The 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the 50th of Winston Churchill's death, the forthcoming 60th the VE and VJ Days all these are focusing attention on the Second World War.

Today, in the first of an occasional series, we look at publicised aspects of local civilian life in the 1940s.

O ne of the lesser-known aspects of the Second World War is that Kingston suffered three gas attacks on June 9, 1941. The first victims were hundreds of workers at the Hawker aircraft factory in Canbury Park Road, who came streaming out of the gates for their lunch break only to be met by clouds of vapour gas.

Hours later, gas billowed into Eden Street, Clarence Street and London Road, and into three local cinemas, the Elite, Granada and Kingston Kinema, where matinees were in full swing.

The third attack was on the Hawks, Portman and Excelsior roads, which also left victims with streaming eyes, sore throats and feelings of embarrassment.

For the "attacks" turned out to be practice exercises, organised by Air-Raid Precautions (ARP) in preparation for the gas assaults that, along with Nazi invasion, were an all-too-real possibility at the time.

It was anticipated that the German Luftwaffe would rain down gas bombs, resulting in hundreds of thousands of casualties. So every man, women and child was issued with a gas mask.

The embarrassment was the price paid by those who had ignored repeated advice to keep their masks with them at all times, and the Comet rejoiced that they had been taught a lesson.

"From the ARP standpoint, it worked magnificently to the lachrymatory discomfiture of many workers and shoppers. Unprepared, those who had tears shed them profusely people wise enough to carry their masks walked about unconcernedly, as though nothing was happening," it declared.

The exercise made Kingston the first authority in Britain to use the Home Office's new gas rattle, which had better sound-carrying properties than a previous model, and was later improved again by a Kingston ARP warden.

Though the gas "attacks" were a shock, they caused nothing like the consternation of an announcement the previous week on Whit Sunday that clothing would be rationed forthwith.

The Comet called it a "bombshell", and reported that when Kingston's shops opened after the bank holiday, they had the busiest day's trading in living memory.

"There was a big demand for curtain material, which might have been made into dresses," it said. "But many women would not buy when told they must surrender coupons for it."

Meanwhile, a special meeting of traders, called at the Zeeta Caf, to hear a Board of Trade official explain the new scheme, drew a record attendance.

Food had been rationed since January 1940, and the Comet's leader column, observing that many people found a ration book "as unmanageable as a tangled skein of wool", feared the fate that might befall the feckless.

"What is to happen to those who have couponed unwisely, or too well?" it asked.

"They may be reduced to a trouserless existence, hiding their blushes and a pair of shorts under an apron, which garment providentially an adult can get for as few as three coupons; and it is nice to know that with the English summer fast approaching, it is possible to obtain a pair of galoshes for a modest four coupons."

The Board of Trade explained why the scheme was essential: "Rationing has been introduced not to deprive you of your real needs, but to make more certain that you get your share of the country's goods to get fair shares with everybody else," said its official announcement.

"You will be able to buy cloth, clothes, footwear and knitting wool, only if you bring your food ration book with you. The shopkeeper will detach the required number of coupons from the unused margarine page.

"Each margarine coupon counts as one coupon towards the purchase of clothing and footwear. You will have a total of 66 coupons to last a year SO GO SPARINGLY."

Wool was scarce because so much was needed to make service uniforms. Because of the war, it was virtually impossible to import fabric from abroad.

And garment manufacturers were having to divert their energies to military clothing, parachutes and other battle essentials. Thus, without rationing, civilians would have found it hard to get goods at all.

A Civilian Clothing Order placed many restrictions on so-called "utility" clothing.

These garments bore the official, now famous, CC41 (Clothing Control 1941) label by artist Reginald Shipp (see below), and designers were forbidden to use non-essential pleats, pockets or trimmings.

Buttons were limited to three. Cuffs and trouser turn-ups were banned. Jackets had to be single-breasted. Skirts less than 19 inches from the ground were frowned upon.

Nevertheless, utility garments were often smarter and better made than those of today. And women of the time anticipated many modern vogues such as boiler suits, dungarees, clogs and workmen's caps, which did not require coupons.

As the war wore on, keeping up appearances became more difficult. The initial 66 coupons per year were reduced to 48, and then to 36.

And, to public chagrin, clothes remained rationed after the war had ended.

My mother was noted for being chic, and as a small child I remember how she and her friends struggled to look their best not from vanity, but to maintain morale.

When stockings were unobtainable they coloured their legs with gravy browning and drew a pencil line down the back (stockings always had seams in those days.)

They wore turbans, and tied headscarves to disguise hair denied the styling aids we take for granted today.

They wore shoes with high wedge heels made from cork because leather was so scarce. With make-up scarce, they used cold cream as a base.

On top went the coarse orange-hued powder that was all there was. Lipstick, used down to the very last scrap, was boosted with Vaseline.

Knitted garments were unpicked, and the wool used again. Collars, button and trimmings from old clothes were cut off to embellish new garments.

And my mother used old curtains, sheets and any other fabric she could find to make me pretty clothes from patterns she drew and cut out herself, using old newspapers.

Bentalls used its large permanent advertisement on page 3 of the Comet to maintain fashion morale.

A week after the advent of clothes rationing, it announced the opening of a "central clothing coupon bureau" in the store's escalator hall, and promised that here "full information on any coupon query will gladly be supplied.

By means of this special service, Bentalls have ensured that any clothing problem will be solved easily, completely and with the most economical use of coupons."

A week later it advertised "Bentalls first coupon fashion parades", held daily with free entry.

The following May the store advertised that "new Beautility clothes" would be modelled by West End mannequins. There would be nearly 100 styles, plus music by Harry Fryer and his Broadcasting Band.

Bentalls offerings ranged from "spun" dresses priced from 11s 0d to 12s 6d, tailored dresses from 10s 11d to 3 guineas, and pure silk styles at £4.19s 6d.

Among my souvenirs are wartime pictures and trade fashion publications that belonged to my aunt, who was headbuyer for a leading Bristol fashion store.

There's also a "Clothing Quiz" pamphlet issued by the Board of Trade in November 1944. It reveals that the clothing book for the next year would contain 32 unit coupons, plus 16 quarter ones.

It also lists the number of coupons needed for clothing. For example, a pair of men's trousers needed 11 coupons, men's shoes nine and a shirt seven.

Spats, leggings or gaiters (still worn in those days) could be had for only one. Handkerchiefs were rated at a half or a quarter coupon, according to size.

Women's and children's items, being smaller, were rated less. For example, men's combinations needed seven coupons, women's only six!

The booklet answers 109 often-asked questions of the time, and they in themselves mirror how tough life was in those days.

For example, how can people who have been shipwrecked obtain clothing? What arrangements are there for obtaining clothing to send to prisoners of war?

May a person entering His Majesty's Forces give his coupons to members of his family? (the answer was no). And, how can repatriated prisoners obtain coupons?