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Imperial War Museum Visit

January 2005 - Year 6

Image of Year 6 outside the Imperial War Museum

Image of a spitfire

Our visit to the Imperial War Museum in London was a great day out!

From Spitfires to Dooblebugs!

Image of a doodlebug

Image of the Air Raid Precaution Officer

The ARP (Air Raid Precaution) Officer told us all about life in London during the war and then lead us into the air raid shelter just in time!

The Blitz

One highlight of the visit was experiencing the Blitz in London. The air-raid and all-clear sirens, the bombs falling and the aftermath! It made you stop and think!

Image of London during the Blitz

Emerging from the shelter after the all-clear had sounded and looking at the devastation all around us.

Imperial War Museum

Image of the group leaving the air raid shelter

Our ARP officer led us back to safety after the air-raid.

Imperial War Museum
Image of children dressed as a German Officer and prisoner of war The Great Escape

This was a new exhibit for the museum and one we really enjoyed exploring. 

It was all about trying to escape from German Prisoner of War camps.

Image of a child using the escape tunnel
We dressed up as German Officers and disguised ourselves to try and escape from Colditz. Image of children in disguise We found out just what it would have been like to tunnel our way out.

It must have been really hard and dangerous work - but if you are determined to succeed...

Image of the weekly wash - 1940 style

Each part of the house made us stop and think about what life was like during WWII.

No luxuries like washing machines! Washboards, coppers and mangles.

A typical 1940s garden gate with the sunrise design

The gate to the house shows a popular design of the time - the 'sunburst'.

A 1940s bathroom

Water was rationed. Look closely and you can see the black line that is painted in the bath. Only two inches of water was permitted - and then you might have to share that with the rest of the family!

Image of an Anderson shelter

During an air-raid the whole family would move into the Anderson shelter.

The 1940s House

was closed when we visited this time so we have included pictures from the 2004 visit! Hopefully the next Year 6 can see it when they go.

Image of a Morrison Shelter

If you lived in a flat or house without a garden you may have used a Morrison Shelter. These were so big that many people used them as a dining-room table as well.

Image of a 1940s kitchen

A typical 1940s kitchen. There were not very many mod-cons or convenience foods in those days.

Image of a Dig for Victory garden

To help with the rationing people were encouraged to 'Dig for Victory' an turn their gardens over to growing vegetables instead of flowers.

Image of a 1940s dining room showing the taped windows incase there was an explosion nearby

Note the tape on the window - to stop the glass flying if a bomb exploded nearby. They were also lucky to have electric lights - many houses still had gas lighting.