Tag Archives: Blitz

This week in the War, 4–10 December 1944: Phasing out the Blackout

Posted on December 9, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war throughout the British Isles from 9 December 1944 on, premises were no longer required to be blacked out when the air raid sirens sounded. The Luftwaffe was no longer perceived to be a threat, and light … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 5–11 May 1941: London Blitz, the night of 10/11 May 1941

Posted on May 6, 2013 by secondbysecond

Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, the British Museum—all were hit during the heaviest and last of the large Luftwaffe raids against London, on the night of 10/11 May 1941. In his book The Longest Night 10-11 May 1941: Voices … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 17–23 March 1941: Aussie PM honoured in Pommie Land

Posted on March 17, 2013 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies was touring the British Isles. He was in Plymouth on 21 March 1941, and witnessed a heavy air raid, with the Luftwaffe dropping 20,000 incendiary bombs across the city. Twelve large … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 25 Nov–1 Dec 1940: ‘This is London’ — the broadcasts of Edward R. Murrow

Posted on December 1, 2012 by secondbysecond

“This is London.” Such was the signature opening of American broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow, speaking on the radio from Britain’s beleaguered capital. Air raid sirens could be heard in the background. Bombs were starting to fall. His broadcasts were … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 11–17 November 1940: Blitz on Coventry

Posted on November 14, 2012 by secondbysecond

When I was a boy, I went on day trips to all of the large cities around the Midlands, as central England is called. Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, and of course, Coventry—the latter being of Lady Godiva fame. They were big, … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 16–22 September 1940: ‘Hope & Glory’, and the City of Benares

Posted on September 16, 2012 by secondbysecond

As a boy, I loved Saturday matinees at the ‘pictures’—the ‘movie house’ as Americans would say. Give me a bag of sweets and I was all set for a couple of hours of Hopalong Cassidy. John Boorman’s movie Hope and … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 9–15 September 1940: Luftwaffe bombs Buckingham Palace

Posted on September 11, 2012 by secondbysecond

This week in the war saw the bombing of Buckingham Palace. Queen Elizabeth (mother of the current queen) famously remarked that she was glad it happened because she would be able to “look the East End in the face.” (The … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 26 Aug–1 Sept 1940: London on alert

Posted on September 1, 2012 by secondbysecond

This week in the war saw the first all-night alert in London, 26 August 1940. The Luftwaffe launched a number of night attacks on the city that week. The picture to the left shows one of the platforms of the … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 19–25 August 1940: Never in the field of human conflict…

Posted on August 20, 2012 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, Tuesday 20 August 1940, Winston Churchill rose in the House of Commons to give his most memorable speech of the war. “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many … Continue reading →

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