It's War - Prime Minster's announcement and the King addresses the Empire

So, that is it. It's war when only this morning we were at peace. When the announcement was over my wife turned off the radio, my children went back out into the garden, and I just sat in silence. There isn't actually much else I can say - I just thought of the last war, my time in Macedonia, the grimness and inhumanity of the trenches, and I simply cannot believe that after that experience we are back here again. Somewhere, deep down, there is something of relief - few of us can really have believed that this would end up any other way, and now it is out in the open. It was half an hour before I could rise from my chair, and walked out to join the children in the garden.



Chamberlain's speech to the nation declaring war

The King to the Empire

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September 1st 1939 - Poland Invaded. BBC Broadcast.

This evening, we heard that Germany invaded Poland early this morning. Reports are sketchy, some from German radio, but there has been bombing of many towns and cities including Warsaw, and Danzig has been 'decreed' part of the Reich. It's understood that both Britain and France have delivered ultimata to Germany, and we have restated our support of Poland. We're mobilising the armed services.

The news was broken by the B.B.C. We just sat around the radio afterwards, sun shining outside like the world isn't falling to pieces. The girls asked if there was going to be a war, and for the first time I knew I had to be honest. I told them that I don't know, but that if it does, we're prepared. If that's the truth or not, who knows?