LIFE IN LONDON

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21216, 12 September 1940, Page 7

LIFE IN LONDON

BRAVE-HEARTED PEOPLE MEETING RAID MENACE MILLIONS IN SHELTERS (United Press Asn.—Elee. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 10 Londoners have taken the Luftwaffe’s daily raids in their stride. In one week the entire life of the city has changed—regulated by the time-tabled visitations—and people have settled down to withstanding the greatest air siege in history. The first warning of the day can be expected at midday, when the Germans make a regular attempt to break through with a mass formation of bombers. Londoners shrug their shoulders and estimate that shelter-sitting will last half an hour or an hour. The next raid usually arrives at approximately 5 p.m. and lasts about the same period, while the German pilots endeavour to drop fire-start-ing bombs which will guide them in the night raids. Then, between 8 and 9 p.m., the nightly sessions begin. Everywhere in the vast, sprawling city, millions go to the shelters, prepared to remain until 6 a.m. Suburban residents have converted shelters into bedrooms, and with their children and even their pets they bed down cheerfully for the night. People Drawn Together Those lacking private shelters hurry to the public shelters, where they settle down in small, bravehearted communities intimately drawn together by the overshadowing peril. Those living in hotels go to the basements and ground floors prepared for a fitful vigil. "Night life” has been abandoned temporarily. Theatres are closed, but the queues remain. Where once Londoners sat patiently waiting for a show to begin, amused by itinerant entertainers, they now wait as patiently for the shelters to open with the first note of the sirens, since the wardens do not allow seats to be reserved. Working Hours Adjusted Working hours have been adjusted to suit the raids. The homeward trend begins two hours earlier, the staffs of shops and offices have been advised to set off about 4 p.m., before the first raid, so that they will be settled down in their homes by dusk. Queues for the trains and buses wait patiently, and more tolerantly than in peace time. In view of the temporary dislocation of travelling facilities, the public has been asked to avoid unnecessary travel. Many Londoners are having a cold midday meal instead of a hot one since the gas pressure in many restaurants has been reduced. Some of the water services have also been reduced. The Metropolitan Water Board has appealed for the use of less water for bathing and wash-ing-up. As the raids continue night after night, it becomes clear that people who have been schooled to expect the toll of night bombing are philosophically resigned to get it over, as though it were a distasteful necessity in order to free Europe of the Nazi scourge. War Correspondent's Story “The bombing of the Central Londen area was, if anything, heavier than the night before,” said a war correspondent, Mr William Forrest, in a broadcast this morning. “In the heart of the city it was decidedly hotter last night.” r jn r Forrest made a tour around the Oxford Street and Marble Arch area while the raid was in progress. jlVhile he was in one shelter there

were two terrific explosions, and the shelter was plunged into darkness. “That was the moment for panic, but I heard not a single cry,” he said. Walking along Oxford Street, Mr Forrest said he saw hundreds of searchlights probing the darkness for enemy aircraft. Overhead the drone of engines could be heard. Then, suddenly, the guns barked out. Bombs crashed. They were using more heavy stuff. Mr Forrest saw two civilians halfwalking, half-running along the street. There were other people, but very little traffic. All the buses had drawn up in side streets. There were no taxis. Commercial lorries and newspaper vans were carrying on. Shelter For Homeless People made homeless in air raids are being given shelter immediately, said Mr Malcolm Macdonald, Minister of Health, who stated that the bombing had caused less damage to the public services than had been anticipated. Danger of flying glass is emphasised by the number of casualties caused, which is stated to be one in five of the total number of injuries. But so far only one case is recorded of death from this cause in the raids on Britain. Nazis Warn Americans Germany is warning United States journalists against “ tendatious reports ” with a leaning toward Britain. One American correspondent incurred the wrath of the Nazis by a report that 90 per cent of the German bombs had fallen on non-mili-tary objective*.