London Blitz -1940 - 1941

PowerPoint Show by Andrew

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SLEEPING IN THE UNDERGROUNDFrom September 1940 to May 1941, the German Luftwaffe bombed London and other British cities almost every night in a sustained attack called the Blitzkrieg, or “lightning war.”

The Blitz was meant to cripple Britain’s war production and demoralize the population into surrender.

Londoners sought protection in their homes, in their yards, and even in the stations and tunnels of the London Underground.

"It was cold and there was always the fear that if they burst a water main we might get flooded."------ Len Phillips

Performers entertain people taking shelter in the Aldwych underground station.

" There must have been at least 1,000 people there, all crammed in, and inside it was horrible. It was cold, damp and smelly, and it had really uncomfortable metal beds with no bedding. "----- Ron Leagas

Children sheltering in an underground station have their throats sprayed with disinfectant.

Sir George Wilkinson, the Lord Mayor of London, and Lord Woolton, the Minister for Food, enjoy a cup of tea in an underground shelter.

"I asked my parents if we could go and sleep on the platforms too, because to me — as a child — it looked like fun. But they always said no.

I think they felt that if they were going to die, they would rather do it in their own home."----- Pat Clarke

British Red Cross staff examine patients sheltering in Piccadilly station.

"Everyone, really, was very cheerful and bright. You never heard people complain about anything."-----June Wilson

The Storre Brothers, a pair of music hall artistes, entertain their companions underground.

"In London, people were always fearful. When the Blitz ended, we said we could finally breathe."-----Julia Draper