The clock mechanism was co-ordinated with the distances of the intersecting beams from the target so the target was directly below when the bombs were released. In comparison to the Allied bombing campaign against Germany, casualties due to the Blitz were relatively low; the bombing of Hamburg alone inflicted about 40,000 civilian casualties. The Luftwaffe had dropped 16,331 long tons (16,593t) of bombs. There was also a mentality in all air forces that flying by day would obviate the need for night operations and their inherent disadvantages. Who . Although there were a few large air battles fought in daylight later in the month and into October, the Luftwaffe switched its main effort to night attacks. At around 8.30pm on Sunday 13 October, a high-explosive bomb plunged through the Coronation Avenue flats on Stoke Newington High Street, and exploded directly above a shelter made up of three interconnected basements. He recognised the right of the public to seize tube stations and authorised plans to improve their condition and expand them by tunnelling. The effectiveness of British countermeasures against Knickebein caused the Luftwaffe to prefer fire light instead for target marking and navigation. They concluded bombers should strike a single target each night and use more incendiaries because they had a greater impact on production than high explosives. 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. [98] The fighting in the air was more intense in daylight. Both the RAF and Luftwaffe struggled to replace manpower losses, though the Germans had larger reserves of trained aircrew. [147] At Raeder's prompting, Hitler correctly noted that the greatest damage to the British war economy had been done through the destruction of merchant shipping by submarines and air attacks by small numbers of Focke-Wulf Fw 200 naval aircraft and ordered the German air arm to focus its efforts against British convoys. The first German attack on London actually occurred by accident. [103] The air battle was later commemorated by Battle of Britain Day. On 17 April 346 tons (352t) of explosives and 46,000 incendiaries were dropped from 250 bombers led by KG 26. Although the stress of the war resulted in many anxiety attacks, eating disorders, fatigue, weeping, miscarriages, and other physical and mental ailments, society did not collapse. [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. [179] Though militarily ineffective, the Blitz cost around 41,000 lives, may have injured another 139,000 people and did enormous damage to British infrastructure and housing stock. The estimate of tonnes of bombs an enemy could drop per day grew as aircraft technology advanced, from 75 in 1922, to 150 in 1934, to 644 in 1937. London was bombed ever day and night, bar one, for 11 weeks. [191] In other cities, class divisions became more evident. More than 40,000civilians were killed by Luftwaffe bombing during the war, almost half of them in the capital, where more than a million houses were destroyed or damaged. Committees quickly formed within shelters as informal governments, and organisations such as the British Red Cross and the Salvation Army worked to improve conditions. It would prove formidable but its development was slow. 5 Jan. Leslie Hore-Belisha, Britain's Minister of War, is dismissed. People were forced to sleep in air raid shelters, and many people took shelter in underground stations. To confuse the British, radio silence was observed until the bombs fell. Nevertheless, its official opposition to attacks on civilians became an increasingly moot point when large-scale raids were conducted in November and December 1940. [165], The last major attack on London was on 10/11 May 1941, on which the Luftwaffe flew 571 sorties and dropped 787 long tons (800t) of bombs. German crews, even if they survived, faced capture. [28], The Luftwaffe's poor intelligence meant that their aircraft were not always able to locate their targets, and thus attacks on factories and airfields failed to achieve the desired results. [169] The Beaufighter had a maximum speed of 320mph (510km/h), an operational ceiling of 26,000ft (7,900m), a climb rate of 2,500ft (760m) per minute, and its battery of four 20mm (0.79in) Hispano cannon and six .303in Browning machine guns was much more lethal. [12], Five nights later, Birmingham was hit by 369 bombers from KG 54, KG26, and KG55. [9] and a large raid on the night of 10-11 May 1941. 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. From 1916 to 1918, German raids had diminished against countermeasures which demonstrated defence against night air raids was possible. [16], The Luftwaffe took a cautious view of strategic bombing but the OKL did not oppose the strategic bombardment of industries or cities. [94], On 9 September the OKL appeared to be backing two strategies. 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. The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain. Ground-based radar was limited, and airborne radar and RAF night fighters were generally ineffective. The bombing also helped to support the U-boat blockade by sinking some 58,000 long tons (58,900t) of shipping and damaging 450,000 long tons (457,000t) more. [40] The Port of London, in particular, was an important target, bringing in one-third of overseas trade. The reverse would apply only if the meacon were closer. The Communists attempted to blame the damage and casualties of the Coventry raid on the rich factory owners, big business and landowning interests and called for a negotiated peace. The first three directives in 1940 did not mention civilian populations or morale in any way. In the following month, 22 German bombers were lost with 13 confirmed to have been shot down by night fighters. 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. [111], Wartime observers perceived the bombing as indiscriminate. Added to the tension of the mission which exhausted and drained crews, tiredness caught up with and killed many. [121] Few anti-aircraft guns had fire-control systems, and the underpowered searchlights were usually ineffective against aircraft at altitudes above 12,000ft (3,700m). [83] Until September 1939, the RAF lacked specialist night-fighting aircraft and relied on anti-aircraft units, which were poorly equipped and lacking in numbers. The London docks and railways communications had taken a heavy pounding, and much damage had been done to the railway system outside. The Battle of Britain 8200 tons (8,330t) of bombs were dropped that month, about 10 percent in daylight, over 5400 tons (5,490t) on London during the night. This is a Timeline of the United Kingdom home front during World War II covering Britain 1939-45.Timeline of the United Kingdom home front during World War II covering Britain 1939-45. Other targets would be considered if the primary ones could not be attacked because of weather conditions. 28384; Murray 1983, pp. [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. [35][104][105], On 14 October, the heaviest night attack to date saw 380 German bombers from Luftflotte 3 hit London. Let us find out other historical facts about London Blitz below: Facts about London Blitz 1: the German intelligence [161] Another raid was carried out on 11/12 May 1941. The London Blitz The Blitz is the term used to describe the German bombing campaign that took place from September 7, 1940, through May 11, 1941. The Germans adapted the short-range Lorenz system into Knickebein, a 3033MHz system, which used two Lorenz beams with much stronger signals. The exhausted population took three weeks to overcome the effects of an attack. In subsequent months a steady number of German bombers would fall to night fighters. [154], Even so, the decision by the OKL to support the strategy in Directive 23 was instigated by two considerations, both of which had little to do with wanting to destroy Britain's sea communications in conjunction with the Kriegsmarine. [1] It was the capital not just for the United Kingdom, but for the entire British Empire. Signals from the station were retransmitted by the bomber's equipment, which allowed the distance the bomber had travelled along the beam to be measured precisely. Only one bomber was lost, to anti-aircraft fire, despite the RAF flying 125-night sorties. In particular, class division was most evident during the Blitz. Reception committees were completely unprepared for the condition of some of the children. [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. Get 20% off purchases above 10.Apply discount code SAVE20 at checkout.. Company Search. Yet when compared with Luftwaffe daylight operations, there was a sharp decline in German losses to one percent. The air campaign soon got underway against London and other British cities. X-Gert receivers were mounted in He 111s, with a radio mast on the fuselage. The main focus was London. [73][74][75], The cheerful crowds visiting bomb sites were so large they interfered with rescue work. [11][162] Plymouth in particular, because of its vulnerable position on the south coast and close proximity to German air bases, was subjected to the heaviest attacks. So worried were the government over the sudden campaign of leaflets and posters distributed by the Communist Party in Coventry and London, that the police were sent to seize their production facilities. In some cases, the concentration of the bombing and resulting conflagration created firestorms of 1,000C. This philosophy proved impractical, as Bomber Command lacked the technology and equipment for mass night operations, since resources were diverted to Fighter Command in the mid-1930s and it took until 1943 to catch up. [60], Each day orderly lines of people queued until 4:00pm, when they were allowed to enter the stations. Bombing civilians would cause a collapse of morale and a loss of production in the remaining factories. Bomb-Damage Maps Reveal London's World War II Devastation. [170] On 19 November, John Cunningham of No. Summerfield and Peniston-Bird 2007, p. 84. [51], British air raid sirens sounded for the first time 22 minutes after Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany. The Blitz came to London on September Saturday 7 th 1940 and lasted for many days. Still, in February 1941, there remained only seven squadrons with 87 pilots, under half the required strength. A trial blackout was held on 10 August 1939 and when Germany invaded Poland on 1 September, a blackout began at sunset. 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. Democracies, where public opinion was allowed, were thought particularly vulnerable. Daylight bombing was abandoned after October 1940 as the Luftwaffe experienced unsustainable losses. German intelligence suggested Fighter Command was weakening, and an attack on London would force it into a final battle of annihilation while compelling the British Government to surrender. Birmingham and Coventry were subject to 450 long tons (457t) of bombs between them in the last 10 days of October. [122][123] In July 1940, only 1,200 heavy and 549 light guns were deployed in the whole of Britain. At this time, the Underground lines were mostly owned and run by separate companies, all of which were merged together with . The tactic was expanded into Feuerleitung (Blaze Control) with the creation of Brandbombenfelder (Incendiary Fields) to mark targets. The German bombers would fly along either beam until they picked up the signal from the other beam. 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. Authorities provided stoves and bathrooms and canteen trains provided food. Rapid frequency changes were introduced for X-Gert, whose wider band of frequencies and greater tactical flexibility ensured it remained effective at a time when British selective jamming was degrading the effectiveness of Y-Gert. 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. More than 13,000 civilians had been killed, and almost 20,000 injured, in September and October alone,[110] but the death toll was much less than expected. 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. 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. Hayward 2007, www.ltmrecordings.com/blitz1notes.html, Last edited on 24 February 2023, at 12:33, German strategic bombing during World War I, Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany, Women's Voluntary Services for Civil Defence, Bombing of Wiener Neustadt in World War II, "The Blitz: The Bombing of Britain in WWII", "Families pay tribute to Stoke Newington war dead", Forgotten Voices of the Blitz and the Battle for Britain, The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy, Parliament & The Blitz UK Parliament Living Heritage, "London Blitz 1940: the first day's bomb attacks listed in full", Archive recordings from The Blitz, 194041 (audiobook), The Blitz: Sorting the Myth from the Reality, Exploring 20th century London The Blitz, Oral history interview with Barry Fulford, recalling his childhood during the Blitz, Interactive bombing map of Buckinghamshire, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Blitz&oldid=1141315217. The London Underground rail system was also affected; high explosive bombs damaged the tunnels rendering some unsafe. [86], Hugh Dowding, Air Officer Commanding Fighter Command, defeated the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, but preparing day fighter defences left little for night air defence. Workers worked longer shifts and over weekends. The Blitz (the London Blitz) was the sustained bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7th September 1940 and 10th May 1941 during the World War Two Every night bar one for ten solid weeks,from 7 September to 14 November 1940, London was attacked by an average of 160 bombers. Other reasons, including industry dispersal may have been a factor. [113] In the case of Battersea power station, an unused extension was hit and destroyed during November but the station was not put out of action during the night attacks. [100] Another 247 bombers from Luftflotte 3 (Air Fleet 3) attacked that night. [92] The counter-operations were carried out by British Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) units under Wing Commander Edward Addison, No. Entertainment included concerts, films, plays and books from local libraries. [79] The Women's Voluntary Services for Civil Defence (WVS) was established in 1938 by the Home Secretary, Samuel Hoare, who considered it the female branch of the ARP. London experienced regular attacks and on 10-11 May 1941 was hit by its biggest raid. This timeline highlights key moments in the run up to and during the Battle of Britain. Throughout 193339 none of the 16 Western Air Plans drafted mentioned morale as a target. Of the "heavies", some 200 were of the obsolescent 3in (76mm) type; the remainder were the effective 4.5in (110mm) and 3.7in (94mm) guns, with a theoretical "ceiling"' of over 30,000ft (9,100m) but a practical limit of 25,000ft (7,600m) because the predictor in use could not accept greater heights. [117] Attacks against East End docks were effective and many Thames barges were destroyed. Summerfield and Peniston-Bird 2007, p. 4. The AFS had 138,000 personnel by July 1939. The RAF and the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) adopted much of this apocalyptic thinking. Seven major and eight heavy attacks were flown, but the weather made it difficult to keep up the pressure. The government up until November 1940, was opposed to the centralised organisation of shelter. "Civilian morale during the Second World War: Responses to air raids re-examined.". People referred to raids as if they were weather, stating that a day was "very blitzy". Official histories concluded that the mental health of a nation may have improved, while panic was rare. The GL carpet was supported by six GCI sets controlling radar-equipped night-fighters. The loss of sleep was a particular factor, with many not bothering to attend inconvenient shelters. [22], Hitler paid less attention to the bombing of opponents than air defence, although he promoted the development of a bomber force in the 1930s and understood it was possible to use bombers for strategic purposes. From 1940 to 1941, the most successful night-fighter was the Boulton Paul Defiant; its four squadrons shot down more enemy aircraft than any other type. Many houses and commercial centres were heavily damaged, the electrical supply was knocked out, and five oil tanks and two magazines exploded. News reports of the Spanish Civil War, such as the bombing of Barcelona, supported the 50-casualties-per-tonne estimate. Between 1940 and 1945, over 52,000 civilians were killed in Britain during bombing raids by German aircraft. On 10/11 March, 240 bombers dropped 193 tons (196t) of high explosives and 46,000 incendiaries. Liverpool suffered 180 long tons (183t) of bombs dropped. British fighter aircraft production continued at a rate surpassing Germany's by 2 to 1. [156] Westminster Abbey and the Law Courts were damaged, while the Chamber of the House of Commons was destroyed. An estimated 43,000 people lost their lives. [34] It has also been argued that it was doubtful the Luftwaffe could have won air superiority before the "weather window" began to deteriorate in October. The primary goal of Bomber Command was to destroy the German industrial base (economic warfare) and in doing so reduce morale. [115] The bombing disrupted rail traffic through London without destroying any of the crossings. Important events of 1940, including the beginning of the London Blitz (pictured above) and the Battle of Britain. Although many civilians had used them for shelter during the First World War, the government in 1939 refused to allow the stations to be used as shelters so as not to interfere with commuter and troop travel and the fears that occupants might refuse to leave. The docks drew produce and people from all over the world; they survived the bombings of World War II and the economic downturn of the 1970s and 80s to become a hive of industry and activity once again. The year-long project . Many of the latter were abandoned in 1940 as unsafe. London was then bombed for 57 consecutive nights, and often during daytime too. [126] RAF day fighters were converting to night operations and the interim Bristol Blenheim night fighter conversion of the light bomber was being replaced by the powerful Beaufighter, but this was only available in very small numbers. [61] A single direct hit on a shelter in Stoke Newington on October 1940 killed 160 civilians. The property stands alone on a section of riverbank on the Thames, in South East London 's . A Raid From Above Three cross-beams intersected the beam along which the He 111 was flying. The moon was full and the Thames had a very low ebb tide. When a continuous sound was heard from the second beam the crew knew they were above the target and dropped their bombs. Sperrle, commanding Luftflotte 3, was ordered to dispatch 250 sorties per night including 100 against the West Midlands. People were forced to sleep in air raid shelters, and many people took shelter in underground stations. Morrison warned that he could not counter the Communist unrest unless provision of shelters were made. Hitler believed the Luftwaffe was "the most effective strategic weapon", and in reply to repeated requests from the Kriegsmarine for control over naval aircraft insisted, "We should never have been able to hold our own in this war if we had not had an undivided Luftwaffe. 219 Squadron RAF at RAF Kenley). [37], Regardless of the ability of the Luftwaffe to win air superiority, Hitler was frustrated it was not happening quickly enough. An interactive map showing the location of bombs dropped on London during World War II has been created. [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. By December, this had increased to 92 percent. Bombers were noisy, cold, and vibrated badly. Operating over home territory, British aircrew could fly again if they survived being shot down. [56] Not only was there evacuation over land, but also by ship. [169], Improved aircraft designs were in the offing with the Bristol Beaufighter, then under development. Gring's lack of co-operation was detrimental to the one air strategy with potentially decisive strategic effect on Britain. [58], Deep shelters provided most protection against a direct hit. Notable interviews include Thomas Alderson, the first recipient of the George Cross, John Cormack, who survived eight days trapped beneath rubble on Clydeside, and Herbert Morrison's famous "Britain shall not burn" appeal for more fireguards in December 1940. [66], Public demand caused the government in October 1940 to build new deep shelters within the Underground to hold 80,000 people but the period of heaviest bombing had passed before they were finished. This led the British to develop countermeasures, which became known as the Battle of the Beams. [146] Eventually, he convinced Hitler of the need to attack British port facilities. The shortage of bombers caused OKL to improvise. [citation needed] This image entered the historiography of the Second World War in the 1980s and 1990s,[dubious discuss] especially after the publication of Angus Calder's book The Myth of the Blitz (1991). Ingersol wrote that Battersea Power Station, one of the largest landmarks in London, received only a minor hit. The first cross-beam alerted the bomb-aimer, who activated a bombing clock when the second cross-beam was reached. [93], For industrial areas, fires and lighting were simulated. The Luftwaffe was not pressed into ground support operations because of pressure from the army or because it was led by ex-soldiers, the Luftwaffe favoured a model of joint inter-service operations, rather than independent strategic air campaigns. The Battle of Britain: Timeline July 26, 2010 2 mins read The dates of the four phases of the Battle of Britain are contested by some, and have been inserted in brackets only as a guideline.

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