Rationing during the war was at times very severe on average you were allowed: 2-3 pints of milk a week, 1 egg a week (or use powdered egg from USA), 1.7 oz (50 gram) of tea a week, 8oz sugar a week and 12oz sweets a month.

 

During the war material was in short supply so ladies skirts got slightly shorter to save material. Stockings were very difficult to get so women tanned their legs with gravy browning and drew a black seam on the back of their leg with an eye pencil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the American forces arrived with endless supplies of chocolate and stockings it earned the ire of local British men who used to say

“The only trouble with the Yanks are they are overpaid, oversexed and over here”

Many British women married American soldiers and emigrated after the war.

 (Tights were not invented until 1958)

 

In 1940 only 1 in 10 people owned a car. Petrol was rationed from 1939 and then supply was stopped altogether in 1942.

 

Most people went to the cinema at least once a week as there was no television the Pathe newsreels were the way to be kept informed.

 

Women played a vital role during the war many joined the WAAFS (Air Force) or the Wrens (navy) or became nurses. Others worked in the munitions and other factories or on farms as part of the Land Army. There were also Dustwomen, the Women’s Auxiliary Fire Service, Women anti aircraft gunners and women ambulance drivers and ARP Wardens.

 

The Home Guard consisted of over 1.5million people who were ineligible for army duty many because of age coining the term “Dads Army”. It is untrue to think that the home guard never fired a shot in

anger they did. They manned anti aircraft guns during the Battle of Britain they also brought down Luftwaffe planes and V-1 flying Bombs with machine gun fire.

 

In Northern Ireland the Home Guard had gun battles with the IRA.

 

After the war John William Lake (my uncle) engraved the dates 1939 – 1945 in Roman numerals

onto the Cenotaph in London.

 

In 1946 Henry & Flora Lake got the first commercial ferry going to the Channel Islands after the war and stayed with Alice Amelia Lake & George Poat Falla. The Night before they travelled Flora recalls someone making the remark "You k now they haven't yet cleared the channel of mines"