Arp

[Hobilar]

It was a common belief during the Second World War that the slightest chink of light at night might be used by German Bomber crews to guide them to their target.

People went to extraordinary efforts to ensure that the 'Blackout' was kept total. Factory owners tarred over the glass roofs of their factories, whilst ordinary housewives would purchase quantities of dark material to cover the windows of their homes at night. Local residents volunteered to act as Air Raid Wardens to deal with bomb incidents in their area, and to ensure that the 'Blackout' was maintained. It was almost a daily event for the local newspapers to report some unfortunate person who had been fined or warned about some minor infringement.

Early in the War, even car headlights were banned from being used, but this consequently brought about such carnage in motor accidents, that the Government soon had to relent and agree that in future hooded lights were permissable.