It ll All be Over by Christmas
‘I had a lover’s quarrel with the world.’ (Robert Frost) ‘It’ll all be over by Christmas,’ that’s what we said back in September 1939. Almost tragically comic when you look back, it wasn’t over until May 1945 – if it’s ever over. During that last summer before the war started I was teaching mathematics at St. Matthew’s Public school. I had only recently graduated from university and this was my first appointment. For those unacquainted with this peculiarly British institution, the Public...