Saturday, August 29

Heard that trains of reinforcements were pouring down from Scotland and it was rumoured they would land at Ostend, which was the reason Marines were sent there. Hear that a number of spies in England had already been shot, although McKenna denied it in the House of Commons...

The rumour that newspapers, however old, would not be allowed to be sent to the troops is false; because under Kitchener's authority, daily and weekly papers are being collected and dispatched.

There is furious indignation that the beautiful buildings in Louvain have been destroyed by the Germans. Their outrages on women and children-using them as screens and making them march in front of the German troops-and their devastation of towns, villages and civil property have raised the greatest indignation. It is not yet among the English equal to what the French feel about the Germans, remembering the Franco-Prussian War-but it is growing in volume. There seems to be the greatest hope and faith that the Cossacks will exact from the Germans the uttermost farthing of vengeance; it is hoped that the British soldiers will restrain themselves, despite this provocation and maintain a high standard of humanity, but equally it is not thought brutal or lowering that the Cossacks should take their toll. Partly this is due to English people still believing that Russians are half-barbarians and it will be natural to them. No one would appear to regret the sack of Berlin.

Great efforts are being made to get the middle class to enlist. Battalions are being formed of clerks, professional men, etc. serving together in the ranks. Those young men who are not enlisting, but loafing at the seaside, or playing, or watching cricket and football, are pilloried in the Press and abused in private. Whether this will have the desired effect is uncertain... Employees in good positions in some of the drapery firms are being discouraged by their employers from enlisting and told they cannot expect to have their places kept open for them. The ill-paid juniors are allowed to go. Other big shops are encouraging their men to enlist, and paying half-wages to their dependents and keeping their places open...

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