LONDON DEFENCES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 October 1939, Page 6

LONDON DEFENCES

BALLOON BARRAGES, GUNS & BLACKOUTS MR AND MRS A. ROLPH RETURN TO MASTERTON. BUSINESS AT USUAL IN BRITAIN. “I don’t think German planes will ever get into London,” said Mr A. Rolph, who with Mrs Rolph. returned to Masterton this morning from a visit to the British Isles. “There are mach-ine-guns all over London,” said Mr Rolph. “and some of them have eight barrels. You would hardly know a war was on in London except for the sandbags on the buildings, as everybody seemed to be going about their business the same as usual.” Mr and Mrs Rolph, who arrived in England in April, had just concluded a motor tour of England. Scotland and Wales when war was declared. They had booked their return passage on a ship leaving on September 9, but this vessel's departure was cancelled. After visiting shipping offices daily for a fortnight, they were able to secure a passage on an American ship which left Tilbury on September 22. For three nights before war was declared, blackouts were enforced in London. While they were on tour, aeroplanes were to be seen everywhere | and sometimes they could not sleep on account of the noise of planes flying over during the night. When war was declared, .the planes disappeared. There was nothing but a barrage of balloons over London. They looked quite as big as aeroplanes, and shone -up like silver in the sky. On the outbreak of war, all taxis in London were commandeered, and the next morning in every other street there were taxis equipped with fire fighting apparatus. The kerbing and crossings in the street were indicated with white paint. It was so dark at night on account of light restrictions that it was difficult to find one’s way about the streets. In the buses at night a person could not see the passenger sitting alongside. Mrs Rolph paid a tribute to the wonderful work being carried out by air raid wardens, volunteer men and women, who attended to many details during raid alarms. They wore luminous bands on their arms. No one except wardens and others officials was allowed in the street during an alarm; everybody had to be indoors. Many of the warehouses and banks in London had been evacuated.

Mr and Mrs Rolph were placed at considerable inconvenience while in England on account of the impossibility of obtaining any remittance of funds from New Zealand. Their bankers said they could do nothing unless the New Zealand Government sanctioned the transaction, and in an effort to secure a remittance it was necessary to send several cables to New Zealand. These protracted negotiations resulted in about £4 being forwarded, half of. which was absorbed in the cable fees incurred.

On the American ship in which Mr and Mrs Rolph crossed the Atlantic were six survivors of the Athenia. One of them said he had been 11 hours in a lifeboat before he was rescued. He and others were saved by two warships, which covered 450 miles in record time. Mr and Mrs Rolph enjoyed their journey through the United States, in which they passed through New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, where they connected with the Mariposa for New Zealand. The found, however, everything very expensive. A visit was paid to Hollywood, and to Beverley Hills, where the many magnificent homes were greatly admired. Ice skating in the summer was seen near Hollywood. The journey to New Zealand was uneventful.