Archive for the ‘bombing’ Category
Tuesday, September 7th, 2010
During the night of 7th/8th September, attacks extending over many hours covered a considerable area of London and were of an intense nature. Preliminary reports do not permit an accurate review of the full extent of the places hit or of the damage. Possibly the most serious effect has been in Silvertown which has been described as a 'raging inferno' and complete evacuation became necessary. Over 600 fire appliances were in use during the night.
Posted in 1940, September 1940, bombers, bombing | No Comments »
Monday, September 6th, 2010
An increasingly fatalistic attitude towards the effect of bombing is reported, and this appears to be coupled with a high state of morale. In the East End the searchlights rather than the sirens are now taken as a sign for going to the shelters. Cooperation and friendliness in public shelters are reported to be increasing ...
Posted in 1940, Churchill, September 1940, bombing | No Comments »
Sunday, September 5th, 2010
The scale of enemy attack on this country by day during the week under review was considerably greater than it was in the previous week, but by night it was slightly smaller. Attacks were chiefly against aerodromes by day and industry by night, though some damage was inflicted on aircraft and other factories in daylight and aircraft production will be affected, though not seriously. Attacks on aerodromes have achieved no important results.
Posted in 1940, August 1940, bombing | No Comments »
Saturday, September 4th, 2010
You will understand that we shall now give a reply, night for night, and with increasing force. And if the British Air Force drops two, three or four thousand kilos of bombs, then we will drop 150,000, 180,000, 230,000, 300,000 or 400,000 kilos, or more, in one night. If they declare that they will attack our cities on a large scale, we will erase theirs! We will put a stop to the game of these night-pirates, as God is our witness.
Posted in 1940, Hitler, September 1940, bombing | No Comments »
Sunday, August 29th, 2010
No short-range dive-bombers were seen, while last week 83 were destroyed; even the Ju. 88 has not been used for dive-bombing. The long-range bomber force is being increasingly employed and night attacks have been intensified. The raids were mainly directed against aerodromes and ports, while industrial plants and the aircraft industry also received considerable attention. Other raids were carried out against aerodromes and oil storage, and a considerable amount of indiscriminate bombing was included in the operations.
Posted in 1940, August 1940, bombing | No Comments »
Saturday, August 28th, 2010
It was while we were at Dover, that we saw the approaching German bombers and just a short distance away they were met by British fighters. Mr Churchill seemed mesmerized as the air battle took place almost overhead. We saw maybe two German bombers crash into the sea and some fighters with smoke trailing from [...]
Posted in 1940, August 1940, Churchill, bombing | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
Oddly enough, a few minutes before, I had had an argument with the censor from the Propaganda Ministry as to whether it was possible to bomb Berlin. London had just been bombed. It was natural, I said, that the British should try to retaliate. He laughed. It was impossible, he said. There were too many anti-aircraft guns around Berlin.
Posted in 1940, August 1940, bombing | No Comments »
Saturday, August 21st, 2010
Reports from all areas show morale to be excellent. Recent air-raid alarms proved that confidence has greatly increased since the beginning of the war and people showing more neighbourliness towards each other. Citizens' Advice Bureaux and similar offices which were besieged by anxious people after first alarms in September were practically empty after last week's raids. Many people did not take shelter when the siren went; even men in uniform in Kensington Gardens took no notice and civilians are inclined to follow their example. Confusion still exists as to what people should do when siren goes; some employers grudge wasting time and don't encourage their staff to take shelter.
Posted in 1940, August 1940, Churchill, bombing | No Comments »
