News
3 September 1939
The news that Britain was at war was broken by Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain at 11.15am on Sunday 3 September 1939. In a 5 minute broadcast on the Home Service, he announced that as Hitler had failed to respond to British demands to leave Poland, "This country is at war with ". Chamberlain went on to say that the failure to avert war was a bitter personal blow, and that he didn't think he could have done any more.
Following the Prime Minister's speech there were a series of announcements. All places of entertainment were to close with immediate effect, and people were discouraged from crowding together, unless it was to attend church. Details of the air raid warning were also given and it was emphasised that tube stations were not to be used as shelters.
In London the air raid sirens sounded only 8 minutes later, and - although most BBC staff had been evacuated in preparation for hostilities - many of those remaining, including commentator John Snagge, donned tin helmets and rushed to the roof of Broadcasting House to watch the bombs falling. It was a false alarm.
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