Air Raid Sirens During WWII

In ancient civilizations, drums were used for both music and to deliver messages, including reports about invading armies. As time passed, bells replaced drums. The Middle Ages saw a rise in the use of bells, especially in churches where they were used as an early warning system and general messaging. Several sources indicate that during the mid-1600s, men responding to fires in New York would ring a bell as they approached to alert nearby residents of the danger.

Then came 1799.

A rise in science occurred during the 18th century. Inventions were created, then other scientists offered improvements on those innovations. One such device was the siren. First invented by Scottish physicist John Robison in 1799, French engineer Charles Cagniard de la Tour enhanced and named the siren (most scholars say he took the name from Greek mythology). His siren used a bellows apparatus to force air through its rotor. The pitch could be raised or lowered by increasing or decreasing the speed of the rotor. For the first time, scientists could create tones of specific frequencies. At some point, it was realized sirens could be used to alert citizens of fires and tornadoes.

After World War II commenced, thousands of sirens were installed in cities across Europe to warn of

air raids. All other uses were prohibited. In England, the air raid wardens arranged for the sounding of sirens. Inhabitants were expected to take cover before the raid started. A second “all clear” siren indicated when it was safe to leave shelters.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, authorities on America’s West Coast realized that Japan’s military capabilities could result in an air strike to that part of the country, perhaps even farther inland. Fearing that chaos would ensue with the air raids, officials issued strict instructions about what to do and how to behave. Having anticipated America’s entry into the conflict at some level, President Roosevelt created the Office of Civilian Defense (OCD) in May 1941.

One of the more well-known branches of the OCD is that of the air raid wardens. Wardens oversaw the education of their assigned blocks and offered regular practice drills, which typically lasted for thirty minutes. When the siren sounded, wardens would spring to action, patrolling their streets to ensure no lights were visible. By 1943, nearly six million men and women had volunteered.

After the war, the sirens were used in the initial days of the Cold War, but since then, most have fallen silent, except those used to warn of impending tornadoes. It is unknown how many sirens still exist across the nation.

Do you live in an area that uses sirens?

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Love and Chocolate: A Second Chance Romance

She just needs a job. He wants a career. Is there room in their hearts for love?

Ilsa Krause and her siblings are stunned to discover their father left massive debt behind upon his death. To help pay off their creditors and save the farm, she takes a job at Beck’s Chocolates, the company her father despised and refused to supply with milk. Then she discovers her boss is Ernst Webber, her high school love who unceremoniously dumped her via letter from college. Could life get any more difficult?

A freshly-minted university diploma in his hand, Ernst Webber lands his dream job at Beck’s Chocolates. His plans to work his way up the ladder don’t include romantic entanglements, then Ilsa Krause walks back into his life resurrecting feelings he thought long dead. However, her animosity makes it clear she has no interest in giving him a second chance. Can he get her to change her mind? Does he want to?

Purchase link: https://books2read.com/u/mdQerZ 

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves. 

Whether you choose her books set in the Old West or across the globe during WWII, you will be immersed in the past through rich detail. Follow the journeys of relatable characters whose faith is sorely tested, yet in the end, emerge triumphant. Be encouraged in your own faith-walk through stories of history and hope.

Photo Credits:

Bell: Pixabay/TooMuchCoffeeMan

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