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

Tata Duka

Tata Duka

Non-British, killed by the Bali bomb.

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial
Michael Norton

Michael Norton

At the time of his death Norton was a landscape architect involved in the creation of Burgess Park, living at High Street, Hampton Hill, TW12, married, aged 20-30. See Geoffrey Mills for details. ...

Person, Gardens / Agriculture, Tragedy

1 memorial
Hazrat Wali

Hazrat Wali

From BBC: "A boy of 16 has been charged with the murder of an 18-year-old stabbed to death on a playing field in south-west London. Police found Hazrat Wali fatally injured in Craneford Way, Twicke...

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial
Soweto children killed in 1976

Soweto children killed in 1976

Soweto is a township of Johannesburg, South Africa. At least 176 people were killed during a protest about the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in local schools. Of these, 116...

Group, Children, Tragedy, South Africa

1 memorial
Nicholas Paul Moore

Nicholas Paul Moore

Nicholas Paul Moore was born on 24 May 1967. His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1967 in the Ipswich registration district, Suffolk. Aged 27 years, he was one of three people who were k...

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Alan Cartwright

Alan Cartwright

Alan Barry Cartwright. At 7.30pm 15-year-old Alan was stabbed to death as he cycled with three friends in the Caledonian Road. The attackers made off with two bicycles.  A few weeks later, on 6 Ma...

Person, Tragedy

2 memorials
L. G. Mouchel & Partners Ltd

L. G. Mouchel & Partners Ltd

Andrew Behan found this company, still existing  in 1961. It was an engineering company formed in 1897 by a Louis Gustave Mouchel and incorporated as a limited company in 1908. It specialised in th...

Group, Engineering

1 memorial
John Locke

John Locke

Philosopher. Born Somerset. Wrote 'An Essay Concerning Human Understanding' and 'Two Treatises of Government'.  1693 wrote 'Some Thoughts Concerning Education' saying  "I think I may say that of al...

Person, Education, Philosophy

3 memorials
Pieter Gerbrandy

Pieter Gerbrandy

Politician. Born Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy near Sneek in the Netherlands. He was a professor at the Vrije University of Amsterdam in 1930 and entered politics later in the decade, becoming Minister ...

Person, Politics & Administration, Netherlands

1 memorial
Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer

Poet and administrator. Whilst living in the Aldgate, as the ‘Comptroller of the Customs and Subside of Wools, Skins and Tanned Hides’ that Chaucer published ‘A Monks Tale’ and worked on ‘Canterbur...

Person, Literature, Seriously Famous

11 memorials