he was very popular in australia and nearly took a job there, but when world war ii started he decided he should work in his own country. during the war, sargent conducted the hallé orchestra in manchester (1939-42) and the liverpool philharmonic (1942-48) and became a popular radio broadcaster with the bbc. he helped the british people to keep their spirits up during the war by touring and giving many concerts and not asking for much money. during one concert he was playing beethoven's "symphony no. 7" when there was an air raid. sargent stopped the orchestra, calmed the audience by saying they were safer inside the hall than they would be outside, and started to conduct again. the orchestra played extremely well that night. in may 1941 sargent conducted elgar's "dream of gerontius" in an afternoon concert in the queen's hall. that night the queen’s hall was completely destroyed by a bomb.