Child of the Blitz 2 - More Memories Quiz

Answer: It caused too many damaged planes to crash

This practice was called "doing a victory roll", but damaged planes tended to loose bits which could have been repaired and that caused not only expense but unnecessary danger for the pilots.

Answer: Barrage balloons

The whole sky seemed filled with these shiny grey blobs. Sometimes one would break free of its tether and drift away. Without a tether they went with the wind and as the gas leaked out would deflate and gradually come down to earth. This usually resulted in torn canopies which were considered fair game for us children who liked pieces for trophies. The official salvage task went to the Home Guard.

Answer: Shrapnel

Shrapnel was any piece of broken metal that had fallen from the sky. It looked like lead, smooth on both sides with jagged rough edges. There was a central collecting station for it, but most of us had at least one small piece in our pockets which we would compare for size and quality.
Discarded parachutes were never found. The authorities always reached the site first.
We were warned to stay well clear of spent bullets in case they still contained explosives.
Disguised bombs were considered very dangerous. These days we would know them as anti-personnel weapons. Most were said to be incendiaries and there were posters showing what they might look like. Some were said to be like discarded parcels, even decorated with Christmas wrapping, which would make us suspicious because fancy wrapping was not used much during the war; some were like tins of desirable foods and a few were fitted with wings or little windmill blades to catch in trees or the rafters of bombed buildings. Once we were even shown a picture of one that looked like a bottle of milk.

Answer: Poured from a churn into your own container

There were horses brought out of retirement to pull a cart around the streets. Churns of milk were in the cart and you had to run out with your own container and a ration book to collect your share. Your container was a jug or basin that you supplied, but which had been marked officially with a line showing how far it it was to be filled.
We had no fridges so milk would go off if it were delivered only once a week.
Liquid-proof cardboard was not known, so not available to make milk cartons. The milk was pasteurised in a central depot before delivery.

Answer: Whale meat

Whale meat was often sold, but was not to everyone's taste. It was not known in those days how intelligent these animals were. It is amazing how forgiving the creatures have been as we get to know them better.
To the best of my knowledge zoo animals were never used in this country, although I heard tell that some of the animals in European zoos were going to starve for lack of food to feed to them and were humanely killed and their bodies used for food.

Answer: The outfields were dug up for allotments

Many of the outfields were dug up to allow locals to have an allotment plot to grow their own vegetables.
There were certainly not many fit young men around, but there were plenty of old ones who would have played, given the opportunity.
Time was certainly short with most people doing voluntary work after overtime in the factories. Voluntary work included Civil Defence, plane spotting, Home Guard, the Women's Voluntary Service and many other organisations, but we did find time to enjoy life as well.
As for being exposed, I don't think anyone worried too much; they just made sure where the nearest shelter was, but this brings out one of my saddest memories. My 8 year old friend was working with her father on the cricket field allotment when a single enemy fighter sneaked in unseen as they sometimes did and strafed (laid a line of machine gun fire over) them, killing her father before her eyes. Happily she was untouched.

Answer: Rosehips

Crab apples were gathered for jam, but could not be sold to the food offices.
Mushrooms had no known use as vitamin supplements.
By late summer the elderflowers had finished.
Rosehips were made into rosehip syrup which was then provided for babies and young children because oranges were available only occasionally.

Answer: A warm undergarment worn especially by girls, but occasionally by boys as well

A liberty bodice was a kind of second vest, of stockinette with a fleecy lining. Fuel for heating was rationed and buildings were often cold, not to mention the temperature in shelters, so a liberty bodice was welcome. We wore layer upon layer of clothes.
Sailors wore uniforms ashore and carried a pass. Any document (other than a ticket) that allowed travel was known as a pass.
Loose flowing clothes would have been a hazard in a factory, as was long hair. Factory workers wore wrap round aprons and headscarves, and some women wore their hair short.

Answer: Put up the blackout

You had to feel your way across the room and put up the blackout - a wooden frame with dark material stretched across it, or heavy curtains that did not let out any light to tell enemy planes that there was a building there.
Someone else might be waiting by the light switch for you to shout "OK. All done," in order to switch on.
Even the slightest chink would make an Air Raid Warden shout "PUT OUT THAT LIGHT!"
Persistent offenders could be fined.

Answer: A thin layer of butter spread on bread and then scraped off again.

If you put it on thickly enough and then scraped slowly and carefully, you could make one butterknife-full stretch to two or even part of a third slice of bread. Thanks to Spanishliz for reminding me of this.