Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 09 September 1939
Wombwell Steady
Calm Reaction to Onset of War
First Raid Scare
Wombwell’s reaction to the first shock of war was consistent with the best bulldog tradition. The steadiness of the townspeople during the vital twenty-four hours between noon on Saturday and on Monday, brought words of high commendation from the Rector, Canon J. St. Leger Blakeney.
“I have been greatly Impressed.” he told a “Times” reporter, “by the cool composure of the people. It makes you feel proud to belong to the town.”
Canon Blakeney said he had absolutely no sign of fear or panic. On all aides there was grim determination to see the thing through and to crush domination for all time.
At the Parish Church Canon Blakeney read out slowly the fateful words of the 10 a.m, time-limit broadcast, and later the congregation joined in singing the National Anthem. The service was shortened so that members of the congregation who wished could listen to the Prime Minister’s broadcast. Many remained for Holy Communion.
Wardens’ Meeting.
For the purpose of tightening up Wombwell’s A.R.P. organisation a special meeting of wardens was held at King’s Road Schools on Sunday morning. Later the wardens distributed gas masks to a few people who for various reasons had not received them previously. Most of these were invalids, or were sick or away from home at the time of the general distribution. The first day of the war found the members of the Special Constabulary ready, fully equipped, and adequately protected. As it happened there was not long to wait for a practical test of the efficiency of our civil defence measures. Even sound sleepers had a subconscious idea that anything might happen during the night, and at the warning signals the majority rubbed their eyes and made a good-tempered exit into cover. Stories illustrating the good humour which fortifies the British character in time of crisis are being passed round in Wombwell. One relates to a family of seven living in Station Road well within hearing of the sirens. At 5-30 the Lord of this little Manor turned over in bed and remarked to his wife as he had “not slept a wink all night.” he thought he would have a quarter off. His sympathetic wife replied that no man could work if he hadn’t slept and he had better lie in a bit. It was not until later in the morning that this family of seven even heard that there had been an air raid scare!
A number of Wombwell people left for holidays at the seaside last weekend.
Copeland Road Comforts.
Not until this week have tenants from the congested areas fully appreciated the “modern comforts” of residence in the new Copeland Road area. At New Scarborough and Broomhill they had neither ‘EL” nor “H. and C.” on the sink. In Copeland Road they have all those—plus “A.R.T.’s”
The possibility that the air raid trenches behind Copeland Road might some day come in useful had not hitherto occurred to many. When the sirens sounded on Monday morning the majority of the tenants thought it might be as well to go and investigate. A pathetic story of a foster-mother’s anguish comes from a village not two miles from Wombwell. Having no children of her own, the woman had adopted an evacuee whose first night away from home was made more eventful by an exciting morning rush to an air raid shelter. Many people had patted the boy affectionately on the head and remarked what a bonny little chap he was. When the “All clear” was sounded the child was missing. Suspecting kidnappers, the woman rushed about in great distress crying for the little one. Nearly two hours elapsed before it was discovered that the child had been taken to another home.
One of the most disappointed men in Wombwell was a pensioner who, because of his age and infirmity had been allowed to sleep on. His annoyance was so great that he declined to eat his breakfast “I’d have given owt to see a bit o’t fate,” he muttered.
The order to take your gas mask whenever you leave home is being literally observed by most people. Even there were many who remarked, ‘Whoever thought it would come to that” when courting couples with gas masks could be seen in the lanes around Wombwell on Monday night. Children are the most sensible in this matter. Many adults appear to think that to carry a gas mask container in the street is beneath their dignity.
Strict About Masks.
One colliery company have taken a strict line as regards masks. On each man’s container has been stamped his lamp number. No one coming without gas mask is allowed to take out a lamp. Had Hitler realised the effect of the air raid warning in Wombwell there might have been no raid. The threat has brought about a remarkable acceleration in the number of volunteers for civil defence work. Between Saturday light and Tuesday morning no fewer than 76 new recruits had offered their services to Co-ordinating Officer, Mr. H. Ward.
The seventy-six comprised eleven for first aid posts, fourteen for first aid parties, ten ambulance drivers, one driver with car, eleven for rescue parties, seven for the report centre, seven messages and fifteen miscellaneous
Dangerous Lights.
It will take a little time to achieve a complete blackout. An air raid warden tells me that many people with completely darkened windows are in the habit of sitting complacently in doorways with the full blaze of gaslight signing. Most people cooperate very willingly and are anxious to have advice. Others, he says, need to he made an example of.
Old-fashioned cellars of the pre-war area coming into their own again and many residents of the new houses wish they had them. One householder in Wombwell whose cellar happens to be in the rock, has strengthened the roof with sleepers to obviate the risk of falling masonry, installed deck chairs, carpets, pictures, reading matter, a portable wireless set, a card table and electric light worked from an old car battery.
Forgotten Birthday.
A Wombwell family will remember the date of the outbreak of the Greater War because it happened to be little Audrey’s birthday! In the excitement the event was entirely overlooked, so Audrey suggested the party should be held next Sunday. Father has compromised by telling her she can have a bumper birthday party when the war is over.
Two wardens were giving the “take cover” warning in a Wombwell side street when a woman rushed to a door in her nightdress shouting, “What’s all this noise about? How do you expect a man to go to work when all this is happening.”
The first air raid alarm of the war found many people rushing in search of their gas masks. In nine cases out of ten it was mother who first heard the alarm. Is it that they have more sensitive ears than men, or was it a case of intuition?
The temporary ban on outdoor sports meetings has caused the proprietors to be faced with the problem as to what to do with the dogs. There is a suggestion that for the time being they be evacuated and farmed out on dog fans. A meeting of the directors of the Station Road track is to be called to discuss the situation.
Organiser’s Praise
“I would like to take this opportunity of expressing to you and all A.R.P. volunteers my deep appreciation of your fine first war showing of last night. From private reports I learn that your turn out was excellent. To all A.R.P. workers in Wombwell I send my sincere thanks.”
These were the terms in which Captain H. A. Peter Symons, MC., organiser in the Staincross area, expressed for the alacrity with which A.R.P. workers manned their posts in the early hours of Monday. The letter was addressed to Mr. H. Ward, Coordinating Officer and Local Organiser. In conversation with a reporter, Mr. Ward amplified the story.
“Jumping out of bed,” said Mr. Wad. “I thought I should be first at the report centre. When I got there I had been beaten by fourteen or fifteen others. The sirens were sounded at 3-26 a.m. We could easily have turned out squads of men and dealt with any casualties by four o’clock. They could not have been smarter had they known it was going to happen.” “One of my first jobs was to send a messenger to the decontamination and rescue depot to tell them to have the heavy clothing ready for the men to slip , on. Two minutes later the boy game back to say that the men were already dressed and awaiting instructions The ambulance parties and first aid services were all ready. It was a first-class full dress rehearsal and showed exactly what we could do—altogether a magnificent performance.”
Rich Sand Vein.
Already hundreds of tons of sand have been disposed of about Wombwell. The A.R.P. authorities have struck a rich vein at the Broomhill pumping station of the Dearne Valley Water Board where residue from the tanks has been dumped. Throughout the week workmen and volunteers have been loading this into lorries.
Heavy protective walls of sand have been constructed round eight first aid posts, six fire stations and other places where A.R.P. personnel are employed. Additional labour has been recruited I through the Employment Exchange.
Boy Scouts have rallied to the call. For some days Patrol Leaders M. Crawshaw, E. England and J. Fawcett have been acting as cycle messengers for the police, who speak highly of their services. While waiting for orders the I Scouts are bivouacked at St. Michael’s Club.
Miss D. Elliott, captain of Wombwell Rangers, has placed the services of the organisation at thy disposal of the A.R.P. officers. Most of the Rangers have been employed as messengers and have carried out many other duties.
The basement at the Station Road W.M.C., Wombwell, has been adapted as an A.R.P. depot. The building has been made both bomb and splinter proof.
Owing to the war emergency the formal re-opening of Wombwell’s new Technical Institute and additions to the Modern School has been cancelled. The opening was to have been performed by Aid. W. B. Cartwright, Chairman of the West Riding County Council, to-morrow (Saturday).