Many people had their own air raid shelter. Called an Anderson Shelter, it could be built in a small garden. It was made of steel panels. The panels were 'corrugated' (made wavy), which made the shelter strong, especially with soil spread over the top. There was an entrance at one end. Inside was a bench-seat, which could become a bed at night.
Public shelters were made of brick and concrete. No-one liked them much. They were dark, smelly and not as strong as they looked. In London, more than 150,000 people went into Underground stations every night for shelter. They slept on the platforms!
To put up an Anderson shelter, you had to have a garden. From 1941, people could have an indoor shelter, called a Morrison shelter. It looked like a steel table with wire mesh around the sides. You could play table tennis on top, and crawl inside to play. People slept inside too, though it was a bit squashed and you felt like monkeys in a cage!
The Morrison shelter was very strong. People inside were usually safe even if the ceiling of the room fell down on top of them.
Public shelters were made of brick and concrete. No-one liked them much. They were dark, smelly and not as strong as they looked. In London, more than 150,000 people went into Underground stations every night for shelter. They slept on the platforms!
To put up an Anderson shelter, you had to have a garden. From 1941, people could have an indoor shelter, called a Morrison shelter. It looked like a steel table with wire mesh around the sides. You could play table tennis on top, and crawl inside to play. People slept inside too, though it was a bit squashed and you felt like monkeys in a cage!
The Morrison shelter was very strong. People inside were usually safe even if the ceiling of the room fell down on top of them.