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

Pascal Michael Dolf

Pascal Michael Dolf

Non-British, killed by the Bali bomb. Pascal Michael Dolf was born on 25 January 1977 in Chur, Bezirk Plessur, Graubünden, Switzerland. He was a Swiss backpacker and bank officer employed at Graub...

Person, Terrorism, Tragedy, Indonesia, Switzerland

1 memorial
Johanna Bergander

Johanna Bergander

Non-British, killed by the Bali bomb.

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial
Silvertown residents killed in explosion

Silvertown residents killed in explosion

58 local residents were killed and many more were injured in the Silvertown Explosion. We are not aware of any public memorial listing the names of the 58 residents who were killed. From Newham Re...

Group, Tragedy

1 memorial
Janani Luwum

Janani Luwum

Anglican archbishop assassinated during the rule of Idi Amin, in Uganda.

Person, Religion, Tragedy, Africa

1 memorial
Alice Howell

Alice Howell

Drowned in the 1898 HMS Albion disaster, aged 33. Buried in grave 5 at the memorial in East London Cemetery.

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial

Previously viewed

WW1 memorial - Richmond Road

WW1 memorial - Richmond Road

E8, Richmond Road, Marsh Court flats

The panel facing the road has no letters left at all, only the holes in which the letters were fixed but from these it is, surprisingly, ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
World War 2

World War 2

Sorry, we've done no research on WW2, it's just too big a subject. But do visit the picture source web site - it has a fascinating collection of maps.  And we enjoyed these photos of current WW2 ev...

Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

376 memorials
Mary Watts

Mary Watts

Born as Mary Seton Fraser Tytler in India but brought up in Scotland. 1886 married G. F. Watts. Co-founded the Compton Potters' Arts Guild and the Arts & Crafts Guild in Compton, Surrey. There ...

Person, Craft / Design, India, Scotland

37 memorials