This morning, which was a Saturday, Kittie suddenly received a telegram from George to say that, in her words, ‘after all a lot of them were getting 24 hours leave and he would be home in a few hours’.
When he arrived, it seems that the gardener was working in the small garden Kittie had designed at the back of 42 Well Walk. This man, William Hogsden, had worked for them for years. He now came to bid George farewell. As Kittie described it, he said ‘in such a heartfelt voice, “I wish I were young enough to go as your servant, sir”’.
After dinner, George went with Kittie to say goodbye to the Hedleys (see my post ‘The Godfather in War’ for 26 August). Coote Hedley must have had mixed feelings about this, as privately he believed George could be of more use to the war effort in a different role.
Next entry: 4 October 1914
