Air Raid Precautions

The A.R.P Bulletin is published by the Office of Civil Air Raid Precautions as a short newspaper that covered regional and war-related topics.

The response to an air raid on Thorold, Ontario, was planned with military precision, but the plans never had to be put into action.

Poetry was put to many uses during the Second World War - including recruiting volunteers to be Air Raid Wardens.

Although the danger of an air raid on Canada seemed slight, the Defence of Canada Regulations gave the authorities special powers to enforce a blackout during air raid drills.

Filled out as part of a 1942 air raid drill, these reports revealed that imaginary bombs had been dropped at Castlewood and Roselawn, Glengrove and Duplex, and Roehampton and Banff - and that 534 Roselawn Avenue was on fire.

Reminding women that the enemy "has no consideration for the safety of civilians," this booklet (sponsored by Orient Beauti-Skin Hosiery) provided instruction on how to keep the family and home safe against enemy air attack - including advice on what to wear when dealing with bomb damage in the neighbourhood.

Although Canada was in little danger of enemy air raids, there was a fully functional civil defence apparatus during the Second World War, with civilians deputized to perform various services in the event of an attack.

Wartime offered considerable scope for tasteless humour - as this card, brought home from Britain by a Canadian soldier after the Second World War, affirms.

Because the German Luftwaffe had used incendiary bombs with such devastating effect on Warsaw, Rotterdam, and London, Canadians were advised to be prepared for such attacks on their homes and businesses.

While it admitted that the possibility of an enemy air attack on Canadian soil was very remote, the federal government nevertheless advised Canadians to be prepared, by ensuring that their homes offered the maximum protection against bombs.