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

Margaret Jane McGoldrick

Margaret Jane McGoldrick

Drowned in the 1898 HMS Albion disaster, aged 38. Buried in grave 5 at the memorial in East London Cemetery.

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial
Charles Johnson

Charles Johnson

Role on the lost expedition: Able seaman on SS Terror. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
Sir Louis Stanley Johnson

Sir Louis Stanley Johnson

Solicitor and Conservative Party politician. Member of Hackney Council. Mayor of Hackney 1914-19. MP for  Walthamstow East 1918-24. Knighted 1920. Died by suicide with a gun to his head, at his hom...

Person, Politics & Administration, Tragedy

1 memorial
V1 and V2 rockets

V1 and V2 rockets

The V1 and V2 rockets were developed as a reaction to the heavy allied bombing of German cities towards the end of WW2. (V stands for Vergeltungswaffe - retribution weapon'). In total, over 3,000 V...

Event, Tragedy

28 memorials
Mala Ashok Trivedi

Mala Ashok Trivedi

Mala Ashok Amin was born on 17 August 1953 in Narobi, Kenya. She married Ashok Trivedi in 1975 and the Civil Registration Marriage Index shows that in the 3rd quarter of 1975 a Malaben R. V. Amin w...

Person, Tragedy, Kenya

3 memorials

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Alderman John Scott Balfour

Alderman John Scott Balfour

Mayor of Hornsey 1906-07 and 1912-13. From Stones of Haringey: "Born in Cupar {Scotland} he came to London in the early 1860s and rose to become the managing director of iron merchants Croggon &am...

Person, Politics & Administration, Scotland

1 memorial
John Wesley

John Wesley

Founder of the Methodist denomination of the Protestant religion. Born Epworth rectory, near Lincoln. Was a Church of England clergyman and at Whitsuntide, May 1738, 3 days after his brother, Charl...

Person, Religion, Seriously Famous

13 memorials
Fireman Edward George Pepper
War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Roger Bacon

Roger Bacon

Philosopher and Franciscan friar.  Born Somerset.  An early proponent of the modern scientific method.  He studied at Oxford where there is a statue.

Person, Religion, Science

1 memorial