College life during the war

Undergraduate students guarding Buckingham Palace 

As students were unable to train with the University of London Officer Training Corps because of the Second World War, the Rector, Sir Henry Tizard (1885-1959) invited Major W.H. Bevan to address the students with the idea of them forming a Home Guard Platoon. "C" Company, 2 London, Home Guard, Imperial's own company, formed in September 1941, with the addition of some Royal College of Music volunteers later that year.

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At first it was a student Home Guard Platoon, but in 1942 was joined by staff members from Imperial College Maintenance Party, the College war emergency group. C Company was responsible for an area including Kensington Gardens, Knightsbridge, Queen's Gate, Fulham Road and Old Brompton Road to Drayton Gardens. In all, 250 Imperial College students passed through the Company. 

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Major Bevan showed his high regard for the Company by obtaining special official appreciation from the military authorities in the form of two presentations to individuals of a Certificate of Good Conduct and Commendation. The Company was at "Stand Down" from 1944. 

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On 13th and 14th May 1944 some members of C Company, including Charles Benjamin Alcock, a Chemistry Undergraduate (1942-1944), shown in the picture, were part of the King's Guard at Buckingham Place. 

An Imperial College Maintenance Party and Air Raid Precaution (ARP) centre was set up and housed in the RSM building with W. R Jones in charge. Many staff volunteered for night watching and weekend duties.

The Imperial College Administration and Maintenance Party was formed to undertake fire watching and other Air Raid Precautions. ARP duties were extremely important for the protection of College buildings and personnel. Dr H.J.T. Ellingham, Chemistry, played a leading part in A.R.P. activities, including the leisure aspects. 

Profs. Read and Sweeting volunteered for the permanent squad and for most of the 1940-41 session lived in the basement of the Mines Building, alongside Dr. Davies, W. S. Tweed and Faulkner of the Mining Department. They cooked and cleaned for themselves, sleeping in camp-beds (christened by Read as the "Ghetto"). The Fire Captain was the Head Cleaner of the R.S.M., Bill Guiver.

The City and Guilds Waterhouse building 

Special regulations related to enemy air raids were applied during College hours. A loud bell warned of 'approaching raiders', often followed by another denoting 'raiders overhead'. Staff and students were instructed to leave their rooms and make for the basement. Early in the war this descent occurred about once a day but later in 1943/44 it frequently happened three times daily. 

There were two direct hits by enemy bombs on College buildings, but no-one was injured. One bomb exploded at the rear of the RSM and one fell on the City and Guilds Waterhouse building, but did not explode. 

Parts of the Beit Building were taken over to house military personnel early in the war, and returned to College in 1942. College was able to claim for damage caused during the requisition period, as were all owners of similarly requisitioned buildings.

But besides study and Home Guard/ARP duties, not to mention the problems of rationing and public transport, students carried on with activities such as amateur dramatics and sports. The Radio Society was shut down at the start of the war for fear of a breach of security.