In the early months of the war, Noel took a refresher of her
Air Raid Warden training, but was not able to use the knowledge
as the expected air raids did not happen. However, as fears of
invasion grew, she became involved in organizing Civil Defence,
and helping evacuation preparations in South London.
When the air raids did start, Noel proved to be a very efficient
Warden. "To go immediately to their post when the warning
sirens blared was a Warden's first duty. Grabbing her gas mask
and tin hat, Noel would set off, perhaps through darkeness shot
with flames, not knowing what appalling tasks lay ahead. ... Day
after day, and night after night, the checking of bombed houses,
summoning of ambulances, and tiresome but necessary paperwork
had to go on" (Bull,
1984:161-2).
Vast numbers of people spent every night in the underground shelters,
which did not have facilites to provide food or drink. Invited
out to lunch one day, Noel told a fellow guest about this, and
said that she would like to see mobile canteens set up, and the
guest offered to buy her a canteen!
"That was the beginning of what was to be
Noel's most important war work. From then on, as well as keeping
up her Warden's duties in Mayfair, she ran a regular canteen
service for the people in the Deptford shelters. ... The work
grew, for besides visiting the shelters, the canteen served
rescue parties, fire brigades, and demolition squads at many
terrible incidents, as well as shocked relatives called to identify
mangled bodies." (Bull,
1984:163).
Noel's mobile canteen was linked with the Women's Voluntary Service
(the WVS) and, as a result of this connection, Noel began giving
talks and writing articles to encourage women to join the Housewives'
Service.
On 10 May 1941, Noel's own flat was virtually demolished. She
lost nearly all her possessions, and spent the rest of the war
in a series of transient accommodations.
In spite of all this, Noel continued to write. All of her war
work was voluntary, but she still needed to support herself, her
maid and her secretary. Paper rationing reduced the number of
books printed, and so the income from sales. As a result of this,
she left her existing publishers (Heinemann for her novels and
Dent for her childrens' books) and went over to Collins, who could
give her larger print runs. In spite of the appalling working
conditions - "When we heard a doodlebug coming we would crawl
under the desk, and then come out with Noel saying 'Where was
I?"" (Noel's secretary, quoted in Bull,
1984:173) - Noel's wartime output included four adult novels and
five children's books. She also wrote nine romances under the
pen-name of Susan Scarlett, innumerable articles and short stories,
and maintained a diary (London Under Fire) intended for
publication, but in which, unfortunately, she had lost interest
by the time the war finished. "Writing was a necessity and
a joy, the stimulant by which Noel survived her many horrifying
ordeals. Wearying though it might sometimes be, the escape it
offered enabled her to endure the war" (Bull,
1984:185).
