These two memorandums about Air Raid Precautions were issued by Leslie Machin at the Marple Section Office in 1941. Leslie Machin was born at Marple, Cheshire, on the 24 Jul 1910 and by 1939 he was resident at the Top Lock, Wharfside, Marple, employed as a Canal Inspector.

To put these Air Raid Precaution duties into context, the following is a brief account of the air raid that occurred on the 11 Mar 1941. There was a three-hour raid on Manchester in which bombs were dropped on several districts, with Stretford (Trafford Wharf, Cornbrook Sidings and Pomona Docks) being the most heavily attacked. Bombs were also dropped on Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Salford, Eccles, Gorse Hill, Swinton and Firswood. The football ground of Manchester United in Trafford Park was also severely damaged.