September 19th 1939

Tuesday September 19th

Despite the fact that there is no immediate hope, Warsaw still holds out. Such sheer gallantry and heroism in the face of hopeless odds restores one's faith in humanity. There will be no forgetting this and the siege of Westerplatte - history will remember them as Thermopylae is remembered. "War's annals will fade into night e'er their story die*".

I hope it is not hypocrisy or patronage, or any other adulteration, that makes me pity the bankrupt victors of this hideous overthrow. When future generations think of the heroism of the Poles with gratitude and prayer, they must think of Germany and Russia with horror and loathing.

What nations can live under the load of such moral and spiritual bankruptcy? Such penury of manhood, truth and decency when honest thinking people in Germany at last learn what crimes have been committed in their name. What fathomless self-disgust must they experience? No man would wish to be German then.

For ourselves, half the complement of HMS Courageous only are accounted for. There was no panic: as she sank, the Captain was seen to salute the White Ensign.

Dulce et decorum est**... I used to think that was some very fine poetic eyewash. I am not quite so sure now. Since we must all die sometime, to die for something larger and finer than oneself is no poor end. There is no need to call to mind Our Lord's words concerning the greater love. Bacon with his clever brain and very human failings suggested that it was a "poor centre of a man's actions, himself"***.

When this is all over we shall suffer another reaction of disillusionment: we shall be appalled and overwhelmed by the brutality and the waste. If we live to count it, then - perhaps more than now - it will be necessary to hold fast to the faith that the human spirit triumphs over, and survives, these deluges.

I believe Man can say as Hamlet does "As for my soul, what can it do to that?"**** What can anything do to the spirit that is now holding Warsaw or that went down cheering with HMS Courageous? Courageous - she needs no better epitaph. She was well named.

Flaunt out O sea, your separate flags of nations!
Flaunt out visible as ever the various ship-signals!
But do you reserve especially for yourself and for the soul of man one flag above all the rest.
O spiritual woven signal for all nations, emblem of man elate above death.
Token of all Captains and all intrepid sailors and mates.
And all that went down doing their duty.
Reminiscent of them, twined from all intrepid captains young or old.
A pennant universal, subtly waving all time o'er the brave sailors,
All seas, all ships.*****

*Misquoted text from The breaking of nations by Thomas Hardy ("War's annals will cloud into night. Ere their story die.")
**"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" - "It is sweet and proper to die for one's country", Horace, Odes III.2.13.
***Francis Bacon, essay 23
****Act I, scene iv
*****Walt Whitman Song for all seas, all ships