Manuscript Second World War 'Air-Raid Log [Air-Raid Warnings]' in Liverpool, begun in September 1939, while in the Lower Sixth of Liverpool Boys' School, by the future naval historian Captain Anthony Birch Sainsbury.

61pp., 4to. In ruled notebook with green cloth covers. In good condition, lightly-aged. Sainsbury has written 'AIR-RAID WARNINGS' on the front cover. The first page is titled 'AIR-RAID LOG. | 3/9/39 - IR', with 'Anthony B Sainsbury | Lower VI | LBS' in the bottom right-hand corner. An interesting document, providing valuable information from a reliable source, with the young Sainsbury already exhibiting the preference for 'clarity and precision' noted by Professor Derek Law in his obituary: 'He was at his best and happiest when imposing order on the disorganized.' The warnings are tabulated on the rectos, in seven columns: No.; Date; Day; From; To; Mins.; Notes. The first two entries, each for twenty minute warnings, have notes: 'Evacuated at Wrexham: not affected' and '[Evacuated] unknown, but at night'. The first full entry is the third, reading: [Date] 15/7/40; [Day] Monday; [From] 13.20; [To] 13.50; [Mins] 30; [Notes] School of, dinner-hour 30 mins late'. Sainsbury provides summaries of the information in the tables on the facing versos, the first reading: 'Opposite page: Warnings: 18. | Sleep lost: 640 mins. | Homework lost: - | School hours lost 30 mins | [total] 670 minutes, or 11.10 hrs, mins.' There are occasional notes in pencil, some regarding raids: on 31 October 1940, 'Wallasey Town Hall | Custom House | PRINCE OF WALES'; on 3 September 1940, 'Walton Gaol', on 24 September 1940, 'Gt. Howard St', and the following day 'Clayton Square | Church St'. On 26 September 1940 Sainsbury notes 'FIRST MAJOR RAID'. The last three pages of the volume carries a 'Monthly Account', kept up between July and November 1939, and noting a total of 15980 'Minutes lost to date'. Preceding the tables, on the second page of the volume, is a page relating to 'School Hours', including 'Homework is supposed to take: 45 mins. in the Lower School. | 1 hr. in the Middle School. | 1 1/2 hr. in the Fourth & Fifth Form. | 2 hrs (minimum) for Removes & Sixths. | Time is taken from 6.30, and is allowed for 2 hours per night. Homework is done on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday nights.'