These can be seen on old photos and are next to the canal bank. They also feature on many of the class photos because the grassy bank provided a natural tiered seating arrangement. I think that initially, on the outbreak of war, a shelter was hurriedly built in the school playing ground near to the green house. I have no account of this one ever being used as an air raid shelter. It probably was not big enough to house the whole school. I think soon afterwards 4 double shelters were built near the canal bank.
Says Pat Flindall: In response to your request for memories about the air raid shelters, I attended Long Eaton Grammar School during 1940-46. As I recollect, there were five or six air raid shelters alongside the canal. From each classroom, coloured arrows led one to the designated shelter. However, I was always apprehensive about using those shelters because I imagined that the crowds of children streaming across the open ground to them would make a very tempting target for machine gunners in any attacking aircraft.
With the air raid siren being fixed on the adjacent fire station, we never had any difficulty hearing the alarms. On occasion, a man from the fire station would visit the school to inspect our gas masks. This involved us going into the chemistry laboratory. Its windows and doors were closed and a white gas was released which was smelly but harmless and this enabled one to discover if one’s gas mask was effective. We were supplied with basic gas masks that had a small round respirator on the front. Later, an additional part was fitted on to the respirator to combat further anticipated poison gases.
All the shelters were very damp and cold, with benches along the side. I can remember the whole school once spent the entire morning in the shelters, and listening to Miss Silk sobbing (she was frequently sobbing). After about 1942, there were very few air raid alarms. When I was in the 5th Form, I was the class monitor and one of my daily chores was to empty the fire bucket that hung in the air raid shelter by the Golden Brook, pouring the water into the brook and then refilling the bucket from the tap in the Domestic Science classroom.
Says Pat Flindall: In response to your request for memories about the air raid shelters, I attended Long Eaton Grammar School during 1940-46. As I recollect, there were five or six air raid shelters alongside the canal. From each classroom, coloured arrows led one to the designated shelter. However, I was always apprehensive about using those shelters because I imagined that the crowds of children streaming across the open ground to them would make a very tempting target for machine gunners in any attacking aircraft.
With the air raid siren being fixed on the adjacent fire station, we never had any difficulty hearing the alarms. On occasion, a man from the fire station would visit the school to inspect our gas masks. This involved us going into the chemistry laboratory. Its windows and doors were closed and a white gas was released which was smelly but harmless and this enabled one to discover if one’s gas mask was effective. We were supplied with basic gas masks that had a small round respirator on the front. Later, an additional part was fitted on to the respirator to combat further anticipated poison gases.
All the shelters were very damp and cold, with benches along the side. I can remember the whole school once spent the entire morning in the shelters, and listening to Miss Silk sobbing (she was frequently sobbing). After about 1942, there were very few air raid alarms. When I was in the 5th Form, I was the class monitor and one of my daily chores was to empty the fire bucket that hung in the air raid shelter by the Golden Brook, pouring the water into the brook and then refilling the bucket from the tap in the Domestic Science classroom.