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

Stephen Augustine Hammond

Stephen Augustine Hammond

Stephen Augustine Hammond was born on 5 February 1958, the elder child of Augustine Hammond (1920-1983) and Constance M. Hammond née Stephenson (1925-2014). His birth was registered in the Stepney ...

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial
Elizabeth Wright

Elizabeth Wright

Killed in the Camberwell Green air-raid, aged 48.

Person, Tragedy

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Alexander Williamson Fallon

Alexander Williamson Fallon

Alexander Williamson Fallon was born in 1914 in Falkirk, Scotland. He was married with four daughters. His wife, Janet, died about 1974 and he drifted into homelessness in London in the 1980's. He...

Person, Tragedy, Scotland

1 memorial
Victims of the 1848-9 Lambeth cholera outbreak

Victims of the 1848-9 Lambeth cholera outbreak

Victims of the 1848-9 Lambeth cholera epidemic - at least 1,618 Lambeth waterfront residents perished and were buried in unmarked graves in the burial ground in Lambeth High Street, now Lambeth Rec...

Group, Medicine, Tragedy

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Hippodrome - Sammy Davis Jr.

Hippodrome - Sammy Davis Jr.

WC2, Cranbourn Street, Hippodrome casino

Unveiled by Bruce Forsyth.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Southwark Health

Southwark Health

SE17, Walworth Road

This plaque is not particularly interesting visually so we are showing the roof-top sculpture instead, which is.

6 creators
Bullivant’s Wharf - WW2 bomb

Bullivant’s Wharf - WW2 bomb

Isle of Dogs - Past Life, Past Lives is an excellent post about this event, with eye-witness accounts, from which we have drawn this brief summary: Bullivant & Co were wire rope-makers with a ...

Event, Tragedy

1 memorial
Alice Drakoules bird bath

Alice Drakoules bird bath

NW8, St John's Wood High Street, St John's Wood church gardens

The north face is carved with images of a deer, squirrel, fox and pelican. The opposite face shows a horse, cat, dog and pigeon. The anim...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Neville Elliott-Cooper, VC

Neville Elliott-Cooper, VC

SW1, Victoria Embankment, Victoria Embankment Gardens

Reading right to left: De Pass; Rhodes-Moorhouse; Keysor; Campbell; Dunville; Colyer-Fergusson; Hewitt; Elliott-Cooper; Watson; Drummond;...

War dead | WW1
2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator