Here are the flats today, courtesy of Street View . This timeline highlights key moments in the run up to and during the Battle of Britain. It was faster, able to catch the bombers and its configuration of four machine guns in a turret could (much like German night fighters in 19431945 with Schrge Musik) engage the German bomber from beneath. 10 Facts about London Blitz | Less Known Facts By September 1940, the large-scale German air raids which had been expected twelve months earlier finally arrived. Ex-Army personnel and his successors as Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff, Albert Kesselring (3 June 1936 31 May 1937) and Hans-Jrgen Stumpff (1 June 1937 31 January 1939) are usually blamed for abandoning strategic planning for close air support. "[25] Such principles made it much harder to integrate the air force into the overall strategy and produced in Gring a jealous and damaging defence of his "empire" while removing Hitler voluntarily from the systematic direction of the Luftwaffe at either the strategic or operational level. By the height of the Blitz, they were becoming more successful. Moreover, the OKL could not settle on an appropriate strategy. London was bombed ever day and night, bar one, for 11 weeks. Its explosive sound describes the Luftwaffe's almost continual aerial bombardment of the British Isles from. The primary goal of Bomber Command was to destroy the German industrial base (economic warfare) and in doing so reduce morale. Important events of 1940, including the beginning of the London Blitz (pictured above) and the Battle of Britain. The Cruel Cost Of The Blitz: How Did Britons Rebuild Their Lives [27], Although not specifically prepared to conduct independent strategic air operations against an opponent, the Luftwaffe was expected to do so over Britain. Much damage was done. [93] In general, German bombers were likely to get through to their targets without too much difficulty. There was also minor ethnic antagonism between the small Black, Indian and Jewish communities, but despite this these tensions quietly and quickly subsided. These collections include period interviews with civilians, servicemen, aircrew, politicians and Civil Defence personnel, as well as Blitz actuality recordings, news bulletins and public information broadcasts. Children in the East End of London, made homeless by the Blitz From this point, there were air raids every day for two months. [13] In April 1941, when the targets were British ports, rifle production fell by 25 percent, filled-shell production by 4.6 percent and in small-arms production 4.5 percent. X-Gert received and analysed the pulses, giving the pilot visual and aural directions. Both the RAF and Luftwaffe struggled to replace manpower losses, though the Germans had larger reserves of trained aircrew. Two hours later, guided by the fires set by the first assault, a second group of raiders commenced another attack that lasted until 4:30 the following morning. An American witness wrote "By every test and measure I am able to apply, these people are staunch to the bone and won't quit the British are stronger and in a better position than they were at its beginning". A Gallup poll found only 3% of Britons expected to lose the war in May 1940. As the mere threat of it had produced diplomatic results in the 1930s, he expected that the threat of German retaliation would persuade the Allies to adopt a policy of moderation and not to begin a policy of unrestricted bombing. "Pathfinders" from 12 Kampfgruppe 100 (Bomb Group 100 or KGr100) led 437 bombers from KG 1, KG 3, KG26, KG 27, KG55 and Lehrgeschwader 1 (1st Training Wing, or LG1) which dropped 350 long tons (356t) of high explosive, 50 long tons (50.8t) of incendiaries, and 127 parachute mines. [89][90], Knickebein was in general use but the X-Gert (X apparatus) was reserved for specially trained pathfinder crews. The Blitz | Facts, History, Damage, & Casualties | Britannica [b] The British had anticipated the change in strategy and dispersed its production facilities, making them less vulnerable to a concentrated attack. More than 13,000 civilians had been killed, and almost 20,000 injured, in September and October alone,[110] but the death toll was much less than expected. The number of contacts and combats rose in 1941, from 44 and two in 48 sorties in January 1941, to 204 and 74 in May (643 sorties). [188] In the wake of the Coventry Blitz, there was widespread agitation from the Communist Party over the need for bomb-proof shelters. 4546. [39] The attacks were focused against western ports in March. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 12:33. The British government grew anxious about the delays and disruption of supplies during the month. [103] The air battle was later commemorated by Battle of Britain Day. Still, at Southampton, attacks were so effective morale did give way briefly with civilian authorities leading people en masse out of the city. Ingersol wrote that Battersea Power Station, one of the largest landmarks in London, received only a minor hit. [155], The diversion of heavier bombers to the Balkans meant that the crews and units left behind were asked to fly two or three sorties per night. From 1943 to the end of the war, he [Harris] and other proponents of the area offensive represented it [the bomber offensive] less as an attack on morale than as an assault on the housing, utilities, communications, and other services that supported the war production effort. Two heavy (50 long tons (51t) of bombs) attacks were also flown. [13] The strategic impact on industrial cities was varied; most took from 10 to 15 days to recover from heavy raids, although Belfast and Liverpool took longer. [15] It was thought that "the bomber will always get through" and could not be resisted, particularly at night. [156] Other sources point out that half of the 144 berths in the port were rendered unusable and cargo unloading capability was reduced by 75 percent. [176] Total losses could have been as high as 600 bombers, just 1.5 percent of the sorties flown. Between September 1940 and May 1941 the German Luftwaffe attacked the city on over 70 separate occasions, with around 1 million homes being destroyed and killing over 20,000 civilians. It would prove formidable but its development was slow. Timeline: London's Explosive History : NPR [48] Based on experience with German strategic bombing during World War I against the United Kingdom, the British government estimated that 50 casualtieswith about one-third killedwould result for every tonne of bombs dropped on London. The North Sea port of Hull, a convenient and easily found target or secondary target for bombers unable to locate their primary targets, suffered the Hull Blitz. This weight of attack went on for two months, with the Luftwaffe dropping 12,400 long tons (12,600t) of bombs. The Impact of the Blitz on London - History Learning Site [192] The total number of evacuees numbered 1.4million, including a high proportion from the poorest inner-city families. The fake fires could only begin when the bombing started over an adjacent target and its effects were brought under control. Timeline of the United Kingdom home front during World War II Over a quarter of London's population had left the city by November 1940. [88] Bomber crews already had some experience with the Lorenz beam, a commercial blind-landing aid for night or bad weather landings. By September 1940, the Luftwaffe had lost the Battle of Britain and the German air fleets (Luftflotten) were ordered to attack London, to draw RAF Fighter Command into a battle of annihilation. [78], During the Blitz, The Scout Association guided fire engines to where they were most needed and became known as the "Blitz Scouts". The AFS had 138,000 personnel by July 1939. [145], In 1941, the Luftwaffe shifted strategy again. Attacks from below offered a larger target, compared to attacking tail-on, as well as a better chance of not being seen by the crew (so less chance of evasion), as well as greater likelihood of detonating its bomb load. At this time, the Underground lines were mostly owned and run by separate companies, all of which were merged together with . Praise for Blitz: "With a relaxed style and array of fun characters, including an agent who makes people who look at him see their mother and a baby goat that turns into a little boy, O'Malley's latest will appeal to his many followers." Kirkus Reviews Praise for Daniel O'Malley and the Rook Files series: "Laugh-out-loud funny, occasionally bawdy, and paced like a spy thriller . Democracies, where public opinion was allowed, were thought particularly vulnerable. The GL carpet was supported by six GCI sets controlling radar-equipped night-fighters. There is much that Londoners can look back on with pride, remarkably little about which they need to feel ashamed. The maps help to contextualize the staggering statistics from the Blitz: in London alone, there were 57 consecutive nights of bombing. The Timeline: The Blitz | The Independent | The Independent People were forced to sleep in air raid shelters, and many people took shelter in underground stations. The Blitz The heavy and frequent bombing attacks on London and other cities was known as the 'Blitz'. [24], Hitler was much more attracted to the political aspects of bombing. [2], The military effectiveness of bombing varied. [139], Probably the most devastating attack occurred on the evening of 29 December, when German aircraft attacked the City of London itself with incendiary and high explosive bombs, causing a firestorm that has been called the Second Great Fire of London. In January, Swansea was bombed four times, very heavily. 1940 30 June: The order is given by Reichsmarschall Hermann Gering, head of the Luftwaffe, to draw the RAF into battle. [126] RAF day fighters were converting to night operations and the interim Bristol Blenheim night fighter conversion of the light bomber was being replaced by the powerful Beaufighter, but this was only available in very small numbers. On September 13, 1940, shortly after the start of Germany's bombing campaign on the towns and cities of Britain, five high explosive bombs were dropped on Buckingham Palace. [32], The decision to change strategy is sometimes claimed as a major mistake by OKL. The Luftwaffe flew 4,000 sorties that month, including 12 major and three heavy attacks. British anti-aircraft defences (General Frederick Alfred Pile) fired 8,326 rounds and shot down only 2 bombers. The London boroughs of City of Westminster and St Marylebone - 8.3 square miles of central London stretching from the north bank of the Thames up to Paddington and St John's Wood - were to suffer considerable bombing during the ensuing London Blitz of 7 September 1940 - 11 May 1941 and in later attacks during 1944 -1945. [55] The relocation of the government and the civil service was also planned but would only have occurred if necessary so as not to damage civilian morale. Still, many British citizens, who had been members of the Labour Party, itself inert over the issue, turned to the Communist Party. Loge continued for 57 nights. Around 200 people were killed and another 2,000 injured. Intricately Color-Coded Maps Marking Bomb Damage from the London Blitz Anti-Semitic attitudes became widespread, particularly in London. By December, the SC2500 (2,500kg (5,512lb)) "Max" bomb was used. [83] Until September 1939, the RAF lacked specialist night-fighting aircraft and relied on anti-aircraft units, which were poorly equipped and lacking in numbers. Liverpool and its port became an important destination for convoys heading through the Western Approaches from North America, bringing supplies and materials. [117] Attacks against East End docks were effective and many Thames barges were destroyed. [50], On the other hand, some historians have recently contended that this revisionism of the "Blitz spirit" narrative may have been an over-correction. [183], A popular image arose of British people in the Second World War: a collection of people locked in national solidarity. Air attacks continued sporadically, then in 1944 an entirely new threat arrived in the form . The Impact of the Blitz on London - historylearning.com Industry, seats of government and communications could be destroyed, depriving an opponent of the means to make war. The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom, in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War.The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term Blitzkrieg, the German word meaning 'lightning war'.. Ports were easier to find and made better targets. [150] The OKL had always regarded the interdiction of sea communications of less importance than bombing land-based aircraft industries. WW2: Eight months of Blitz terror - BBC Teach [124] Although the use of the guns improved civilian morale, with the knowledge the German bomber crews were facing the barrage, it is now believed that the anti-aircraft guns achieved little and in fact the falling shell fragments caused more British casualties on the ground. [115] The bombing disrupted rail traffic through London without destroying any of the crossings. Underground officials were ordered to lock station entrances during raids but by the second week of heavy bombing, the government relented and ordered the stations to be opened. 219 Squadron RAF at RAF Kenley). British fighter aircraft production continued at a rate surpassing Germany's by 2 to 1. The German bombers would fly along either beam until they picked up the signal from the other beam. Although there were a few large air battles fought in daylight later in the month and into October, the Luftwaffe switched its main effort to night attacks. Many Londoners, in particular, took to using the Underground railway system, without authority, for shelter and sleeping through the night. [174] By the end of May, Kesselring's Luftflotte 2 had been withdrawn, leaving Hugo Sperrle's Luftflotte 3 as a token force to maintain the illusion of strategic bombing. [156], German air supremacy at night was also now under threat. [23], While the war was being planned, Hitler never insisted upon the Luftwaffe planning a strategic bombing campaign and did not even give ample warning to the air staff that war with Britain or even Russia was a possibility. It had no time to gather reliable intelligence on Britain's industries. With the doors to our museums physically closed, we are offering some exclusive World War II content from our galleries and collections. Less than 100 incidents reported by the London Fire Brigade up to 5pm on September 7, 1940. Bomb-Damage Maps Reveal London's World War II Devastation. However, as with the attacks in the south, the Germans failed to prevent maritime movements or cripple industry in the regions. [58], Deep shelters provided most protection against a direct hit. Douglas set about introducing more squadrons and dispersing the few GL sets to create a carpet effect in the southern counties. Blitz WW2 - The Battle of London | Military History Matters The pilot flew along an approach beam, monitored by a ground controller. Curiously, while 43 percent of the contacts in May 1941 were by visual sightings, they accounted for 61 percent of the combats. Contributions rose to the 5,000 "Spitfire Funds" to build fighters and the number of work days lost to strikes in 1940 was the lowest in history. On September 7, 1940, 350 German bombers escorted by fighters bombarded London on consecutive successions. In particular, class division was most evident during the Blitz. In the Myth of the Blitz, Calder exposed some of the counter-evidences of anti-social and divisive behaviours. [77] Before the war, civilians were issued with 50million respirators (gas masks) in case bombardment with gas began before evacuation. The lightning attack was infamously called "Black Saturday". London was then bombed for 57 consecutive nights, and often during daytime too. Around 66,000 houses were destroyed and 77,000 people made homeless ("bombed out"[158]), with 1,900 people killed and 1,450 seriously hurt on one night. How Thousands of Civilians Were Killed by British Shells in the London [145] Captured German aircrews also indicated the homes of industrial workers were deliberately targeted. dodged bombs to make her way across London from her aunts house to dance class. In some cases, the concentration of the bombing and resulting conflagration created firestorms of 1,000C. While direct attacks against civilians were ruled out as "terror bombing", the concept of attacking vital war industriesand probable heavy civilian casualties and breakdown of civilian moralewas ruled as acceptable.[18]. Air raids caused about 2,300 casualties in London in World War I, and during the Battle of Britain in World War II, the city was bombed relentlessly by the German Luftwaffethe London Blitz . From 1940 to 1941, the most successful night-fighter was the Boulton Paul Defiant; its four squadrons shot down more enemy aircraft than any other type. Who . The Blitz begins as Germany bombs London - HISTORY If a vigilant bomber crew could spot the fighter first, they had a decent chance of evading it. People were forced to sleep in air raid shelters, and many people took shelter in underground stations. Its hope was to destroy its targets and draw the RAF into defending them, allowing the Luftwaffe to destroy their fighters in large numbers, thereby achieving air superiority. [21], In 1936, Wever was killed in an air crash and the failure to implement his vision for the new Luftwaffe was largely attributable to his successors. [99] Fighter Command lost 23 fighters, with six pilots killed and another seven wounded. He frequently complained of the Luftwaffe's inability to damage industries sufficiently, saying, "The munitions industry cannot be impeded effectively by air raids usually, the prescribed targets are not hit". Blitz: A Novel (The Rook Files) Kindle Edition - amazon.com The blitz 1940-1941: an interactive timeline This interactive timeline tracks the German air force's bombing campaign as it devastated towns and cities across Britain during the second world. It could be claimed civilians were not to be targeted directly, but the breakdown of production would affect their morale and will to fight. Throughout 193339 none of the 16 Western Air Plans drafted mentioned morale as a target. London during the Blitz - History Place Before the war, the Chamberlain government stated that night defence from air attack should not take up much of the national effort. Direction-finding checks also enabled the controller to keep the pilot on course. In Portsmouth Southsea and Gosport waves of 150 bombers destroyed vast swaths of the city with 40,000 incendiaries. There was also a mentality in all air forces that flying by day would obviate the need for night operations and their inherent disadvantages. [86], Hugh Dowding, Air Officer Commanding Fighter Command, defeated the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, but preparing day fighter defences left little for night air defence. Below is a table by city of the number of major raids (where at least 100 tons of bombs were dropped) and tonnage of bombs dropped during these major raids. The leaning tower of Rotherhithe sells for 1.5million What he saw as the mythserene national unitybecame "historical truth". Jones began a search for German beams; Avro Ansons of the Beam Approach Training Development Unit (BATDU) were flown up and down Britain fitted with a 30MHz receiver. They believed the Luftwaffe had failed in precision attack and concluded the German example of area attack using incendiaries was the way forward for operations over Germany. Its aircraftDornier Do 17, Junkers Ju 88, and Heinkel He 111swere capable of carrying out strategic missions[41] but were incapable of doing greater damage because of their small bomb-loads. Bungay, Stephen (2000). Eventually, it would become a success. The building of London's Royal Docks introduced a new world of commerce to the capital. Aviation strategists dispute that morale was ever a major consideration for Bomber Command. The effectiveness of British countermeasures against Knickebein caused the Luftwaffe to prefer fire light instead for target marking and navigation. German intelligence suggested Fighter Command was weakening, and an attack on London would force it into a final battle of annihilation while compelling the British Government to surrender. London alone had 1,589 assembly points and although most children boarded evacuation trains at their local stations, trains ran out of the capital's main stations every nine minutes for nine hours. London History: A Look at The London Underground During - Londontopia Although not encouraged by official policy, the use of mines and incendiaries, for tactical expediency, came close to indiscriminate bombing. Bombsite rubble from Birmingham was used to make runways on US Air Force bases in Kent and Essex in southeast England. The Battle of Britain: Timeline | Military History Matters Far from displaying the nation's unity in times of war, the scheme backfired, often aggravating class antagonism and bolstering prejudice about the urban poor. A further attack on the Clyde, this time at Greenock, took place on 6 and 7 May. [145] The shift from precision bombing to area attack is indicated in the tactical methods and weapons dropped. The Blitz timeline | Timetoast timelines London Blitz Worksheets & Teaching Resources | Teachers Pay Teachers London, and cities. He recognised the right of the public to seize tube stations and authorised plans to improve their condition and expand them by tunnelling. The production of false radio navigation signals by re-transmitting the originals became known as meaconing using masking beacons (meacons). Ground transmitters sent pulses at a rate of 180 per minute. Red lamps were used to simulate blast furnaces and locomotive fireboxes. Minister of Home Security Herbert Morrison was also worried morale was breaking, noting the defeatism expressed by civilians. People left shelters when told instead of refusing to leave, although many housewives reportedly enjoyed the break from housework. [145] Use of incendiaries, which were inherently inaccurate, indicated much less care was taken to avoid civilian property close to industrial sites. The Luftwaffe had dropped 16,331 long tons (16,593t) of bombs. German crews, even if they survived, faced capture. Summerfield and Peniston-Bird 2007, p. 84. [57] The programme favoured backyard Anderson shelters and small brick surface shelters. Each setback caused more civilians to volunteer to become unpaid Local Defence Volunteers. (AUDIO: The Wanderer) Despite being forbidden under the terms of the Treaty of . Battle of Britain timeline. [49], In 1937 the Committee on Imperial Defence estimated that an attack of 60 days would result in 600,000 dead and 1.2million wounded. [173] On 19/20 April 1941, in honour of Hitler's 52nd birthday, 712 bombers hit Plymouth with a record 1,000tons (1,016t) of bombs. Bomb damage around St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London. The first German attack on London actually occurred by accident. [1] It was the capital not just for the United Kingdom, but for the entire British Empire. Anti-Jewish sentiment was reported, particularly around the East End of London, with anti-Semitic graffiti and anti-Semitic rumours, such as that Jewish people were "hogging" air raid shelters.