I am over at Watch Nonnie Write’s blog with day 4 of my While the Bombs Fell blog tour. This post is about the myth that carrots help you see in the dark which started during WW2 in Britain. Thank you, Nonnie, for hosting me with this post.
Today I’d like to introduce you to one of my fellow member-authors of the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, also known as Robbie. Robbie has dropped in today to talk to us about the myths about eating carrots so let’s listen in.
Take it away, Robbie…
Carrots help you see in the dark
While the bombs fell is a collaboration between my mother, Elsie Hancy Eaton, and me and tells a fictionalized account of her life as a small girl growing up in the small English town of Bungay, Suffolk during World War II.
I can remember when I was a young girl, growing up with my three younger sisters in Cape Town, South Africa, being frequently told by our mother that eating carrots make you see in the dark. I always believed that this was true and that if I ate my carrots, it would help improve my eyesight especially at nighttime.
When I was doing research for While the Bombs Fell I came across an article about a World War II propaganda campaign which popularized the myth that carrots help you see in the dark.
During the 1940 Blitz, a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom, the German bomber planes often attacked under cover of darkness. Country wide “blackouts” were enforced by the British government to make it more difficult for the attacking planes to hit their targets. The Royal Air Force (RAF) was also able to repel the German fighter planes by using their new and secret radar technology. The on-board Airborne Interception Radar (AI), which was first used by the RAF in 1939, had the ability to pinpoint German bombers before they reached the English Channel.
One RAF night fighter ace, John Cunningham, nicknamed “Cat’s Eyes” was the first English pilot to shoot down an enemy plane using AI. He racked up an impressive 20 kills of which 19 were at night. In order to keep the AI technology under wraps, the Ministry of Information apparently told newspapers that the reason for pilots like John Cunningham’s success was that they ate an excess of carrots which gave them better night vision.
Whether or not the Germans believed this tall tale is unknown, but the British public, including my mother, believed that eating carrots would give them better nighttime vision.
Continue reading here: https://nonniewrites.wordpress.com/2020/03/12/day-4-of-the-while-the-bombs-fell-blog-tour-w-author-bakeandwrite-rrbc-4willspub/
roberta-writes.com 
Great post with Nonnie I really enjoyed reading this chat you had on her blog 💜
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Thank you, Willow. Have you encountered this myth?
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Yes indeed, it’s still going strong over here 💜
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How interesting. It is hard to undo myths.
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Yes it really is I think in the people really just believe them 💜
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What a great tour to promote your book, Robbie.
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Thank you, Norah.
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My mum certainly believed it. I was always told that as a kid (or was it just a way to make me eat carrots?).
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So did mine, Mick. Thanks for visiting.
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I remember hearing many times in my childhood that carrots help your vision, but I don’t recall any reference to the dark. Maybe I need to eat some other vegetables to improve my memory.🤣
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Haha, Pete, when you find that vegetable, please let me know too.
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In South Africa, my grandmother especially, reminded us to eat our carrots, and as I had bad eye sight then already, I made sure to eat my carrots. Still love them, but don’t like driving after dark. 🙂 Thanks Robbie for a lovely post and thanks for hosting, Nonnie. 🙂 Best wishes to you both.
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Thank you, Maretha. The carrot myth must have been fairly widely spread. Carrots are good for you but my night vision never improved through eating them so I know I grew suspicious of my mother’s convictions in that direction. Thanks for visiting.
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In Canada, we were always told as children that eating carrots helped us yo have better vision. I have always loved carrots, especially raw carrots so I was happy they would help me to see better. A great book tour.
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Thank you, Darlene. There is no doubt that carrots are good for you and your general health, including eye health.
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Reblogged this on Have We Had Help? and commented:
Something from Robbie and her mum Elsie…
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Thank you for sharing, Jack. It is appreciated.
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I love it, I never knew where that came from. I have this book, but have not read it yet. I really need to make time for it.
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It really is interesting how myths develop, Carla. Thanks for your interest in my book, it is appreciated.
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