Event    From 7/9/1940  To /5/1941

The Blitz

Categories: Tragedy

During WW2 Britain came under heavy bombing from Germany for 8 months, 1940-1941. This was called 'the Blitz' from the German word Blitzkrieg meaning 'lightning war'. London was particularly badly hit, especially at the start, being attacked every day/night of the first 57 days, except one. The objectives were the destruction of industrial targets, and to break the morale of the civilian population. But the Blitz failed, on both fronts, leaving London with extensive physical damage but a new psychological weapon, the Blitz spirit.

This interactive map shows all of the bombs dropped on London during the Blitz.

2019: Spitalfields Life posted a number of central London buildings that bear the scars of war.

The Library Time Machine has a lovely post about the Home front volunteers in Chelsea, 1940s.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
The Blitz

Commemorated ati

Abbey Road Depot - WW2 ARP members lost

Bill Wallis is described on the plaque as 'ARP Stretcher Bearer'. Which we ta...

Read More

Balham Station bombing - 1

In memory of the 64 people killed at this station by a wartime bomb 14th Octo...

Read More

Balham Station bombing - 2

{Beneath the London Transport logo:} In remembrance of the civilians and Lond...

Read More

Balham Station bombing - 3

In remembrance of the civilians and London Transport staff who were killed at...

Read More

Bank Station WW2 bomb

{Above the London Underground roundel:} In remembrance of the fifty six peopl...

Read More

Show all 53

Other Subjects

Henry Rogers

Henry Rogers

Employed at the Silvertown Brunner Mond works and killed in the 1917 Silvertown explosion.

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial
Great Fire of London

Great Fire of London

Started on a Sunday morning. After 4 days the destruction included: - an area of one and a half miles by a half mile - 87 churches - 13,200 houses - only 6 people are recorded as having died (but ...

Event, Tragedy

55 memorials
Claire Hickman

Claire Hickman

From The Times website we learn that Claire Vaughan was born on 10 January 1973. She was the daughter of John Vaughan (1947-1986) and Valerie Carroll Vaughan née Moody (1947-2004).  In August 1994...

Person, Tragedy, Southeast Asia

1 memorial
Pocahontas

Pocahontas

Native American daughter of an Algonquian chief; birth date approximate. According to colonist John Smith, when he was being held captive by her tribe the 11-year old Pocahontas saved his life by b...

Person, Race Issues, Seriously Famous, Tragedy, USA

1 memorial
Bombs 7 July 2005

Bombs 7 July 2005

In the middle of the morning rush hour four bombs went off on three tube trains, at 8.50am and a bus, at 9.47am. 52 people died. Plaques commemorating the victims have been placed at each of the b...

Event, Seriously Famous, Terrorism, Tragedy

12 memorials

Previously viewed

Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner

Actor. Born near Smithfield, North Carolina, USA. Married: Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw, Frank Sinatra (divorced 1957). This last was a famously stormy and passionate romance. Aged 33 moved to Madrid,...

Person, Cinema, Seriously Famous, Spain, USA

2 memorials
Frank Matcham

Frank Matcham

Theatre architect. Born Newton Abbot, Devon. Never qualified as an architect but designed at least 80 theatres and did some work on about the same number again. About 24 of his theatres survive rea...

Person, Architecture, Theatre

10 memorials