Bomb Shelter Collection

WORLD WAR II: BOMB SHELTER. A woman kneeling beside a girl in a bunk bed in a bomb shelter located in a subway tunnel beneath London, England, 1940-45, during World War II

Building the outer foundations for an air raid shelter in a garden in Hextable. 1938

German Bomb-proof shelter, 5 yards deep, between c1915 and 1916. Creator: Bain News Service
German Bomb-proof shelter, 5 yards deep, between c1915 and 1916. A German bomb-proof shelter during World War I.

Trinity House Chapel, 1941 a41_00073
Chapel at Hull Trinity House and Statue Outside East Front, Princes Dock Street, City of Kingston upon Hull. An exterior view of the east elevation of Trinity House Chapel

An impromptu Childrens show using a Anderson shelter for a stage during the London Blitz. Circa October 1940

Women and children prepare to sleep in a bomb shelter during Second World War. 14th October 1940

Damaged beds inside a bomb shelter during the Second World War. 17th February 1941

Rapid-fire bunker gun
Gruson 5.3 cm - rapid-fire cannon L / 25 cal in wheeled armored

An American family in a backyard bomb shelter, Garden City, New York, 1955
BOMB SHELTER, 1955. An American family in a backyard bomb shelter, Garden City, New York, 1955

HAWAII: PEARL HARBOR. The entrance of a bomb shelter at the naval base at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. Photograph by David Franzen, mid or late 20th century

Illustration of of American soldiers firing rifles and throwing grenades next to German bunker during D Day landing on Omaha

A crumbling bunker serves as a testament to the Japaneseas hold on Wake Island from 1942-1945. Approximately 100 U.S. and Japanese historical structures from bunkers to gun placements remain

Korean civilian shows U. S. Marine dynamite cache near Inchon, South Korea

A coalition bombing of aircraft hangers during Operation Desert Storm
Two reinforced concrete aircraft hangars at the Ahmed Al Jaber Airfield show the results of a coalition bombing strike during Operation Desert Storm

Commando Austriaco, ruined shelter of World War I, Folgaria, province of Trentino, Italy, Europe

WWI: SHELTER, c1914. German soldiers in the doorway of a bomb-proof shelter near Avincourt, France. Photograph, c1914

BOER WAR: SHELTER, 1900. Colonel Sir Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powells shelter at Mafeking, South Africa. Photograph from an English newspaper of May 1900

Shelter Interior
May 1918: Inside the YMCA air raid shelter in the Strand. Posters on the wall show life at the front. (Photo by Booth/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

World War 1 Centenary
London, England - 5th May 2014. Poppies painted on the rotunda next to the First World War memorial in Stockwell South London

The interior of a flooded dug out in Sidcup, Kent. Mr George Harris attempts to bucket the water out. 1939

Mrs Ellis and Valerie Ellis sitting in an air raid shelter in Downham, Kent. 1939

An air raid shelter and sign in Gravesend, Kent. 1938

Diagram of a basement bomb shelter recommended for one and two-family dwellings by the New York City Civil Defense
BOMB SHELTER, c1955. Diagram of a basement bomb shelter recommended for one and two-family dwellings by the New York City Civil Defense Organization, c1955

CIVIL WAR: RESTAURANT. Business seems to be slow at Sutlers bomb proof Fruit & Oyster House on the Union Army line at the siege of Petersburg, Virginia, June 1864 to March 1864

SIGN: AIR RAID SHELTER. Sign for an American public air raid shelter

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During World War II, bomb shelters became a symbol of resilience and survival. In London, England, a woman kneels beside her daughter in a bunk bed nestled within the safety of a subway tunnel shelter. The photograph captured by Tony Frissell tells the story of countless families seeking refuge from relentless bombings. In Hextable, amidst the chaos and destruction, communities united to build air raid shelters in their gardens. These outer foundations served as shields against enemy attacks, offering solace to those who sought protection within their walls. Even places of worship were not spared from the ravages of war. Trinity House Chapel stood strong despite being surrounded by turmoil in 1941. Its presence provided comfort and hope for those seeking spiritual guidance during these dark times. Amidst the fear and uncertainty, creativity flourished even within bomb shelters themselves. An impromptu children's show transformed an Anderson shelter into an imaginative stage where young minds could momentarily escape reality through laughter and play. The strength and determination displayed by women during this era cannot be understated. Women alongside their children prepared to sleep inside cramped bomb shelters night after night, finding solace in each other's company while braving constant threats from above. Inside these sanctuaries lay damaged beds that bore witness to the horrors endured during bombardments on February 17th, 1941. Yet despite such devastation, they remained steadfast symbols of resilience - reminders that life would continue even amidst chaos. Across the Atlantic Ocean in Garden City, New York, an American family sought refuge within their backyard bomb shelter in 1955 - proof that even years after World War II had ended; its impact lingered on people's minds as they continued to prioritize safety above all else. Pearl Harbor serves as a haunting reminder of how quickly lives can change when faced with unexpected attacks. The entrance to a bomb shelter at this naval base stands as both protection and testament to human endurance against the terrors of war.