24 MAY 1940, Page 15

War Weather The hoary jest about the old gaffer who,

told there was a war on, said : " Anyway, they've got a fine day for it," has been strangely justified, again and again. I never remember more lovely days than those I spent in 1914 in long early morning walks between the Marne and the Aisne. The onslaughts on both Poland and Holland were made easy by exceptionally fine, dry weather. It is a standard belief among specialists in wine that war years are vintage years. For those out of sight of the war the contradiction between eye and ear has been almost painful.