Keep Calm, Carry On!

London withstood endless aerial attacks upon its infrastructure during World War Two. The Luftwaffe’s Blitz bombing campaign meant 52 consecutive nightly raids which left 30,000 dead and millions without homes. And towards the end of the conflict, Hitler's lethal V-1 'doodlebugs' and V-2 rockets struck fear into residents spread across areas ranging from Wimbledon and Wanstead to Westminster, Woolwich, Willesden and Wood Green.

Camden Town tube suffers a direct hit in 1940

The Nazi’s strategic aim was to flatten buildings, wipe out industries and break people’s morale, but instead there emerged an organised defence system which effectively combined the use of air raid sirens, gas masks, blackouts, barrage ballons and anti-aircraft weaponry.

Rising from the shattered streets and cramped underground shelters, the famous ‘Blitz Spirit’ eventually won the day. Commented American broadcaster Ed Murrow on the local populace: “There was no bravado, no loud voices, only a quiet acceptance of the situation. To me these people were incredibly brave and calm. They are the unknown heroes of this war.”

Hostilities ceased over 80 years ago and the Blitz has all but vanished from our collective memory, yet warfare and its devastating impact has left an undeniable mark. Out of the bomb craters and rubble-strewn terraces came flyovers, indoor shopping centres, multi-storey car parks and modernist housing developments.

Published this week, Curious London: War and Defence is an illustrated guide designed to put readers in the centre of such historic events. A handy-sized map featuring 34 war landmarks takes you on a tour that ducks the doodlebugs and returning Ack-Ack fire to reveal both the ingenuity and stoicism of London’s wartime defence network.

Enduring relic; London's last Ack-Ack gun

You can find the most solid bunkers of the high command, mourn ruined medieval churches, encounter lost pillboxes and gun batteries or sample the cold and dusty atmosphere of a deep-level shelter. Through such proud and enduring relics, we can understand more clearly how people lived, loved and worked during those dangerous and uncertain times. Freedom was not a given. And via the dozens of official memorials dotted around the capital, we are lucky enough to be able to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Curious London: War and Defence

available now from all good bookshops

or via www.copycreativelondon.com