This page contains items of a more curious nature...
Ear Plugs
While it is well-known that the British Government issued gas masks free of charge to every civilian, it is not widely known that ear plugs were also made available to everyone from September 1940. Intended to be carried in the gas mask box, one pair was to be issued freely, with replacement plugs costing 1d each:
The plugs consist of a hollow tapered rubber plug with a rim at one end to which a piece of string can be fastened. When worn, the plugs do not seriously interfere with the hearing of ordinary speech, etc., but they do reduce the crash and concussion of explosions. Their object is not so much to obviate physical damage to the ear as to prevent the shattering effect of noise on the nerves. [My emphasis] [1].
It may seem obvious as to why there was a need for ear plugs, but the motive is revealed by the final sentence of the quote above; not physical protection of the ear drum, but a reduction of the psychological morale-shattering effects of loud noise, such as were predicted by pre-war left-wing writers such as reknowned scientist J.B.S. Haldane and journalist John Langdon-Davies, both of whom had witnessed air raids in Spain. [2]
The ear plugs actually originated in an Army request for such protection following the disastrous campaign in France; the plugs were "designed to mitigate the effect of high pitched noises, such as genuine screaming bombs or the crack of a high velocity gun. One assumes that the Army had experience during the operations preceeding Dunkirk which forced them to the conclusion that something of this sort was necessary." [3]
What of the civilian ear plugs? From September 1940 they were made available to the public via Air Raid Wardens, although take-up was low, except in areas where door-to-door distribution took place. By 1942, having procured 45 million pairs, the shortage of rubber meant that surplus stocks of ear plugs were passed over to the Rubber Controller. [4] The Ministry of Home Security held back 5 million pairs in case the forces wanted them; whether they did or not is not recorded, but it would seem that the majority of ear plugs were reclaimed for other purposes.
The whole episode seems to have been a waste of time - one could say that attempts to encourage the public to accept them fell on deaf ears...
Air Raid Shelter Key
This key is for a public Surface Shelter, a long brick structure built entirely above ground intended for people caught in the streets in the daytime, and local residents at night.
The photo below shows a surface shelter at my old primary school. After the war, large gaps were knocked through the walls on one side, leaving pillars of brickwick to support the roof. The shelter was then used as a bike shed until it was demolished in 1995.
Air Raid Precautions Booklets
These booklets are unique, being written in English. While you may not think this to be strange, consider this; they were actually published in Germany!
The orange booklet was published in 1938 and contains extracts from the official British handbooks and memoranda on A.R.P., including passages on organisation, air defence, gas masks and air raid exercises reported in newspapers such as the Times.
The second booklet, published in 1942, contains the same sort of extracts from official sources, but (probably as a bit of propapganda) with the inclusion of pieces highlighting negative points and the downside of living in Britain. Examples include letters taken from newspapers and anthologies where people complain about such things as black-out danger, the hardships endured by A.R.P. workers, consciencious objectors and...Fifth Column goldfish.
The latter is a reference to a case in 1940 of a woman who was fined 10 shillings for violation of the black-out. Her excuse was that her childrens' pet goldfish had jumped out of the bath (where it was kept) and in her hurry to find it, she turned on the light without first closing her black-out curtains. The humerous (some might say ludicrous) write-up by the press was suitable for inclusion.
But what was the purpose of these booklets? Before you start thinking about spies and the training of secret agents, it was for no purpose more sinister than for language students to get a grasp of the sorts of language in everyday use!
Hitler "up to his neck in it"
Much fun was poked at Hitler during the war; he was, after all, the person most people blamed for the war.
There were many forms in which Hitler was mocked through caricature, film and song ("Colonel Bogey" immediately springs to mind).
This amusing (yet somewhat crude) "toy" beautifully sums up British attitudes towards Hitler.
Home-made in the form of a miniature toilet seat (11.5 x 7 cm) made of wood, this morale-booster has a hinged lid with the legend "UP TO HIS NECK IN IT." typed onto a label stuck on it.
Lifting the lid allows you to see what exactly Hitler is up to his neck in!
The picture is from a newspaper, but it is not clear what the 'matter' in which Herr Hitler finds himself is made from...
To lift the lid, move your mouse over the image!
References
- Home Security Circular No.241/1940. Ear Plugs. Filed in HO 186/963
- Haldane, J.B.S. A.R.P. 1938 London: Victor Gollancz
- HO 186/963
- Ibid.