Seconde Guerre Mondiale

Children play as air raid wardens during the Blitz in London. From left to right: Freddy Marky, Brian Pettit, Billy Few, Bobby Few, Peter McDermott and Bob, Freddy's dog. This picture was taken beside a Railway line, two hundred yards from the end of Lambeth Walk. The Blitz refers to the strategic bombing campaign conducted by the Germans against London and other cities in England from September of 1940 through to May 1941, targeting populated areas, factories and dockyards. At the outbreak of the war all Londoners were given gas masks in case of attack. Children were no exception. In fact, they were given a special 'Mickey Mouse' gas mask (age 2-4). For younger children a special hood was developed to go over their prams. It soon emerged though that chemical weapons weren't the problem, but more conventional bombs. Obviously gas masks were no protection against these so a new strategy of sending children to the country as evacuees was developed. Many children spent most of the war away from home and returned to cities ravaged by the blitz.

01 janv. 1941

MPX13A00_337

Droits gérés

48,1Mo (11,1Mo) / 40,8cm x 29,5cm / 4823 x 3489 (300dpi)