We Remember the Blitz

by Frank Shaw, Joan Shaw

"I went to the public baths and after I undressed I could hear someone whistling. I looked round to see if I could see anybody about, but I couldn't, so I got into the bath and lay back to relax. As soon as I did, of course, I looked up and saw a man putting in the glass windows that had been blown out the night before."  —Joan Adams, Lichfield

On the night of September 7, 1940, bombs rained down on the defenseless and unprepared population of London for nine long hours. In November, raids spread to the rest of the country—starting in Coventry and taking in everywhere from Portsmouth, Cardiff, Belfast, and Hull. During the nine months of the Blitz, thousands of people were killed and injured, and thousands of buildings and homes destroyed. But, with stoicism and humor, life went on. We Remember the Blitz is packed with vivid recollections from this important time in British history. Waking up in a damp shelter to the sound of bombing; coming out of a cinema to discover that fires made night as bright as day; and, worst of all, the shock of seeing individuals and whole families killed in an instant. We hear from many who were there to pick up the pieces: ARP wardens, firemen—even the bakers, who would return to work under tarpaulin to ensure their neighbors had their daily loaf. Filled with moving but often funny memories, We Remember the Blitz is a celebration of the British spirit, and clearly shows that the battle for Britain was won by "the many."

Genres: History

384 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a compilation of hundreds of letters about people's experience with the Blitz. You might think that they would all be the same but though they are similar, each one had a slightly different perspective. Very personal stories which I really enjoyed reading. They really brought out the spirit of the English people.

[Sula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made up of recollections of the Blitz, each generally between 1-4 pages long, this is a book to dip into here and there, and not to read in one sitting. It is a powerful reminder that the horrific experiences in the war were not just for those in Europe, but those at home too. This collection of first-hand experiences builds up a picture of how difficult and dark those years were - now just on the edge of living memory. The tales are not all dark though, and there's definitely a lot of humour too - perhaps partly how they kept going. Of course we must remember that these are the stories of those who those who survived, and there must be thousands of darker stories belonging to those who didn't. I was moved by how often when people had closer to home tales of those who died, they mentioned what they could remember of that person's name and what they knew of them, even if it was just someone they had vaguely known from down the road. You can feel people hold on to these little details, knowing those lives unfairly shortened, as if to keep those people going on in some way and give them some respect, for it's all one can do for them after they are gone.

The general kindheartedness of the people, doing their best to support and help one another, and determination to make the best of it shines through the stories. It does sadly however make some people's attitudes in the current pandemic a bit pathetic really!

[Alex Cotterill · Rating 4 out of 5]

It might seem quite repetitive at first - a long series of letters throughout the duration of the Blitz.

It’s good that they’ve included a vast array of letters in this book as letters from lads, girls and women from all over the country in different professions, either in the countryside or town, provide you with a slightly different account which therefore adds varying angles and perspectives onto the bombings and how they affected each family.

[laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good reads of ppl memories