Little Blitz

Historical events which are frequently mentioned in passing, but never explored in any depth or detail always arouse curiosity. One such event is the 'Little Blitz' on London in the early part of 1944. The 'Little Blitz' is the name applied to the air raids on Britain which were the manifestation of the Luftwaffe's Operation Steinbock, planned in the last few months of 1943 and put into effect from the middle of January 1944. The raids, planned as revenge for the destructive RAF raids on Berlin, mainly targeted London, and after nearly three years of respite from air raids, the 'Little Blitz' was an unwelcome surprise for Londoners. The offensive was largely ineffective, but some of the raids caused significant casualties and damage, and some alarm amongst the population and the authorities. This is the first account of the 'Little Blitz' to explore these raids in detail and assess their impact on London. The Little Blitz: The Luftwaffe's Last Attack on London describes the raids, making use of some vivid personal accounts.