BRITONS TAKE IT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 March 1941, Page 8

BRITONS TAKE IT

NO EXPRESSIONS OF HATE. INCIDENTS DURING AIR RAIDS. BATH, Somerset. I have been jostled in the main street by crowds, who. intrigued by a thunderous noise overhead, had rushed out from the shops to get a good view of anything up to a hundred German airplanes flying at a tremendous height, and looking for all the world like toy aeroplanes—a beautiful sight if it were not for the deadly intent of their mission. Even after a good many bombs have been dropped few, if any, of those who have air raid shelters ever use them, at least not until bombs begin to drop in earnest. After all the sky is a fairly large place, and though this island looks small enough on the map. it is really quite a good size when you are in it, and anyhow they can’t bomb everywhere, all the time; and well, you can get used to almost anything if you try —so argues the Briton. One warden tells how he rushed into a house that had just been bombed, and searching for the owner among the debris, found him standing with what was once his roof open to the sky, holding in his hand the fragments of a valuable vase. Looking up, he remarked: “Do you know, I believe I shall be able to mend this!”

Passing through a beautiful West Country village studded with thatched cottages, and far removed from any possible military objective, I stopped to enquire the way from the village sexton, there .being no signposts anywhere in this country. An air raid siren wailed its woeful warning. The man continued his work of sweeping the leaves from his lych-gate. On my commenting, he replied with the utmost contempt: “If we was to stop work every time they sireens go, we shouldn’t never get nothing done!” Deep gratitude goes out for the many heartening letters and messages received from the U.S.A., and for all your great country is doing to help these little isles in their hard struggle. As a people we have a simple but deep faith in God —a faith shared by many of our leading statesmen, soldiers, and sailors. Incidentally, I have yet to hear one word of hate expressed towards the Germans in the present war’; dislike of their system and its results, yes. but nothing but good will for the German people, for ■all people in fact. This is not surprising when one remembers that hate and fear are so nearly synonymous terms. —K. O’C.

(Extract of a letter published by the “Christian Science Monitor.”)