ENGLAND'S GLORY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23791, 19 October 1940, Page 13

ENGLAND'S GLORY

A DIGGER EXPLAINS

HEROISM OF CIVILIANS THE THREE ELDERLY LADIES "J suppose one is taking a risk of jotting a rap over the knuckles for writing to you. However, I must plead that the things 1 have witnessed since arriving in England justify nie in placing my ideas before you."—That is the opening paragraph of a letter sent by a sapper of the Australian Imperial Force in Britain to Sir .John Anderson, formerly Minister for Homo Security. I he rap over the knuckles did not eventuate; instead, the letter was treated as a simple but eloquent appreciation of the spirit of the British people.

"When ivc arrived at Liverpool," wrote the sapper, "we could not understand why everyone we met hold his or her right thumb pointed upwards, but we soon woke up to what iit meant. It was the civilian's way of saying 'tails up.' While we camped in Hampshire, we were inspected on parade by several highly placed officers and others. All sorts of nice things were said, and of course we liked it. But what of these wonderful civilians? Who inspects them? Who tells them just how their courage and example are appreciated, and what do Australia, Canada and South Africa really know of th£ heroic behaviour of the British civilians?

"That's Jerry Over Again" "The first night we werec billeted in Hampshire. Jerry came over the town. 1 was in France during the Itfst war, and don't mind admitting that I wanted to duck for cover, but the civilians just said, 'There's Jerry.' "We were in a little pub and-there they sat, just talking and drinking in the parlour. A number of people carried on a bit of a song. "I went out into the street. People were standing at their front doors, others at windows, trying to spot the Him aeroplanes. I asked one group of women. 'Don't you feel a bit afraid? Why not go to shelters?' They said, 'Afraid of they blighters? We would rather be up there having a go at they.'

"On another night 1 was in bed when a man with whom 1 was billeted called out. 'Are you awake Jack?' I answered. 'Yes. that's Jerry over again.'

"His wife crdled out. 'Age, that's Jerry.' I said, 'Well, what do we do now? Go to the cellar?' "The woman said. 'Not me. I don't leave niv bed for no German.' "During my leave I was in London during two raids. The behaviour of the people was marvellous. The Australian troops are amazed at the way the civilians stick it out.

"Some of the boys left London before their leave was up. They said. 'lt's too hot for lis.' They all brought back tales from all parts of England. At the Railway Station

"I have hundreds of little stories of civilian bravery. 1 spent my leave at Bridgewater. and left London during a morning raid. At Bath, sirens sounded a warning. Railway officers "patrolled the station, calling out, 'Air said on, anyone wishing to leave the train may do so and take shelter, but the train goes on.' Not one person left the train, and the people on the platform just talked on as if nothing were happening. "The train pulled out, stopped some minutes on the bridge, and all the time the passengers in my compartment were highly amused listening to some working men who were highly indignant because the siren had upset a shopgirl. and she had given them a bag of tomatoes when they had ordered plums. "On the Saturday night, bombs were dropped on Bridgewater, and the brickyard caught fire. 1 arrived at the scene to find hundreds of people watching the blaze. All the time the Hun aeroplanes could be heard above. Other bombs were dropped, and a number of people killed. "On the Sunday night, 1 was with friends—three ladies who had left London. Jerry came over again, and we could hear his engines droning quite plain. One of the ladies was 81 years of age. The other two were not young. We were listening to the radio. Suddenly the strains of 'God Save the King' came from the radio. Dike a flash, those three women were on their feet, and there they stood to attention like three soldiers. 1 followed their example rather sheepishly. But as I stood in that room watching those three English women standing so still and bravely honouring their King while iip in the heavens lurked sudden, awful death. to feel that some strange jxiwcr was in that room. Let all the World Know "I'm not a scholar. Just a plain Australian working man, yet I seemed to see in those three the great spirit of England. It seemed to me as if something great and strong and holy was in the room, something that Hitler's hordes cannot have and cannot break. It. was the spirit of England: "I.ct the world know these things, but lot the Canadians toll Canada, the Aussies tell Australia, and so on. and let the same men tell the people of England just what vwe think of them in this struggle. Tell them now."