On the evening of Friday 30 January 1953 a fresh strong wind was blowing in the North but somewhat to the North East & rivermen saw to their moorings in the Deben. By 8 a.m. Saturday 31st the wind had swung to North West and was strong. It blew all day and afternoon, intensity increased in strong spasms, by dark there was a roaring gale which kept up its intensity. I went to a hide for pigeons – it had blown down I put it up & it blew on top of me! Gale persisted in increasing force all night with terrific gusts reaching a crescendo like a jet fighter hurtling to earth in a dive. Walls shuddered and window frame shook. High tide in the Deben between 12 – 1 a.m. – I slept. On morning of March 1st, I looked out of bedroom window & the river had approached over Novacastria to within 200 yards of our house. I could see the flood in the Pettistree Hall marsh. The roads were littered with branches. I went down to the river by the sandy lane to the side of the old harbour – debris was 6’ above normal high tide mark. At 11.30 a.m., with still 2 hours before the p.m. high tide about 1.40 p.m., the water was only 2’ below top of Wallers marsh wall with 6’ in the marsh (the tide eventually stayed in the river all day). Flood on marsh & on fields of Cross Farm & Parkers – this was the small local picture – on the beach, houses flooded & timber & boats of Nunn's yard all in a muddle.

Later the paperman arrived with news from Martlesham – it struck there at the bridge in the darkness of early morning. Flood over the road between the Lion & the cottages beyond the P.O. One began to imagine what might have happened up the coast – but I did not guess the magnitude of the disaster until more news came to me over the phone!

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(See new record on back of this page)

February 1st/2nd – The gale – see notes in green book.

Monday 2 February

Staff on survey & assessed 20,000 acres.

At Beccles NFU dinner at Lowestoft in the evening – the previous year whilst attending this dinner at this time I was called away to the fire at Fern Hill.