St Margaret's ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Log. Volume 7. 15 February 1943 - 25 October 1943. Pages 1-10
St Margaret's ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Log. Volume 7. 15 February 1943 - 25 October 1943. Pages 1-10
St Margaret's ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Log. Volume 7. 15 February 1943 - 25 October 1943. Pages 1-10
St Margaret's ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Log. Volume 7. 15 February 1943 - 25 October 1943. Pages 1-10
St Margaret's ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Log. Volume 7. 15 February 1943 - 25 October 1943. Pages 1-10
St Margaret's ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Log. Volume 7. 15 February 1943 - 25 October 1943. Pages 1-10
St Margaret's ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Log. Volume 7. 15 February 1943 - 25 October 1943. Pages 1-10
St Margaret's ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Log. Volume 7. 15 February 1943 - 25 October 1943. Pages 1-10
St Margaret's ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Log. Volume 7. 15 February 1943 - 25 October 1943. Pages 1-10
St Margaret's ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Log. Volume 7. 15 February 1943 - 25 October 1943. Pages 1-10
St Margaret's ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Log. Volume 7. 15 February 1943 - 25 October 1943. Pages 1-10
St Margaret's ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Log. Volume 7. 15 February 1943 - 25 October 1943. Pages 1-10
The seventh of nine volumes of the St Margaret’s ARP Logs. This volume covers the period from 15th February 1943 to the 25th October 1943.
During 1943 the village continued to take considerable punishment from the Luftwaffe and the German guns sited across the Channel on the French coast. The ARP log records the bombing in the first few months then concentrates mainly on shelling for the rest of the year.
The local residents reported damage sustained to their property from shell fire to an officer who would inspect and authorise repairs to be carried out, the jobs usually given to local builders. It is evident from entries in the log that there was considerable damage caused by our own guns firing. The concussion from the guns brought down ceilings, put in doors and broke windows. To help with this situation it was decided to hoist a red flag from the church tower when firing was to commence warning residents to open their windows and take cover. When firing ceased a blue flag was hoisted.
‘Bruce’, an experimental hyper-velocity long range gun situated on the outskirts of the village, was recorded in the log as commencing trial firings on the 30th March 1943. The log records that the firings blew out the windows of the local pub, the Red Lion. The gun was never fired in anger but was capable of firing an 8 inch shell 57 miles.
The Air Raid Warden Service was set up in 1937 dedicated to the protection of civilians from the damage from air raids. The St Margaret’s ARP Post was set up in the Cliffe Hotel in St Margaret’s-at-Cliffe High Street. The Chief Warden was Charles Groves who was also the hotel proprietor.
Given St Margaret’s proximity to the French coast air raid warnings figure prominently in these logs. Air raid warnings were colour coded which is how they are recorded in the log. They are as follows:-
‘AIR RAID MESSAGE YELLOW’ A PRELIMINARY CAUTION that raiding aircraft are approaching the UK. Sent to recipients on the district warning list of districts in which raiders appear to be heading. This message is only a preliminary warning and was confidential. It was neither to be passed on from one warning district to another nor to be conveyed to the public.
‘AIR RAID WARNING RED’ An ACTION WARNING that raiding aircraft are heading towards certain districts that may be attacked within from five to ten minutes. Sent to recipients on the direct warning list of districts threatened.Message passed by telephone to certain authorities on the warning list who will sound the Air Raid Warning.
‘AIR RAID MESSAGE GREEN’ RAIDERS PASSED. Raiding aircraft have left districts warned or no longer appear to threaten those districts. Sent to all recipients of an ACTION WARNING. Message passed by telephone to certain authorities on the warning list who will sound the RAIDERS PASSED.
‘AIR RAID MESSAGE WHITE’ CANCEL CAUTION. Sent to all recipients of the PRELIMINARY CAUTION (whether they had received the ACTION WARNING and RAIDERS PASSED or not). This message was confidential. It was to be passed on only to those who received the PRELIMINARY CAUTION.
‘AIR RAID WARNING PURPLE’ Means EXTINGUISH ALL LIGHTS.
This item features pages 1 to 10, 17th February 1943 to 3rd March 1943.
For the rest of Volume 7 see also items 6050 to 6060.
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