Oral History collection: Elaine Kidwell interviewed by Peter Hall

[00:00:01] Personal Details: Elaine Kidwell(EK), Civil Defence Messenger. [00:00:02] Civil Defence: Entry from Girl Guides, via Civic Centre; bicycles mandatory. [00:00:42] Civil Defence: Civil Defence training. [00:01:10] Civil Defence: Bomb making - Molotov cocktails, anti-tank warfare. [00:02:17] Civil Defence: Unit based in house, Pierce Street[?] for four years. [00:02:43] Civil Defence: Warning systems - Amber, Red. [00:03:19] Luftwaffe: German aircraft sounded different [unsynchronised engines?]. [00:03:37] Civil Defence: Duties - informing people of bombing (had to tell own mother house was gone!). [00:04:16] War: Swansea camaraderie. [00:04:43] Swansea Blitz: Few casualties prior to Feb '41 bombing. [00:04:57] Swansea Blitz: Incendiaries, Lloyds Bank roof, Wind St. [00:05:24] Civil Defence: Whistles for communications. [00:05:44] Triage: Girl Guide lanyard as tourniquet. [00:06:31] Triage: Girl Guide medical training. [00:07:35] Swansea Blitz: Three-quarters hour wait for ambulance. [00:09:09] Swansea Blitz: Ben Evans store, St Mary's Church (fire, bells falling). [00:10:58] St Mary's Church: Current is fourth, since Celtic times. [00:11:14] St Thomas: Next to docks, hence damage. [00:11:28] War: Barrage balloons thick plastic, hard to shoot down. [00:11:46] Swansea Blitz: Areas hit by bombs. [00:12:23] Swansea Blitz: Firefighting difficulties - no water. [00:14:29] Civil Defence: Post was at current spot of hotel, Salubrious Passage. [00:14:39] Swansea Blitz: Hancocks Brewery, next to Civil Defence Post, 132 evacuees, route to safety at dock entrance shelter. [00:18:14] Swansea Blitz: Bells ringing - invasion signal. [00:20:50] Swansea Blitz: KF relatives killed. [00:22:43] Civil Defence: Lists of people's whereabouts, shelters etc. [00:22:56] Swansea Blitz: Rescue work, misapprehensions. [00:25:18] US forces: US forces behaviour in Swansea. [00:26:55] Swansea Blitz: 171 food shops destroyed, 64 grocers, 61 butchers, 12 bakeries, 34 hotels,. [00:27:38] Swansea Market: Destroyed: 45 butchers. [00:28:02] Swansea Blitz: 230 dead, 409 injured. [00:28:23] War: 12 attacks 1941, post Feb Blitz: 387 dead, 851 injured. [00:28:43] Teilo Crescent: Wiped out, many dead. [00:29:05] War: Dead and injured collection. [00:29:53] War: St Mary's Church: book of war casualties, view by arrangement with vicar