Singing in the blitz...
Tom Holloway (xuegx@CSV.WARWICK.AC.UK)
Wed, 25 Jun 1997 00:11:42 +0100
Hello Christer Gustafson - a good viking surname.....
>I4m writing from Sweden and I4m doing it for the first time, so I hope
>this is the
>right way... I4ve become very interested in war-time history and my
Yes it is 'the right way'.
>hear people saying about the bombings of London; "Those were the best
>days of my life" and "Never before did we sing and dance as much as
>during the blitz...we were all alike "
>The spirit among the people must have been very high ? Is this the true
>picture ?
Yes - very strangely - I think it is, for those who didn't
need to face up to any personal tragedy. People died, or
had friends or relatives who died; but for many working people
there was a real determination to show that we had the will
to survive and to "smile and whistle under all difficulties".
I spent several nights down in the London Underground, waiting
for the last train to leave so that we could settle down to sleep
for the night. Community singing was a way of passing the time
(but I didn't ever see any dancing - we were all too crowded,
sorting out which bit of platform we could spread our blankets
over...). Everyone knew the words to the songs and we all joined
in. But the first train would arrive before 6am, so as soon as
that last train had gone we would settle for the night.
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If you would like another view of those years you might look at
"DOT'S STORY" on our web pages (www.rmplc.co.uk/eduweb/sites/~dot.html)
======================================
Tom Holloway - (+44) (0) 1926 888333
Home: 01926 771772 Fax: 01926 771707
Internet: t.holloway@warwick.ac.uk
www.rmplc.co.uk/eduweb/sites/chatback/