The Phoney War

 

The Phoney War

The Phoney War was an eight-month period at the start of World War II, during which there was only one limited military land operation on the Western Front,

Having failed to prevent the defeat of Poland in September 1939, Britain and France were faced with the prospect of a long and costly war with Germany. The rapid defeat of Poland was followed by a period of inaction and stalemate in western Europe.

On the home front, Britain braced itself for an all-out German air attack and its civil defence plans were immediately put into effect. Air raid precautions were rigorously imposed, but although the much-feared danger of aerial attack did not immediately materialise, people still had to abide by a host of government restrictions. Conscription, food rationing and the use of public transport for military purposes combined to make the 'Phoney War' a time of discomfort and anti-climax in Britain.

By September 1939 some 38 million gas masks had been given out, house to house, to families. They were never to be needed. ... Everyone in Britain was given a gas mask in a cardboard box, to protect them from gas bombs, which could be dropped during air raids.Add caption

 The Phoney War

The Phoney War was an eight-month period at the start of World War II, during which there was only one limited military land operation on the Western Front,

Having failed to prevent the defeat of Poland in September 1939, Britain and France were faced with the prospect of a long and costly war with Germany. The rapid defeat of Poland was followed by a period of inaction and stalemate in western Europe.

On the home front, Britain braced itself for an all-out German air attack and its civil defence plans were immediately put into effect. Air raid precautions were rigorously imposed, but although the much-feared danger of aerial attack did not immediately materialise, people still had to abide by a host of government restrictions. Conscription, food rationing and the use of public transport for military purposes combined to make the 'Phoney War' a time of discomfort and anti-climax in Britain.

By September 1939 some 38 million gas masks had been given out, house to house, to families. They were never to be needed. ... Everyone in Britain was given a gas mask in a cardboard box, to protect them from gas bombs, which could be dropped during air raids.

1939 ..From the Coal Mines

 1939 From the Coal Mines

Photo of Blackwell A Winning and extracts from healeyhero.co.uk

Many Miners Enlisted

In the first few months of the War with Germany the manpower would begin to fall as many miners enlisted in the forces. It was the younger men that left and the average age of miners increased dramatically and in doing so the national output per manshift decreased and Sunday working was encouraged at some pits albeit that there were no overtime rates at the time, just a normal day's pay.

Cost of Living Formula

From 1st November 1939 under a Cost of Living formula there was 8d (3⅓p) a shift cost of living rise granted for those aged 18 and over. For those under 18 it was 4d (1⅔p) a shift. Average wage in 1938 was £3 0s 10d (£3.04) a week or 12s 4d (61½p) per shift.

Evacuees

 Do you know of any evacuee children in Blackwell in 1939? Did anyone keep in touch with them?

Here is a story copied from the BBC WW2 People’s War telling of children evacuated to Stonebroom and Shirland.

'WW2 People's War is an online archive of wartime memories contributed by members of the public and gathered by the BBC. The archive can be found at bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar

'

At the start of the war, children were evacuated from the large cities.

George H Johnston (GHJ) was then teaching at Nun Street school, Derby, and GHJ and these children were evacuated to villages (Shirland, Stonebroom) north of Alfreton. ((This was a big change for these poor deprived children, many of whom had not previously left Derby. After they returned to Derby the children came in voluntarily for 30 mins to be given work, and have their work looked at, and then they went away. This went on until July 1940. When GHJ went into the army in Sept 1940 they had still not got round to having classes in the school by then. They did eventually, but even then only a limited number of children were allowed to be together at any one time, and were consequently scattered through a number of different buildings. There were no air-raid shelters at the schools - it was not possible.))

The evacuation of the children from Nun St school to Stonebroom took place the day before the WW2 started: this was a Saturday. GHJ was told about it on Friday. War was declared on Sunday. It was not very well organised - there was a bus convoy with three groups going to different places. Mavis Richards (who worked in the Welfare Office in Derby, and GHJ later married) was with a group of Mothers and babies. The result of the disorganisation was that the 48 hours supply of initial food was all on one bus. GHJ and others had to take a Council dust cart round to take the food to each house. GHJ then lodged with the local headmaster. He was there on and off until July 1940: the numbers of pupils and masters evacuated became less as time went on: parents wanted their children at home. GHJ and two unmarried mistresses stayed there until the Christmas. September and October 1939 were very dry - as they were not supposed to be in buildings there were nature rambles every day.

(As reported by GHJ to his son, 1990)

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Eric Plume of Blackwell

 We are grateful for the following contribution to these pages from Sandra Plume Bennett regarding her father Eric's history:

"Here are a few pics of my dad, Eric Plume, together with his military records, medals, a brooch (and picture) of HMS Chevron, one of the many ships he served on, and his Burma Star tie. One pic of him and his brother David, being introduced to Princess Ann when they were members of the Sutton in Ashfield Naval Association. Further info, Dad was born in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk on 27 Dec 1922, died 15 Nov 1987. His parents were David Plume of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk and his mother Edith Hill of Primrose Hill, Blackwell. Dad married my mum, Doreen May Wright of Westhouses in 1951, mum died in March 2009. Both lived in Blackwell for many years until their passing. "

We hope to display all the photos at some future date in a community exhibition.