A vivid eye-witness account of life during the Blitz as experienced by Dagenham ARP (Air Raid Precautions) warden William Riddiford. To read it, follow the links at the foot of this page.
He logs the times of each Take Cover Warning, from the time the air raid warning siren was sounded (a rising and falling sound) until the All Clear (a single continuous note letting people know the danger had passed - for the time being).
He describes what happened during that time. Sometimes it's 'Nothing heard here', but at other times there are air raids, with much damage and loss of life. Many local street names are mentioned.