Figure 1.--This British boy, with his gas mask, and his little sister, are checking out their new Anderson shelter, probably during summer 1940. The photograph is taken from the inside of the shelter. An Anderson shelter was dug into the ground. The dirt dug out was used as part of the top of the shelter. A family was safe in an Anderson shelter except from a direct bomb hit or a city fire storm.

The British Government had made extensive preparations for an air war and German bombardment. These did not include the construction of reinforced underground shelters for London and other cities. Nor did the Government preceive the potential use of the Underground (London subway Tube) stations. 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. The most common of the back garden shelters were Anderson shelters. The Government made materials available at low cost to build Anderson shelters in back gardens (backyards). 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. When the Germans started bombing London, many left their homes in the evening and and took shelter in warehouse basements or substantial buildings like churches. Others sought shelter in the Tube Underground stations. The Government at first discouraged this. But even strong buildings and Anderson shelters could not withstand a direct hit. Thus people sought security in the Tube stations. People in the stations had no beds and very primitive conditions with no privacy and poor sanitation facilities. The Tube stations, however, provided a level of security not offerd by home strong points, Anderson shelters, or unreinforced buildings. Each night underground stations played host to thousands of families in London grateful for the protection they afforded. The Government and the individuals involved began preparing the stations for the long nightly ordeals. Makeshift beds were set up.

Pre-War Planning

After Worls War, the fear of aerial bombung grew. This was especially after the rise of gthe totalitarian powers, most notably after Hitler seized control of Germany and the fear of another War began. Thus was especially true of Britain because the Germans had bomnbed British cities during World War I. German ciities were not bombed to any extent. Britain as a result gave considerable attention to air defence. The British Government had made extensive preparations for an air war and German bombardment. Here RAF Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding played a prominent role leading to the Chain Home Network that played sych a pivotal role in the Battle of Britain. And in the nickof tiome, fighter aircraft. The Government, however, did not give significant attention to air raid shelters. These did not include the construction of reinforced underground shelters for London and other cities. Nor did the Government preceive the potential use of the Underground (London subway Tube) stations.

Shelter Alternatives

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 Germabny, 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.

Personal Accounts

Many British people remenmber their childg=hood experiences of the Blitz with great clarity. One woman writes, "At dusk, Mummy secured the blackout curtains before putting on the lights. "After the war, it will be brightly lit outside," she told me. "And we'll eat sundaes. And the King under circumstances, i think we might want to leave cap K-jh will let Daddy come home." It didn't mean much to me. I scarcely remembered my father, who was serving in the Royal Air Force in India. My little world was war-torn London. At night, I clambered into bed in my cozy playhouse in the living room-the Morrison Shelter. This was a heavy metal cage with wire mesh sides, pushed against a wall and draped with a thick cloth to disguise it as a table. Later, my mother might join me there, but if the sirens were warning of an imminent raid, she snatched me out of its snug interior and carried me swaddled in a blanket to the underground shelter in front of our house. It must have been terrifying for my mother, but she never let me see her fear. We hurried into the shelter, along with other women, children and old men. Men and boys slept on one side of a partition, women and girls on the other. Our beds were narrow, double-decker bunks of canvas stretched over a frame. My mother and I slept head to head, her hand protectively reaching up to hold mine. Sometimes we heard bombs fall nearby-a whining sound, eerie silence, then an explosion. Once we went home to find all our windows shattered, the bathtub full of jagged shards. Some time later, the all-clear would sound and, depending on how much of the night was left, we returned to our own beds or stayed in the shelter until daylight. It had a distinctive, musty underground smell. Now, more than 60 years later, when occasionally I go into a damp basement, a whiff of that same smell evokes memories and, once again, I am a little girl, back in the air raid shelter." [Roessner]

Sources

Roessner, Jill. "In and out of air raid The Washington Post (May 28, 2004), p. W11.

Created: 1:47 AM 7/7/2010
Last updated: 6:37 PM 6/28/2013