Trekking during the Blitz facts for kids
During the Second World War, many British people living in cities did something called trekking during the Blitz. This meant they would leave their homes in the city every night. They would go to nearby towns or the countryside to sleep, trying to escape the danger of air raids. They would then return to the city in the morning for work or school. This practice was most common in cities outside London, especially in early 1941. The British Government worried that trekking showed people were losing hope, but most people did it simply to stay safe, avoid getting hurt, and get a good night's sleep.
Contents
What Was Trekking?
Trekking happened when people in cities, threatened by air attacks during the Blitz, left their homes at night. They went to sleep in safer places like nearby towns or rural areas. These movements were not planned or organized by the government. People just did it on their own.
Trekking in London
Not as many people in London trekked compared to those in other big cities. Trekking was most common in London at the very start of the Blitz in September 1940. Some people moved to the edge of the city or nearby towns. A few even slept in their cars. After big air raids, many Londoners would move to nearby towns for a short time.
A journalist named Hilde Marchant saw people leaving London. She thought it was similar to how civilians moved during the Spanish Civil War. Because so many people were trekking, the government had to provide food and shelter for these temporary "refugees." Over time, fewer people trekked from London as they got used to the nightly air raids. However, many people still trekked within London. They would go to London Underground stations and sleep there, as these underground tunnels offered shelter.
Trekking in Other Cities
Trekking was much more common in cities outside London, often called "provincial cities." These cities were not as ready for air attacks as London. They had fewer air raid shelters and fewer places for people to rest or get help after raids. Also, fewer people had been moved out of these cities compared to London.
When provincial cities were attacked in early 1941, huge numbers of people started trekking nightly. Cities like Bristol, Coventry, Kingston upon Hull, Plymouth, Southampton, and Swansea saw many trekkers.
For example, after Plymouth was bombed for five nights in April 1941, at least 30,000 people left the city every night for the next two weeks. On April 24, this number reached about 50,000. On May 10, between 40,000 and 45,000 trekkers left Merseyside to spend the night in nearby areas.
Large numbers also left Belfast after it was bombed in April 1941. People who trekked from Belfast were often called "ditchers." It's thought that 30,000 people left Belfast after air raid sirens sounded at 2 AM on July 23, though this turned out to be a false alarm.
Even with these large numbers, the official history of Britain notes that trekkers were "small in comparison with the total of people made homeless." Since trekkers returned to their city each day, they could usually still do their work.
Where Trekkers Slept
Often, trekkers had to sleep outdoors or in very basic conditions, especially during the first few nights. Few could keep this up for long. Those who could afford it would rent rooms in safer areas and return to the city during the day.
Why Did People Trek?
Before and during the Blitz, the British Government thought that a lot of trekking meant that people's spirits, or "morale," were low. For example, the Ministry of Information thought in April 1941 that trekkers were "weaker" people. Because of this, the government was worried by the large number of trekkers in 1941. Herbert Morrison, who was the Home Secretary, was concerned that Germany might try to take advantage of the situation.
However, research by the Ministry of Home Security found that trekking usually did not mean people's spirits were low. The main reason people trekked was simply to get some sleep. Many people found it impossible to sleep while waiting for a possible air attack or during a raid. Because provincial cities had few air raid shelters, people had to leave to get a good night's sleep. In contrast, many Londoners could sleep in public shelters or Underground stations. The research also found that fear of death or injury from bombs also led to trekking. The official history says that trekking was one way people adapted to the challenges of World War II.
In 2002, historian Robert Mackay wrote that trekking mainly allowed workers to keep their jobs and householders to look after their homes. Many trekkers felt angry at the government for not protecting them better. He also said that using trekking as a sign of people's morale seemed "absurd."
However, in 1997, historian Brian Barton thought that trekking from Belfast was linked to a drop in morale there, as well as a fear of being killed or hurt. More recent research supports the official history's ideas. It found that trekking was a smart and sensible choice by civilians given the difficult conditions they faced.
See also
