Air Raid Warden
Eric Davis was born on 16th October 1903 and had married Jessie Elizabeth Mapp in 1929. The 1939 census shows that the couple were living at 252 Stetchford Road and that Eric was an Elementary School Teacher volunteering as an Air Raid Protection Warden.
The Air Raid Wardens’ Service was created in April 1937 and aimed to recruit some 800,000 volunteers. Wardens gave air raid protection advice to the public and were responsible for reporting bombs and other incidents. On 1 January 1938, the Air Raid Precautions Act came into force, compelling all local authorities to begin creating their own ARP services. Air raid shelters were distributed from 1938.
ARP wardens ensured the blackout was observed, they’d patrol the streets during blackout to ensure that no light was visible. If a light was spotted, the warden would alert whoever was responsible responsible by shouting something like “Put that light out!” or “Cover that window!“.
They were also responsible for handing out gas masks and pre-fabricated air-raid shelters, and organised and staffed public air raid shelters. They also sounded air raid sirens, safely guided people into public air raid shelters and evacuated areas around unexploded bombs, rescued people where possible from bomb damaged properties, located temporary accommodation for those who had been bombed out, and reported to their control centre about incidents, fires, and the need to call in other services. Using their knowledge of their local areas to help find and reunite family members who had been separated in the rush to find shelter from the bombs.
We know that Eric sustained injuries during the course of his air raid duties, but have no specific details about how or where they happened. He was taken to the no 7 Canadian General Hospital at Marston Green where he died on 30th July 1942, aged 38.
Early in the Second World War a base was built for the Royal Canadian Air Force off Berwicks Lane with a series of huts, which operated as a general hospital for up to 700 patients. The numbered Canadian General Hospital (CGH) units were armed forces units like any other and were moved around to various locations throughout the war. So when Marston Green first opened it was “No. 1 Canadian General Hospital”, but this unit was relieved by the No. 7 Canadian General Hospital in 1941. It continued in operation until after the war, but in 1948 was converted into the Marston Green Maternity Hospital.
Photo dated1943
Eric Davis is commemorated on the war memorial at Castle Bromwich.
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