WAAF Christmas Card with image of Forth Bridge obscured by barrage balloon

This Christmas card was sent by ‘Minnie’, who worked as a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (W.A.A.F). We assume the card was sent to James Gillies as they often exchanged letters throughout the War. The image, although not altogether festive, shows the Forth Rail Bridge with a large barrage balloon in the foreground. After the first Air Raid attack along the Forth in October 1939, the bridge became an iconic symbol and required protection. A local historian reports that inhabitants near the Forth could tell the likelihood of an air raid by how close the barrage balloons were to the bridge. When the balloons flew high above the bridge, like in this card, the chance of an attack was low. Even in the early years of the war, this card shows how the skies of Scotland had changed in order to protect the country.