Warfare: London And The Second World War Flashcards
Why was London a target?
-Capital city/ centre of govt
-Britain’s most important port
-Major industrial centre
-Britain’s biggest city 8.6mil people
-London is on the coast, close to France and the Netherlands and Thames was easy as a route finder for bombers
What is the LCC
London County Council
How many london boroughs are/were there?
28
What is the role of the LCC?
Responsible for:
-Fire service
-Ambulance service
-Heavy Rescue Service
What is the role of each borough?
-First Aid
-Local ARP wardens (1 per 500 people)
What us the WRVS?
Women’s Royal Voluntary Services
What is the role of the WRVS?
-Ran canteens for troops
-Helped organise evacuations
-Served as ARP wardens
-Served in Emergency Services
When were blackouts mandatory from?
1st Sept 1939
When was the evacuation beginning date?
August 1939
What groups of people were organised to be evacuated?
All children over 5 and teachers
What is the The National Service Brochure (NSB)?
A brochure that asked families to register if families were willing to take children in the countryside.
When was the date of gas masks being issued?
Monday 26th Sept 1938
What was the price to replace gas masks?
£5
What was the Percentage of people carrying gas masks 4th Sept 1939 Vs 31st March 1940?
70% (Sept 1939) –> 1% (Mar 1940)
What is a Dispersal Policy?
Small surface shelters 1 per household rather than people sheltering together deep underground
Describe Two Features of Anderson Shelters
-Was dug partially underground and the earth displaced was piled on the top and sides of the shelter
-Were given out by the government 1 per household with a garden which had to be built by the families
What are Domestic Surface shelters?
Shelters Built from brick or concrete by better off families in own gardens
What are Communal and Public Surface Shelters?
-Built from brick or concrete by councils
-often in the middle of streets
-people didn’t feel safe
What and how were Basements used?
-Some modern houses had deep cellars
-People used these as shelter
What are Public Basements?
-Larger modern buildings had a steel or concrete frame
-This was over a deep basement
-People felt safer here
What are Trenches?
-Built by councils
-Dug in parks with a roof over most of it
-People didn’t feel safe
When was the First German Air Raid on London?
25th August 1940
When is Black Saturday?
7th September 1940
What was the Duration of the First Blitz?
7th Sept 1940 –> 10th May 1941
How many Deaths from first blitz?
28,556 could say (~28/29,000)
What was the Number of injured from first blitz?
25,578 could say (~25/26,000)
What were the initial targets of the bombings?
-Military Installations
-Industrial Areas
-Energy supply centres
-Communications centres
When did Hitler postpone the invasion of England?
19th September 1940