London Flashcards
Why was London a target
Capital city, important port, industrial centre, biggest population
How did London prepare
Air Raid Precautions- Acts and Wardens,
Evacuation- children removed from London at the start of the war
Gas Masks- all Londoners given
Air Raid Shelters
Types of bombs used
Incendiaries- startes fires across London and often dropped first
High explosives- dropped later and sometimes had delayed fuses
Mines- more powerful, dropped by a parachute to make them silent
Date of the first blitz
First raid was 25th August and the Real Blitz was 7th September 1940- 10th May 1941
What was black saturday
The 7th September when 400 people were killed and 1600 seriously injured
Reasons for the blitz bombings
To soften up London before invasion initially but then for other reason after the invasion was postponed for example disrupt industry and destroy morale
Targets for the blitz bombs
Military bases, factories, energy supply, communication centres, civilians in homes
The Lull
May 1941 until Jan 1944- period of plenty air raids however they weren’t happening every night.
The baby Blitz
January-April 1944- last attack on London by German aeroplanes. Killed and injured 3793 people but allied air forces were stronger than Germa airforces
Impact of Blitz on South Hallsville School
Temporary rest centres for homeless and they 1000 were planned to move. Plan to evacuate failed on 9th Sep and on 10th Sep 1940 it was thought to be too dangerous to move them so coaches were sent away. They were hit by a bomb that night and up to 700 were killed. Caused great concern across London
Impact of blitz on Balham Station
4th October 1940 a 1400 kilo semi armour piercing bomb penetrated 32 feet underground and exploded just above the cross passage between the two platforms. Water and gas mains and sewage pipes were broken. Flooded tunnels below and gas caused rescue efforts. Most killed by blast but rest by drowning- 66 died in total
Impact of blitz on Bethnal Green Station
March 3rd 1943, 173 people died in a terrifying crush as panic spread through crowds of people trying to enter the station’s bomb shelter. No bomb struck and not a single casualty was the direct result of military aggression, making it the deadliest civilian incident of the war
Mickey’s Shelter
Some people didn’t wait for the government to improve things. Up to 5000 people had been sheltering in a basement. So Mickey Davis collected money from wealthy donors to pay for medicines, organised volunteer doctors to set up a clinic and stretcher bearers for first aid stations. They bought in bunks and set up a canteen. This convinced the government to make new rules about shelters and they invested money into them
V1 and V2 attacks
V1- pilotless aeroplane
V2- first ballistic missile
They were used to attack London between September 1944 and March 1945 and thr gov attempted to keep the attacks secret but they were too fast and impossible to stop. In the biggest attack in Deptford in November 1944 160 were killed and 200 injured
How did the Blitz disrupt work
Destruction of buildings left businesses without premises, transport disruption meant that getting to and from work was difficult, businesses affected by rationing, profits fell as people evacuated, employees needed hours cut to leave early for shelters
