1942: One of the major fears during the war was a gas attack. As a result, as well as being standard issue to Civil Defence and Service personnel, over 50,000 gas masks/respirators were in the hands of the general population of Peterborough. In the weeks leading up to this day, there had been some 500 information posters up around the city, along with advertisements and write-ups in the newspapers and loudspeaker announcements that there would be free checks, adjustments and repairs available for this most important piece of self-preservation. It had all fallen on deaf ears. On the first three days, only 230 respirators were taken into the seven checking points across town. Major R. de Gray, the deputy chief warden, was not impressed. He declared that 'the public can only blame themselves if the worst happens and they are unprepared. The Old Town Hall is open every day for the adjustment and repair of respirators, but this week has been one of the slackest we have known'. It appears that modern -day public apathy is nothing new. One also wonders who the residents of wartime Peterborough would have blamed if a gas attack had occurred and they had suffered as a result. (Gray, David, Peterborough at War 1939-1940. David Gray, 2011)

Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.