Page 1429 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1426

1942

Friday 7th February

10th Muharram according to Shias but not according to Calendar. Spent two hours in the crowd watching

the procession which was rather irregular as owing to its being Friday the procession, or most of it, avoided
the Juma Mosque maidan. Hot morning in the crowded lanes.

The DCs came in afterwards.

M & I & J went to the cinema P.M. a poor film but J enjoyed it - colour films always seem to me too dark.

Saturday 8th February

Fort, practice parade. Quite good. Office & then to Awali where we, M & J & I, went round the camp,
refining etc with Lipp to see the new workmens houses & the new Police, bomb shelters etc etc & then to
lunch with him. Quite a pleasant morning & a change. Excellent lunch.

People came in after tea, men from the Lawrence & Elspeth Graham, then the Steeles & the Gunns to
dinner & bridge.

Shaikhs were coming in but I avoided them - HH ing a film about money.

Sunday 9th February

Ceremonial Parade.

Court - the proceedings are irrritatingly slow, the court takes hours doing nothing.

Parade at Palace pm then went a drive to later to cocktail party in the Lawrence. Rather a stuffy show. The
Grahams took me & got away with the first batch.