The Blitz

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The Blitz

London was targeted by German bombers from the 7 September 1940 - 11 May 1941. This period became known as the Blitz.

Blitzkrieg

First period of ‘Blitzkrieg’ (lightning war) began with 57 consecutive nights of bombing on London, primarily on the East End (St Katharine’s Docks, Woolwich Arsenal and the V&A Docks).

Incendiaries

Use of incendiaries (bombs that create fire) including:
- Brandbombe - 1kg bombs that could break through roofs.
- Flammenbombe - filled with oil that would splash and start large fires.
- Sprengbrandbombe C-50 - 50kg bomb case that was filled with smaller bombs.

Fire-fighting

Fire-fighting was a vital job in the Blitz.
Mobile fire pumps and hand pumps were used.
327 firefighters were killed during the Blitz.
Firewatching (watching certain important buildings e.g. St Paul’s Cathedral and putting out fires quickly) became crucial.

Casualties

20,000 people were killed in the first Blitz.
1,150,000 houses destroyed.
⅙ Londoners were homeless for at least a day.

The ‘Little Blitz’

The ‘Little Blitz’ was a period of bombing from the 21st January to May 1944.

The ‘Little Blitz’

Much less intensive than the main Blitz.
This was because Germany only had 475 aircraft and inexperienced crews.

British response

Britain deployed anti-aircraft crews that took down 70 aircraft per month between January-April.

Bombs

Explosive bombs were used to try and create maximum damage. For example:
- Parachute mines - designed to sink ships by using magnets to target.
- Anti-personnel bombs - cluster bombs would scatter bomblets fitted with detonators.

Casualties

1500 people killed in the Little Blitz.

1Medieval Warfare c.1250-1500

1.1Medieval Warfare & Society

1.1.1Weapons

1.1.2Composition

1.1.3Recruitment & Training

1.1.4Experience of Civilians

1.1.5Case Studies

1.1.6Change in Medieval Warfare

2Early Modern Warfare c.1500-1700

2.1Early Modern Warfare & Society

2.1.1Weapons

2.1.2Composition

2.1.3Recruitment & Training

2.1.4Experience of Civilians

2.1.5Case Studies

2.1.6Change in Early Modern Warfare

3Industrial Warfare c.1700-1900

3.1The Industrial Period & Warfare

3.1.1Weapons

3.1.2Composition

3.1.3Recruitment & Training

3.1.4Experience of Civilians

3.1.5Case Studies

3.1.6Change in Industrial Period Warfare

4Modern Warfare c.1900-present

4.1Modern Warfare & Society

4.1.1Weapons

4.1.2Composition

4.1.3Recruitment & Training

4.1.4Experience of Civilians

4.1.5Case Studies

4.1.6Change in Modern Warfare

5The Historic Environment

5.1London & the Second World War, 1939-45

5.1.1London: A Target

5.1.2Preparations for War

5.1.3The Blitz

5.1.4V1 & V2 Attacks

5.1.5Impact of the Blitz

5.1.6The War Effort

5.1.7The Government

5.1.8The Royal Family

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