Archive photograph showing three men calmly browsing books on surviving library shelves amid the rubble of a roofless shell
Holland House library after an air raid, 1940 © Historic England Archive BB83/04456
Holland House library after an air raid, 1940 © Historic England Archive BB83/04456

Blitz Stories Reading List  

A

Allbeson, T, ‘Visualizing Wartime Destruction and Postwar Reconstruction: Herbert Mason’s Photograph of St Paul’s Re-evaluated.’ Journal of Modern History 87. September 2015, 532-578

Anon, ‘The Reconstruction of Plymouth’, silent, amateur film, 1951

B

Baedeker, K and Muirhead, JF, ‘Great Britain: England, Wales, and Scotland as far as Loch Maree and the Cromarty Firth: handbook for travellers’, Leipsic: K Baedeker, London: Dulau and Co, 1887, accessed 3 October 2019

‘Birmingham Daily Post’, ‘Houses of Parliament Escape’, Saturday 19 February 1944

‘Birmingham Mail’, 23 November 2015

‘Birmingham Mail’, ‘Raid Bravery Commended’, 7 February 1941

Bombed Out Church website

Bombing Britain: an air raid map

Bomb Sight

Brockbank, C, ‘Interview with Ronald George Doble’, IBCC Digital Archive, accessed August 30, 2019

Bull, D, ‘The Blitz: A personal account of the air raid on Coventry on the night of November 14/15th 1940’, undated, unpublished manuscript

C

Calder, A, ‘The Myth Of The Blitz’, London: Pimlico, 2008

Canadian Fire Fighters Museum website

D

‘Daily Mail’, 31 December 1940

Dobinson, L, ‘Fields of Deception: Britain’s Bombing Decoys of World War II’, London: Methuen, 2000

‘Dundee Courier’, ‘Heroic Climb’, Tuesday 13 May 1941

‘Dundee Courier’, ‘King’s talk with Bomb-Diggers’, Wednesday 25 September 1940

E

‘Evening Despatch’, 23 November 1940

F

Fire Brigade’s Union website, 'Burning skies', 5 September 2017

G

Gardiner, J, ‘The Blitz: The British Under Attack’, London: HarperPress, 2010

Gillett, E & MacMahon, KA, ‘A History of Hull’, Oxford: Published for the University of Hull by the Oxford University Press, 1980

‘Gloucestershire Echo’, ‘King Commends Two Tewkesbury Youths’, 9 July 1941

‘Gloucestershire Echo’, ‘Lessons of the Exeter Blitz’, 17 June 1942

Graystone, P, ‘The Blitz on Hull, 1940-45’, Hull: Lampada, 1991

H

Hewitt, C, ‘Interview with Betty Hedges’, IBCC Digital Archive, accessed 30 August 2019, 

Howard, RT, ‘Ruined and Rebuilt: The Story of Coventry Cathedral’, 1939 – 1962, Coventry: Council of Coventry Cathedral, 1962

‘Hull Daily MaiI’, ‘Heroism Saved Hospitals in Heavy Air Raids’, 5 June 1941

‘Hull Daily Mail’, ‘Their Majesties Inspect Bomb Damage’, 6 August 1941

J

James, T, ‘Interview with Dr Marjorie Birch’, IBCC Digital Archive, accessed 28 August, 2019, 

Jappy, MJ, ‘Danger UXB: The Remarkable Story of the Disposal of Unexploded Bombs during the Second World War’, London: Channel 4 Books, 2001

Jones, S, ‘Liverpool in the Blitz’, History Today, Vol. 53, Issue 7, July 2003

L

Leete, J, ‘Under Fire: Britain's Fire Service at War’, The History Press Ltd, 2008

Lingard, JB, ‘Cyril A. Farey: A Personal Tribute to St Paul’s Cathedral and the City of London, 1940-44 in Chaney, E, Bold, J & Downes, E, eds., ‘English Architecture Public and Private: Essays for Kerry Downes’, London: Hambledon, 1993, 311-327

'Liverpool Daily Post', ‘Bombs on Houses of Parliament’, Saturday 19 February 1944

'Liverpool Echo', ‘Our War’, Monday 2 October 1989

Locker, P, ‘Interview with Ernie Tillbrook’, IBCC Digital Archive, accessed August 30, 2019, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/11718

M

'Manchester Evening News', ‘Wedding in Burnt Church’, Saturday 25 March 1944

Matthews, WR, ‘St Paul’s Cathedral in Wartime’, 1939-1945, London: Hutchinson, 1946

'Mail Online', '70 years on, Max Hastings reveals the dramatic story behind THE iconic image of the Blitz', accessed 14 October 2019

'Midland Daily Telegraph', ‘Destruction of the Cathedral: Provost’s Story of Fire Guards’ Gallant Fight’, 23 November 1940

N

National Museums Liverpool, ‘Liverpool and the May Blitz’, 1941

O

Overy, R, ‘The Bombing War: Europe 1939-1945’, London: Penguin, 2013

Owen, J, ‘Danger UXB: The Heroic Story of the WWII Bomb Disposal Teams’, London: Abacus, 2011

P

Plymouth Corporation, ‘A Plan for Plymouth’, Plymouth: Underhill, 1943

R

Ransted, C, ‘Bomb Disposal in WWII (National Archives)’, Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2018

Ransted, C, Disarming Hitler's V-Weapons: Bomb Disposal : The V1 & V2 Rockets, Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2013

Rothnie, N, ‘The Baedeker Blitz: Hitler’s Attack on Britain’s Historic Cities’, Shepperton: Ian Allen Publishing, 1992

S

Staffordshire Home Guard, ‘Memories and Information

‘Sunday Mirror’, 5 January 1941, ‘Barbara Danced on Fire Bomb’

T

Tait, D, ‘Plymouth at War’, Plymouth: Driftwood Coast, 2008

Tewkesbury Register, ‘Mr Beverley Griffin and Mr Michael Vicker’, 3 May 1941

The Mass Observation Archive, Home Service Broadcast by Tom Harrison, 16 November 1940, Mass Observation Coventry File Report 497, accessed 20 September 2019

TNA (The National Archives of the UK), HO 192/200, Ministry of Home Security, Research and Experiments Department, Registered Papers. AIR RAID DAMAGE. Region No 4: Eastern, Headquarters: Cambridge. Norwich

TNA (The National Archives of the UK), HO 192/209, Ministry of Home Security, Research and Experiments Department, Registered Papers. AIR RAID DAMAGE. Region No 4: Eastern, Headquarters: Cambridge. Norwich

TNA (The National Archives of the UK), HO 192/868, Ministry of Home Security: Research and Experiments Department, Registered Papers. AIR RAID DAMAGE. Region No 7: South Western, Headquarters: Bristol. Exeter. Includes 22 photographs depicting: Exeter: bomb damage to various properties including Dr Barnados Home and a Morrison Shelter. Dated 1942

TNA (The National Archives of the UK), HO 198/243, Ministry of Home Security: Research and Experiments Department, Bomb Census Papers. MISCELLANEOUS. Houses demolished in administrative areas of England and Wales as a result of enemy action: monthly totals

TNA (The National Archives of the UK), 201/3, Ministry of Home Security: Key Points Intelligence Directorate: Reports and Papers. Daily reports of air raid damage to key points

TNA (The National Archives of the UK), HO 207/1163, Home Office and Ministry of Home Security: Civil Defence Regions, Headquarters and Regional Files. REGIONS OUTSIDE LONDON (REGIONAL OFFICE FILES): Region No 7 (South Western): Exeter: report on the effects of air attacks on the city during the nights of 23-26 Apr and 3-4 May 1942

TNA (The National Archives of the UK), HO 250/9/340, Home Office: Inter-departmental Committee on Civil Defence Gallantry Awards: Minutes and Recommendations. Minutes and recommendations: 126 x 370. (Described at item level). Case Number: 340. Name: Leslie Raymond Phillips. Age: 26. Occupation: Civilian, Birmingham. Brief Summary of Ground for Recommendation: Extinguished incendiary bomb on roof of Queens Hospital at Birmingham [Warwickshire] on 19 November 1940

TNA (The National Archives of the UK), HO 250/31/1251A, Home Office: Inter-departmental Committee on Civil Defence Gallantry Awards: Minutes and Recommendations. Minutes and recommendations: 710 x x1280. (Described at item level). Case Number: 1251A. Name Ernest Pelter. Age: 56. Occupation: Fire Watcher, Bristol. Brief Summary of Ground for Recommendation: Fire fighting and rescue work at Bristol, [Bristol] on 11 April 1941

TNA (The National Archives of the UK), HO 250/31/1251B, Home Office: Inter-departmental Committee on Civil Defence Gallantry Awards: Minutes and Recommendations. Minutes and recommendations: 710 x x1280. (Described at item level). Case Number: 1251B. Name: Beverley Heslop Griffin. Age: 18. Occupation: Civilian, Bristol. Brief Summary of Ground for Recommendation: Fire fighting and rescue work at Bristol, [Bristol] on 16 March 1941

TNA (The National Archives of the UK), HO 250/31/1251C, Home Office: Inter-departmental Committee on Civil Defence Gallantry Awards: Minutes and Recommendations. Minutes and recommendations: 710 x x1280. (Described at item level). Case Number: 1251C. Name: Michael Godwin Vicker. Age: 16. Occupation: Home Guard, Bristol. Brief Summary of Ground for Recommendation: Fire fighting and rescue work at Bristol, [Bristol] on 16 March 1941

TNA (The National Archives of the UK), HO 250/43/1670, Home Office: Inter-departmental Committee on Civil Defence Gallantry Awards: Minutes and Recommendations. Minutes and recommendations 1455 x 1714. (Described at item level). Case Number: 1670. Name: Thomas Henry Rumsey. Age: 38. Occupation: Staff Officer Auxiliary Fire Service, Hull. Brief Summary of Ground for Recommendation: Fire fighting near Paragon Railway Station at Hull, [Yorkshire] on 7 May 1941

TNA (The National Archives of the UK), HO 250/43/1671, Home Office: Inter-departmental Committee on Civil Defence Gallantry Awards: Minutes and Recommendations. Minutes and recommendations 1455 x 1714. (Described at item level). Case Number: 1671. Name: John Colletta. Age: 30. Occupation: Driver Auxiliary Fire Service, Hull. Brief Summary of Ground for Recommendation: Fire fighting in High Street at Hull, [Yorkshire] on 8 May 1941

TNA (The National Archives of the UK), HO 250/77, Home Office: Inter-departmental Committee on Civil Defence Gallantry Awards: Minutes and Recommendations. Minutes and recommendations: case files 2004-2018; also 1986-1994

Tomlinson, C, ‘The Hull Blitz Trail’, University of Leeds/Visit Hull

W

Wallington, N, ‘Firemen at War: The Work of London’s Fire-fighters in the Second World War’, Jeremy Mills Publishing, 2007

Ward, L, ‘The London County Council Bomb Damage Maps, 1939-1945’, London: Thames & Hudson, 2015

'Western Daily Press', ‘Bristol Alert’ series 1946

'Western Daily Press', ‘King Meets Boy Hero’, 13 October 1942

'Western Daily Press', ‘What News Had England!’, Friday 28 June 1946

Wright, B, ‘Birmingham Blitz: Our Stories’, Studley: Brewin Books, 2014

Y

'Yorkshire Post', ‘Tragic Tales of the Hull Blitz’, 28 November 1917

'Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer', ‘Blackened Debris’, Tuesday 13 May 1941

'Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer', ‘Heroism in Hull Air Raids: How the Infirmary Staff Fought Fires’, 5 June 1941