On this day, October 16, 1941, St. Thomas More Church held a children’s fashion show to benefit British war relief with non-military aid such as food, clothes, and medical supplies. Many other organizations in Arlington also held events to benefit the British people.
When war broke out in Europe in September 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared that while the United States would remain neutral in law, he could “not ask that every American remain neutral in thought as well.”
Before the US was attacked by Japan in December 1941 and declared war, Britain seemed to be the last holdout against German aggression. Adolph Hitler had vowed to invade Britain and had launched air attacks on it that devastated cities, killed thousands, and decimated industry. The British feared a naval invasion after France fell to Germany in 1940.
Arlingtonians, like the rest of the country—and the world—were listening to the daily news broadcasts on the radio, watching newsreels in theaters before the movie started, or reading about it in the newspapers. All understood that Britain was having a tough time. Schools like Washington-Lee High School held rallies to garner monetary donations, and most churches and civic organizations held fund drives or clothing drives. Local newspapers in Arlington, Alexandria, and Washington were filled with advertisements for upcoming aid events. St. Thomas More Church was one of many organizations that offered a little fun children’s fashion show to draw attention to British children who went without during the war.
