The V-1 flying bomb was a terrifying weapon which the Germans used against Britain during WW II. Unlike other bombs which were dropped from planes, the V-1 bomb had an engine which allowed it to “fly” from where it was launched.  The bomb was very powerful and caused a lot of death and destruction to Britain. Because the engine made a buzzing noise it was nicknamed the “buzz bomb” or “doodlebug”... 

Evacuating such a large number of people was a very difficult and often confusing task. Evacuees (those who had been evacuated) would often travel home only be to be re-evacuated when the Germans struck again. It was impossible to keep an accurate record of how many people came and went, but below is a few dates and numbers to bear in mind: September 1st 1939: Operation Pied Piper officially gets going... 

At the start of WW II the government was very worried about the safety of people living in urban areas (an urban area is a place where lots of people live and work, like London). They knew that these areas would be heavily bombed by the Germans and that many people could lose their lives…. So what did they do? The government decided to evacuate children from the dangerous urban areas and send... 

Click on the images below and discover the history behind these fascinating World War II artefacts…                             Who was Hitler? Adolf Hitler was born in a little Austrian town close to Germany on the 20th of April 1889. He fought for Germany during World War I and won many medals for his bravery. But Hitler became very angry and frustrated... 

When did the blackout begin in Britain? The blackout began on September 1st 1939, two days before Britain declared war on Germany. What was the aim of a blackout? The aim of a blackout was to make it as difficult as possible for German pilots to see the land below and know where to drop their bombs. Because most air raids happened in the evening any light from the ground below would make it very easy... 

What was an incendiary bomb? Incendiary bombs were filled with highly flammable (easy to set on fire) substances which would start fires once they had hit the ground. The aim of using incendiary bombs was to cause as many fires as possible. How were they used? During an air raid a pilot would drop a number of incendiary bombs across an area of land. The highly flammable substance inside each bomb would... 

What were identity cards? Identity cards (or National Registration Cards) were introduced by the government during World War II. Written on them was the owner’s name, date of birth, address and any changes of address. Why were they important? Identity cards had a number of different uses. For example, the government could use them to check which men were old enough to go to war and fight for their... 

What was rationing? During World War II the government limited the amount of food and other items which British people could buy. This was called rationing. Why was it important? Before the war Britain imported an awful lot of food such as meat, sugar, tea and fruit. During the war Germany decided to attack the ships which brought food into Britain, making it very difficult for the country to receive... 

What is a gas mask? A gas mask is a mask which is placed over the face to stop the user from breathing in dangerous gasses which may harm them. Why were they used during WW II? During World War I (1914-1918) many soldiers had been badly injured, or killed, when their enemies threw bombs at them which released poisonous fumes when they exploded. During World War II Britain was very worried that these... 

World War II Adolf Hitler, Gas Masks, Identity Cards, Incendiary Bombs, the Blackout, Self-Help Booklets and Rationing Discover the history behind some of the artefacts, which can be found in our “History Boxes for Schools“. Learn more about World War 2  Read More →