Figure 1.--Not all the children were evacuated. Families in the suburbs had substantial back gardens, but even in the cities many families had small back gardens. (Back garden is the British term for backyard.) There were far fewer Brits living in large partment complexs lire the Germans. So many city families could set up Anderson shelters even with a very small back garden. They could accomodate 4-6 persons. Here we see two families setting up their Anderson shelter with th corrugated metal sheeting. They are piling earth on top--an important part of the process. Notice the boys' stuffed elephant sporting a gas mask. Little tiouches like that show how the parents were ebgaging the younger children at a very scary and dangerous time whuch they coukld not understrand.

The Government's assessment was that the great bulk of the population (87 percentg or more) of the population could effectively use the material provided to build secure areas in homes (under stairs etc or other strong points) or back garden family shelters. Others had to find what ever shelter was available. The Government estimasted that a mere 4 percent of the population would need to use the Underground stations. Air raid shelters were not built or prepared for the entire population. There were two types of bomb sheltetrs. The best known are public communal sheters. Different structures were used. Unlike Germany, the Bruitish did not build largev, puropose desined public shelters. But aange of exusting strutures were repiroosed. This large building cellars, underpasses, caves, old fortifications, and ultinmately subway tunnels. The British adapted London Underground stations as shelters. This was innitally ruled out, but with the Blitz the pubkic demanded that they the tube statiins be opened and flooded in to them. The British also built street communal shelters. The other type of shelters were home shelters. Many used cellers/basements. There were two purpose-built home shelters, Anderson and Morrison shelters. Gherse appeared just before the War as the danger of another grew. And were distributed in large numbers in London and other major cities targeted by the Germans.

Government Assessment

The Government's assessment was that the great bulk of the population (87 percentg or more) of the population could effectively use the material provided to build secure areas in homes (under stairs etc or other strong points) or back garden family shelters. Others had to find what ever shelter was available. The Government estimasted that a mere 4 percent of the population would need to use the Underground stations. Air raid shelters were not built or prepared for the entire population.

Shelter Types

After the fall of France (June 1940), there were two types of bomb sheltetrs employed to protect civilians. The best known are public communal sheters. Different structures were used. Unlike Germany, the Bruitish did not build large, puropose desined public shelters. But aange of exusting strutures were repiroosed. This large building cellars, underpasses, caves, old fortifications, and ultinmately subway tunnels. The British adapted London Underground stations as shelters. This was innitally ruled out, but with the Blitz the pubkic demanded that they the tube stations be opened and flooded in to them. The British also built street communal shelters. The other type of shelters were home shelters. Many used cellers/basements. There were two purpose-built home shelters, Anderson and Morrison shelters. Gherse appeared just before the War as the danger of another grew. And were distributed in large numbers in London and other major cities targeted by the Germans.

Created: 11:22 AM 4/25/2023
Last updated: 11:22 AM 4/25/2023