Home Front: Supporting the War Effort

The Second World War affected everyone in Britain, not only those who had to leave their homes to fight for their country, but also the lives of those they left behind. The experience of war came to everyone, from those living in the major cities living under the threat of bombing to people in the countryside living many miles away from the danger of enemy attack.

Everyone in Britain was expected to contribute something towards the war effort. These contributions were seen as being just as vital to winning the war as the efforts of the soldiers, airmen and sailors actually fighting the enemy. Thus those who remained at home were often referred to as fighting on the 'Home Front'.

Tom Ashton lived in the village of Silsden in West Yorkshire during the war.  He and his father Richard, an electrical retailer and contractor, were members of the Keighley Cine Club. They made a number of films recording many aspects of everyday village and family life.

The films also show how a West Yorkshire village was able to make a contribution to the war, raising money through events such as War Weapons Week, Warship Week, and Wings For Victory Week. These fundraising weeks would involve the whole community and could generate huge sums of money.

For example, the people of Horsforth, West Yorkshire, during their Warship Week (16th to the 22nd November 1941) raised an astonishing £241,000 (about £4 million in today's money), to pay for the corvette (which is a small, fast warship with light armament which were often used in anti-submarine warfare), HMS Aubretia.

HMS Aubretia, along with HMS Bulldog and HMS Broadway, went on to capture the German submarine U110 in May 1941, where a working Enigma machine together with other documents was recovered.  The capture of these allowed Allied Code-Breakers to decipher German transmissions, resulting in a dramatic reduction in the sinking of Allied convoys, saving the lives of thousands of sailors and ultimately changing the whole course of the war. 

The residents of Leeds during their Warship Week in 1942 set themselves the target of raising £5 million to pay for a replacement HMS Ark Royal, which had been sunk the previous November off the coast of Gibraltar.  A huge march took place down The Headrow in the city centre, led by the Navy and followed by military vehicles and personnel.

In total the people of Leeds collected over £9 million.  Contributions ranged from small donations from children to buy nuts and bolts, to sums of £250,000 from businesses to buy Fulmar naval fighter planes.

Leeds was able to repeat this generosity by raising £7.2 million for the RAF during Leeds' Wings For Victory Week in the summer of 1943.

School children played their role within the war effort.  Many children were organised into collecting salvage in the same way that people today recycle.

School children played their role within the war effort.  Many children were organised into collecting salvage in the same way that people today recycle.

School children played their role within the war effort.  Many children were organised into collecting salvage in the same way that people today recycle.

Pamela Johnson recalls her experiences of having to work on farms due to the shortage of labourers and the memories of Muriel Booth recall how schoolchildren would be taken out by their teachers to pick up acorns for pig food, and encouraged to knit gloves and balaclavas for the Armed Forces, particularly Russian troops.

All these different activities were often rewarded with certificates or badges, given as a way of demonstrating one's commitment to the war effort.

All these different activities were often rewarded with certificates or badges, given as a way of demonstrating one's commitment to the war effort.

All these different activities were often rewarded with certificates or badges, given as a way of demonstrating one's commitment to the war effort.

During the Second World War the WVS (Women's Voluntary Service) gave every woman who wasn't in the Armed Forces or employed in 'essential war work' the chance to contribute to the war effort. The Thatcham WVS in Berkshire, is typical. They were involved in many different activities, such as visiting evacuees and refugees, collecting waste material for recycling, fundraising and sending food and clothes overseas to women and children in such countries as Russia and China, as well as sending treats such as cigarettes to soldiers fighting abroad.

During the Second World War the WVS (Women's Voluntary Service) gave every woman who wasn't in the Armed Forces or employed in 'essential war work' the chance to contribute to the war effort. The Thatcham WVS in Berkshire, is typical. They were involved in many different activities, such as visiting evacuees and refugees, collecting waste material for recycling, fundraising and sending food and clothes overseas to women and children in such countries as Russia and China, as well as sending treats such as cigarettes to soldiers fighting abroad.

During the Second World War the WVS (Women's Voluntary Service) gave every woman who wasn't in the Armed Forces or employed in 'essential war work' the chance to contribute to the war effort. The Thatcham WVS in Berkshire, is typical. They were involved in many different activities, such as visiting evacuees and refugees, collecting waste material for recycling, fundraising and sending food and clothes overseas to women and children in such countries as Russia and China, as well as sending treats such as cigarettes to soldiers fighting abroad.

During the Second World War the WVS (Women's Voluntary Service) gave every woman who wasn't in the Armed Forces or employed in 'essential war work' the chance to contribute to the war effort. The Thatcham WVS in Berkshire, is typical. They were involved in many different activities, such as visiting evacuees and refugees, collecting waste material for recycling, fundraising and sending food and clothes overseas to women and children in such countries as Russia and China, as well as sending treats such as cigarettes to soldiers fighting abroad.

During the Second World War the WVS (Women's Voluntary Service) gave every woman who wasn't in the Armed Forces or employed in 'essential war work' the chance to contribute to the war effort. The Thatcham WVS in Berkshire, is typical. They were involved in many different activities, such as visiting evacuees and refugees, collecting waste material for recycling, fundraising and sending food and clothes overseas to women and children in such countries as Russia and China, as well as sending treats such as cigarettes to soldiers fighting abroad.