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

Homoeopathic doctors and colleagues

Homoeopathic doctors and colleagues

16 died in the Trident air crash.

Group, Medicine, Tragedy

1 memorial
Frank George Southgate

Frank George Southgate

Drowned in the 1898 HMS Albion disaster, aged 3 months. Buried in grave 5 at the memorial in East London Cemetery.

Person, Children, Tragedy

1 memorial
Humphrey Geoffrey Brown

Humphrey Geoffrey Brown

Our colleague, Andrew Behan, has researched this young man: Humphrey Geoffrey Brown was born on 4 July 1962 and died, aged 18 years, on 18 January 1981 in a fire at party being held at 439 New Cros...

Person, Tragedy

2 memorials
Serkan Doğan

Serkan Doğan

19 years old, artist

Person, Tragedy, Turkey

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Frieze of Parnassus - Goethe

Frieze of Parnassus - Goethe

SW7, Kensington Road

The monument, officially titled the Prince Consort National Memorial, celebrates Victorian achievement and Prince Albert's passions and i...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Lord Byron

Lord Byron

Born Holles Street, baptised at St Marylebone church in the same year. Spent the first 10 years of his life in Aberdeen with his mother. On the death of a great-uncle in 1798 he succeeded to the ti...

Person, Poetry, Seriously Famous, Greece, Scotland

9 memorials
John Compton Lawrance, QC, MP

John Compton Lawrance, QC, MP

High Court Judge. Came from Lincolnshire. From Plymounth Law Review we learn: "John Lawrance was Conservative MP for South Lincolnshire for ten years, from 1880 to 1890, until his appointment as ...

Person, Law, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
World War 1

World War 1

We'd always assumed that this war was known as the Great War until WW2 came along at which point it was renamed as World War One or the First World War. But the term was first used in print in 1920...

Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

402 memorials