The Blitz (short for Blitzkrieg, German for "lightning war") began on 7 September, 1940, with more than 300 bombers involved. The attacks started on the East End before moving to central London. In total, 430 were killed and 1,600 badly injured that day. Bombers including the Dornier Do 17 were used by the Nazis to inflict night after night of destruction on towns and cities across the UK. People dreaded hearing the distinctive wailing of the air-raid sirens. Hitler hoped sustained bombing would shatter civilians' morale, and 5,300 tons of high explosives had been dropped on the capital by the end of September 1940. Simple corrugated steel Anderson shelters, covered over by...
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