Britain has been in a bitter war with Nazi Germany for over a year.

It is the height of the Blitz, and Nazi bombs rain down on the city.

The people of London live in fear.

As do the animals of the city, particularly those in LONDON ZOO.

The characters in our adventure are…

ERIC

This short, shy eleven-year-old boy has sticky-out ears and wears glasses with one of the lenses cracked. Sadly, like many children of the time, Eric has lost both his parents in the war. Now an orphan, he is withdrawn and sad most of the time. The only thing that makes the boy happy is visiting LONDON ZOO. There he has formed a very special friendship with a huge furry friend. More of her, in a moment.

UNCLE SID

Sid is Eric’s great-uncle, and the oldest keeper at LONDON ZOO. He has worked there for longer than anyone can remember, including him. Like many men at the outbreak of the First World War, he enlisted to become a soldier. However, on his very first day on the battlefields of France, he stepped on an enemy mine, and lost both his legs. Nowadays Sid gets about on tin legs, but nothing can dampen his fighting spirit. The zookeeper would give anything to be able to battle the Nazis and prove himself to be a hero once and for all.

GRANDMA

Eric’s grandmother is a fearsome character. She dresses from head to toe in black: black shoes, black coat and black pillbox hat. The deaf old lady never goes anywhere without her ear trumpet, which helps her hear. This doubles as a weapon to bash folks out of her way. When Eric became an orphan, she took the boy in to live with her. As much as he loves his grandmother, Eric finds it hard to be around her as she is so very strict.

BESSIE

Bessie is a larger-than-life lady, bursting with love and laughter. She works as a doctor in a military hospital in London, where day and night she tends to the wounded soldiers. Bessie and Sid are next-door neighbours, living side by side in a row of tiny terraced houses. A bomb blast tore a hole in the fence that divides their back gardens, so Bessie can pop round to see Sid at any time of the day or night.

NINA THE AIR-RAID WARDEN

Nina is one of London’s hundreds of air-raid wardens, who spring into action when the Nazi bombers appear. Wardens make sure that Londoners are off the streets and taking shelter whenever the air-raid warning sounds. It is the perfect job for this busybody, who loves nothing more than bossing folk around.

SIR FREDERICK FROWN

Considering Frown is the Director General of LONDON ZOO, it may come as a surprise to you that he doesn’t like animals. Creatures of all shapes and sizes give him the willies. Frown is forever in fear of being slobbered over, nibbled or, worst of all, peed on. So he spends most of the time hiding in his office, as far away from all those dreadful beasts as possible. He is so achingly posh he speaks as if he has a plum in his mouth.

CORPORAL BATTER

This old soldier from the First World War is now the nightwatchman at LONDON ZOO. Batter sports a big, bushy moustache and is never without his tin helmet, his chest full of medals and, most importantly, his rifle. Batter has strict orders to shoot any dangerous animals that escape from the zoo during the night-time bombing raids.

MISS GNARL

This tall, broad vet at LONDON ZOO is called whenever an animal needs to be put down. Armed with a needle full of poison, the sinister Gnarl adores her work. The bigger the animal, the better. She is a disturbing character, who speaks only in growls.

HELENE and BERTHA

These mysterious elderly twin sisters run a deserted guesthouse at the British seaside town of Bognor Regis. The guesthouse, Seaview Towers, has not had a guest for years. So, what are the strange pair doing there? Perhaps their glamorous appearance hides something darker below the surface.

CAPTAIN SPEER

Speer is the elegant but ruthless commander of a Nazi U-boat (or submarine). The Führer Adolf Hitler himself, the evil Nazi leader who seized power in Germany, has personally sent Speer on a top-secret mission. This mission has taken the U-boat to the south coast of Britain, where it is lurking, ready to strike. If Speer succeeds, the course of the war will take a dramatic turn, making a Nazi victory certain.

WINSTON CHURCHILL

The British prime minister is a big, balding man, always dressed immaculately in three-piece suits, bowties and Homburg hats. Winston Churchill is famous for his stirring speeches, his dogged determination and his fondness for brandy and cigars. He is seen by many as the only leader who can lead Britain to victory over the Nazis.

And last but not least……

GERTRUDE THE GORILLA

One of the oldest animals at LONDON ZOO, Gertrude is also the most popular. She is the zoo’s star attraction. Children delight in the old ape’s escapades, as she loves to show off for the crowds, especially for a banana or two. Gertrude loves to blow raspberries at the visitors. The gorilla has formed a special friendship with one child in particular. A short, shy boy in cracked glasses who goes by the name of Eric.