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.

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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...

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Balham Station bombing - 1

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

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Balham Station bombing - 2

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

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Balham Station bombing - 3

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

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Bank Station WW2 bomb

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

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Show all 53

Other Subjects

Brixton Brady

Brixton Brady

Active in the queer arts community, once photographed by Karl Lagerfeld for Vogue. Brixton was aged 41 when, cycling to work, a lorry crashed into her and she and died at the scene. According to t...

Person, Cyclist, Tragedy, New Zealand

1 memorial
Christopher Jones

Christopher Jones

United Kingdom citizen who died in the terrorist attacks in America on 11 September 2001. Christopher David Jones was born on 14 September 1947 in Heswall, Cheshire. He was the son of David Jones ...

Person, Tragedy, USA

1 memorial
Mehmet Atay

Mehmet Atay

25 years old, journalist

Person, Tragedy, Turkey

1 memorial
Grenfell fire

Grenfell fire

Just before 1am a fire broke out in the 24-storey Grenfell Tower block of flats. This social housing block was on the north-east edge of the largely wealthy W11 post code, just south of Silchester ...

Event, Tragedy

5 memorials

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Charlotte Brontë

Charlotte Brontë

Novelist and poet.  Born Yorkshire, the eldest of the three Brontë sisters.  Novels include: Jane Eyre, Shirley.  To avoid gender prejudice she and her sisters, Emily and Anne published first under...

Person, Literature, Seriously Famous

1 memorial
William de Morgan

William de Morgan

Potter, tile designer and novelist. Born 69 Gower Street as William Frend de Morgan, to the mathematician Augustus de Morgan. Lifelong friend of William Morris, he designed tiles, stained glass an...

Person, Craft / Design, Literature

23 memorials
Southwark Council

Southwark Council

The London Borough of Southwark was created as an amalgamation of the Metropolitan Boroughs of Southwark, Camberwell and Bermondsey. Southwark council annually invites proposals for new plaques fro...

Group, Politics & Administration

91 memorials
Harry Fox

Harry Fox

Fox and Henry Moss both had small factories making fashion garments.  They met on a cruise and, inspired by the Lord John boutique on Carnaby Street, decided to open a girls and women's boutique on...

Person, Commerce, Craft / Design

1 memorial
St Olav's Church - Seafarers' memorial

St Olav's Church - Seafarers' memorial

SE16, St Olav's Square, St Olav's Church

To us this is a rather eerie-looking seafarer. A colleague informs us that the Norwegian inscription translates as 'In memory of our nava...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator