Britain Declares War on Germany

At 11.15am, the news that the country is at war is communicated to the population of the United Kingdom. Chamberlain's famous words are followed by government announcements warning that air raids are expected to follow quickly.

Note: there is a gap in this recording between Chamberlain's announcement and the follow up announcement read by Alvar Lidell.

In the preceding months, Chamberlain and the government had planned to shut down BBC broadcasts in the event of hostilities, believing they were unnecessary during wartime. However, their value in providing information and boosting morale soon became obvious.