During Raids On London

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 3, 4 January 1941, Page 8 (Supplement)

During Raids On London

AN N.C.O. with the New Zealand troops in England tells in a letter his experience during air raids in London. He writes: "I have spent two nights in London within the past thi'ba weeks and to describe It, well words fail inc. Tins last ni-lit I was there (for the socon.l vine) 1 spent tlio evening in nil air raid shelter and what an experience, one I will never forget. Picture, nineteen consecutive nights of continuous iKiiiibui-rs (daytime also). The sirens sound af approximately S p.m. and the 'till clear at around u oVlnek next morniiiff. "I had ju*t linished dinner and, as the shows are all elided at night, started to go tor a walk when the air raid warning wj'iit. So down 1 went to an air raid shelter in ihe cellar of a building in the Si rand and J paw hundreds of men ii nd women of all ages, old, young, cripples and most pathetic of all, children lying mi the cmi'-rete floor of this cellar, the conditions filthy, air foul, limitary arrangements practically nil. Must of them have nerves badly run down, not through terror, but mostly through lack of t>leep. I was awake all night ami saw thiiijis that one could hardly think possible in the so-called civilised world w<j are supposed to bo living in. "You will remember the. tube stations, Kuston, King's Cross. Waterloo, etc., ■ well, every inch of the platforms are. ■ taken up by people, endeavouring to secure a safe place to sleep. Mrx?t of ; them ,20 down about •'! p.m. and take ; bedding with them. Husbands finish work and gu to the tube station to join their families. The damage to London

itself is bad, but the morale of the people is still marvellous, more especially the women folk. We are all getting restless at this inactivity and wieh old Jerry would have a go. ''Well, no more sob stuff. Personally I am 100 per cent, like England and also the people here. The experience lias been marvellous,, and 1 can fully realise how much the returned soldior of the last had in the way of memories, good pals, good times, good fun, good beer, good wuiwn, etc."