Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on October 14, 1940
Letter From England Says Nazi’s Aim Not So Hot
EDITOR’S NOTE一Because of the interest shown by a number of local readers in the publication of letters from Jabez Shufflebotham of Basford, Stoke-on-Trent, England, to his brother, Thomas, of this city, The Vidette-Messenger herewith presents the latest “news” from the British Isles. Jabez Shufflebotham’s home is located in the midlands, Great Britain’s industrial district, which has been a constant target for German bombers.
Sept. 6, 1940.
Hello Everybody:
I hope that you are getting the papers and letters I am mailing you. Please let me know, for we in this country have a gentleman or gentlemen who return your letters if you are a little indiscreet in what you say and I have had that unfortunate experience.
For the past fortnight we have had siren warnings every evening about retiring time, some of them lasting until early morning before the all clear has been given, and when I tell you that he has dropped bombs in a circle around the place where I work, you can understand how the people look forward to nightfall. But believe me, up to now his aim has been rotten, and I wonder if he is out to hit his so-called military objectives or to demoralize the British public. It appears that not only is he concerned about the living, but he has actually bombed the dead, having hit two cemeteries within a three-mile radius. I cannot mention names. What will be put down in his record for that?
Considering the number of times he has been over the district, the bombing has been, up to now, so accurate that we have had only two deaths, both little boys, and about 10 people injured, most of the bombs having fallen on stony ground.
If ever you people in America have to prepare against air raids, go the whole hog for deep large communal air raid shelters一being more satisfactory in all ways to the small family shelter which has been provided to all families here who have the spare ground to erect one.
Let me quote an illustration: We have a garage here which has a large underground cellar, with girders and reinforced concrete roof and accommodations for about 300 people, which has been opened by the owner to the people who have no Anderson shelter. As soon as the alarm is sounded, the people commence to take cover, and believe me, anyone who suggested two years ago that they would see pajama parties and informal concerts would have been considered mad. Nearly everyone proceeds as they are, with just a wrap over their sleeping attire, and I have seen the spectacle of the small children playing ring-a-roses, while we who have been on watch at the cellar entrance have heard the dull thuds as the bombs have fallen in the surrounding districts.
They must have a bog morale value, because I have seen people mixing up who in the past have considered themselves superior beings, just entirely wrapped up in themselves, with no thought of-how the community lives or acts.
I suppose a lot of the views I state will be a little late in the day when you receive them, but please remember we have only limited news, and the time it takes the mail to reach you. But I still believe that England is not his objective. Remember Hitler’s words, “We must export or die.” He is not exporting, hence he must try to remove the cords that are strangling him and Mussy. These cords are fastened tightly in the Mediterranean, Gibraltar and the Suez and that I believe, is our weakest spot, because in the past we have not treated the natives of those dominions as well as we should have done.
Your loving brother, Jabez.