Shropshire Routes to Roots

1c. Children in wartime: Why did the lights go out at night?

As soon as war came there was to be a blackout during hours of darkness.

Lights on the ground could help identify a target. So people tried to make it as difficult as possible for enemy aircraft to locate towns and cities. All street lights had to be turned off and cars were only allowed a small beam from the headlight. Windows were covered and you could not open the door until all the lights were off.

The ARP warden had the job of seeing air raid precautions and the blackout were enforced. Look at these ARP wardens. Notice the letter W on their hat. This marked them out as wardens.

Air Raid Wardens from Oswestry [Reproduced with kind permission of the Oswestry and Border Counties Advertiser]

In the first months of the war people were very against the blackout as there were no air raids. No-one could not see the point. Do you think that the blackout would have been effective once the bombing started in 1940?

At first more people were killed by accidents due to the blackout rather than bombs falling during air-raids. For children, crossing the road became a danger and at night they were limited to playing in the house.