LIFE IN ENGLAND

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 265, 8 October 1940, Page 8

LIFE IN ENGLAND

EXPERIENCE IN RAIDS. SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE. Miss Lorna McAffer, daughter of Mr and Mrs Neil McAffer,. of Cuba Street, who has returned home after spending a .year and a half in England studying dancing yesterday described her experiences to a “Manawatu Standard” representative. Miss McAffer spent six months in London before the war, studying at various schools and from there made an excursion to Bristol, where she passed an examination in ballet, going on to spend two weeks in Wales, at Swansea and Cardiff. These big industrial areas have since been bombed by the Nazis. Miss McAffer spent a month in Scotland and also vjsjtod the south-east coast towns 6uch as Eastbourne and Hastings where few people are now living. She saw all the grim preparations for war, with shelters being constructed and buildings and monuments being protected by sandbags, and it seemed very dreadful at first, but everyone soon got used to them. The first air raid warnings were false alarms, but when the real raids started they eajxici night jitter night and sometimes three times a night. At Croydon people were caught unawares in the streets and some were killed, as well as houses being destfoyed. Miss McAffer had a narrow escape while in a cinema one day, when a bomb dropped 50 yards away. In Portsmouth a cinema was destroyed by a direct hit. Some part of every day. after the raids began, was spent in the shelters, many people having them built in their gardens and supplied with every comfort. They had the means for making tea, and thermos flasks of boiling water were always kept ready. Later, many people slept in shelters to avoid disturbance. They grew to regard, the raids as a matter of course and when the warnings sounded remarked “There’s that thing going again,” picked up their thermos flasks and walked off to the shelter.

■ Miss McAffer for a time lived in Essex, and every day the warnings sounded at 12.30 anil every night at 9.30. Fortunately the shelter was conveniently placed inside the house. Frequently there were raids by single ’planes which were ns irritating as buzzing flies, Miss McAffcr said. On the Saturday before leaving England she watched a light over the North Weald aerodrome. It was several miles away* and the German planes were high in the sky, but she could see the Spitfires darting in amongst them and breaking up the formation. Several German planes were brought down and little damage was do.no. This aiea did not suffer much from bombs, several incendiaries failing harmlessly in gardens. German sin-gle-engined planes had u distinctive sound of their own which was easily recognised. Everything continued as usual and the spirit of the people was wonderful. Gas masks were left at home for a period, but after the capitulation of Belgium they were carried continuously.

DANCING AND DANCERS

For over a year Miss McAffer studied ballet with Phyllis Bedells,/ moving with her school to Cornwall tor the winter. They, stayed at picturesque Stives, and Miss McAffer frequently wont to Penzance to take (.’barge of children’s classes. Back in London she went to Madame Judith Espinosa, sister of the famous master Espinosa, tor ballet; the Zelia Reay School for tap, limbering, musical comedy and stago dancing; Mrs Ripman, for Greek dancing; Madame Brunelleschi, for Spanish and character dancing; Ceccbotti, for ballet; and Molly Radcliffe tor character work- She passed all her Royal, Academy ballet, Greek dancing and stage branch examinations. This, as may be guessed, involved strenuous work, and Miss McAffer left borne every morning at 9 o’clock and did not return before 8 p.m. She also taught several little girls and was one of the ballet in a performance of “Faust” at t'he Royal Albert Hall in aid of Red Cross, funds, the famous Markova being the soloist. Miss McAffer also attended all the theatres and shows she could manage, especially the ballot at Sadler’s Wells. Here she met Robert Helpman and Margot Fontaine and many other members of the ballet. It was from this theatre that the ballet company which was stranded in Holland at the time of the invasion had gone, and they had lost all their possessions. Ballet had become immensely popular in England and was performed on alternate nights wuth opera at Sadler’s Wells. The season was constantly being extended and new ballets, such as those of Ninette de Valois and Frederick Ashton, were thriving. Miss McAffer had seen the vonng Wellington dancer Bebe dc Roland and considered her technically perfect. She bad made a name for herself in England and, young as she was, had led several well-known ballots. 'Phe standard of dancing in New Zealand compared very well with English dancing, EVENTFUL JOURNEY.

Miss McAiTer returned to New Zealand on the ship which brought children from Britain and which arrived in Wellington on Friday. r j. * night before they left Liverpool, sue said, there were three raids, so tlrat everyone was very tired when they went on board. As the ship left there ivas another raid and the anti-aircraft guns could be heard. While the ship was in convoy another vessel taking children to Canada, which led the convoy, was torpedoed and had to be towed back. Fortunately all the children were saved, but two cargo boats were torpedoed and sunk and also a Greek steamer which was following the convoy. The ships were, of course, completely blacked out and all that could he seen wore black shapes looming up on either side, but the vessels that were struck immediately lit up. There had been plenty of boat-drill and everyone had a lifebelt and a bag of clothes ready. They were all called up into the lounge and spent the night there. Miss McAffer remarked on the wonderful behaviour of the children. They were generally kept apart irotn the other passengers and gave no trouble, and on this occasion they simply went to sleep on the floor. There was no panic anywhere; the behaviour was excellent. The ship immediately put on speed and proceeded to aig-sjag, soon leaving the convoyTho Atlantic weather was very cold and the sea rough, and many people were seasick. In the tropics everyone felt relieved and the lights were on tor one night. The portholes had to be closed at night and the ship was very hot and uncomfortable. The children however, had a wonderful time, a number of Americans taking charge of them and doing all they could to give them pleasure. At one stage during the journey the children gave a concert for the other passengers Everyone was very bright and thankful to reach New Zealand, said Miss McAffer. She herself felt that she had made good use of her time in England and she was very glad to be back.