london blitz timeline

News reports of the Spanish Civil War, such as the bombing of Barcelona, supported the 50-casualties-per-tonne estimate. [134], From November 1940 to February 1941, the Luftwaffe shifted its strategy and attacked other industrial cities. Blitzkrieg - the lightning war - was the name given to the devastating German bombing attacks to which the United Kingdom was subjected from September 1940 until May 1941. [70] Pub visits increased in number (beer was never rationed), and 13,000 attended cricket at Lord's. This caused more than 2,000 fires; 1,436 people were killed and 1,792 seriously injured, which affected morale badly. The main damage was inflicted on the commercial and domestic areas. [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. During World War I, German zeppelins and Gotha airplanes had bombed the city and forced people to take shelter in the tunnels. Explore the London Blitz during 7th October 1940 to 6th June 1941 Aggregate Bomb Census Information Powered by Leaflet CartoDB - Map data OpenStreetMap.org contributors The National Archives give no warranty to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for purpose of the information provided. Bomb damage around St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London. At this time, the Underground lines were mostly owned and run by separate companies, all of which were merged together with . He told OKL in 1939 that ruthless employment of the Luftwaffe against the heart of the British will to resist would follow when the moment was right. de Zeng, Henry L., Doug G. Stankey and Eddie J. Creek. He recognised the right of the public to seize tube stations and authorised plans to improve their condition and expand them by tunnelling. [61] A single direct hit on a shelter in Stoke Newington on October 1940 killed 160 civilians. [73][74][75], The cheerful crowds visiting bomb sites were so large they interfered with rescue work. These units were fed from two adjacent tanks containing oil and water. 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. [31], The circumstances affected the Germans more than the British. On the night of 22/23 July 1940, Flying Officer Cyril Ashfield (pilot), Pilot Officer Geoffrey Morris (air observer) and Flight Sergeant Reginald Leyland (Air Intercept radar operator) of the Fighter Interception Unit became the first pilot and crew to intercept and destroy an enemy aircraft using onboard radar to guide them to a visual interception, when their AI night fighter brought down a Do 17 off Sussex. Cardiff was bombed on three nights; Portsmouth centre was devastated by five raids. The difference this made to the effectiveness of air defences is questionable. Dowding was summoned on 17 October, to explain the poor state of the night defences and the supposed (but ultimately successful) "failure" of his daytime strategy. [25], When Hitler tried to intervene more in the running of the air force later in the war, he was faced with a political conflict of his own making between himself and Gring, which was not fully resolved until the war was almost over. There were also many new civil defence roles that gave a sense of fighting back rather than despair. By September 1940, London had already experienced German bombing. They also noted regional production was severely disrupted when city centres were devastated through the loss of administrative offices, utilities and transport. [127] In November 1940, 6,000 sorties and 23 major attacks (more than 100 tons [102t] of bombs dropped) were flown. [183], A popular image arose of British people in the Second World War: a collection of people locked in national solidarity. In Wartime One Girls Journey From The Blitz To Sadlers Wells is understandable in our digital library an online permission to it is set as public . London: The Blitz, September 1940-June 1941 Records are incomplete, but between 7 October 1940 and 6 June 1941 almost 28,000 high explosive bombs and over 400 parachute mines were recorded landing on Greater London. [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. Their incendiary bombs No follow-up raids were made, as OKL underestimated the British power of recovery (as Bomber Command would do over Germany from 1943 to 1945). Harold Macmillan wrote in 1956 that he and others around him "thought of air warfare in 1938 rather as people think of nuclear war today". The name "Blitz" comes from the word "blitzkrieg" which meant "lightning war". - Wikipedia London Blitz Worksheets & Teaching Resources | Teachers Pay Teachers However, the use of delayed-action bombs, while initially very effective, gradually had less impact, partly because they failed to detonate. The number of suicides and drunkenness declined, and London recorded only about two cases of "bomb neurosis" per week in the first three months of bombing. Battle of Britain and the Blitz - Military History - Oxford - obo His hope wasfor reasons of political prestige within Germany itselfthat the German population would be protected from the Allied bombings. One third of London was destroyed. When Gring decided against continuing Wever's original heavy bomber programme in 1937, the Reichsmarschall's own explanation was that Hitler wanted to know only how many bombers there were, not how many engines each had. [78], During the Blitz, The Scout Association guided fire engines to where they were most needed and became known as the "Blitz Scouts". Ground-based radar was limited, and airborne radar and RAF night fighters were generally ineffective. Direction-finding checks also enabled the controller to keep the pilot on course. The light guns, about half of which were of the excellent Bofors 40 mm, dealt with aircraft only up to 6,000ft (1,800m). 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. However, as with the attacks in the south, the Germans failed to prevent maritime movements or cripple industry in the regions. The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz (Kindle Edition) by. Only one year earlier, there had only been 6,600 full-time and 13,800 part-time firemen in the entire country. Many civilians who were unwilling or unable to join the military joined the Home Guard, the Air Raid Precautions service (ARP), the Auxiliary Fire Service and many other civilian organisations. [109] Special units, such as KGr 100, became the Beleuchtergruppe (Firelighter Group), which used incendiaries and high explosives to mark the target area. These were marked out by parachute flares. Loge had cost the Luftwaffe 41 aircraft; 14 bombers, 16 Messerschmitt Bf 109s, seven Messerschmitt Bf 110s and four reconnaissance aircraft. 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. [108], Kesselring, commanding Luftflotte 2, was ordered to send 50 sorties per night against London and attack eastern harbours in daylight. Thereafter, he would refuse to make available any air units to destroy British dockyards, ports, port facilities, or shipping in dock or at sea, lest Kriegsmarine gain control of more Luftwaffe units. From the beginning of the National Socialist regime until 1939, there was a debate in German military journals over the role of strategic bombardment, with some contributors arguing along the lines of the British and Americans. Summerfield and Peniston-Bird 2007, p. 84. On 15 September, on a date known as Battle of Britain Day, a large-scale raid was launched in daylight, but suffered significant loss for no lasting gain. Blitz Incidents Thursday, 2 January 2014 High Holborn - the morning of 8th October 1940 I had no idea fighter-bombers were used against London as early as 1940, yet on Tuesday 8th October just before 9 am a raid took place that certainly hit targets across the centre of London, including Whitehall, at the very heart of British government. Launched in May 2020 to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day, discover our collection of resources about the resilience of London during World War II. [68], Although only a small number of Londoners used the mass shelters, when journalists, celebrities and foreigners visited they became part of the Beveridge Report, part of a national debate on social and class division. The most intense series of these raids took place from September 1940 to May 1941 in a period that has become known as the Blitz. Before the war, the Chamberlain government stated that night defence from air attack should not take up much of the national effort. Two heavy (50 long tons (51t) of bombs) attacks were also flown. [167] The Bristol Blenheim F.1 carried four .303in (7.7mm) machine guns which lacked the firepower to easily shoot down a Do 17, Ju 88 or Heinkel He 111. This timeline highlights key moments in the run up to and during the Battle of Britain. The Germans adapted the short-range Lorenz system into Knickebein, a 3033MHz system, which used two Lorenz beams with much stronger signals. Less than 100 incidents reported by the London Fire Brigade up to 5pm on September 7, 1940. The British government grew anxious about the delays and disruption of supplies during the month. Warehouses, rail lines and houses were destroyed and damaged, but the docks were largely untouched. In 1938, a committee of psychiatrists predicted three times as many mental as physical casualties from aerial bombing, implying three to four million psychiatric patients. The damage was considerable, and the Germans also used aerial mines. The government did not build them for large populations before the war because of cost, time to build and fears that their safety would cause occupants to refuse to leave to return to work or that anti-war sentiment would develop in large congregations of civilians. The Germans conducted mass air attacks against industrial targets, towns, and cities, beginning with raids on London towards the end of the Battle of . The shortage of bombers caused OKL to improvise. [133] By mid-November, nine squadrons were available, but only one was equipped with Beaufighters (No. Bombsite rubble from Birmingham was used to make runways on US Air Force bases in Kent and Essex in southeast England. [145] Part of the reason for this was inaccuracy of navigation. In Sunderland on 25 April, Luftflotte 2 sent 60 bombers which dropped 80 tons (81.3t) of high explosive and 9,000 incendiaries. The difficulty of RAF bombers in night navigation and target finding led the British to believe that it would be the same for German bomber crews. The Blitz refers to the strategic bombing campaign conducted by the Germans against London and other cities in England from September of 1940 through May of 1941, targeting populated areas, factories and dock yards. [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. The aerial bombing was now principally aimed at the destruction of industrial targets, but also continued with the objective of breaking the morale of the civilian population. Still, in February 1941, there remained only seven squadrons with 87 pilots, under half the required strength. It believed it could greatly affect the balance of power on the battlefield by disrupting production and damaging civilian morale. The Blitz holds a special place in British history for the light which it supposedly sheds on . [2], The military effectiveness of bombing varied. Lights were not allowed after dark for almost six years and the blackout became by far the most unpopular aspect of the war for civilians, even more than rationing. In January 1941, Fighter Command flew 486 sorties against 1,965 made by the Germans. 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. [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. [40] Late in the afternoon of 7 September 1940, the Germans began Operation London (Unternehmen Loge, Loge being the codename for London) and Operation Sea Snake (Unternehmen Seeschlange), the air offensives against London and other industrial cities. The considerable rail network distributed to the rest of the country. [24][182] 4546. 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]. [46], In an operational capacity, limitations in weapons technology and quick British reactions were making it more difficult to achieve strategic effect. Much of the city centre was destroyed. Entertainment included concerts, films, plays and books from local libraries. Minister of Home Security Herbert Morrison was also worried morale was breaking, noting the defeatism expressed by civilians. 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. The general neglect of the RAF until the late spurt in 1938, left few resources for night air defence and the Government, through the Air Ministry and other civil and military institutions was responsible for policy. [118] The London Docklands, in particular, the Royal Victoria Dock, received many hits and Port of London trade was disrupted. [180] The 10th directive in October 1940 mentioned morale by name but industrial cities were only to be targeted if weather prevented raids on oil targets.[181]. It could be claimed civilians were not to be targeted directly, but the breakdown of production would affect their morale and will to fight. A summary of Harris' strategic intentions was clear. [160], On 13 March, the upper Clyde port of Clydebank near Glasgow was bombed (Clydebank Blitz). Between 7 September 1940 and 21 May 1941 there were major aerial raids (attacks in which m Subjects: British History, Social Studies - History, World History Grades: To start off, the idea of the London Underground as a bomb shelter wasn't a new one by 1940. [45] This method condemned the offensive over Britain to failure before it began. Support for peace negotiations declined from 29% in February. The system worked on 6677MHz, a higher frequency than Knickebein. The German bombers would fly along either beam until they picked up the signal from the other beam. The attack started at 16:43 and lasted for 12 hours. Added to the fact an interception relied on visual sighting, a kill was most unlikely even in the conditions of a moonlit sky. The Timeline: The Blitz | The Independent | The Independent [195] Many sites of bombed buildings, when cleared of rubble, were cultivated to grow vegetables to ease wartime food shortages and were known as victory gardens.[196]. The GL carpet was supported by six GCI sets controlling radar-equipped night-fighters. dodged bombs to make her way across London from her aunts house to dance class. 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. Four days later 230 tons (234t) were dropped including 60,000 incendiaries. It reveals the devastation caused by the Blitz over eight months. The air campaign soon got underway against London and other British cities. [40] The Port of London, in particular, was an important target, bringing in one-third of overseas trade. [107], Luftwaffe policy at this point was primarily to continue progressive attacks on London, chiefly by night attack; second, to interfere with production in the vast industrial arms factories of the West Midlands, again chiefly by night attack; and third to disrupt plants and factories during the day by means of fighter-bombers. Timeline London portal v t e The United Kingdom took part in World War II from 3 September 1939 until 15 August 1945. London was then bombed for 57 consecutive nights, and often during daytime too. 604 Squadron RAF shot down a bomber flying an AI-equipped Beaufighter, the first air victory for the airborne radar. For eight months the Luftwaffe dropped bombs on London and other strategic cities across Britain. Later in . London Blitz bomb web map a hit-and-miss affair The - The Register Erich Raedercommander-in-chief of the Kriegsmarinehad long argued the Luftwaffe should support the German submarine force (U-Bootwaffe) in the Battle of the Atlantic by attacking shipping in the Atlantic Ocean and attacking British ports. [163] By the end of the air campaign over Britain, only eight percent of the German effort against British ports was made using mines. By 16 February 1941, this had grown to 12; with 5 equipped, or partially equipped with Beaufighters spread over 5 Groups. This became official policy on 7 October. Timeline: London's Explosive History : NPR "[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. [159] Operations against London up until May 1941 could also have a severe impact on morale. The details of the conversation were passed to an RAF Air Staff technical advisor, Dr. R. V. Jones, who started a search which discovered that Luftwaffe Lorenz receivers were more than blind-landing devices. Official histories concluded that the mental health of a nation may have improved, while panic was rare.

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