EXACTLY 70 years ago, Londoners were facing the nightly terror of German bombing raids.
Each morning, countless inhabitants would emerge from shelters to get on with everyday life, making their way to work through the rubble and craters.
But for some it was their duty to look after the safety of their fellow citizens and help keep the capital running, sometimes even having to brave the bombing in order to carry out their jobs.
Now their courage and determination is being commemorated in an exhibition at the Royal Air Force Museum, Colindale.
The Blitz ran from September 7 to May 11, 1941. During this period 50,000 bombs and millions of incendiary devices fell on the city bringing death and destruction to London’s civilian population. In total 30,000 Londoners were killed, entire communities destroyed and many thousands more left homeless.
The London Blitz 70th Anniversary Exhibition, which was previously displayed at City Hall, is dedicated to those individuals involved in the emergency, volunteer, transport and specialist services whose work was vital during what were, for Londoners, the darkest days of World War Two.
Central to the exhibition are images and histories from the collections of various London organisations, each of which portray the story of London’s people, and capture the legendary “Blitz spirit”.
Images include firefighters tackling blazes, recruitment posters appealing for more firemen, families sheltering on Tube station platforms and policemen and Air Raid Precautions wardens searching though the rubble of bombed out buildings.
“They were central to the on-going delivery of vital public services during late 1940 and early 1941,” says Ian Thirsk, head of collections at the RAF Museum.
“Each image brings alive the story of a capital bowed but not broken and of a people quietly resolved to keep calm and carry on with their daily lives in the face of terrible war-time deprivation.”
These rare images have been provided courtesy of London Transport Museum, the Museum of London, the Metropolitan Police Historical Collection, the Fire Brigade Museum, London Ambulance Service, Barts and London NHS and the Royal Pioneer Corps Association.
In addition, the museum has also produced a podcast, which gives you the chance to learn more about The Blitz. It is available from the museum’s website www.rafmuseum.org/podcasts
Bomber Hall at the Royal Air Force Museum, Grahame Park Way, Colindale, until Tuesday, May 31, 10am to 6pm, daily. Free. Details: 020 8205 2266
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article