3rd September, 1939: ‘Ev’rybody’s mucking in and doing their job’

Bunker 139/140 of Siegfried Line at the Buhlert in the northern Eifel [Wikimedia]

Ev’rybody’s mucking in and doing their job
Wearing a great big smile
Ev’rybody’s got to keep their spirits up today
If you want to keep in swing,
Here’s the song to sing

We’re gonna hang out the washing on the Siegfried Line,
Have you any dirty washing mother dear?
We’re gonna hang out the washing on the Siegfried Line
‘Cos the washing day is here

Whether the weather may be wet or fine
We’ll just rub along without a care
We’re gonna hang out the washing on the Siegfried Line
If the Siegfried Line’s still there!

Whether the weather may be wet or fine
We’ll just rub along without a care
We’re gonna hang out the washing on the Siegfried Line
If the Siegfried Line’s still there!

The Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain makes a broadcast speech prior to his departure from Arras, France, after visiting the British Expeditionary Force on 15 December 1939. [Wikimedia]

“This morning the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German Government a final Note stating that unless he heard from them by eleven o’clock that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland a state of war would exist between us. I have to tell you know that no such undertaking has been received and that consequently this country is at war with Germany.” Neville Chamberlain on the wireless, 3rd September, 1939

Truetone radio [Wikimedia]

“This war really isn’t at all bad. We make the best of things, putting our trust in God and Arthur Askey. Did you hear this week’s ‘Bandwagon’? It was the best ever. Big sang the ‘Bee’ song and ‘Run Adolf Run’, and did the sketch where they blacked out the skylight with one of Nausea Bagwash’s lumbago plasters. We all felt so cheered after it. We have the wireless on all the time, news bulletins mostly – our expeditionary army is going to France – and we listen to a lot of music too. For those of us at home some of the songs were comforting.” Unknown housewife

© Sarah Vernon

10 Anti-Nazi David Lowe Cartoons | Made From History

Originally from New Zealand, David Low (1891-1963) was a political cartoonist who worked for many years in the United Kingdom. He is known for his satirical work in the Evening Standard, especially his depictions of Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Joseph Stalin, but also for his criticism of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s policy of Appeasement toward Hitler.

Low’s work for the Standard during the 1930s and 40s caught the ire of the Nazis, resulting in…

Source: 10 Anti-Nazi David Lowe Cartoons | Made From History

WWII 75th Anniversary: Britain’s Declaration of War on Germany

Neville Chamberlain’s address to the nation on 3rd September, 1939.

“This morning the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German Government a final Note stating that, unless we heard from them by 11 o’clock that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state of war would exist between us.

I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received, and that consequently this country is at war with Germany.

You can imagine what a bitter blow it is to me that all my long struggle to win peace has failed. Yet I cannot believe that there is anything more or anything different that I could have done and that would have been more successful.

Up to the very last it would have been quite possible to have arranged a peaceful and honourable settlement between Germany and Poland, but Hitler would not have it. He had evidently made up his mind to attack Poland whatever happened, and although he now says he put forward reasonable proposals which were rejected by the Poles, that is not a true statement. The proposals were never shown to the Poles, nor to us, and, although they were announced in a German broadcast on Thursday night, Hitler did not wait to hear comments on them, but ordered his troops to cross the Polish frontier. His action shows convincingly that there is no chance of expecting that this man will ever give up his practice of using force to gain his will. He can only be stopped by force.

We and France are today, in fulfilment of our obligations, going to the aid of Poland, who is so bravely resisting this wicked and unprovoked attack on her people. We have a clear conscience. We have done all that any country could do to establish peace. The situation in which no word given by Germany’s ruler could be trusted and no people or country could feel themselves safe has become intolerable.

And now that we have resolved to finish it, I know that you will all play your part with calmness and courage.

At such a moment as this the assurances of support that we have received from the Empire are a source of profound encouragement to us.

The Government have made plans under which it will be possible to carry on the work of the nation in the days of stress and strain that may be ahead. But these plans need your help. You may be taking your part in the fighting services or as a volunteer in one of the branches of Civil Defence. If so you will report for duty in accordance with the instructions you have received. You may be engaged in work essential to the prosecution of war for the maintenance of the life of the people – in factories, in transport, in public utility concerns, or in the supply of other necessaries of life. If so, it is of vital importance that you should carry on with your jobs.

Now may God bless you all. May He defend the right. It is the evil things that we shall be fighting against – brute force, bad faith, injustice, oppression and persecution – and against them I am certain that the right will prevail.”

via WWII 75th Anniversary: Read Britain’s Declaration of War on Germany.