The Kent History Forum

Military History => Civil Defences => Topic started by: castle261 on November 06, 2019, 09:10:23 AM

Title: Chatham during an Air Raid.
Post by: castle261 on November 06, 2019, 09:10:23 AM
Picture Chatham, during the night -- 1941/42


People asleep in their beds, when the siren goes off ( some sleep in their Anderson shelters )
People rushing about, waking children, picking up warm clothes and blankets, others getting
into their uniforms, ready to go to their fire stations, ARP posts, nurses, doctors, on call for
their hospitals. The Heinkels and Dornier bombers, are coming. The A.A. gunners and girls make
ready. The barrage balloon RAF people, at Cobham release their balloons into the dark sky.
Soon the sky will be lit up. as the searchlight people, switch on and train their searchlights into
the sky. Now the bombers are over head,  the seachlight`s pick one up, then the guns start up.
The noise is tremendous, as one after the other guns fire. The ships guns, in the dockyard, join in,
the aircraft tries to weave its way out of trouble, soon other searchlights home in on the bomber Flames appear as he dives to avoid them. The other bombers pass over on their way to London.
A lull as the searchlights still prod the sky, then the all clear sounds, people give a sign of releaf.
The garden shelters are very  damp, so all the bedding will need drying out during the day.
People start to resuming their normal duties, like going to work, until the next night !

       Some people had Morrison shelters in their living room, garden not suitable for Anderson.