Blitz Collection

Holland House library after an air raid BB83_04456
HOLLAND HOUSE, Kensington, London. An interior view of the bombed library at Holland House with readers apparently choosing books regardless of the damage. Photographed in 1940

St. Pauls Survives
The iconic view of St. Pauls Cathedral from the roof of the Daily Mail newspaper building, through the smoke and flames of the nights German bombing raids, 29 December 1940 St Paul in the Blitz

A woman enjoys a cup of tea in the midst of the bomb damage at New Cross after air raids on London in World War Two June 1944

Coventry Cathedral CC47_02918
Cathedral Church Of St Michael, Bailey Lane, Coventry. The shell of the old Cathedral viewed from the south east with a basement exposed beneath derelict ground at the corner of Bailey Lane

WW2 - Home Front - Woman in her Gas Mask. Date: circa 1941

Blitz - Fire at Surrey Commercial Docks, Rotherhithe
Warehouses ablaze (the left wing of the No.8 warehouse) following the heavy enemy bombing raids on the Surrey Commercial Docks in Rotherhithe

Winston Churchill inspecting the damage to the House of Commons after an attack during the Blitz

Firefighters standing by during the Blitz, London in WWII LFB150
Firefighters standing by during the Blitz, London -- in the early hours of the morning, after a night of bombing

Bomb damage in Brampton Road, Bexleyheath, WW2
Panoramic view of extensive bomb damage in Brampton Road, Bexleyheath, Kent, 14 November 1944, with ambulances ready to remove casualties from the scene

King George VI and Winston Churchill, 1940
Wartime British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill photographed with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace in September 1940 after the Palace had been damaged by German bombs during

Roof spotter at football match
A roof spotter searching for oncoming German bombers, at a West Ham vs. Chelsea match 8 December 1940

Bomb damage in Kilgour Road, SE London, WW2
Panoramic view of bomb damage in Kilgour Road, SE London, 18 November 1944. Rubble and debris can be seen on both sides of the road

Bomb damage and crater, Petherton Road, London, WW2
Panoramic view of extensive bomb damage and a crater in Petherton Road, North London, 2 July 1944. A salvage operation took place, pumping out flooded basements

Bomb disposal unit in action
The Royal Engineers bomb disposal unit in action in West London, 17 September 1940

Blitz in London -- St Bride Street, Farringdon Street, WW2
Blitz in London -- St Bride Street and Farringdon Street, with firefighters at work in a smoky atmosphere and pedestrians walking by

WW2 Memorabilia - Damaged Cafe informing suppliers
WW2 Home Front Memorabilia - Damaged Cafe Colette of Swallow Street, London sending information on a printed card to inform suppliers that (likely due to Bomb damage)

Blitz in London -- ambulance at Ladywell, Lewisham, WW2
Blitz in London -- an ambulance and rescue workers in the Ladywell area of Lewisham, SE13, where houses were demolished by a parachute bomb, 18 September 1940

Blitz in Plymouth -- St Andrews Parish Church, WW2
Blitz in Plymouth -- the smouldering remains of St Andrews Parish Church, bombed and badly damaged in March 1941. The church was restored, and reconsecrated in November 1957

Bomb damage, Birmingham 1942 OP09006
HIGHGATE ROAD, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, West Midlands. Bomb damage photographed by James Nelson, 29th July 1942

St Pauls Cathedral EAW011371
ST PAULs CATHEDRAL, London. Aerial view. In this photograph of October 1947 the Cathedral still survives, but the widespread devastation caused by bombing during the Second World War is apparent in

Liverpool, 1946 EAW001911
LIVERPOOL. Aerial view, 12th July 1946, showing the area around the five way junction of Duke Street, Hanover Street and Paradise Street (the former Sailors Home, now demolished)

St Brides Church, London 1941 BB69_02583
FLEET STREET, London. St Brides Church was rebuilt to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren following the Great Fire of London

St Sidwells Church, Exeter 1942 BB42_03938
EXETER, Devon.The remains of St Sidwells Church on Sidwell Street after bomb damage during the Exeter blitz, photographed by Margaret Tomlinson in 1942

Bomb damage, Exeter BB42_00712
Exeter, Devon. A view looking towards the remains of the terrace of houses comprising numbers 25-36 Southernhay West showing bomb damage

Winston Churchill in Bristol, 1941
Winston Churchill visits bomb-damaged Bristol on 12th April 1941, during World War Two. Date: 12th April 1941

Blitz in London -- Whitechapel Fire Station
Whitechapel Fire Station in Whitechapel Road having suffered heavy blast damage following a bombing raid on 8 September 1940

Damage to Canterbury Cathedral Library, WW2 - Baedeker Blitz
" Canterbury under fire" - Damage sustained to the Cathedal LIbrary examined by Dr. Hewlett Johnson, Dean of Canterbury, by bombing on the city by German planes of the luftwaffe during WW2

WW2 - Chef cooking in a bombed-out street - Blitz, London
WW2 - His restaurant and kitchen destroyed by German bombing, a Chef continues to cook al fresco in a bombed-out street - Blitz, London. Date: circa 1941

AFS women training, Highgate, London, WW2
AFS (Auxiliary Fire Service) women training in Highgate, North London, in July 1942

Blitz in London -- Balham High Road, WW2
Blitz in London -- a bus in a bomb crater over an underground station in Balham High Road, SW London, 14 October 1940

Exeter bomb damage OP07079
EXETER CATHEDRAL, Cathedral Close, Exeter, Devon. View looking east towards Exeter Cathedral from the tower of St Mary Arches Church, showing an area of bomb damage following the bombing in 1942

NFS (London Region) Pimlico V1 bombing attack, WW2
The aftermath of a V1 flying bomb attack in Winchester Street, Pimlico. NFS firefighters join other rescue workers at the scene

Blitz in London -- Regulars and Auxiliaries side by side
Regular London firefighters side by side with their Auxiliary (AFS) counterparts at Tottenham fire station. The building next door is Tottenham Town Hall

King and Queen inspecting bomb damage at Buckingham Palace
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth pictured among the rubble at Buckingham Palace following German air raids during the Blitz, September 1940

Exeter Cathedral bomb damage BB42_00740
EXETER CATHEDRAL, Devon. On the night of 3-4 May 1942 a bomb fell on the Chapel of St James in the south choir aisle of the cathedral, causing considerable damage to the late 13th-century fabric

Bomb damage, Liverpool 1941 BB90_03807
GREAT CHARLOTTE STREET, Liverpool. View of bomb damage and pedestrians going about their daily routines, May 1941

St Pauls Cathedral in bomb damaged surroundings a093716
ST PAULs CATHEDRAL, London. The cathedral in mist with the snow-covered ruins of a bomb damaged building in the foreground. Photographed by John Gay in 1947

Coventry Cathedral BB98_06261
COVENTRY CATHEDRAL, West Midlands. A view of the Cathedral taken from Pepper Lane. The Cathedral church is named for St Michael

Humphrey Jennings Fires Were Started (1943)

Harry Watts London Can Take It! (1940)

A Heinkel 111 bomber aircraft of the German Luftwaffe flies over Tower Bridge on the River Thames in London during the Battle of Britain in World War Two. 7th September 1940

Blitz in London -- turntable ladder in operation, WW2
Blitz in London -- turntable ladder in operation, with firefighter and hose

Blitz in London - AFS firefighter, WW2
Blitz in London - a smiling AFS firefighter, a former Smithfield meat porter named Eddie

Scene of devastation after flying bomb attack, WW2
A panoramic daytime scene of devastation following a flying bomb attack in London during the latter stages of the Second World War. Rescue workers look for buried casualties

Blitz in London -- AFS firefighter on ladder, WW2
Blitz in London -- an AFS firefighter on a ladder with hose attached, in a training exercise at HQ

Princess Diana, William and Harry meeting firefighters
Princess Diana and her sons, Princes William and Harry, meeting firefighters at the The Blitz Remembered Service at St Pauls Cathedral, London, on 25 October 1990

The Blitz Remembered Service at St Pauls Cathedral
Princess Diana an her sons, the princes William and Harry attending the The Blitz Remembered Service at St Pauls Cathedral, London

Blitz in London -- warehouses, Surrey Docks, WW2
Warehouses ablaze following heavy bombing raids on the Surrey Commercial Docks in Rotherhithe, SE London. This raid took place on 7 September 1940

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"Remembering the Blitz: Resilience and Hope Amidst Destruction" The Holland House library stands tall, a testament to the indomitable spirit of Londoners during the Blitz. St. Paul's Cathedral emerges unscathed, a symbol of strength and defiance amidst the chaos of war. In the midst of bomb damage at New Cross, a woman finds solace in a simple cup of tea, demonstrating unwavering determination to carry on. Brampton Road in Bexleyheath bears witness to the devastating impact of air raids during World War II. Coventry Cathedral stands as a haunting reminder of the destructive power unleashed upon cities during wartime. A brave woman dons her gas mask, embodying both fear and resilience on the home front during World War II. Kilgour Road in Southeast London displays scars from bombings, serving as a poignant reminder of lives forever changed by war. Liverpool rebuilds after enduring immense destruction in 1946; its people exemplify resilience and unity in adversity. Winston Churchill's leadership inspires hope and determination among Britons facing relentless attacks during the Blitz. Firefighters stand ready to protect their city as they face unimaginable dangers amidst London's bombing campaign in WWII. Ambulances rush through Ladywell, Lewisham—a stark portrayal of bravery amid chaos—during London's darkest days in history. St Andrew's Parish Church remains standing proudly despite Plymouth being ravaged by bombs—an emblematic symbol that faith endures even through turmoil. In these glimpses into history captured by photographs from various locations affected by bombings during World War II—the Holland House library, St Paul’s Cathedral surviving intact amidst ruins or individuals finding solace amidst devastation—we are reminded not only about destruction but also about human resilience and hope that emerged from such dark times.