The Secret Keeper

The Blitz refers to the bombing campaign waged by German pilots on Britain for several months spanning 1940-1941 during World War II. The Germans called their tactics Blitzkrieg (literally, “lightning war”). They targeted industrial centers, port towns, and major cities in hopes of annihilating British infrastructure and forcing surrender. London, England’s most populous city, suffered the most sustained attacks, yet citizens survived through a combination of resilience, careful planning, and volunteer aid.

With some notable exceptions, the bombings generally took place at night when the German Luftwaffe pilots had a better chance of approaching their targets before the British Royal Air Force (RAF) could respond. As a preventative measure, the government encouraged blackout protocol to reduce exterior light and provide fewer targets. Streetlights and illuminated signs were turned off, cars drove without headlights, and people navigated the streets with flashlights. Residents hung thick blackout curtains over their windows.

Stations on the London Underground subway system provided overnight shelter when attacks were expected. The Air Raid Precautions (ARP) organization distributed Andersen shelters (named after the head of the ARP), which were made of corrugated steel and designed to be installed outside. Morrison shelters, also made of steel, were designed to be used indoors to protect people from collapsing buildings. Air-raid sirens indicated when radar detected approaching planes and people were advised to take shelter. Anti-aircraft guns and blimps were employed to deter German bombers.

Volunteer services sprang up in response to the bombings, including ambulance and fire services. Women organized many efforts and served in significant support capacities within the government and auxiliary agencies. The Women's Voluntary Services for Civil Defense (WVS), established in 1938, responded with emergency aid services and assisting children. Canteens, such as the one where Dolly volunteers, provided food and drink, while rest centers offered shelters. The WVS even used mobile canteens to support those fighting fires left by bombs and incendiaries, putting themselves in danger in order to provide aid.

The Blitz was devastating in many ways. The Luftwaffe dropped an estimated 40,000 tons of bombs over dozens of cities throughout the United Kingdom. In London alone, over 43,000 civilians were killed and over 1 million homes destroyed during the Blitz. After Black Saturday, the first bombing raid on September 7, 1940, the second most damaging attack on London was the last night of the Blitz, May 10 and May 11, 1941. Nearly 1500 people died, many landmarks were damaged, and the entire city seemed ablaze. In Coventry, the most devasting attack took place the night of November 14, 1940, damaging two-thirds of the city and killing over 500 people.

Despite its toll, the Blitz did not force the pleas for surrender that the Germans anticipated. Rather, the British adopted a “business as usual” slogan, refusing to bend to intimidation. Over the course of the Blitz, British industries ramped up the production of improved aircraft that eventually took the war to German airspace, beginning a bombing campaign on German cities.

Casualties among bomber crews were heavy. An estimated 50% of air crews were killed in action, while another quarter were killed in non-operational accidents, wounded, or captured as prisoners of war. Most pilots were young men in their late teens and early twenties. Due to the rigor and risk, as well as the demanding skills required, a romantic ethos surrounded RAF pilots and crew. Dolly pretends that Jimmy is part of the RAF to impress Kitty and the other girls quartered at Lady Gwendolyn’s house. Later, Kitty meets and marries an RAF pilot of her own, which she considers a mark of status.