Wartime Wednesday: The British Home Front During WWII

Wartime Wednesday: 

Life on the British Home Front

Britain went to war on September 3, 1939, but the first six to eight months was referred to as the “Phoney War.” Not much happened, leading people to believe the conflict would be over quickly and painlessly. The government is said to have “muddled through” during that time. Then came the defeat at Dunkirk and the fall of France. British citizens realize their optimism had been misplaced, and they were in for a long, hard struggle.

Beginning in September 1940, England was bombed by the Luftwaffe relentlessly for nine months. Known as the Blitz (short for Blitzkrieg), the attacks killed 60,595 civilians and injured an additional 86,182. St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, and Parliament were just a few of the buildings that were hit. After the bombing of Buckingham Palace, the queen mother, Queen Elizabeth, remarked, “I’m glad we have been bombed. Now we can look the East End in the eye.”

Food rationing began in January 1940, and clothes in June 1941. According to more than a few sources, by 1943, almost every necessary household item was difficult to get, many unobtainable.

The war was also a time of great upheaval for children. Over one million were evacuated from towns

and cities during Operation Pied Piper. The idea was that they were safer in rural areas that had less chance of being bombed. I met a woman several years ago who had been evacuated from London as a young girl. She commented that she had a positive experience. The family treated her as one of their own, but she went on to say that her relationship with her biological family was never as close after the war. They’d been separated for five years.

Those children who did remain in the cities dealt with threats of gas attacks, bombings, rationing, and the disruption of school. Male teachers were called up leaving a void, and school buildings were damaged. Some schools moved to requisitioned country homes miles from the city, so children boarded keeping them away from their families for the duration.

Blackout restrictions were just that – restrictive – and penalties were harsh for those who broke the rules. Air Raid Precaution wardens patrolled the streets and were quick to point out if a light could be seen. Blackout curtains were heavy, unwieldy fabric and as the war progressed became unavailable, so blackout paper became a replacement. Vehicle headlights were fitted with covers to reduce the glare, making it difficult to drive. Numerous accidents were reported. Walking in the dark was also a dangerous proposition, so most folks stayed home at night if possible.

Rationing continued until 1954 – nine years after the war began!

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A Lesson in Love

He thinks he’s too old. She thinks she’s too young. Can these teachers learn that love defies all boundaries?

Born and raised in London, Isobel Turvine knows nothing about farming, but after most of the students in her school evacuate during Operation Pied Piper, she’s left with little to do. Then her friend Margery talks her into joining the Women’s Land Army, and she finds herself working the land at a manor home in Yorkshire that’s been converted to a boys’ school. A teacher at heart, she is drawn to the lads, but the handsome yet stiff-necked headmaster wants her to stick to farming.

Left with an arm that barely works from the last “war to end all wars,” Gavin Emerson agrees to take on the job of headmaster when his school moves from London to Yorkshire, but he’s saddled with the quirky manor owner, bickering among his teachers, and a gaggle of Land Army girls who have turned the grounds into a farm. When the group’s blue-eyed, raven-haired leader nearly runs him down in a car, he admonishes her to stay in the fields, but they are thrown together at every turn. Can he trust her not to break his heart?

Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3YHgUb0

Traveling Tuesday: Britian's Regions, Part 1

Traveling Tuesday: England’s Regions

Before the establishment of districts in the 1890s, the basic unit of local government in England was the parish, overseen by the parish church vestry committee that deal with both parochial and secular governmental matters (Wikipedia). The current system which was created through 1965 and 1972 legislation divides England into nine regions: South West, South East, Greater London, East of England, West Midlands, East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, North West, and North East, and forty-eight ceremonial counties. Please note that unlike US spelling of Southeast, Southwest, etc. Britain separates the two words.

Today we’ll take a brief journey to four of those regions:

Photo: Pixabay/Dr. Horst-Dieter Donat

South West: With a land area of 9,203 square miles, the South West region is the largest of the nine. It also has the longest coastline of any of the regions. It contains two national parks: Dartmoor and Exmoor and four World Heritage Site: Stonehenge (boasting more than 1.3 million annual visitors), the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape, the Jurassic Coast, and the City of Bath. Geographically diverse, the region is home to rocky coastlines, high moorlands, flat clay vales, and chalk and limestone downs (from the Celtic word “dun” meaning fort). Mostly rural and dotted with small villages and towns inhabited by fewer than 10,000 residents, the region boast six universities: University of Bristol, University of The West of England (UWE), University of Exeter, University of Plymouth, Plymouth Marjon University, University of Gloucestershire, and Falmouth University. The largest city is Bristol with an estimated population of 700,000. Actors Cary Grant and Michael Redgrave, writer Agatha Christie, and explorer/privateer Francis Drake are from the South West Region.

South East: With its close proximity to London, South East has the second largest economy (behind

Photo: Pixabay/Ad Vertentie

London), and the largest population with almost 9.4 million people as of 2022. Its coastline along the English Channel provides access to mainland Europe via ferry. There are large swaths of countryside within the region, and it is home to many well-known sites such as Blenheim Palace, Windsor Castle, Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral, and the White Cliffs of Dover. Several universities can be found within the region, the most famous being University of Oxford. The area played important roles during WWII being home to RAF Bomber Command and Bletchley Park. Writer H.G. Wells, actor Laurence Olivier, and ballet dancer Margot Fontaine are from the South East Region.

Photo: Pixabay/Pedro Alvarez

Greater London: Despite its relatively small area compared to the other regions (607 square miles), Greater London has a population of more than 8.8 million residents. The most definitive geographic feature is the River Thames, the second longest river in England at 215 miles. According to one site, London is divided into 74 Parliamentary constituencies, which are all small borough constituencies. They are formed from the combined area of several wards from one or more London Boroughs. Another site indicates that a January 2005 survey of London's ethnic and religious diversity claimed that there were more than 300 languages spoken and more than 50 non-indigenous communities with a population of more than 10,000. University of London, University College London, King’s College London, Imperial College, and Queen Mary University of London are just a few of the higher education institutions in the city. Filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, actors Michael Caine and Charlie Chaplin, and writer Charles Dickens are from London.

Photo: Pixabay/summer_kwak

East of England: The East of England region consists of the counties to the north and north-east of London. With a population of more than 6.6 million people, the region is home to several large cities such as Norwich, Colchester, and Cambridge. Twenty percent of the region is below sea level and contains extensive glacial deposits. The Fens is a large area of reclaimed marshland. East Anglia is one of the driest parts of the United Kingdom, with average annual rainfall ranging from 18 to 30 inches. Intriguingly, the winters are variable, sometimes cool, and other times quite cold with significant snowfall. The region is home to many historic monuments and sites including Hatfield House, Woburn Abbey, St. Alban’s Cathedral, and the colleges of Cambridge. WWI nurse Edith Cavell, economist John Maynard Keynes, and prime minister Margaret Thatcher are from the East of England region.

I hope you’ve enjoyed your virtual journey. Stop by next Tuesday to visit the remaining districts.

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A Lesson in Love (Strength of His Heart Anthology)

He thinks he’s too old. She thinks she’s too young. Can these teachers learn that love defies all boundaries?

Born and raised in London, Isobel Turvine knows nothing about farming, but after most of the students in her school evacuate during Operation Pied Piper, she’s left with little to do. Then her friend Margery talks her into joining the Women’s Land Army, and she finds herself working the land at a manor home in Yorkshire that’s been converted to a boys’ school. A teacher at heart, she is drawn to the lads, but the handsome yet stiff-necked headmaster wants her to stick to farming.

Left with an arm that barely works from the last “war to end all wars,” Gavin Emerson agrees to take on the job of headmaster when his school moves from London to Yorkshire, but he’s saddled with the quirky manor owner, bickering among his teachers, and a gaggle of Land Army girls who have turned the grounds into a farm. When the group’s blue-eyed, raven-haired leader nearly runs him down in a car, he admonishes her to stay in the fields, but they are thrown together at every turn. Can he trust her not to break his heart?

Purchase link: https://amzn.to/4iaKzBc

Wartime Wednesday: A WWII Christmas

Wartime Wednesday: Christmas during WWII

For America, World War II didn’t begin until after the attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. At that point, Britain had been at war for more than two years. In an effort to maintain some feelings of hope and festivities singing songs continued at home and on the radio as well as the performance of plays. The BBC broadcast a special Christmas program in 1939 during which King Georg VI gave a speech. The event was so popular with listeners, the speech became an annual event that continues to this day by the British monarchy. (Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBtix3-C1hQ)

A year later, Christmas of 1940 occurred during the Blitz, but the British carried on, adjusting to

shortages and restrictions. Substitutions were made for tradition meals, such as “mock goose” which consisted of sliced layers of potatoes, apples, and grated cheese. Toys were often handcrafted and made from recycled materials. What toys could be purchased often had war themes, such as puzzles of war scenes, wooden trucks, tanks, and planes, and the like. Cards were smaller and printed on lightweight paper. By 1941, the Ministry of Supply mandated that “no retailer shall provide any paper for the packing or wrapping of goods excepting food stuffs or articles which the shopkeeper has agreed to deliver.” Instead, newspaper was often used to wrap gifts.

Creativity was also necessary for decorations. Old paper was used to make garland, “frost” was added to holly, ivy, and mistletoe with a solution of Epsom salts. A 1942 article in Britannia and Eve suggested dropping dried peas that had been colored red with melted sealing onto ivy and adding a red ribbon. The same issue gave instructions on creating a “realistic barrage balloon” table display. Hmmm. Not sure about that one.

As the war progressed, many children spent Christmas away from home as evacuees as part of Operation Pied Piper. Families relocated as a result of bombings or to avoid them. Shipment of cards and packaged became an issue as many postal workers were in the armed services. Transportation of troops and war matériel had priority so there was less room for mail. Despite the difficulties, most of the British managed to “keep a stiff upper lip” and “keep calm and carry on.”

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War’s Unexpected Gift

Love and war don’t mix. Or do they?

Eager to do even more for the war effort, nurse Gwen Milford puts in for a transfer from a convalescent hospital outside of London to an evac hospital headed across Europe. Leap-frogging from one location to the next, nothing goes as expected from stolen supplies to overwhelming numbers of casualties. Then, there’s the handsome doctor who seems to be assigned to her every shift. As another Christmas approaches without the war’s end, can she find room in her heart for love?

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4jG2wl

Traveling Tuesday: Yorkshire

Traveling Tuesday: Yorkshire, England

War’s Unexpected Gift takes place during World War II on a fictional estate located in Yorkshire, England. In “real life” during the war the area was filled with air bases including those in Elvington, Pocklington, Driffield, and Linton-on-Ouse. In Clifton the airfield was requisition and became a major aircraft repair depot. Like other cities and towns in the United Kingdom and in the United States, the cities adapted by converting manufacturing plants to the production of war matériel. The cream department at York’s confectioner produced munitions, dried egg, and rye crisp crackers while the gum department manufactured fuses. Another company, F. Hills & Sons built propeller blades.

In anticipation of bombing raids, thousands of Anderson shelters were shipped in. According to one site Betty’s Café became a “haunt for foreign airmen stationed at the bases around York, and many etched their name in the café’s mirror.” 

Located in Northern England, the southwest region has always been somewhat densely populated and

includes the cities of Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford and Wakefield. The city of York from with the county gets its name is located near the center. Bordered by the North Sea on the East, the Yorkshire Dales in the Northwest, Pennines on the West, and Vale of York in the South, the county has diverse geography and topography. Yorkshire’s history goes back to ancient times, and as a result of invasions, wars, immigration, and famine, the ethnicities of its residents are also diverse.

One site touts the “eight astounding things that the county has given the world:”

• Yorkshire puddings
• Cricket legends
• Stainless Steel
• The Bronte Sisters
• The first commercial steam train
• Wensleydale cheese
• Marks & Spencer (a retailer)
• The first ever football club

A typical Yorkshire breakfast is said to consist of: grilled streaky bacon, black pudding, pork sausage, grilled tomato, flat mushroom, sourdough toast, baked beans, and free-range eggs. Sounds filling!

The original “industries” of coal mining, steel production, and textiles (primarily wool) declined toward the end of the 20th century with service organizations, and engineering and electronics companies taking their place. However, interspersed with these new structures is a wealth of historic architecture from parish churches and monasteries to castles.

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War's Unexpected Gift

Love and war don’t mix. Or do they?

Eager to do even more for the war effort, nurse Gwen Milford puts in for a transfer from a convalescent hospital outside of London to an evac hospital headed across Europe. Leap-frogging from one location to the next, nothing goes as expected from stolen supplies to overwhelming numbers of casualties. Then, there’s the handsome doctor who seems to be assigned to her every shift. As another Christmas approaches without the war’s end, can she find room in her heart for love?

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4jG2wl

Traveling Tuesday: Castle Howard

Traveling Tuesday: Castle Howard

Credit: Pixabay

I’m nearly finished with my Christmas story that will be included in The Strength of My Heart charity anthology later this year, and I had lots of fun researching the setting. “A Lesson in Love,” is set in the Yorkshire area of northern England, located about four-and-a-half hours from London and about an hour east of Leeds. The area is an intriguing mix of geography with coastline to the east and moors to the north. Its history stretches back well before the Roman conquest of Britain in 43 AD with tribal inhabitants known as the Brigantes and the Parisi. Additional heritage includes the Vikings as well as Norman castles, medieval abbeys, Tudor houses, and the 13th-Century cathedral York Minster.

Fast forward to World War II when the British government requisitioned country houses across the

United Kingdom for the war effort. Saying no wasn’t an option, and some members of the peerage offered their house for a particular use before the government could take it. These immense country manors were repurposed for military command centers, barracks, hospitals, storage for art collections, listening and monitoring centers, MI5 headquarters, evacuated schools, secret project facilities, and one location, Badminton House was used as a refuge for Queen Mary who, according to John Martin Robinson’s Requisitioned: The British Country House in the Second World War, “arrived with a vast retinue unannounced one day and stayed for the duration of the war.”

While searching for the “perfect” place, I reviewed photographs of dozens of stately homes that dot the English, Scottish, and Welsh countryside. I decided to remain in England and wanted something in the far reaches of the country, an area vastly different from the city of London where both of the main characters are from. I fell in love with Castle Howard, a sprawling Baroque home that is not a “fortified structure” as a true castle is, but rather a home built on the site of a former castle. Further research revealed a fascinating history and memorable family members from a “strong-willed character with Liberal and progressive views who disinherited her eldest son whom she disliked” to “a mad uncle who never lived in the house.” When I discovered that Castle Howard housed Queen Margaret’s School from Scarborough during World War II, I knew I had my setting.

WikiImages

Castle Howard has been the residence of the Carlisle branch of the Howard family for over 300 years. Construction began in 1699 and was completed in 1811 with the Long Gallery. Surrounded by more than 13,000 acres (the equivalent of twenty square miles!), the home is still a private residence. If you have seen either the 1981 television version or the 2008 cinematic version of “Brideshead Revisited,” you’ve seen this magnificent home. Castle Howard was also seen in the sixth episode of the first season of “Bridgerton.” To get a view of the entire property visit: https://www.castlehoward.co.uk/

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A Doctor in the House

They’re supposed to be allies, but mutual distrust puts this pair on opposite sides.

Emma O’Sullivan is one of the first female doctors to enlist after President Franklin Roosevelt signs the order allowing women in the Army and Navy medical corps. Within weeks, Emma is assigned to England to set up a convalescent hospital, and she leaves behind everything that is familiar. When the handsome widower of the requisitioned property claims she’s incompetent and tries to get her transferred, she must prove to her superiors she’s more than capable. But she’s soon drawn to the good-looking, grieving owner. Will she have to choose between her job and her heart?

Archibald “Archie” Heron is the last survivor of the Heron dynasty, his two older brothers having been lost at Dunkirk and Trondheim and his parents in the Blitz. After his wife is killed in a bombing raid while visiting Brighton, he begins to feel like a modern-day Job. To add insult to injury, the British government requisitions his country estate, Heron Hall, for the U.S. Army to use as a hospital. The last straw is when the hospital administrator turns out to be a fiery, ginger-haired American woman. She’s got to go. Or does she?

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bOJOXJ

Traveling Tuesday: England During WWII

Traveling Tuesday: England During WWII

Two days after Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, Britain declared war on the Nazis. A far flung empire that had direct or de facto political and economic control of twenty-five percent of the world’s population, the United Kingdom also held political ties to four semi-independent Dominions: Australia, Canada, South Africa, and New Zealand, as part of the Commonwealth. Did they believe their power would enable them to defeat the Germans in short order?

Unfortunately, victory would not come for another six years.

The first eight months of the war, often referred to as the “Phoney War,” was a time of great optimism (“the war should be over by Christmas”), yet great bureaucratic muddle (as one report called it). Very little in the way of “war” happened. Requirements such as evacuations and blackouts were unpopular with civilians.

Then, the defeat at Dunkirk was followed by the fall of France in June 1940. War was now a harsh reality. Neville Chamberlain’s government was outed and Winston Churchill replaced him. Firm and resolute, Churchill inspired the British people during their lonely stand against Hitler for the next eighteen months until the U.S. joined the conflict as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Britain endured the Blitz as well as further attacks from bombs and rockets throughout the war. Over sixty thousand people were killed and nearly ninety thousand seriously injured. Thousands of homes and buildings were damaged or destroyed. Civilians sought in their basements, the subway systems, or structures such as Anderson and Morrison shelters. Rationing of food began in January 1940 and clothes in June 1941. By 1943, nearly every household item was either in short supply or unobtainable. (An interesting note is that boys had to wait until age 12 before being allowed to wear long pants.)

Families were often separated because of evacuation and fathers and husbands going away to fight. Uncertainty and hardship defined each day. Women worked long hours in the defense industry or joined one of the many service organizations to do their bit. The Women’s Land Army planted, maintained, and harvested produce for the country that before the war had imported over half their food.

Despite their exhaustion and hunger, Britons emerged from the war justifiably proud of their role in gaining Allied Victory.

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All’s fair in love and war. Or so they say.

High school and college were a nightmare for Doris Strealer and being an adult isn’t much better. Men won’t date a woman of her height, and they don’t understand her desire to repair car engines rather than work as a nurse or a teacher. When her father’s garage closes, and no one will hire a female mechanic, she joins the Red Cross Motor Corps in England, finally feeling at home. Until she comes face to face with her past in the form of Ronald McCann, the most popular boy in school.

On the brink of a successful career as a surgeon, Ron’s plans crumble when he’s drafted and assigned to an evacuation hospital in England, the last place he expects to run into a former schoolmate. The gangly tomboy who was four years behind him in high school has transformed into a statuesque beauty, but a broken engagement in college leaves him with no desire to risk his heart ever again.

Will the hazards of war make or break this unlikely couple?

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3RNpjY