WARTIME TRAVEL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20053, 27 September 1939, Page 3

WARTIME TRAVEL

OCEAN BLACK-OUTS PRECAUTIONS ON SHIPS FEELINGS OF UNCERTAINTY Descriptions of sea travel under wartime conditions wane (given by Mrs. L. W. Tatlersfield, of Herne Bay, and Mrs. G. S. L. Butler, of London, who have arrived at Auckland from London. Mrs. Butler and her husband came to New Zealand intending to stay indefinitely, leaving England before the outbreak of the war, but it is possible now that their visit may be shortened to only a few weeks.

“We had quite a pleasant trip, considering tiro conditions,” Mrs. Butler said. “The ship was blacked out at night, but we could do as we liked as long as wc did not strike a light, and dancing was held as usual. War news came through from the two daily Empire broadcasts, but no message could be sent from the ship.”

Mrs. Tattersfield, who has been on a six months’ holiday with her husband, toured ail through England and Scotland before leaving for New Zealand. “London was very grim, and the people were steadily preparing for war,” she said.' “About a week before wc left London, the city was blackened out, and Air Force and anti-aircraft practices hold. The people were all quite calm, but the graveness of the international situation was very evident from the air raid precautions, and the trenches dug in all the parks.”

"The journey home was not so much frightening as tedious, although from Panama onward we all had an uncomfortable feeling of uncertainty,” Mrs. Tattersfield continued. “The ship was escorted through the Panama Canal. We could not smoke or carry torches on deck, and had to dress in the dark, with black shutters ever the portholes. Only matches giving a slight blue light were to be used when necessary.”