Aug. 16
It is reported of a former Shanghai sident who was in Britain during the last war, when Germany started air-raids over' her' town on the 'Thames' estuary, she would invite neighbours into her collar and sing to them amidst the noise of exploding bombs. She had the piano moved down the purpose, The incident is recalled att reading the latest newspapers from ome reporting the commencement of mass raids by the enemy towards the end of June. Exactly the same spirit is being shown by the people now. In the "are: visited by the enemy bombers, at the sound of the alarm, men, women and children rose from their beds, dressed quickly, and went in order to the nearest shelter. There they remained quietly until danger was passed, and it is entirely due to the discipline which prevailed that casualties were not very much larger than they were, In the shelters ace commodating large numbers of people many devices were employed to while the time away, in one instance a performer from an adjacent cabaret entertained those present with a series of card tricks. There is something to be admired in a man, who in such a time could think of taking a pack of cards with him to amuse the others—the courage of selflessness. In one of the Anderson shel~ ters, originally received.with much scepticism'as to their efficiency, people tool refuge and found themselves protected from the effects of a bomb which made a large crater ten yards away.
In most cases the casualties occurred eithge before those involved could reach shelter, of on leaving that protection earlier than they should. One or two lost their lives because they could not control their curiosity and stood out in the open to see what was going on; that was asking for trouble considering the enormous amount of metal which is thrown into the air against the raiders, On the -whole, however, the experience of the last two weeks of June clearly demonstrated that, if people obeyed the very carefully drawn up instructions with which they have been supplied, the danger from the enemy bombing is: reduced to a minimum. The reaction of various people interviewed by the home papers is also of importance. One young woman after, her first experience determined that come what may she would al~ ways include a book in her air-raid equipment to while away the boredom of the time in the shelter. She also found the seat she had somewhat hard, and has decided that a cushion would in the future not be out of place. Another felt that after all a nice cup of tea would be about the best thing wi which to face danger, and the occupants of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.