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

Tsar Nicholas II and family

Tsar Nicholas II and family

The Russian Imperial Romanov family were murdered in Ekaterinburg on the 4th July 1918. Tsar Nicholas of Russia (1868 - 1918) ruled from 1 November 1894 - 15 March 1917. WW1 led to the February Re...

Group, Royalty, Tragedy

1 memorial
June T. Abeyratne

June T. Abeyratne

June T. Dobedoe was born on 18 February 1956, the second of the three children of Roland Ivor Dobedoe (1927-2001) and Margaret Mary Dobedoe née Buckley (1926-2004). Her birth was registered in in t...

Person, Tragedy, Sri Lanka

1 memorial
Cyclist deaths

Cyclist deaths

Much of the street research for LondonRemembers is done by bike. 820 cyclists were killed or seriously injured in 2009 on roads in Britain. Many of these deaths are avoidable. Many of the drivers o...

Event, Tragedy

49 memorials
Charles F. des Voeux

Charles F. des Voeux

Role on the lost expedition: Officer on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
Beatrice Bishop

Beatrice Bishop

Drowned in the 1898 HMS Albion disaster, aged 24. Buried in grave 4 at the memorial in East London Cemetery.

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Barnabas Steel

Barnabas Steel

Possible original owner of what was to become Palingswick House.

Person, Property

1 memorial
Leighton Fund

Leighton Fund

Originated as the bequest left by Lord Leighton in 1896. Bob Speel provides some useful information about what the fund has bought. The newspaper article quoted at Sloane Square fountain contains:...

Group, Art, Benefactor

3 memorials
Northumberland House - St Martin's le Grand

Northumberland House - St Martin's le Grand

EC1, St Martin's le Grand, Nomura House

Site of Northumberland House The Corporation of the City of London

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Duke of Wellington

Duke of Wellington

Born Arthur Wesley (later Wellesley) in Dublin to Irish parents. After the Battle of Waterloo in which 60,000 died Wellington wrote to a friend "Next to a battle lost, the greatest misery is a batt...

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Ireland

10 memorials
City of London Coal Exchange

City of London Coal Exchange

Designed by J. B. Bunning and opened in 1849 in Lower Thames Street, demolished in 1963. Our Picture source examines all the interesting buildings on this section of Lower Thames Street.

Building, Commerce

1 memorial