8. The Docks in the Second World War

When war broke out in September 1939, preparations were made in London against the possibility of air attack.

But few in the East End were prepared for the events of 7 September 1940, when, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, 300 German bombers appeared over Docklands.

It was the start of the 'Blitz', the systematic bombing of London intended to demoralise the British people and bring an early surrender. The docks had been chosen as the main target.

Hitler hoped to paralyse the capital by bombing the docks, warehouses, factories and power stations in East London.

Black Saturday

Saturday 7 September or 'Black Saturday' as it was called became engraved on the memories of those living in the East End.

B: 'I lived at 48 Manor Road, E15. I worked at Kearly and Tonge, the food warehouse, at Whitechapel. I remember on Black Saturday my sister had gone to Stratford to see an Arthur Askey film. I went with my brother to watch West Ham v. Tottenham.

At half-time West Ham were leading 4-1, when the planes came over. They looked so menacing. We rushed home as fast as we could. A stick of bombs dropped not 100 yards away.

One fell in every turning. The blast was tremendous. People were really panicking. We had some house-proud neighbours whose windows were all blasted, they were screaming blue murder. We were all evacuated to a hall on Saturday night. My brother played the piano to help cheer everyone up.'

Frank Thorpe.

D: I lived in Canning Town, E16, and I was 18 years old. That Saturday was a warm sunny day with a high blue sky. The Alert was sounded... Then came the bombs - there were no ack-ack firing - only one Navy ship in the East India Docks... We went down into the Anderson shelter in the backyard.

One of my brothers was having his hair cut - the barber ran away and left him with one half of his hair short, the other long. My father was at work at Blackwall and was standing at the wharfside when he was blown into the mud. He was OK though. We had our evening meal and thought it was all over,

The smell of the factories burning and the smoke was awful, but I do not remember us being afraid. Later that evening our friends the bombers were back. It was much worse and we were back in the backyard shelter.

The sky I will always remember was red - there was no panic, everyone just seemed to take it. The people who lost their homes in the Victoria Dock area were taken into a school.

Sadly hundreds of them were to lose their lives on the night raid when the school was bombed. There was a big cover-up about the school and what happened to the bodies. Folk still think lots were dug in and concreted over.'

Mrs R.E. Isles.

A: A Heinkel bomber over the Isle of Dogs


C: GroBgaswerk Beckton
A German aerial map showing Beckton. The Beckton Gasworks was the main supplier of gas to central London.