London Blitz redirects here. For the American football team, see London Blitz (American football). Overview The Blitz field a senior team in the British American Football League Premier division as well as youth teams

The Blitz
Part of World War II, Home Front
Date 7 September 1940 - 10 May 1941 Location United Kingdom Result Heavy loss of life and property, Strategic failure. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Home front is the name given to the activities of the civilians during a state of Total war. Events 1251 BC - A Solar eclipse on this date might mark the birth of legendary Heracles at Thebes Greece. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Waste of German airpower with little impact on British war effort.
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Nazi Germany
Commanders
Sir Frederick Pile	Hermann Göring
Strength
	up to 500 bombers per night
Casualties and losses
43,000 civilian dead, 1 million civilian injured 1023 fighters 376 bombers 148 coastal command aircraft 1,041 aircrew	873 fighters 1,015 bombers 2,698 aircrew

The Blitz was the sustained bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, in World War II. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers General Sir Frederick Alfred Pile 2nd Baronet GCB DSO MC ( 14 September 1884 - 14 November 1976) Hermann Wilhelm Göring (also spelled Goering) (12 January 1893 15 October 1946 was a German Politician, Military leader and a leading member A bomber is a Military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets primarily by dropping Bombs on them A bomber is a Military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets primarily by dropping Bombs on them A bomber is a Military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets primarily by dropping Bombs on them A bomb is any of a range of devices that typically rely on the Exothermic Chemical reaction of an Explosive material to produce an extremely The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Events 1251 BC - A Solar eclipse on this date might mark the birth of legendary Heracles at Thebes Greece. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The name is a shortening of the German term, "Blitz Krieg", or "Lightning War". While the "Blitz" hit many towns and cities across the country, it began with the bombing of London for 57^[1] nights in a row. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. By the end of May 1941, over 43,000 civilians, half of them in London, had been killed by bombing^[2] and more than a million houses destroyed or damaged in London alone. ^[3]

London was not the only city to suffer bombing during the Blitz. Other important military and industrial centres, such as Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry, Glasgow, Sheffield, Swansea, Liverpool, Hull, Manchester, Portsmouth, Plymouth and Southampton, suffered heavy air raids and high numbers of casualties. Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Cardiff ( 'kɑːdɪf) is the Capital and the largest city and county in Wales. Coventry ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in the County of West Midlands in England. Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom Sheffield ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England Swansea ( Abertawe "mouth of the Tawe " is a city and county in Wales. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Kingston upon Hull ( almost invariably referred History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. Southampton ( IPA /ˌsaʊθˈhæmptən/ is the largest city in the county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England

By May 1941, the imminent threat of an invasion of Britain had passed and Hitler's attention was focused on the east. While the Germans never again managed to bomb Britain on such a large scale, they carried out smaller attacks throughout the war, taking the civilian death toll to 51,509 from bombing. In 1944, the development of pilotless V-1 flying bombs and V-2 rockets briefly enabled Germany to again attack London with weapons launched from the European continent. The Fieseler Fi 103, better known as V-1 (German Vergeltungswaffe 1 was an early Cruise missile used during World War Two See also Vergeltungswaffe The V-2 rocket ( Vergeltungswaffe 2 was the first Ballistic missile and first man-made object to achieve In total, the V weapons killed 8,938 civilians in London and the south east. ^[4]

Prelude

After the Franco-British defeat in France, the Battle of Britain began in July 1940. In World War II, the Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries The Battle of Britain (German ''Luftschlacht um England'' is the name given to the sustained strategic effort by the German Luftwaffe during the summer and From July to September, the Luftwaffe frontally attacked Royal Air Force Fighter Command to gain air superiority as a prelude to invasion. ( German 'luftvafe is a generic German term for an Air force. This involved the bombing of fighter airfields to destroy Fighter Command's ability to combat an invasion. Simultaneous attacks on the aircraft industry were carried out to prevent the British replacing their losses.

In late August 1940, before the date normally associated with the start of the Blitz, the Luftwaffe attacked industrial targets in Birmingham and Liverpool. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary This was part of an increase in night bombing brought about by the high casualty rates inflicted on German bombers in daylight.

During a raid on Thames Haven, on 24 August, some German aircraft (one commanded by Rudolf Hallensleben who went on to win the Knights Cross for other actions)^[5] strayed over London and dropped bombs in the east and northeast parts of the city, Bethnal Green, Hackney, Islington, Tottenham and Finchley. Shell Haven is the historic name for the port on the north bank of the Thames Estuary at the eastern end of Thurrock, Essex, England Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar 's General Gaius Scribonius Curio is defeated in the Second Battle of the Bagradas River The following is the complete list of Knight's Cross recipients whose last name starts with H Bethnal Green is an area in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. The London Borough of Hackney ( is a London borough in North-East London and forms part of Inner London. Islington is the central district of the London Borough of Islington. Tottenham (pronounced "tot-num" by locals is an urban area of north London, England in the London Borough of Haringey, situated north-east of Finchley is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, London, England. This prompted the British to mount a retaliatory raid on Berlin the next night with bombs falling in Kreuzberg and Wedding, this had caused 10 deaths. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Kreuzberg, since 2001 part of the combined Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg borough located south of Mitte, is one of the best-known areas of Berlin Wedding ( "der Wedding") is a locality in the borough of Mitte, Berlin, Germany and was a separate borough in the north-western Hitler was said to be furious, and on 5 September, at the urging of the Luftwaffe high command, he issued a directive "for disruptive attacks on the population and air defences of major British cities, including London, by day and night". Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris. The Luftwaffe began day and night attacks on British cities, concentrating on London. This relieved the pressure on the RAF's airfields.

Prior to the beginning of the Blitz, dire predictions were made about the number of people who would be killed by a German bombing campaign. A report by the Ministry of Health commissioned in spring 1939, calculated that during the first six months of aerial bombardment there would be 600,000 people killed and 1,200,000 injured^[6]. The Department of Health (DH is a department of the United Kingdom government but with responsibility for government policy for England alone on Health This proved to be greatly over-estimated because it was based upon faulty assumptions about the number of German bombers available and the average number of casualties caused by each bomb. However, it led to the mass evacuation of around 650,000 children to the countryside. Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II were designed to save the population of urban or military areas from German aerial bombing

First phase

View of smoke rising from St Katharine Docks after the first raid of the Blitz on 7th September. St Katharine Docks, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, were one of the commercial docks serving London, on the north side of the river Thames

The first intentional air raids on London were mainly aimed at the Port of London, causing severe damage. The Port of London lies along the banks of the River Thames from London, England to the North Sea. Late in the afternoon of 7 September 364 bombers attacked, escorted by 515 fighters. Events 1251 BC - A Solar eclipse on this date might mark the birth of legendary Heracles at Thebes Greece. Another 133 bombers attacked that night. Many of the bombs aimed at the docks fell on neighbouring residential areas, killing 436 Londoners and injuring 1,666.

Children in the east end of London, made homeless by the random bombs of the Nazi night raiders, waiting outside the wreckage of what was their home. September 1940 (National Archives).

Few anti-aircraft guns had fire-control systems, and the underpowered searchlights were usually ineffective at altitudes above 12,000 feet (3,600 m). Anti-aircraft warfare, or air defense, is any method of engaging hostile military Aircraft in defence of ground objectives, ground or naval forces Note the term " fire control " may also refer to means of stopping a fire such as sprinkler systems A fire-control system Even the fortified Cabinet War Rooms, the secret underground bunker hidden under the Treasury to house the government during the war, were vulnerable to a direct hit. The Cabinet War Rooms now known as the Churchill Museum, were constructed in 1938 and were heavily used by Winston Churchill during World War II. Few fighter aircraft were able to operate at night, and ground-based radar was limited. Radar is a system that uses electromagnetic waves to identify the range altitude direction or speed of both moving and fixed objects such as Aircraft, ships During the first raid, only 92 guns were available to defend London. The city's defences were rapidly reorganised by General Sir Frederick Pile, the Commander-in-Chief of Anti-Aircraft Command, and by 11 September twice as many guns were available, with orders to fire at will. General Sir Frederick Alfred Pile 2nd Baronet GCB DSO MC ( 14 September 1884 - 14 November 1976) Anti-Aircraft Command was a British Army command of the Second World War that controlled the anti-aircraft artillery units of the British Isles Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul This produced a much more visually impressive barrage that boosted civilian morale and, though it had little physical effect on the raiders, encouraged bomber crews to drop before they were over their target.

During this first phase of the Blitz, raids took place day and night. Between 100 and 200 bombers attacked London every night but one between mid-September and mid-November. Most bombers were German, with some Italian aircraft flying from Belgium. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Birmingham and Bristol were attacked on 15 October, and the heaviest attack of the war so far—by 400 bombers and lasting six hours—hit London. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Events 533 - Byzantine General Belisarius makes his formal entry into Carthage, having conquered it from the The RAF opposed them with 41 fighters but only shot down one Heinkel bomber. Heinkel Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturing company founded by and named after Ernst Heinkel. By mid-November, the Germans had dropped more than 13,000 tons of high explosive and more than 1 million incendiary bombs for a combat loss of less than 1% (although planes were lost in accidents inherent to night flying and night landing). An explosive material is a material that either is chemically or otherwise Energetically unstable or produces a sudden expansion of the material usually accompanied Incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are Bombs designed to start Fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as Napalm, Thermite

Bombed buildings in London.

Second phase

Coventry city centre following a devastating attack on November 14/15th 1940

From November 1940 to February 1941, the Luftwaffe attacked industrial and port cities. Coventry ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in the County of West Midlands in England. Targets included Coventry, Southampton, Birmingham, Liverpool, Clydebank, Bristol, Swindon, Plymouth, Cardiff, Manchester, Sheffield, Swansea, Portsmouth, and Avonmouth. The Coventry blitz was a series of Bombing raids ( blitzes that took place in the English City of Coventry. Southampton ( IPA /ˌsaʊθˈhæmptən/ is the largest city in the county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England The Birmingham Blitz was the heavy bombing by the Nazi German Luftwaffe of the city of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, beginning on August The Liverpool Blitz was the heavy and sustained bombing of the city of Liverpool and the surrounding area in England during World War II by the During two devastating Luftwaffe air raids in 1941 the town of Clydebank in Scotland was largely destroyed Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Swindon ( is a large town in the ceremonial county of Wiltshire in the South West of England, midway between Bristol (64 km / 40 miles Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. Cardiff ( 'kɑːdɪf) is the Capital and the largest city and county in Wales. The Manchester Blitz (also known as the Christmas Blitz was the heavy bombing of the city of Manchester, England during the Second World War by the Nazi The Sheffield Blitz is the name given to the worst nights of Luftwaffe bombing in Sheffield, England during the Second World War. Swansea ( Abertawe "mouth of the Tawe " is a city and county in Wales. History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which Avonmouth is a port and suburb on the Severn Estuary, at the mouth of the River Avon. During this period, 14 attacks were mounted on ports excluding London, nine on industrial targets inland, and eight on London.

Probably the most devastating raid occurred on the evening of 29 December, when the German planes attacked the City of London itself with incendiaries and high-explosive bombs, causing what has been called The Second Great Fire of London. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II For London as a whole see the main article London. The City of London is a geographically The night of 29 December / 30 December 1940 was one of the most destructive air raids of the London Blitz, destroying many Livery A famous photograph shows St Paul's Cathedral shrouded in smoke. St Paul's Cathedral, is the Anglican Cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, and the seat of the Bishop of London.

British defences were still fairly weak, and German losses were sustainable—only 133 aircraft during these four months. However, the German High Command was becoming unconvinced that the bombing would make possible the invasion of Britain, as the RAF remained effective. Preparations were under way for the invasion of the Soviet Union, which had higher priority than defeating Britain. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

Final attacks

Further information: Belfast blitz

In February 1941, Karl Dönitz persuaded Hitler to attack British seaports in support of the Kriegsmarine's Battle of the Atlantic. The Belfast Blitz was an event that occurred on the night of Easter Tuesday 15 April 1941. Karl Dönitz (ˈdøːnɪts) (16 September 1891 &ndash 24 December 1980 was a German naval Commander who served ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo The Kriegsmarine (English "War navy" was the name of the German Navy between 1935 and 1945 during the Nazi regime superseding the The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest continuous Military campaign of World War II, (though some say it was a series of naval Military campaigns Hitler issued a directive on 6 February ordering the Luftwaffe to concentrate its efforts on ports, notably Plymouth, Clydebank, Portsmouth, Bristol, Avonmouth, Swansea, Liverpool, Belfast, Hull, Sunderland, and Newcastle. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. During two devastating Luftwaffe air raids in 1941 the town of Clydebank in Scotland was largely destroyed History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Avonmouth is a port and suburb on the Severn Estuary, at the mouth of the River Avon. Swansea ( Abertawe "mouth of the Tawe " is a city and county in Wales. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. Kingston upon Hull ( almost invariably referred Sunderland (, or /ˈsʌn(dlən/ is a City in Tyne and Wear, England. Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England Between 19 February and 12 May, Germany mounted 51 attacks against those cities, with only 7 directed against London, Birmingham, Coventry, and Nottingham. Events 197 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Nottingham ( is a city in the Ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England.

Firefighters battling against fire amongst ruined buildings

By now the imminent threat of invasion had all but passed as Germany had failed to gain the pre-requisite air-superiority. 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^[7] and in this respect the raids were widely perceived by the British as an attempt to inflict terror on the population ^[8]. British defences were much improved by this time with ground-based radar guiding night fighters to their targets and the Bristol Beaufighter, with airborne radar, effective against night bombers. The Bristol Beaufighter is also the name of a Car produced by Bristol Cars in the 1980s An increasing number of anti-aircraft guns and searchlights were radar-controlled, improving accuracy. From the start of 1941 the Luftwaffe's monthly losses increased (28 in January, 124 in May). The impending invasion of the Soviet Union required the movement of German air power to the East, and the Blitz ended in May 1941.

The last major attack on London was on 10 May: 515 bombers destroyed or damaged many important buildings, including the British Museum, the Houses of Parliament and St. James's Palace. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. The British Museum is a Museum of human history and culture in London. St James's Palace is one of London's oldest Palaces It is situated on Pall Mall in London, just north of St The raid caused more casualties than any other: 1,364 killed and 1,616 seriously injured^[6]. Six days later 111 bombers attacked Birmingham; this was the last major air raid on a British city for about a year and a half^[6].

Civilian and political reactions

Post-WWII: Walking Past an Unexploded Bomb

The civilians of London had an enormous role to play in the protection of their city. One of the three objectives of the bombing was to destroy the morale of the civilian population^[9], but the campaign failed in this as in the other objectives , and indeed the blitz, like the bombing of Germany did not have the effect that most commentators had assumed. Many civilians who were not willing or able to join the military became members of the Home Guard, the Air Raid Precautions Service, The Auxiliary Fire Service, and many other organisations.

Bomb shelter in a London Underground station. The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire

During the Blitz, far fewer dedicated public bomb shelters than necessary were available. The government feared that a "shelter mentality" would develop if people were provided with central deep shelters. This was one of the reasons behind the preference for getting people to construct Anderson shelters in their back gardens. For the general article about fortified structures see Bunker. The authorities in London, after being put under very considerable pressure from public opinion and from organised Left wing movements, did make use of about 80 underground Tube stations to house about 177,000 people. The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire In contrast, the Germans made a much more concerted and organised effort to shelter their population against the (much more extensive) Allied strategic bombing campaign later in the war.

Another frequent response to bombing was what became known as "trekking". Many thousands of civilians slept far from their homes and travelled several hours into work and several hours out again every day. Official sources often denied this was happening.

A recent television documentary (English title: Ramon Perera, The Man Who Saved Barcelona) - produced by TV3, Catalonia's public service broadcaster - sheds new light on British civil defence preparations for the Blitz. A Catalan engineer, Ramon Perera, supervised the building of some 1,400 public shelters in Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War. Barcelona ( Catalan bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish baɾθeˈlona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict in Spain that started after an attempted Coup d'état committed by parts of the army against the government of They proved a great success, with no one being killed in the shelters despite frequent heavy air raids on the city. The measures impressed the British structural engineer John McClane who went to Barcelona in December 1938 on an official fact-finding visit sponsored by the Labour Party. When the Republican government fell little over a month later, McClane persuaded British secret services to help Flynn reach London shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War. However, the British authorities refused to act on Perera and Helsby's advice and build simple but effective public shelters, opting instead for makeshift Anderson shelters for family protection. For the general article about fortified structures see Bunker. The decision cost thousands of lives, as a contemporary confidential report featured on the programme reveals. The historian Paul Preston appears in the documentary and argues that the British government failed to take its duty to protect civilians seriously enough. Paul Preston (born 1946 is a British Historian, specialized in Spanish history in particular the Spanish Civil War, which he has studied for more than

Blitz Scouts in 1942. The Scout section is the direct descendant of the original Scout Patrols which formed The Scout Association of the United Kingdom in 1908

During the blitz, Scouts guided Fire Engines to the places they were most needed, and became known as the Blitz Scouts. The Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom ^[10]

Great improvements were made to air defences during the Blitz. The air defences and the stoicism of the British people were used for propaganda; American radio journalist Edward R Murrow was stationed in London at the time of the Blitz and made live radio broadcasts to the United States during the bombings. Stoicism, a school of Hellenistic philosophy, was founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early third century BC The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Edward R Murrow (born Egbert Roscoe Murrow; April 25 1908 &ndash April 27 1965) was an American journalist Live broadcasts from a theatre of war had not been heard by radio audiences before, and Murrow's London broadcasts made him a celebrity. His broadcasts were enormously important in prompting the sympathy of the American people for Britain's resistance to Nazi aggression.

Other aerial attacks on the United Kingdom during World War Two

Baedeker Blitz

Main article: Baedeker Blitz

The Baedeker Blitz was a series of raids conducted in mid-1942 as reprisals for the RAF bombing of the German city of Lübeck. TemplateLocation_map_many/doc -->The Baedeker Blitz or Baedeker raids were a series of Vergeltungsangriffe ("retaliatory raids" by the Lübeck was bombed for the first time by the Royal Air Force on the night of 28 / 29 March 1942. The Baedeker raids targeted historic cities with no military or strategic importance such as Bath, Canterbury, Exeter, Norwich and York between February to May 1942. Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. Canterbury ( ˈkæntəbɹ̩i is a City in eastern Kent in the South East region of England. Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England. History Roman The Romans had their regional capital at Venta Icenorum on the river to the south which is near modern-day Caistor St Edmund York ( is an historic Walled city sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. Churches and other public buildings of interest were often the targets of these raids in an attempt to break civilian morale. Major targets, particularly cathedrals, were avoided. This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral

Baby Blitz

Main article: Operation Steinbock

In November 1943, Reichmarschall Hermann Göering ordered a bomber force to relaunch operations against southern England. Operation Steinbock, (known as "the Baby Blitz " was a 'late war' German operation carried out by the Luftwaffe between January and May 1944 against During December and early January, the Luftwaffe gathered some 515 aircraft of widely differing types on French airfields; 447 bombers, including Ju 88s, Ju 188s, Do 217s, Me 410s and the new He 177 were used on the first mass attack on London on 21 January 1944. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Dornier Do 217 was a bomber used by Germany during World War II. The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse ("Hornet" was a Luftwaffe Heavy fighter and Schnellbomber of The Heinkel He 177 Greif ( Griffin) was a long-range bomber of the Luftwaffe. Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The bomber crews' general lack of night flying experience and the very different performances of the aircraft types required pathfinder aircraft to be used to mark targets within the London area. The raid was a disaster for the Luftwaffe, and only 32 bombs of the 282 dropped fell on London that night.

For the following four months, further raids were made, resulting in the loss of 329 aircraft, to little effect. And these aircraft were not available to defend against the forthcoming Allied invasion of continental Europe. Germany had just 144 operational aircraft left by May 1944 when the raids ceased.

V-Weapons offensive

On 12 June 1944, the first V-1 Flying Bomb attack was carried out on London. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Fieseler Fi 103, better known as V-1 (German Vergeltungswaffe 1 was an early Cruise missile used during World War Two A total of 9,251 V-1s were fired at Britain, with the vast majority aimed at London; 2,515 reached the city, killing 6,184 civilians and injuring 17,981. Over 4,000 were destroyed by the Royal Air Force, the Army’s Anti-Aircraft Command, the Royal Navy and barrage balloons^[11].

The V-2 Rocket was first used against London on 8 September 1944. See also Vergeltungswaffe The V-2 rocket ( Vergeltungswaffe 2 was the first Ballistic missile and first man-made object to achieve Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 1,115 V-2s were fired at the United Kingdom killing an estimated 2,754 people in London with another 6,523 injured. A further 2,917 service personnel were killed as a result of the V weapon campaign^[12].

On 17 September 1944, the blackout was replaced by a partial 'dim-out'. Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A blackout in time of War, or apprehended war refers to the practice of collectively minimizing external Light, including upward-directed

Major sites and structures damaged or destroyed

• All Hallows by-the-Tower
• All Hallows-on-the-Wall
• Balham tube station - October 14, 1940
• Bank tube station - January 11, 1941
• Bounds Green station - October 13, 1940
• British Museum - May 10, 1941
• Buckingham Palace
• Café de Paris - March 8, 1941
• Central Telegraph Office - December 29, 1940
• Chelsea Old Church
• Christ Church, Newgate
• City Temple, London
• Coventry Cathedral
• Saint Mary's Guildhall, Coventry
• Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital
• Dutch Church
• Euston station - November 15, 1940
• Great Synagogue of London - May 10, 1941
• Guildhall - December 29, 1940
• Holland House
• Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster) - May 10, 1941
• Lambeth Palace - May 10, 1941
• Lambeth Walk - September 18, 1940
• London Library
• Marble Arch Underground station - September 17, 1940
• National Portrait Gallery - November 15, 1940
• Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham - May, 1941
• Old Bailey - May 10, 1941
• Paternoster Row - December 29, 1940
• Portsmouth Guildhall
• Portsmouth Harbour railway station
• Shell Mex House - September 15, 1940
• St. Joseph's RC Primary school- May 10, 1941
• St Alban Wood Street
• St Alfege's Church, Greenwich - March 19, 1941
• St. Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe
• St Andrew Holborn
• St Augustine Watling Street
• St Bartholomew the Less
• St Botolph Aldersgate
• St Clement Danes
• St Dunstan-in-the-East
• St George in the East - May 1941
• St James Garlickhithe
• St. James's Palace - May 10, 1941
• St Lawrence Jewry - December 29, 1940
• St Luke's Church, Liverpool
• St Mary Abchurch
• St Mary Aldermanbury
• St Mary-le-Bow - May 10, 1941
• St Mary's Church, Swansea Feb 1941
• St Nicholas Cole Abbey
• St Olave Hart Street
• St Paul's Cathedral - December 29, 1940
• St Peter's Hospital, Bristol
• St Vedast alias Foster
• Temple Church
• Westminster Abbey - November 15, 1940
• Westminster Hall - May 10, 1941

See also

• ARP
• Anderson shelter
• Belfast Blitz- Luftwaffe bombing in Belfast
• Bristol Blitz- Luftwaffe bombing in Bristol
• British military history of World War II
• Butterfly Bomb
• Cardiff Blitz - Luftwaffe bombing in Cardiff
• Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms
• Clydebank Blitz
• Coventry Blitz - Luftwaffe bombing raids that destroyed the medieval city of Coventry. All Hallows-by-the-Tower, also previously dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, is an ancient Anglican church located in Byward Street in the City All Hallows-on-the-Wall is a Church of England church located in the City of London. Balham station consists of two adjacent stations (a London Underground station and a National Rail station located in the Balham area of south London Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For the station called Monument on the Tyne and Wear Metro, see Monument Metro station Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Bounds Green tube station is a London Underground station located at the junction of Bounds Green Road and Brownlow Road in North London. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The British Museum is a Museum of human history and culture in London. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Chelsea Old Church (All Saints is on the north bank of the River Thames ( Chelsea Embankment) near Albert Bridge in Chelsea, London Christ Church Greyfriars, also known as Christ Church Newgate was an Anglican church located on Newgate Street opposite St Paul's Cathedral in the Coventry Cathedral, also known as St Michael's Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in Coventry Coventry ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in the County of West Midlands in England. Geography Warwickshire is bounded to the northwest by the West Midlands Metropolitan county and Staffordshire, by Leicestershire to A hospital is an institution for Health care providing treatment by specialised staff and equipment and often but not always providing for Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Great Synagogue of London was for centuries the centre of Ashkenazi Synagogue and Jewish life in London. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Guildhall is a building in the City of London, off Cheapside and Basinghall Street, in the wards of Bassishaw and Cheap. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Holland House, built in 1605 for Sir Walter Cope and originally known as Cope Castle, was one of the first great houses built in Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Lambeth Palace is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Lambeth Walk is a street in Lambeth, London, England, off Lambeth Road. Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The London Library is the world's largest independent lending library. Marble Arch is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster. Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Nottingham Trent University ( NTU) is a University in Nottingham, England. Nottingham ( is a city in the Ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England. The Central Criminal Court in England, commonly known as the Old Bailey, is a court Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Paternoster Square is an urban development owned by the Mitsubishi Estate Co Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Portsmouth Guildhall is the biggest events venue in the Hampshire city of Portsmouth in England. Portsmouth Harbour railway station is a Railway station in Portsmouth, England. Shell Mex House is at 80 Strand London, UK Broadly speaking in an Art Deco style it was designed by Ernest Joseph, a Jewish architect who was a leading Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Joseph "of the House of David " ( Hebrew יוֹסֵף also known as Saint Joseph, Joseph the Betrothed, Joseph of Nazareth See also Primary education A primary school (from French école primaire) is an institution where children receive the first stage of Compulsory Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. St Alban's was a church in Wood Street EC2, London, dedicated to Saint Alban. St Alfege Church is a Church of England place of worship in the town centre of Greenwich in the eponymous London Borough. Events 1279 - A Mongolian victory in the Battle of Yamen ends the Song Dynasty in China. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe is a Church of England church located on Queen Victoria Street London in the City of London, near Blackfriars station St Andrew Holborn, a large parish for the City is a Church of England church on the western edge of the City of London, on Holborn. St Augustine Watling Street was an Anglican church formerly located just to the east of St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London. St Bartholomew-the-Less is an Anglican church in the City of London. St Botolph Aldersgate is a Church of England church on Aldersgate Street in the City of London, dedicated to St Botolph. St Clement Danes is a church in the City of Westminster, London. St Dunstan-in-the-East was an Anglican church located on St Dunstan's Hill half way between London Bridge and the Tower of London in the City St George in the East is an Anglican Church and one of six Hawksmoor churches in London, England, built from 1714 to 1729 with funding from St James Garlickhythe is a church in Vintry ward of the City of London, nicknamed ‘Wren’s lantern’ owing to its profusion of windows St James's Palace is one of London's oldest Palaces It is situated on Pall Mall in London, just north of St Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Described by Sir John Betjeman as "Very municipal very splendid" St Lawrence Jewry is a Church of England church in The City, London Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. St Luke's Church in Liverpool, England, is located on the corner of Berry Street and Leece Street opposite the top of Bold Street. St Mary Abchurch is a Church of England church on Cannon Street in the City of London. St Mary Aldermanbury church in the City of London, is first mentioned in 1181 but was destroyed by the Great fire of London in 1666 St Mary-le-Bow is an historic church in the City of London, off Cheapside. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. St Mary's Church is an Anglican Church & Greek Orthodox Church in the centre of Swansea, Wales, UK. St Nicholas Cole Abbey is a church in the City of London located on what is now Queen Victoria Street St Olave Hart Street is an Anglican church in the City of London, located on Hart Street near Fenchurch Street railway station. St Paul's Cathedral, is the Anglican Cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, and the seat of the Bishop of London. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Saint Vedast-alias-Foster, church in Foster Lane, EC2, City of London, dedicated to Vedast (Foster is an Anglicisation of The Temple Church is a late 12th century church in London located between Fleet Street and the River Thames, built for and by the Knights The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Air Raid Precautions (ARP was an organisation in the United Kingdom set up as an aid in the prelude to the Second World War dedicated For the general article about fortified structures see Bunker. The Belfast Blitz was an event that occurred on the night of Easter Tuesday 15 April 1941. Bristol was the fifth most heavily bombed British city of World War II. The United Kingdom, along with the British Empire 's crown colonies, especially British India, declared war on Nazi Germany in 1939 after the A Butterfly Bomb, or ( Sprengbombe Dickwandig 2 kg or SD2) was a German 2 kilogram anti-personnel Submunition used by the Luftwaffe During World War II, Cardiff, Wales was the biggest port in the United Kingdom, and one of the biggest ports in the World. The Cabinet War Rooms now known as the Churchill Museum, were constructed in 1938 and were heavily used by Winston Churchill during World War II. During two devastating Luftwaffe air raids in 1941 the town of Clydebank in Scotland was largely destroyed The Coventry blitz was a series of Bombing raids ( blitzes that took place in the English City of Coventry.
• Cyril Demarne- London fireman
• Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II
• Liverpool Blitz - Luftwaffe bombing in Liverpool
• Rotterdam Blitz
• The Emergency- Luftwaffe bombing in Ireland
• The Second Great Fire of London
• V1 Flying Bomb
• V2 rocket

References

• Levine, Joshua (October 5, 2006). Cyril Thomas Demarne OBE ( February 7 1905 &ndash January 28 2007) was a British Firefighter. Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II were designed to save the population of urban or military areas from German aerial bombing The Liverpool Blitz was the heavy and sustained bombing of the city of Liverpool and the surrounding area in England during World War II by the The Rotterdam Blitz refers to the aerial bombardment of Rotterdam by the German Airforce on 14 May 1940, during the German invasion The Emergency (Ré na Práinne was an official Euphemism used by the Irish Government during the 1940s to refer to its position during World War II. The night of 29 December / 30 December 1940 was one of the most destructive air raids of the London Blitz, destroying many Livery The Fieseler Fi 103, better known as V-1 (German Vergeltungswaffe 1 was an early Cruise missile used during World War Two See also Vergeltungswaffe The V-2 rocket ( Vergeltungswaffe 2 was the first Ballistic missile and first man-made object to achieve Events 869 - The Fourth Council of Constantinople is convened to decide about what to do about Patriarch Photius of Constantinople Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Forgotten Voices of the Blitz and the Battle for Britain. Forgotten Voices of the Blitz and the Battle of Britain uses material from Imperial War Museum ’s sound archive Ebury Press. Random House Inc is the world's largest English-language general trade book publisher ISBN 9780091910037.  
• Price, Alfred. Blitz on Britain 1939–45, Sutton Publishing (2000), ISBN 0-7509-2356-3
• Winston Ramsay 'The Blitz — Then & Now' Volumes 1–3 (After The Battle Publications 1987–89)

External links

• The Blitz: Sorting the Myth from the Reality, BBC History
• Exploring 20th century London - The Blitz Objects and photographs from the collections of the Museum of London, London Transport Museum, Jewish Museum and Museum of Croydon.
• Liverpool Blitz Experience 24 hours in a city under fire in the Blitz.
• Forgotten Voices of the Blitz and the Battle for Britain