大象传媒

'This story was submitted to the People's War site by Rick Allden of the CSV 大象传媒 Coventry and Warwickshire Action Desk on behalf of Kathleen Hilditch and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions'.

This was an uneasy peace and there were many precautions taken in case of war. One was a blackout practice, before it was officially introduced on September 1st 1939. I joined other students, warmly dressed and with plenty of sandwiches, to go and wait on the Thames embankment for the tremendous moment when the lights of London went out. There was no warning, so suddenly we were in darkness. Slowly the stars began to show and glint in the slowly moving river as it flowed deep and secret on its way to the sea. Little river or road traffic passed as drivers had been asked not to travel during the hour of the test. So the main sound was the steady lap of water, the bell of a fire engine or an ambulance. Too soon it was to multiply to a cacophony of noise when the blitz on London began: the river being a sure guide for the bomber pilots of the Luftwaffe.

A patrolling Bobby asked why we were out so late, it was then the small hours of the morning. He advised us to go home before long; we assured him we would.
It had been an eerie experience, shivery and unusual, a bit like a full eclipse of the sun when the birds are silent: the contrast had been very great compared with the usual noise and bustle of nighttime in London.

This was to be my experience of the war years. The contrasts. The almost silent concentration of rehearsals, then the howl of the siren, tension building; though everyone always tried to continue as normal; the drone of a plane or the heavy thump of a land mine followed by sounds of falling masonry and ambulance bells or the shriek of a police car: sometimes the thump and rattle of the heavy dock doors; the entrance for loading and unloading scenery; and the partial withdrawal of air after the explosion. Threads of fear shiver through the body as you listen for the next bomb. Is there a stick of them? Is this place in line for a direct hit? Intense relief when the All Clear sounds and life returns to normal, until the next time.
The sharp contrast of a brightly lit stage during a performance: the need for absolute concentration and the determination that everything should seem to be perfect.
Then out into the enveloping darkness of a town without streetlights. Shops, offices and houses all had to apply the blackout rules to their premises. Blackout material must have been sold in millions of yards. A small chink of light showing and an Air Raid Warden would bang on the door and be sure it was rectified. Vehicles were allowed a small circle of light showing from the headlights. The same small gleam was allowed from torches.
The reality of the situation was felt very forcibly.

This story was donated to the People鈥檚 War website by Kathleen Hilditch, of the Leam Writers. If you would like to find out more about Leam Writers call 0845 900 5 300.

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