Page 1292 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1290
1290
1940

Fort. Office. Dr McDowall came in, discussed buying linen. Wire from M about coming out - went over &
saw the Holmes & discussed it with them, some tiresome very common Irish Jebel people there.

Tuesday 22nd August

Didn't go to Fort. Sent wire to M & wrote also to Narayan saying impossible to come to Karachi. Office.
Black came in for some time & then Hallowes, news of German Russo pact - incredible. Shs A & S came in,
discussed war measures - food supplies. Decided on purchasing a large supply of rice in case of emergency.
Dinner with Davenport Jones at Awali, Dr D, Stuart Worthy & Morse, then to movies, a Marlene film, I liked
it, others didn't.

Wednesday 23rd August

Fort, Khalifah didn't appear. Still cool, strong shamaal. Hallowes came in, discussed the situation - not
much use talking about it. Decided to put off trip to pearl banks till calmer weather. Court, spent most of the
morning there. Ibrahaim Zayani up again, incorrigible, gave him two years this time. Sea road, met Pack
there, then hospital & a bathe, looked in on Steeles but they were at dinner so didn't go in. News terribl;y
ominous, listened in to each broadcast, Very worried.

Thursday 24th August

Office. Shaikhs came in, decided to buy 25,000 bags of rice from Calcutta which is enough to keep Bahrain
for three months. Arranged with D.I. to ship it from Calcutta, busy morning. Saw Black, Stuart Worthy &
various people. Steele about defence plan.

Friday 25th August

Stayed in before lunch. Various people came in, Lipp, Black, Hallows, Haj Ahmed. News pretty bad. An
Italian tanker behaving suspiciously at Abadan. Bathed in afternoon after spending some time at the Fort &
then intended going to cinema but Hallows & the Steeles came in & stayed till it was too late for me to go.