A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.<\/i><\/p>\n
On Sept. 7, 1940, Nazi Germany began an intense bombing campaign of Britain during World War II with an air attack on London; known as the Blitz, the eight-month campaign resulted in more than 40,000 civilian deaths.<\/p>\n
And it was a difficult time for the stoic British people. The cultural and popular center of Western Europe endured attack after nightly attack from the German air force. Many had to take shelter in Underground stations around the city.<\/p>\n
Per historical accounts, notable barrages included a large daylight attack against London on Sept. 15, a large raid on Dec. 29 that caused a devastating fire in London, and a significant attack on May 10-11, 1941.<\/p>\n
In reality, other major cities like Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester and Hull were also targeted, along with U.K. port cities like Bristol, Cardiff, Belfast, Glasgow and Southampton.<\/p>\n
But about half of the deaths came in the area around London, where a reported million homes were destroyed on damaged. The attacks went on for 57 days, with one day of reprieve.<\/p>\n
Newspapers of the day covered the carnage from a distance and through the use of war correspondents.<\/p>\n
And there were many heroes, part of England\u2019s civilian army: nurses, laborers, farmers, etc. One was Thomas Peirson Frank.<\/p>\n