In June 1940, following the BEF's scrambled evacuation from Dunkirk, the Second World War was brought home to Britain. As the Luftwaffe initiated their bombing campaigns and the threat of invasion grew daily, civilians were urged to play their part in the war effort, and take responsibility for their own survival. Many pamphlets and leaflets were issued with information and advice on a diverse range of subjects, from how to put on a gas mask, to how to build a bomb shelter and what to do in the event of an air raid, as Britain braced herself for a protracted conflict, literally on the front line, fighting alone.

The literature drawn together for this evocative pocket-book captures the reality of civilian life during the Battle of Britain.