Solihull in Wartime

Solihull Heritage and Local Studies has books and photos relating to the First and Second World Wars.  Contact us if there's anything in particular you are looking for - e-mail heritage@solihull.gov.uk or phone 0121 704 6934.

We can also help if you're researching your ancestors who served during the First World War.

In 1995, Solihull Library Service published a booklet of people's wartime experiences.  This is attached on the right.  People also told us their memories for the BBC's People's War project and you can read the memories we submitted on the People's War archive page.

Despite its proximity to Birmingham and Coventry, Solihull was not considered to be at serious risk of bombing during World War 2.  In fact, Solihull became a reception area for evacuees, first from the East End of London and then from Coventry.

Air Raid Precautions

When war broke out, air raid shelters were hastily erected - Andersen shelters were put up in gardens and Morrison shelters were installed in houses, often under tables.  The Andersen shelters were small, uncomfortable, claustrophobic and often damp.

Everyone was issued with a gas mask and instructed to carry it at all times.  Young children were given a special ‘Mickey Mouse’ gas mask and small babies were enclosed in a portable chamber.  Blackout restrictions were imposed so that not a chink of light should be seen by enemy aeroplanes.  Air Raid wardens made regular patrols and woe betide any householder who had failed to observe the blackout.  Local newspaper articles tell of people who were taken to court and fined.

‘Smokescreens’ were lit so that blankets of smoke would confuse enemy bombers and hide potential targets. Drums of crude oil were ignited, sending clouds of foul-smelling smoke into the air.

Rationing

For people on the Home Front, rationing is one of the things they remember most about the war.  Everyone was asked to grow as much of their own food as possible but some food, such as bananas, had to come from abroad and disappeared from shops during the war.

Chocoholics suffered, as their weekly ration of chocolate was only 90 grams!

All available land was turned over to food production and, in 1943, the Warwickshire War Agricultural Committee took over 32 acres of land at Copt Heath Golf Club for food production (see Copt Heath: the story of a golf club by Peter Glover).

American servicemen

When the United States of America joined the war, American service personnel were sent to Britain to train for the invasion of Europe.  An American Army Headquarters was created in Blossomfield Road and soldiers were either in camp at Catherine-de-Barnes or billeted with local families.  Staff from the US Army Medical Corps were stationed in Knowle.