombs were seen to be dropping or there was threat of a
nuclear attack. Hot meal ordered for all at 1830. 1930 US transport A/C flew over Parish at 2,000 metres on fire — parachutes emerging as A/C flies off west. Reported to District.
1935 Enemy A/C flew low across Parish west to east. Reported.
2300 Electricity restored.
Buxford
0350 Air raid warning.
0400 to 0600 Heavy air raid high level A/C — 100+ bombs land Buxford area. Survey team make short recce at 0500 during lull — report much damage and many fires, and chemical detector papers show positive readings. Police, ambulance, fire brigade and rescue squads working in respirators and protective clothing.
0615 All Clear. Survey team report bombs still exploding intermittently — presumably with delayed action fuses. As some contain nerve gas it is agreed with police to re-sound Alert to get everyone under cover while unexploded bombs are dealt with.
0800 Survey report shows approx 1,200 casualties of which 157 are dead.
0900 Two enemy A/C attack airport. No bombs on Buxford. US transport
planes continue to come in in spite of bombing.
1006 One US and one Soviet A/C come down in flames over Buxford. Both crash to south.
1138 Five A/C attack airport- 50+ bombs on Buxford including nerve gas.
1400 District Controller agrees all civilians except key personnel be evacuated. Control Staff to stay.
Sparksley Green
0550 Air raid warning.
0600 A/C overhead, bombs falling and exploding to east. None in our area. Reported.
0615 All Clear.
0700 District advise water will be cut off at 1200. Police agree to tour area with car loud-hailers to advise householders to fill baths and containers before 1200 and to use plastic bags etc for toilet purposes.
1500 Police are withdrawn. Looting and fire-raising starts again. Three murders in streets and some inter-racial fighting. All food shops run out or looted. Communal meals supplied by District at school. Less than 25 per cent of population remain.
7 August
Branscombe
1200 Much A/C activity all morning. Villagers and refugees continue to work on farms and at allotted tasks.
1341 Electricity fails. District advises water will be cut off at 1600. Emergency water and hygiene plans activated.
1400 At BREMCO Conference with Parish Council a reserve Controller and four Committee members chosen to replace existing BREMCO team should they become casualties. The Parsonage House chosen as an alternative Control HQ if Holt House destroyed. Directed that second copies of Emergency Diary and Financial Records be kept there.
Buxford
1000 No air raids for 20 hours; area declared clear of bombs and contamination. Buxford Controller suffered nervous breakdown — his 70th birthday. Cncllr Deschet appointed as new Controller.
1115 Gang of four armed youths reported looting liquor warehouse — no police or troops available. Controller with armed posse goes to restore order.
133 °Controller returns with posse and police Inspector, who has charged Controller with murder and malicious wounding. He charges that after the youths had been disarmed in the warehouse the Controller held a summary court martial and sentenced the four youths to death. When he ordered his armed posse to carry out sentence and shoot the boys they refused, whereupon he took one of the guns himself and opened fire, killing one and wounding three. At this point the Inspector arrived. Chairman of Buxford Council arrives, relieves Cncllr Deschet of his appointment and replaces him with Cncllr Burt-Rand.
Sparksley Green
1200 For mutual protection and support most of remaining inhabitants have concentrated in the area round the school and the ‘Red Cow’.
8 August
Branscombe
0600 Signal ex District — enemy concentrating attacks on power stations, oil depots and ports.
0700 Farmers northern perimeter of Parish report looting of food stocks during night. 0800 Recce of N perimeter report 850+ refugees camped alongside A3052 demanding accommodation in Parish.
100 °Controller visits refugees and offers accommodation for 34 women and young children, a hot meal for all and two days’ food for the remainder if they will keep moving. Offer accepted. They are given medical supplies.
115 °Controller orders construction of strong barbed wire fence along northern boundary of Parish.
1200 Four refugees in village brought before Controller accused of raping girl. Accused and witnesses with armed escort sent to District HQ for trial before JP.
1350 District HQ signal that nuclear bomb has exploded over London. Village advised and nuclear drill rehearsed.
1430 District HQ advise previous report false. Village told.
1630 Air dogfight over Branscombe. Soviet plane shot down over sea. No parachute. Reported.
2131 Intense air activity, sound of bombs falling and heavy explosions which appear to be in area of village and are getting… [Entry ends here.
Emergency Diary was found in ruins of Holt House.]
Buxford
0800 Heavy air raid on airport during night. Over 50 bombs in Buxford area — HE and nerve — delayed action. No water or electricity.
Sparksley Green
1200 Heavy air attacks on Birmingham Airport during night. About 30 HE bombs fell in Sparksley area, approx 170 casualties. Police, rescue, fire, etc, in control. Still no water or electricity. 1410 Epidemic of sickness and diarrhoea reported to District.
9 August
Branscombe
0800 Emergency Control HQ at Holt House destroyed by direct hit with 225 kg HE bomb at 2131 yesterday and Controller and Emergency Committee members and all Control Staff killed. All CD equipment except one dosimeter destroyed. Reserve Emergency Control HQ opened up in Parsonage House at 0400 and stand-by Emergency Committee members and Controller took over as agreed. Supply of dosimeters, survey meters, chemical detector papers, respirators and protective clothing received from District at 0700. Priority phone connection established at 0750.
Eight killed, seventy-three injured and gassed in village in last night’s raid caused by HE and nerve gas. All casualties evacuated to Axminster.
0900 120 cattle and sheep killed previous night. Buried at Holt Pits.
1015 New stand-by Controller and BREMCO members appointed. Reserve Control HQ will be at Hayes Farm.
1350 Burial service of casualties of last night’s raid. Service in Parish church.
1500 Farmers report large number cattle and sheep with unusual symptoms, thought to be due to nerve gas. District asked to send vet.
12 August
Branscombe
0800 BBC report Warsaw Pact forces still advancing southwards up west bank of Rhine. Continued enemy A/C attacks on UK airfields, ports and power stations.
0900 Outbreak sickness and diarrhoea reported Rest Camp I. District asked to send doctor.
100 °Controller meets deputation from refugees who complain of inadequate food and harsh and uncomfortable living conditions, and say that many do not wish to work on farms and all have to walk too far to work and for their meals. Controller explains necessities but promises to try to improve conditions.
1800 The first of the daily evensong ecumenical services in the Parish church. Full.
19 August
Branscombe
0800 BBC reports NATO counter-attack northwards towards Bremen has made headway, and enemy’s southern advance has been stopped. No air attack on UK for 48 hours.
140 °Cricket match — Village v the Rest. Village 86 all out, the Rest 87 for 4.
1900 Evening concert Village Hall.
20 August
Branscombe
1140 District reports nuclear explosion Birmingham area.
1300 BBC confirms high-yield nuclear bomb burst over Birmingham at 1130. Very heavy casualties and great damage. Villages within 50 kilometres and in path of fall-out cloud being evacuated. Govt warns there is possibility that other nuclear strikes may be expected.
160 °Controller addresses village on sports field — explains position and rehearses nuclear drill. Everyone to continue as normal with no extra precautions.
Buxford
1130 Extraordinary bright flash in southern sky, followed by ascending, expanding huge red ball of fire. Immense shock wave later. Can it be?
Sparksley Green
0028 Residents’ party in Control HQ ends at midnight. Little activity in UK over past 72 hours. Many hope war will be over in few days. But who has won?
1100 Routine call to District. Signal loud and clear.
1128 Warning — all Control Posts to stand by for urgent signal.
1129 Signal — RED ALERT (air raid warning sounded): ‘President USA has received Soviet warning of immediate nuclear attack on Birmingham Engla… [The charred remains of this log were found in the cellar of the ‘Red Cow’.]