LIFE IN LONDON

Evening Star, Issue 25225, 12 July 1944, Page 4

LIFE IN LONDON

. THE FLYING BOMB BLITZ NEW SHELTERS APPRECIATED CHILDREN EVACUATED TO SAFE AREAS. fN.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.) (ißec. 10 a.m.) LONDON, July 11. f This morning at otio of London's main line railway stations three large red double-decker buses drew up at the entrance, and from them pattered to tho pavement a small crowd of young, excited children. It Was a sign of the times, for they were all being evacuated from London (which for threo weeks has been known as " Southern England"), and away from tho menace of flving bombs. Already nearly 60,000 youngsters have left the citv for many parts of the Midlands and "Wales. They have gone to Leicester, Blackpool, Huddersfield, Blackburn, Aberystwyth, and many other places, repeating the scenes winch were so common nearly five years ago. This exodus from London has been going on for a fortnight, and many adults have also taken Mr Churchill s suggestion that if they had no important business to keep them in the south thes " ■would be well advised to go, until today in certain parts of the city you can see whole blocks of flats vacant where only a few weeks ago it was impossible to book even a room.' STREETS STILL FULL.

The trains northwards have been packed as they 'steamed out, leaving behind the moaning sirens. On some days the sirens have sounded several times, yet the London streets still seem as full as ever. Life outwardly continues the same. It would be absurd to suggest that these flying bombs have not caused a strain in the daily round, but it is interesting to observe the way people adjusted themselves to the new conditions. They have _ now become almost accustomed to daily attacks and interruptions in their normal routine. BACK TO THE SHELTERS. At night there has been an almost general return in certain parts of the city to sleeping in shelters, and the opening of deep shelters has been an innovation. Admission is by ticket, a,nd the typical reaction of one house■wife was: " It's lovely. It took only threo minutes to get down the stairs. They have got beds lining a long tunnel. It is all white and clean, and there ar© two great canteens. There is a washing place with hot and cold water, and a warden said he. would call us in the morning." It is reported that inany people who never had been in a shelter before are now using them to ensure a good night's sleep. Some come from Government department, some are titled, others are members of the Diplomatic Corps Tube stations are also being used again as in the days of the blitz, and everyone is prepared to ca*ry on until in -good time the Allied armies capture the territory from which the' bombs are being fired. This new kind of attack, while not affecting tho war effort, is. of course, causing reorganisation. The evacuation of many thousands naturally requires redistribution of food, while places' of entertainment have felt the draught, and some theatres are closing down and companies touring the provinces. Some days' the strain is greater than others, but since heavy bombers plastered the bomb bases and depots thero seem to have been fewer warnings this week , than last. > Mr. Churchill's frank speech last week undoubtedly had a good effect, and killed many fantastic rumours,' while bracing tho people to carry on. PEOPLE FRIENDLIER. - It is noticeable that, just as in the blitz, people generally, instead of becoming 'irritable under the attacks, have become friendlier, less reserved and niore helpful than they might ordinarily be, though this feeling naturally does not extend to the Germans, and there have been many comments of a "I told you so " flavour directed at those who deprecated animosity to the Germans. One incident -which caused some amusement is a report that after a bomb fell near a prison camp where there were a number of German officers they asked for immediate removal from the area.