That period was quite interesting, for the start of the war I was out of work so watched much of TV, ineed next door neighbour's son was on the Coventry when that was hit (he was OK though), and then I started permanent night shifts working for a US operator in LGW.
News of what was going on used to filter through somewhere around 0200Z each night and each night the guys at HQ on US west coast would be on the phone asking for news. These Americans were genuinely interested in what was going on thus my nightshifts consisted mainly of relaying developments thru to these guys, they truly were backing the Brits.