Overview
Fri. Oct. 9.
Andy + I drove my 16 3 y[ea]r steers down to Levin sale - £6.15.0 bid under hammer, £7.2.6 offered later, bedrock originally £7.5.0, reduced it to £7.3.6 so did not sell. Mr Kay's 5 similar cattle but slightly older fetched £7.13.0. I bought 14 very badly bred just cut bulls at £2.4.0 for crushing fern on North Block. Father decided to purchase my 16 bullocks - 5 at £7 + 11 at £6.19.0, 2 1/2 commission on the 11 to be shared. Wet most this morning turned to blazing hot afternoon (dry weather a very serious matter now, everybody crying out for rain) + a cloudy evening. Yesterday the war news received included:- German army in France reinforced their right wing to with -
[page break]
stand the enveloping movements of the Allies. The defeat of Germans in N. Poland by Russians. The Japanese warships capture Marshall Is[lands]. The reverse of Brit[ish] South African troops and surrender of two squadrons to the German forces from German SW. Africa. Today:- Two German destroyers torpedoed by British submarine. Germans besieging Antwerp repulsed.