| Word |
Meaning |
| Air raid |
Attacks by enemy bombers. |
| Air raid shelter |
A shelter from bomb attack. They were usually made of concrete or
corrugated iron. |
| Allies |
People fighting on your side during the war. These were countries
fighting against Germany, Italy and Japan. The Allies were
Britain, USA and the Soviet Union. Their soldiers were known as
the Allied Forces. |
| Alliance |
An agreement between several countries. |
|
Armed forces |
A collective term for the Army, Navy and Air Force. |
| ARP |
Air Raid Precautions (ARP). These were action taken to prevent damage or injury to the population and property by air raids. These precautions included building shelters, and enforcing the Blackout |
| Balaclava |
A knitted cap for the head and neck. |
| Billet |
A billet was a home where evacuee's were sent to live.
A Billeting Officer was the person in charge of sorting out accommodation and foster families for the children evacuated.
|
| Blackout |
No light was to be seen during hours of darkness so that target
towns were not visible from the air. |
| Blitz |
This is from the German word "Blitzkrieg" meaning lightning war.
The Blitz was used to refer to the heavy bombing of the major
cities in 1940 & 1941. |
|
Casualty |
A person who is injured. |
| Civilian |
Someone not in the Armed Forces. |
| Civil Defence |
The organisation of the population who were not in the Armed
Forces, to protect their homes and country from attack. |
| Conflict |
An argument or dispute. In this case the argument has resulted in war. |
| Crater |
A depression in the ground formed by the impact of a bomb. |
| Effigy |
An image or representation of a person. |
| Evacuation |
To move someone away from an area of danger to an area of safety.
Usually from the city to the countryside. |
| Evacuee |
A person who has been evacuated. |
| Foster Parents |
People who look after a child as part of their own family. |
| Gas-masks |
A mask that protected you from breathing in poisonous gas. |
| Gramophone |
An instrument like a record player. |
| Import |
To bring in goods from other countries. |
| Invade |
To move into another country by force. In 1940 Germany planned to invade Britain |
| Phoney |
False or not real. |
| Precautions |
Action taken to prevent damage or injury before they happen. |
| Rationing |
Limiting the amount of food or clothing that could be bought.
This was introduced to make sure everyone had enough to eat, and
that food was shared equally. |
| Recession |
A period when very little money was coming into the economy. |
| Recycle |
To adapt to a new use. |
| Salvage |
To collect and re-use goods and materials for other purposes. |
| Search Light |
A light with a strong beam that can track an enemy aircraft. |
| Shrapnel |
A fragment of the case belonging to a bomb or explosive charge. |
| Siren |
An instrument that makes a loud noise as a warning. |
| Souvenir |
Something that serves as a reminder. |
| Transcript |
A written, printed or typed copy. |
| Unemployment |
The state of being out of work. |
| Volunteer |
Someone who chooses to do a particular action. |
| Warden |
Somebody who looked after others. |
