Home Front - Air Raids

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 came the threat of air raids by the enemy.  Many schools record the different precautions they took, including the erection of shelters, practice evacuating the school, and covering the windows with netting to prevent glass from shattering into the classrooms.

These precautions did not prevent schools from escaping damage, however.  Many school buildings were damaged, some resulting in injuries to teachers.

The following pages reveal how schools dealt with the threat of air raids, and their aftermath.  

This entry, from 19 August 1940 shows how parents were reacting to the air raids, and were questioning the apparent safety precautions in place at Fraserburgh Central School.

"School re-opened today.  Only 20 pupils present as parents have declared that they will not send their children to school until proper air-raid shelters are provided.  Dismissed pupils, stating that school would open again in the afternoon.  In the afternoon, only 4 pupils present.  Dismissed pupils after marking registers.  Teachers remained in school and made up new registers."

The headteacher goes on to record that there were no pupils present for the rest of that week.

This entry from Fraserburgh Academy regarding the attack on Fraserburgh in November 1940 tells us "School did not open.  Very few pupils turned up and these were sent home.  The town was heavily bombed during the night and about 40 killed."

Further information can be gleaned from the entry recorded in the log book of Fraserburgh Central School.  The headteacher records "On Monday afternoon the air-raid warning was sounded at 1.40, and there was no more school that day.  There was no school on Wednesday, as during a great fire in which Benzie & Miller's shop was completely destroyed the previous evening there was an air raid in which over 30 people were killed.  Hardly any children came next day."

Sunnybank School was one of a number of schools to be damaged in the air raid.  Devastatingly, it was also situated in a residential area which saw a large amount of damage.  The headteacher records the aftermath as follows:

"Owing to extensive damage to the windows on the south (rear) side of school, caused by enemy aerial action last night, the school is not opened except to provide the mid-day meal.  Extensive damage has been done in the school area, especially in Bedford Road, and in Elmbank Road where whole houses have been demolished and it is feared quite a number of adult and child casualties.  Many scholars have not appeared for dinner, and a number of bombed-out people have been asked in for meals."

In December 1939 the headmaster of Peterhead Academy notes that "Lady Saltoun of Cairnbulg Castle kindly sends three photographs of mines washed up on the coast.  Children are warned to leave mines severely alone."

Only a few days before they received the warning about mines, the senior pupils had their Christmas party.  However, it was not to be the chance to dress up as some may have hoped, as the headmaster records

"The Senior Pupils' Christmas Party was held at 6.30pm in the Victoria Hall.  A large number attended despite the black-out and the restrictions this year - no 'party frocks'."

Why party frocks were not to be worn is not mentioned!

[From our 2010 Home Front Online Exhibition]