london blitz timeline london blitz timeline

[156] The Luftwaffe attacks failed to knock out railways or port facilities for long, even in the Port of London, a target of many attacks. The heavy fighting in the Battle of Britain had eaten up most of Fighter Command's resources, so there was little investment in night fighting. [33] Others argue that the Luftwaffe made little impression on Fighter Command in the last week of August and first week of September and that the shift in strategy was not decisive. A further attack on the Clyde, this time at Greenock, took place on 6 and 7 May. [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. The Blitz referred to the bombing of most major British cities by the Germans in World War II. The light guns, about half of which were of the excellent Bofors 40 mm, dealt with aircraft only up to 6,000ft (1,800m). On 15 October, the bombers returned and about 900 fires were started by the mix of 376 tons (382t) of high explosive and 10 tons of incendiaries dropped. The Blitz was a huge bombing campaign of London and other English cities carried about by the German airforce from September 1940 to May 1941. But the Luftwaffe's effort eased in the last 10 attacks as seven Kampfgruppen moved to Austria in preparation for the Balkans Campaign in Yugoslavia and Greece. 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. Between 1940 and 1945, over 52,000 civilians were killed in Britain during bombing raids by German aircraft. [145] Part of the reason for this was inaccuracy of navigation. The bombings left parts of London in ruins, and when the war ended in 1945 much of the city had to be rebuilt. [31], The circumstances affected the Germans more than the British. [138] The strategic effect of the raid was a brief 20 percent dip in aircraft production. Port cities were also attacked to try to disrupt trade and sea communications. 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. At this time, the Underground lines were mostly owned and run by separate companies, all of which were merged together with . 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. The attack started at 16:43 and lasted for 12 hours. [21], In 1936, Wever was killed in an air crash and the failure to implement his vision for the new Luftwaffe was largely attributable to his successors. A third poll found 89% support for his leadership in October. 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. [168] The Blenheim had only a small speed advantage to overtake a German bomber in a stern-chase. [80], Pre-war dire predictions of mass air-raid neurosis were not borne out. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 12:33. World War 2 Timeline - 1940. by Ben Johnson. [15] It was thought that "the bomber will always get through" and could not be resisted, particularly at night. [151], Directive 23 was the only concession made by Gring to the Kriegsmarine over the strategic bombing strategy of the Luftwaffe against Britain. 604 Squadron RAF shot down a bomber flying an AI-equipped Beaufighter, the first air victory for the airborne radar. [24][182] The Blitz holds a special place in British history for the light which it supposedly sheds on . Still, many British citizens, who had been members of the Labour Party, itself inert over the issue, turned to the Communist Party. 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. In late 1940, Churchill credited the shelters. In the following month, 22 German bombers were lost with 13 confirmed to have been shot down by night fighters. [38][a], It was decided to focus on bombing Britain's industrial cities, in daylight to begin with. Soon a beam was traced to Derby (which had been mentioned in Luftwaffe transmissions). Little tonnage was dropped on Fighter Command airfields; Bomber Command airfields were hit instead. 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. [192] The total number of evacuees numbered 1.4million, including a high proportion from the poorest inner-city families. Airfields became water-logged and the 18 Kampfgruppen (bomber groups) of the Luftwaffe's Kampfgeschwadern (bomber wings) were relocated to Germany for rest and re-equipment. [50], On the other hand, some historians have recently contended that this revisionism of the "Blitz spirit" narrative may have been an over-correction. A present day image of the Freedom Press, Whitechapel, London. London alone had 1,589 assembly points and although most children boarded evacuation trains at their local stations, trains ran out of the capital's main stations every nine minutes for nine hours. [149] This strategy had been recognised before the war, but Operation Eagle Attack and the following Battle of Britain had got in the way of striking at Britain's sea communications and diverted German air strength to the campaign against the RAF and its supporting structures. [9] and a large raid on the night of 10-11 May 1941. Bombers were flown with airborne search lights out of desperation but to little avail. British fighter aircraft production continued at a rate surpassing Germany's by 2 to 1. To start off, the idea of the London Underground as a bomb shelter wasn't a new one by 1940. 4546. 5 Jan. Leslie Hore-Belisha, Britain's Minister of War, is dismissed. A building collapsing in Whitechapel during the Blitz. But even in May, 67 percent of the sorties were visual cat's-eye missions. In January 1941, Fighter Command flew 486 sorties against 1,965 made by the Germans. [31] On 7 September, the Germans shifted away from the destruction of the RAF's supporting structures. [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. It could be claimed civilians were not to be targeted directly, but the breakdown of production would affect their morale and will to fight. 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. 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. [101] On 8 September the Luftwaffe returned; 412 people were killed and 747 severely wounded. [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. [140] The first group to use these incendiaries was Kampfgruppe 100 which despatched 10 "pathfinder" He 111s. The AOC Bomber Command, Arthur Harris, who did see German morale as an objective, did not believe that the morale-collapse could occur without the destruction of the German economy. The Blitz as it became known in the British press was a sustained aerial attack, sending waves of bombs raining down onto British towns and cities. Smaller raids are not included in the tonnages. 12 Group RAF). Warehouses, rail lines and houses were destroyed and damaged, but the docks were largely untouched. [116] On 7 November, St Pancras, Kensal and Bricklayers Arms stations were hit and several lines of Southern Rail were cut on 10 November. The Luftwaffe had dropped 16,331 long tons (16,593t) of bombs. Regional commissioners were given plenipotentiary powers to restore communications and organise the distribution of supplies to keep the war economy moving. The amount of firm operational and tactical preparation for a bombing campaign was minimal, largely because of the failure by Hitler as supreme commander to insist upon such a commitment. [25] In 1940 and 1941, Gring's refusal to co-operate with the Kriegsmarine denied the entire Wehrmacht military forces of the Reich the chance to strangle British sea communications, which might have had a strategic or decisive effect in the war against the British Empire. [114] It is not clear whether the power station or any specific structure was targeted during the German offensive as the Luftwaffe could not accurately bomb select targets during night operations. [125], Few fighter aircraft were able to operate at night. [130], Airborne Interception radar (AI) was unreliable. The Germans adapted the short-range Lorenz system into Knickebein, a 3033MHz system, which used two Lorenz beams with much stronger signals. The reverse would apply only if the meacon were closer. Only a few weeks after the British victory in the Battle of. Too early and the chances of success receded; too late and the real conflagration at the target would exceed the diversionary fires. [172], By April and May 1941, the Luftwaffe was still getting through to their targets, taking no more than one- to two-percent losses per mission. [156], German air supremacy at night was also now under threat. Destroying RAF Fighter Command would allow the Germans to gain control of the skies over the invasion area. 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. Important events of 1940, including the beginning of the London Blitz (pictured above) and the Battle of Britain. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965) and his wife inspect bomb-damage in the City of London during the Blitz, 31st December 1940. [22], Two prominent enthusiasts for ground-support operations (direct or indirect) were Hugo Sperrle the commander of Luftflotte 3 (1 February 1939 23 August 1944) and Hans Jeschonnek (Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff from 1 February 1939 19 August 1943). In this section. [87], Because of the inaccuracy of celestial navigation for night navigation and target finding in a fast-moving aircraft, the Luftwaffe developed radio navigation devices and relied on three systems: Knickebein (Crooked leg), X-Gert (X-Device), and Y-Gert (Y-Device). [135] In particular, the West Midlands were targeted. [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. 'Blitz' is an abbreviation of the German word 'blitzkrieg', meaning 'lightning war'. [128] London's defences were rapidly reorganised by General Pile, the Commander-in-Chief of Anti-Aircraft Command. [187] Historians' critical response to this construction focused on what were seen as over-emphasised claims of patriotic nationalism and national unity. Battle noises were muffled and sleep was easier in the deepest stations, but many people were killed from direct hits on stations. [179], Some writers claim the Air Staff ignored a critical lesson, that British morale did not break and that attacking German morale was not sufficient to induce a collapse. He fell asleep at the controls of his Ju 88 and woke up to discover the entire crew asleep. Timeline How Allies Broke The Deadlock | First World War EP6 | Timeline Biographer Reveals Audrey Hepburn's . On the night of 13/14 November, 77 He 111s of Kampfgeschwader 26 (26th Bomber Wing, or KG 26) bombed London while 63 from KG 55 hit Birmingham. The difference this made to the effectiveness of air defences is questionable. Three cross-beams intersected the beam along which the He 111 was flying. Praise for Blitz: "With a relaxed style and array of fun characters, including an agent who makes people who look at him see their mother and a baby goat that turns into a little boy, O'Malley's latest will appeal to his many followers." Kirkus Reviews Praise for Daniel O'Malley and the Rook Files series: "Laugh-out-loud funny, occasionally bawdy, and paced like a spy thriller . In the last days of the battle, the bombers became lures in an attempt to draw the RAF into combat with German fighters. It believed it could greatly affect the balance of power on the battlefield by disrupting production and damaging civilian morale. Anti-Semitic attitudes became widespread, particularly in London. "Pathfinders" from 12 Kampfgruppe 100 (Bomb Group 100 or KGr100) led 437 bombers from KG 1, KG 3, KG26, KG 27, KG55 and Lehrgeschwader 1 (1st Training Wing, or LG1) which dropped 350 long tons (356t) of high explosive, 50 long tons (50.8t) of incendiaries, and 127 parachute mines. Their incendiary bombs [62], Communal shelters never housed more than one seventh of Greater London residents. Far from displaying the nation's unity in times of war, the scheme backfired, often aggravating class antagonism and bolstering prejudice about the urban poor. If a vigilant bomber crew could spot the fighter first, they had a decent chance of evading it. This weight of attack went on for two months, with the Luftwaffe dropping 12,400 long tons (12,600t) of bombs. 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]. [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. The Luftwaffe lost 18 percent of the bombers sent on the operations that day and failed to gain air superiority. The populace of the port of Hull became "trekkers", people who made a mass exodus from cities before, during and after attacks. Who . . [71], According to Anna Freud and Edward Glover, London civilians surprisingly did not suffer from widespread shell shock, unlike the soldiers in the Dunkirk evacuation. To paralyse the enemy armed forces by stopping production in armaments factories. Ingersol wrote that Battersea Power Station, one of the largest landmarks in London, received only a minor hit. X- and Y-Gert beams were placed over false targets and switched only at the last minute. Dowding agreed air defence would require some offensive action and that fighters could not defend Britain alone. The production of false radio navigation signals by re-transmitting the originals became known as meaconing using masking beacons (meacons). Another innovation was the boiler fire. 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. An interactive map showing the location of bombs dropped on London during World War II has been created. To confuse the British, radio silence was observed until the bombs fell. 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. On occasion, only one-third of German bombs hit their targets. 219 Squadron RAF at RAF Kenley). The official history volume British War Production (Postan, 1952) noted that the greatest effect on output of warlike stores was on the supply of components and dispersal of production rather than complete equipment. Before the war, the Chamberlain government stated that night defence from air attack should not take up much of the national effort. Although not encouraged by official policy, the use of mines and incendiaries, for tactical expediency, came close to indiscriminate bombing. 1 March 1935 3 June 1936) championed strategic bombing and the building of suitable aircraft, although he emphasised the importance of aviation in operational and tactical terms. [170] In November and December 1940, the Luftwaffe flew 9,000 sorties against British targets and RAF night fighters claimed only six shot down. To reduce losses further, strategy changed to prefer night raids, giving the bombers greater protection under cover of darkness. [149], From the German point of view, March 1941 saw an improvement. Dowding had to rely on night fighters. [190], The brief success of the Communists also fed into the hands of the British Union of Fascists (BUF). [27], Although not specifically prepared to conduct independent strategic air operations against an opponent, the Luftwaffe was expected to do so over Britain. [161] Another raid was carried out on 11/12 May 1941. [56] Not only was there evacuation over land, but also by ship. British night-fighter operations out over the Channel were proving successful. History of the Battle of Britain The Blitz - The Hardest Night The Blitz - The Hardest Night 10/11 May 1941, 11:02pm - 05:57am The most devastating raid on London took place on the night of 10/11 May 1941. [170] On 19 November, John Cunningham of No. All but seven of its 12,000 houses were damaged. In Portsmouth Southsea and Gosport waves of 150 bombers destroyed vast swaths of the city with 40,000 incendiaries. Here are the flats today, courtesy of Street View . [169], Improved aircraft designs were in the offing with the Bristol Beaufighter, then under development. [194], In one 6-month period, 750,000 tons (762,000t) of bombsite rubble from London were transported by railway on 1,700 freight trains to make runways on Bomber Command airfields in East Anglia. When the third cross-beam was reached the bomb aimer activated a third trigger, which stopped the first hand of the clock, with the second hand continuing. Douglas set about introducing more squadrons and dispersing the few GL sets to create a carpet effect in the southern counties. The Blitz was a huge bombing campaign of London and other English cities carried about by the German airforce from September 1940 to May 1941. [117] Attacks against East End docks were effective and many Thames barges were destroyed. Within four months, 88 percent of evacuated mothers, 86 percent of small children, and 43 percent of schoolchildren had been returned home. They have usually been treated as distinct campaigns, but they are linked by the fact that the German Air Force conducted a continuous eleven-month offensive against Britain from July 1940 to June 1941. Sperrle, commanding Luftflotte 3, was ordered to dispatch 250 sorties per night including 100 against the West Midlands. The blasts at Hyde Park and Regents Park kill 11 people and injure 50 others. The primary goal of Bomber Command was to destroy the German industrial base (economic warfare) and in doing so reduce morale. When the second hand re-aligned with the first, the bombs were released. London, and cities. Gring's lack of co-operation was detrimental to the one air strategy with potentially decisive strategic effect on Britain. Wever outlined five points of air strategy: Wever argued that OKL should not be solely educated in tactical and operational matters but also in grand strategy, war economics, armament production and the mentality of potential opponents (also known as mirror imaging). An estimated 43,000 people lost their lives. The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain. For the London-based American football team, see, Directive 23: Gring and the Kriegsmarine, This was caused by moisture ruining the electrical. By September 1940, the Luftwaffe had lost the Battle of Britain and the German air fleets (Luftflotten) were ordered to attack London, to draw RAF Fighter Command into a battle of annihilation. In subsequent months a steady number of German bombers would fall to night fighters. American observer Ralph Ingersoll reported the bombing was inaccurate and did not hit targets of military value, but destroyed the surrounding areas. [55] The relocation of the government and the civil service was also planned but would only have occurred if necessary so as not to damage civilian morale. From July until September 1940 the Luftwaffe attacked Fighter Command to gain air superiority as a prelude to invasion. Underground officials were ordered to lock station entrances during raids but by the second week of heavy bombing, the government relented and ordered the stations to be opened. Aviation strategists dispute that morale was ever a major consideration for Bomber Command. Between 1940 and 1941, the Germans attacked Britain by bombing London. Though they failed to make a large gain in influence, the membership of the Party had doubled by June 1941. Nevertheless, its official opposition to attacks on civilians became an increasingly moot point when large-scale raids were conducted in November and December 1940. The tactic was expanded into Feuerleitung (Blaze Control) with the creation of Brandbombenfelder (Incendiary Fields) to mark targets. [17], The vital industries and transport centres that would be targeted for shutdown were valid military targets. It was evoked by both the right and left political factions in Britain in 1982, during the Falklands War when it was portrayed in a nostalgic narrative in which the Second World War represented patriotism actively and successfully acting as a defender of democracy. [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 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. Let us find out other historical facts about London Blitz below: Facts about London Blitz 1: the German intelligence The day's fighting cost Kesselring and Luftflotte 2 (Air Fleet 2) 24 aircraft, including 13 Bf 109s. [97] Of this total around 400 were killed. [161] This raid was significant, as 63 German fighters were sent with the bombers, indicating the growing effectiveness of RAF night fighter defences. [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). These include Peter Hennessy, Andrew Thorpe, and Philip Ziegler, who while admitting serious exceptions, argue that the population largely behaved well during the Blitz.[193]. 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. For one thing, Gring's fear of Hitler led him to falsify or misrepresent what information was available in the direction of an uncritical and over-optimistic interpretation of air strength. The action did not guarantee automatic success. 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. London: Aurum Press. TikTok said in a blog post in June that it will route all data from U.S. users to servers controlled by Oracle, the Silicon Valley company it chose as its U.S. tech partner in 2020 in an effort to . [84], The attitude of the Air Ministry was in contrast to the experiences of the First World War when German bombers caused physical and psychological damage out of all proportion to their numbers. He roused them, ensured they took oxygen and Dextro-Energen amphetamine tablets, then completed the mission. [149] Some 50 Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers and Jabos (fighter-bombers) were used, officially classed as Leichte Kampfflugzeuge ("light bombers") and sometimes called Leichte Kesselringe ("Light Kesselrings"). [178][3], In aircraft production, the British were denied the opportunity to reach the planned target of 2,500 aircraft in a month, arguably the greatest achievement of the bombing, as it forced the dispersal of the industry, at first because of damage to aircraft factories and then by a policy of precautionary dispersal. Then bombers carrying SC1000 (1,000kg (2,205lb)), SC1400 (1,400kg (3,086lb)), and SC1800 (1,800kg (3,968lb)) "Satan" bombs were used to level streets and residential areas. By the end of 1941, the WVS had one million members. [161] Still, while heavily damaged, British ports continued to support war industry and supplies from North America continued to pass through them while the Royal Navy continued to operate in Plymouth, Southampton, and Portsmouth. [10] Bombing failed to demoralise the British into surrender or do much damage to the war economy; eight months of bombing never seriously hampered British war production, which continued to increase. Contributions rose to the 5,000 "Spitfire Funds" to build fighters and the number of work days lost to strikes in 1940 was the lowest in history.