Tin Hats, Doodle Bugs and Food Rations

Acton and its inhabitants through World War 2

Tin Hats, doodle bugs and food rations tells the story of Acton and all its inhabitants through World War 2.

This is a fascinating and extensive record of Acton's war. There are plenty of eye-witness accounts and interviews with people who lived through those traumatic times, and the book is full of photographs and newspaper cuttings which bring everything to life.

Events are put into context and this is a fascinating read for anyone who knows the area, or who wants an in-depth record of how World War 2 affected one particular area.

The anecdotes in the book really add colour to the history. For instance, Sylvia Brooks remembers at 18 doing a stint on ARP (Air Raid Protection) duty: "I was with another girl on a foggy night and my mother had told us to keep close together. We thought there must be a lot of shrapnel falling until we realised that it was only our tin hats banging together."

There are descriptions of waterlogged shelters in Acton Park, and did you know that De Havilland (the aircraft manufacturers who took over the Alliance Factory on Western Avenue) were fined for "drinking too much tea" in February 1944?

Many of the photographs in the book have never been published before. Maureen Colledge has produced a meticulously researched and very readable book.

Tin Hats, doodle bugs and food rations covers the build up to war, through the blackout, bombing, evacuation, rationing, wartime production to the Victory celebrations in 1945.

For anyone with an interest in local history, or who wants to bring the war to life for their children, this is a valuable and well-produced document.

To obtain your copy, contact bayscolledge@aol.com or send £6.40 (£5 plus £1.40 postage and packing) to: Maureen Colledge, 6 Acacia Road, London W3 6HF stating how many copies you would like.

June 16, 2008