The effects of air-raids
By the early summer of 1940 London and other large cities suffered air-raids almost every night. Day-time raids also became increasingly common. To begin with, most shops closed as soon as the air-raid warning sirens sounded. As the raids became more frequent, many stayed open. Customers could choose whether to go to the public shelters or to take cover in the shops. Some sheltered in the basements or under the counters.
This picture shows a Sainsbury’s Emergency Shop during the Second World War. A number of Sainsbury’s shops, both in and outside London, suffered bomb damage. Four members of staff were killed in one branch when a bomb fell on it. Sainsbury’s converted two vans, like the one in the picture, so that they could continue to serve customers.