DEVILS IN THE DARK CRIME IN BLACKOUT LONDON

As WWII Britain plunged itself into darkness, it wasn’t just the German bombs civilians had to fear

Callum McKelvie

In early September 1939, as Hitler’s armies advanced across Europe, the British government began preparations for war. One of its concerns surrounded the threat of aerial attacks by the Luftwaffe – Nazi Germany’s air force. Technology had developed a great deal since the Zeppelin airship raids of the First World War and the Luftwaffe had already demonstrated its deadly capabilities during the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). As part of Britain’s air defence, measures were taken on the ground to limit the effectiveness of German air raids. One of these was the blackout, the strict policy of extinguishing all light during the night hours to make it harder for German pilots to identify their targets. But what the government did not anticipate was the number of criminals who quickly took advantage of…

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All About History (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 151

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