Second Great Fire of London

The Second Great Fire of London in December 1940 was caused by one of the most destructive air raids of the Blitz during World War II.

The raid was focused on a part of the city that contained many non-residential buildings, such as churches, offices, and warehouses.

[2] The fire brigade's difficulties were further exacerbated by wind, combined with the concentrated area of the attack.

[7] A famous photograph, St Paul's Survives, was taken from the roof of the Daily Mail building (Northcliffe House on Carmelite Street) by Herbert Mason.

Mason described the moment he created the photograph: I focused at intervals as the great dome loomed up through the smoke...

With the outbreak of the Second World War, the group was reconstituted to guard against the anticipated air raids.

[7] American correspondent Ernie Pyle observed the raid from a balcony: Into the dark shadowed spaces below us, while we watched, whole batches of incendiary bombs fell.

They flashed terrifically, then quickly simmered down to pin points of dazzling white, burning ferociously...

[8]The medieval Guildhall and several Christopher Wren churches were among the many historic buildings in the central City of London heavily damaged or destroyed in the attack.

Stationers' Hall, neighbouring offices, the book wholesalers Simpkin Marshall, and several bookshops were lost.

An estimated five million books were lost in the fires caused by tens of thousands of incendiary bombs.