Timeline: 1939/1940

1939

September: Britain and France formally declare war on Germany, following Germany's invasion of Poland. Children are evacuated from major British cities.

1^st September John Bones and his classmates help at an Evacuees' Reception Centre in Colchester.

1^st September Pam and Judy Crisp are evacuated, prompting their father Alfred Crisp to write weekly letters, with illustrated envelopes.

3^rd September Vincent Harrison listens to Chamberlain's broadcast, regarding the outbreak of war, with his grandmother.

November: Warsaw's Jewish population is ordered into the area of the city now known as a 'ghetto'.

1940

16^th January Ron Hopper leaves England with the 50^th Division to join the BEF in France.

April: German troops move into Denmark and Norway. Allied troops land in Norway but defence is shortlived.

14^th April British Expeditionary Force is evacuated by Norwegian fishing boats under the command of Patrick Dalzel-Job.

May: German invasion of Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg using 'Blitzkrieg' tactics. Churchill appointed Prime Minister. British Expeditionary Force begins its retreat.

June: Last evacuation ships carrying Allied troops leave Dunkirk in 'Operation Dynamo'. German troops enter Paris and Italy joins the war.

2^nd July Denis Peto-Shepherd applies to the RAF Area Recruiting HQ in Kingsway, London for enlistment in the RAFVR.

6^th July Frank Colenso enlists in the Local Defence Volunteers following the bombing of Falmouth docks.

August: Battle of Britain takes place, as Luftwaffe attempts to destroy Royal Air Force before the proposed invasion of Britain. The next month sees British cities 'Blitzed' by heavy bombing raids.

30^th August John Ellacombe heads for a formation of enemy fighters, meets them head-on and accounts for the formation leader.

12^th December Sheffield suffers its first major air raid, witnessed by Dennis Vernals

29^th December John Cloudsley-Thompson is caught in a great fire raid on London, while attempting to return to his Regiment at Tidworth.