A History of the Ministry of Information, 1939-46
SECRET
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
Weekly Report by Home Intelligence - No. 28
Copy No. 32
(From Wednesday April 9th to Wednesday April 16th, 1941)
Note : The figures in brackets refer to sources of information, a list of which is given at the end of this report.
I. GENERAL COMMENTS
1. Conditions in the heavily raided cities .
Coventry : On April 11, the day following the second serious raid, the main features were extreme tiredness of the population, and “a definite lowering of morale”. People were seen going to sleep in feeding centres and in the streets. There was much grumbling that the new raids were the result of optimistic press statements after Coventry's first blitz, indicating that the industries of the town were carrying on. There were many requests that nothing of the kind should be said on this occasion. One incident is described by the Deputy Regional Information Officer as “significant and symptomatic”. An anonymous note was left in a Ministry of Information loudspeaker car which read: “It's time the so-called Ministry of Misinformation was closed down. Any more blah about Coventry factories not being affected, and you ought to be hounded out of the city”. This feeling of sensitiveness has continued, and an article in the Daily Sketch of April 12, headed “COVENTRY CARRIED ON - AS BEFORE” was regarded by the public as likely to provoke further raids. On the whole, however, the press has said little this time which could cause upset.
Other points which are commented on specifically are as follows:-
1. The spectacle of the “dreadful scene of desolation” had an upsetting effect, but there were no sightseers. This was partly due to strict traffic control, and partly to the fact that “most people having been blitzed themselves, were not very interested in other people's blitzing”.
2. On the morning of April 11, many people were unable to find the whereabouts of Rest Centres and other restorative services. This was attributed to their extreme fatigue and to an influx of police from other areas, unfamiliar with the emergency arrangements. Five loud-speaker vans were later in operation, but it was suggested that with a tired-out public, posters were more valuable than the spoken word.
3. Transport was a great difficulty. Very few buses were running, and “an organized system of lifts would have been a great help”.
4. Friendless factory girls who had come in from other places to do munitions work were in need of special care.
5. The pressing effect of mass funerals was noted, but there was no resentment about them. There was some feeling that they should be conducted with “greater pomp”. The identification of bodies was stated to be proving difficult and causing much distress.
6. The lowering of morale was not so noticeable in the suburban fringe of the town.
During the weekend the position both as to morale, and as to post-blitz organisation improved considerably. The prompt announcement of the name of Coventry as the raided town helped to limit rumours in the Midland region.
Birmingham : After Birmingham's raid, there were no complaints about the press treatment of the situation. “People in the areas seriously bombed gave evidence of strain for a day or two, but a quiet week-end proved a healing influence. The main trouble in Birmingham arose from sightseers”. The absence of strict traffic control led to considerable congestion.
Portsmouth and Southampton . The Regional Information Officer reports that the continued raiding is proving a severe strain. “The view is expressed quite freely in Portsmouth that before the war is over, the whole town will have been destroyed”. It is stated that there is great need for arrangements whereby essential war workers and others could get away for an occasional few nights free from bombing.
Plymouth : The post-blitz morale of Plymouth is described as “extraordinarily good”. This is attributed to the strong naval traditions of the town (there are few families without some connection with the Navy), and to the fact that heavy raiding has always been expected, though not as heavy as in fact it was. An unsatisfactory feature is that people are now “feeling rather pleased with themselves, and are not expecting a repetition. (“We've had our packet”).” The presence of the Services was most helpful, and the opening of the Naval Barracks as a temporary Rest Centre was enormously appreciated. The public rapidly adjusted itself to the upset of public utility services, but there is still some indignation at the failure of the water-supplies for fire-fighting. People do not understand why sea-water could not have been used; and, at the time, the fact that buildings were left to burn caused some feelings of hopelessness. It is rumoured that firemen's hoses were left lying in the streets and were destroyed by fire. The most depressing sight in the town is the burnt-out city centre. Most people have to pass it to get to what remains of the main shopping area “and it always brings the blitz back to people and they start talking about it again”. The slowness of repairs to houses, and the consequent enforced absence from home, is another adverse factor, but the huge task facing the Local Authorities is generally realised. There is much local praise for the post-blitz activities of Lady Astor.
(A postscript note on the Bristol situation is given on page 2a).(6, 9, 14 Midland, 23, 24).
2. Reaction to war news .
Greece and Yugo-Slavia : German successes in Yugo-Slavia have been anticipated, but the speed of their advance to Salonika (combined with the news from Libya) has “given the impression of invincibility wherever the Germans operate.” There is some fear that the British forces in Greece may not be adequate, and that there is danger of their being caught in a trap.
Libya : Suggestions that we are minimising the seriousness of the situation in Libya continue to be reported. “A Cairo spokesman” in particular comes in for severe censure and even ridicule. Comparisons are drawn between the present German advance, and the advance of last spring, and the more gloomy are asking: “When will they get to Suez?” The failure of the Navy to prevent the German landing in Libya is also still commented on. There is, however, continued faith in General Wavell.
Postscript
Bristol : The raid of April 11/12 was described by the Regional Information Officer as “savage and prolonged”. He makes the following points in a special report:-
1. It is widely believed that the enemy planes attacked at a very low level, thus avoiding the searchlights. It is claimed that in the bright moonlight the swastikas on the planes were visible.
2. Before the raid, there was considerable feeling in the city because press reports, particularly that of the “Daily Mail”, had suggested that Bristol had successfully countered its last heavy raid. The disillusionment of the false hopes of a conquest of the night bomber produced a serious effect.
3. Loud-speaker vans proved most valuable.
(14 South Western).
Late Postscript .
Northern Ireland : The Regional Information Officer sends the following preliminary report on the Northern Ireland raid of April 15/16:-
The heaviest attack was on Belfast, but there were also incidents at Londonderry, Bangor, and Newtonards. Great damage was done to business premises and private houses, and there was some industrial damage.
The editorial and advertising offices of the “Belfast Telegraph” were badly damaged, but the paper will be published this afternoon (April 16th). The “Irish News” had its morning issue printed by the “Belfast News Letter”.
The biggest fires are not yet under control (12 noon, April 16); fire-fighting and civil defence services are being taxed to capacity, the former having to call for outside help.
The first official communiqué had to be rushed to the newspaper offices by the R.I.O. by car, owing to telephone dislocation.
Before breakfast, 5000 copies of each of two emergency posters (one dealing with the boiling of drinking water and the other with the evacuation of school children and mothers) were ordered from the R.I.O's emergency printers. These posters were issued in batches as they came from the presses.
By 9.10 a.m. four loud-speaker cars were out, followed by 2 more at 10.30 a.m.
The Central Information Bureau is working smoothly.
(14 Northern Ireland).
In spite of these reverses and gloomy forebodings, there is less anxiety about the war as a whole than might be expected. There is very little thought or discussion of invasion, and except in places where there has been intensive anti-gas publicity, interest in the subject of gas is again dying down.
The Budget was well received. The main points raised by the public were as follows:-
1. The principle of compulsory saving is popular, but there is some doubt about whether the money will really be paid back after the war.
2. There is considerable relief that there are no new taxes on beer and tobacco. From a number of areas it is reported that the cigarette and tobacco shortage in the provinces was widely attributed to a deliberate hold-up of supplies in case of fresh taxation.
3. The middle-classes are glad that direct taxation is at last to affect the labouring classes, whose incomes in munitions factories and on Government contracts the middle classes regard as excessive. Little comment is reported from the working classes themselves, and it seems likely that many have failed to realise how they will be affected.
4. It is feared that men who have previously been working hard and making good money in munition factories, will tend to reduce their hours of work simply to avoid the tax.
5. It is suggested that the severity of the taxation on high incomes will still further encourage employers to pay high wages rather than see all added profits going in taxation.
6. It is pointed out that the new taxation bears hardest on those with fixed or diminishing incomes, and on “family men”.
(1, 2, 3, 4, 5x, 6, 8, 9, 12, 23).
3. Reprisals .
There are no reports from the towns concerned of any strong feeling for immediate reprisals following the recent heavy raids. In other parts of the country, it is still suggested that sporadic raiding by small forces of our bombers is of very little value. The attack on Kiel gave much satisfaction, and personal experience leads many people to think that “repeat performances” on the same town would be “the soundest way of getting at Germany”. Repeated blitzing of a medium-sized town (including, if possible, its civic centre) is generally thought to be the most effective form of aerial attack.
(6, 9, 12, 24).
4. Rumours .
Apart from exaggerated casualty stories, this week has been singularly free from rumours.
5. Broadcasting .
There has been little comment on broadcasting. A.P. Herbert's rhymed postscript was regarded as “rather childish”. The Pope's Easter broadcast aroused very slight interest and was considered “useless at a time like this”.
(5x, 23).
6. Foreign seamen at Plymouth and Falmouth .
A special report on this subject makes the following points (the sailors referred to are mostly mercantile seamen, but no clear line is drawn by the public between these and foreign naval ratings):-
1. The Dutch are extremely popular. Their virility is stated to be causing serious trouble in Falmouth, where there has been an influx of the less desirable type of women.
2. The Poles are equally popular - “natural gentlemen” - “as good as Englishmen”.
3. The French are extremely unpopular. It is widely suspected in Plymouth that spies have been detected among the Free French in that port.
(24).
II. SPECIAL COMMENTS
7. Food
The food situation is generally considered to be slightly easier. Queues are still numerous in Birmingham and other Midland towns (particularly for eggs, cakes and sausages). In Plymouth, though there are queues for chocolate, sweets and biscuits, the cause is rather a shortage of shops than of supplies.
In rural areas, the village institute jam-making plan is still criticised, but no satisfactory alternatives have been suggested.
The requests by heavy workers for an extra cheese ration continues.
Guidance is asked for as to whether it is “unpatriotic” for housewives to pickle eggs at the present time.
The multiplicity of methods adopted by distributors in milk-rationg is criticised.
(1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 24)
8. Cigarettes
The cigarette shortage in the provinces is leading to criticism of the fact that there is no general shortage in London. Cigarette queues are reported in Oxford, and in the Midland region. The pre-budget shortage in Manchester caused bitter feeling against shopkeepers, who complained that the real trouble was lack of transport and shipping. The fact that comparatively large quantities of cigarettes appeared in Manchester immediately after the budget confirmed the public in their resentment.
(6, 9, 14 North Weston, 24).
9. The Cotton Industry in Lancashire .
Confusion has been caused in the minds of cotton workers by what appears to be a sudden reversal of Government policy. Until a short time ago, the Cotton Board was trying to convince the workers of their importance in the war effort. Now, however, supplies of raw material are restricted and mills are closing down. It is officially explained that shipping space is too valuable to be filled with bulky cargoes, that only certain expert markets continue to be important, and that although mills close, the Government is anxious to keep their machinery in condition so that they can open up again at short notice. The suggestion is put forward that general propaganda to the Lancashire cotton workers along these lines would be useful.
(14 North Western).
Home Intelligence.