Catalogue Number
NMLH.1993.1.6
Object Name
Poster
Title
ALERT IS ON/ALL CLEAR
Place
The London Caledonian Press & 74 Swinton Street & Kings Cross & London
People
Day, Frank: printer
Events
War & World War II
Date
circa 1940
Description
During the Blitz, different siren sounds would be used to warn people of an incoming German bombing attack and to indicate that it was safe to come out of your air-raid shelter. However the spread of bombing was often limited. A factory could be put on a state of alert and no bombing might occur near it. This card was used for those occasions. It was used at The London Caledonian Press, Kings Cross, London. It was turned over to state the 'All Clear', a well known phrase on the Home Front. The experience of bombing on the Home Front was terrifying. The whistling of bombs seemed never ending, for raids could last for many hours. Often people would emerge from their shelters tired and dirty to see their workplace, street or town devasted.
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