Intellectually it seemed worthwhile to try Communism. At the same time, however, the new Fascist ideas of Hitler in German and Mussolini in Italy were gaining ground. If one put aside the violent events that accompanied these political changes, the ideas and manifestos themselves were attractive and seemed to merit study and attention. (p. 73)

The use of chemical gases had helped bring an end to the last war, and it was expected that the next one would start with the use of poison gases. There was an absolute obsession with the use and issuing of gas masks and how to use them. (p. 78)

It is well known that Britain was totallu unprepared for war. This was due partly to the prevailing attitude of the population in the early 1930s that they wanted no more war and that peace must prevail. (p.78)

The government preceeded immediately with its plan to evacuate the children from the big cities. These plans had been made for some time, and newspapers were suddenly full of pictures of children, clutching their gas masks, packets of sandwiches, and small cases with all their belongings, and setting off by trains and buses to various parts of the country that were considered to be safe and out of reach of the coming bombing raids. Families in country areas had long been registered to receive "evacuees" as they were called. The chidlren were naturally frightened, homesick, and bewildered by the new life into which they had been suddenly thrust.(p. 80)

The total population of Britain, willingly or unwillingly, gave up every inch of personal freedom and rights. This they did because they believed that it was essential to win the War. (p. 81)

As the War progressed and it became obvious that gas was not going to be used, most people took their gas masks out of their little cardboard containers and replaced them with lunch, cosmetics, books, money, etc. But one still carried the case. (p. 82)

Large numbers of the civilian population were appointed as wardens to enforce these regulations and to act as extra police, etc. Some of these leaders were paid a small amount for their service, but the vast majority of wardens were volunteers. They had to be obeyed. (p. 83)

The street lights were not lit during the early War years, car owners had to dim their headlights to a slit, and the whole population tumbled about in complete darkness. Some wardens were so paranoid as to not allow anyone to smoke a cigarette out of doors in the belief that a passing bomber pilot would see it. All street and road signs giving direction were removed. Considering the fact that approximately half the population was on the move for one reason or another, this caused incredible confusion. The theory was that spies would not know where they were and would have to ask for direction. The people were told, "If someone asks you for directions to the nearest aerodrome or city or factory, direct them to the nearest police station. They are probably spies." (pp. 82-3)

One of the first things the government did was to evacuate the southern and eastern coasts of Britain. These coastlines were turned into fortresses and lined with troops. The authorities had the power to commandeer anyone's property for War purposes, and while compensation was paid, it did not usually cover the costs. (p. 83)

People were advised to stock their [air-raid] shelters with food, bedding, etc., and were ordered to take to them at the first sound of the sirens. Most people did this for the first few times; then a large number of people became blase and preferred to take their chances in the comfort of their own homes. The blitz on London led to a second evacuation of large numbers of children into the countryside. (p. 85)

In the country areas, every able-bodied man over the age of 18 and under 70 years who was not already in the Armed Forces was conscripted into an organization, known as the Local Defence Volunteers, but later simply as the Home Guard. They were organized on a very local basis. Each village operated seperately, with its own commanders, officers, and men, although they might loosely be attached to a district command. Each local group had to plan its own defence, should the expected parachuted German troops arrive. (pp. 86-7) [My mother recalled seeing villagers kill a downed German pilot with pitchforks. This did not sit well with her, and she appeared to be very anti-British at times.]

A road ran across these flat fields, and the Home Guard regularly felled large trees across this road in order to deter possible German tanks from travelling it. This frustrated the normal population immensely as they could not drive nor cycle past these obstacles. Tanks, of course, would have just circumnavigated them and take to the fields. But it was all good fun, and marvelous for esprit de corps, and certainly took their minds off the more gloomy aspects of War. (p. 88)

As the War continued, government took more and more control of the products of labour. Everyone who was able-bodied was liable to some form of direction of labour or direct conscription, including women, although women with children and many married women were exempt. (p. 88)

The depredations of the submarine "wolf packs" led to the most stringent rationing of supplies that one can imagine. At its worst, the average person in Britain was rationed to four ounces of bacon weekly, four ounces of butter, twelve ounces of sugar, and eaight ounces of meat (whatever meat was available, and at times this was whalemeat). Bread was rationed, flour, milk, eggs (at one time one egg per peson per week), tea, and dried fruit (which was almost non-existant anyway). (p. 89) [The story was told often in our home that the best way to obtain a large number of eggs was simply to grab hold of a crate from a nearby truck and walk off as if you were entitled to do so. I am positive my father must have done this at least once.]

Not only was food rationed, but so was almost everything else. Naturally petrol was at a premium. It had to be imported, so the use of private cars, except for government or official business, or in dire emergency, was almost non-existant. (p. 91)

People in uniform had their clothing supplied, so they were not given any [ration] coupons. But the rest of the population had a number of coupons in books issued every six months. The number of coupons was very meagre indeed, and did not allow for much clothing to be purchased. For a whole year one could probably buy one dress, one blouse and skirt, a couple of underthings, a couple of pairs of stockings, and a handkerchief. A winter coat would probably take the whole year's supply of coupons. Make do and mend became the order of the day, and it was even fashionable to look shabby. There was a sizeable black maret in clothing coupons. Anyone handy with a needle could make a good living. (pp. 91-2) [This philosophy stood us in good stead the rest of our lives. It wasn't long before we were living under poverty conditions in the United States caused by my father's gambling and drinking debts. My mother was constantly sewing, knitting, and remodeling her clothes to make them last longer. My clothes, on the other hand, were always new and plentiful.]

The American troops imported their own steaks, tinned foods, nylon stockings (a wartime novelty), and so they were extremely popular with the war-starved local population. It was a wonderful treat to be invited to an American camp and fed steak and tinned peaches, or given a pair of nylons. Many a young woman fell for these blandishments. . . Interestly enough, in spite of all these deprivations, the people emerged from the War in better physical shape than they had ever been. They had learned, willy-nilly, to eat sensibly, and they were all the better for it. The babies born during the war were the healthiest and biggest that had ever been, and very surprisingly, the incidence of mental health disease dropped dramatically. (p. 93) [I was just short of 10 pounds at birth.]

Life was so uncertain. It seemed my love life was a succession of beginning friendships, which, with the right opportunity, might have flowered. But there were no opportunities so they were cut off in the bud. One would meet someone for a few times, and then his friends would call and say he had been posted, or a letter would arrive from the other side of the world. One's only hope of seeing him again might be at the end of the War, and that seemed a long way away. Many of the men never came back. And if they were from another country, they would return directly home and not come back to England. We were all looking for security, but there was no security, we were all looking for romance and love, but there was no time for that either. I was not unique in being able to list in my mind half a dozen friends with whom I might have had a serious relationship, but who were subsequently killed, or went back to others after at was all over. (pp. 127-8)