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I remembered very little about the First World War, as I was only eight when it ended, but my Mother and Father could recall the dreadful days — my Father having fought in trenches in France as a member of The Kings Regiment. We spent the remainder of the day just talking about the past and what the future would hold for us, although this was going to be different war from the previous one.
People carried on life as usual on the Monday. They went to work, children went to school. One difference was that the members of the auxiliary services were paid a small remuneration and were deployed on full time shift duty. In the event of the sirens going, if they were not already there they would go to their appointed depots.
Each city and town was divided into sections that covered several roads — called Sectors; each sector having a headquarters called a Sector Post. Residents volunteered to give a room up in their house to be used as the sector post. Residents also volunteered to become Air Raid Wardens, the more the better, and from these a Senior warden was appointed. Some of the Wardens were paid - £3 per week, others were just volunteers, but all were given a steel helmet.
The senior warden was in charge of the Sector. His duties were to organise the other wardens 24/7 on a shift system and liaise with the emergency services etc. The wardens patrolled the streets at night to ensure that no lights were showing. If there was the slightest chink of light showing, it could be seen over quite a distance in the otherwise pitch black streets — even a cigarette glowed and could be seen. The warden would bang on the door of the offending house and order that the light be switched off or the blackout adjusted.

By Judith M Kincaid

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