75th Anniversary of The Blitz

Rather than a Sunday Photo post we decided to mark the 75th anniversary of the start of the Blitz with a selection of photographs showing the results of Nazi Germany’s bombing campaign of London and other English cities.

This photo shows barrage balloons floating above London, with Buckingham Palace visible in the background. These balloons were intended to defend against dive bombers, and forced enemy aircraft to fly at a higher altitude.

With the barrage balloons forcing enemy bombers to fly higher they would be vulnerable to the concentrated fire of anti-aircraft guns, such as this QF 3.7-inch AA gun in Hyde Park.

Of course, in order to actually hit the incoming enemy bombers the skies would need to be well lit. This photograph shows an anti-aircraft searchlight and crew at the Royal Hopsital at Chelsea, London.

Whilst the British military and the Home Guard fought valiantly to fend off the Luftwaffe's attacks, civilians had to find what shelter they could in order to ensure their safety against the bombs and debris that came crashing down over British cities during the Blitz. This photo shows men, women and children sheltering at Aldwych tube station, one of seventy nine tube stations used as air raid shelters.

Despite everything that was done to defend Britain, many cities found vast swathes of buildings utterly destroyed by German bombs. This photo shows Coventry city centre in November 1940, just after the Coventry Blitz. As an industrial city Coventry was an obvious target for the bombers, just as industrial cities in Germany were targetted by the Allies.

If you'd like to read more about the Blitz take a look at Blitz Spirit, currently available on the discount store page!