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 M. R. Spurgeon and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions'.

Wireless in Wartime

During the Second World War the wireless came into its own and although still only in its teens, the 大象传媒 was invaluable at home and abroad in communicating information and maintaining good morale. It amazes me that although I was only 6 when the war began, my mind still teems with words, phrases and songs, which were broadcast so long ago.

Hitler realized the power of the wireless and beamed into British homes Nazi propaganda by William Joyce, who opened his broadcasts with 鈥淕ermany calling, Germany calling,鈥� and predicted air strikes and sabotage as they were happening. Known as Lord Haw-Haw, he became an object of derision because of his affected upper-class voice and the inaccuracy of his predictions. In l945 he was hanged for treason.

It was by wireless that the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, at 11.15 am on Sunday, 3rd. September 1939, made his ominous announcement, 鈥淏ritain is at war with Germany鈥�. After that, although I was usually in bed, I was aware that the family was glued to the wireless every night at 9 pm to hear the 大象传媒 News preceded by the reassuring sound of Big Ben鈥檚 chimes and well-known voice of 鈥淎lvar Liddel reading it鈥�.

I recall nothing of the momentous news broadcasts in 1940 when France fell and Churchill became Prime Minister, nor of the reports of Dunkirk and Churchill鈥檚 speeches nerving the nation to face invasion and the Battle of Britain. But I remember being moved by the patriotic wartime songs and comedy on the wireless, which, with a child鈥檚 instinct, I sensed, expressed what many people were feeling. Vera Lynn singing 鈥淲hen the lights go on again, all over the world鈥� reflected the introduction of the black-out, which plunged London and the whole country into nighttime darkness. Her song 鈥淲e鈥檒l meet again, don鈥檛 know where, don鈥檛 know when鈥� echoed the painful 鈥済ood-byes鈥� being felt as women and men (including my father, three uncles and a cousin) left home to join the Forces. Or Flanagan and Allen singing 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to hang out the washing on the Siegfried Line鈥� and 鈥溾�� You鈥檒l get by without a rabbit pie, if you run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run,鈥� words which became poignant as our troops had to flee to Dunkirk at the collapse of France.

Gracie Fields鈥� song 鈥淲ish me luck as you wave me good-bye鈥� was often heard, conveying the feelings of those leaving to serve abroad.

Rob Wilton鈥檚 opening line in his homely North Country voice, would always bring a smile 鈥� 鈥淭he day war broke out, my Missus said to me鈥︹�� Elsie and Doris Waters as Gert and Daisy chatting about the rationing, or air raids, or any other aspect of ordinary war-time life in their inimitable Cockney way, were always good for a laugh. Their brother, Jack Warner, was also popular in his act reading letters between home and a serviceman stationed at the Front.

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

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