Her note reads: "These were the people who didn't let England down during 1939-45 War. Would wealthy have stood as firm?"
My mother was an avid writer all her life, and although she didn't have any of it published, it never deterred her from writing articles and making lengthy comment about all manner of subjects.
During the war years my mother joined the Australian Land Army serving in the Batlow and Tumut fruit picking areas as well as periods of time in the Riverina. Her interest of world events never dimmed, despite her rural lifestyle, and her writings reveal this.
In the newspaper article, Australian journalist Silvia Cust, in London on assignment for the Sydney Morning Herald, described the image of the English countryside and large houses and then wrote: "... living with an unemployed family for several weeks in one of the worst streets of West Ham, I came to know a different side of the picture."
She continued: "Through this family I learnt something of the meaning of true friendship and hospitality and saw something of the courage that underlies Britain's security today."
This comment drew my attention: "... saw something of the courage that underlies Britain's security today".
Although Silvia Cust could see this aspect of the character of the people in this part of the "slums' of London, it was completely missed by the Nazis. Perhaps those Nazis in England in the embassy only ever spent time with the British upper classes and didn't see the "British Bulldog" spirit that saw them through the Blitz.
Although there were rumblings in some quarters of the British aristocracy to make peace with Hitler, there was never any such doubts in the East End although they took the bulk of the Blitz attack.
This comment therefore, "....saw something of the courage that underlies Britain's security today" was of great insight, an astonishing prophetic revelation.
As I pondered upon this, I could not help but reflect upon those Christian today who are being persecuted and martyred for their commitment as followers of Jesus Christ, who stand firm in the security of the assurance given by the Scriptures.