Docklands at War 1939 - 1945
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Through sensitive and informative displays featuring film, artefacts, interactive touch screens, models and life-size reconstructions the visitor is given a full understanding of how the Second World War affected the Docklands area and communities
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One of the Museum’s most treasured possessions is a flag that flew from the bow of one of the first landing crafts to reach France during the D-Day landings on 6th June 1944. It was found among the effects of George Sluman, who was coxswain of the craft, and donated to the Museum by his widow Joyce.
George worked as a waterman before the war in the Port of London. Men with his expertise on the water were enlisted to support the massive allied assault upon ‘fortress Europe’ on D-Day. Other exhibits explore the Port's role in the Dunkirk rescue and secret projects such as construction of the Maunsell Forts; Pipe Line Under The Ocean and the huge breakwaters for the Mulberry Harbours.
The docks were an obvious target for Hitler’s air force. Late in the afternoon of Saturday 7 September 1940, the Luftwaffe launched a massive daylight raid on London. Ninety continuous night time raids followed. The blitz is encountered here through a number of different exhibits including some stunning artwork by William Ware (1915 – 1997).
Molten ColumnIncendiary bombs, designed to start fires quickly, were particularly devastating. Most dock warehouses had timber interiors and these quickly ignited. Many cargoes were extremely flammable. As windows blew out, air and wind fuelled the fires creating infernos. The picture here of a molten cast iron Victorian warehouse column from the London Docks, displayed in the gallery, bears remarkable witness to the intense heat of the fires.
The people who worked in the docks needed shelter from the blasts and flames. The gallery contains a life-size replica of a Port of London Authority (PLA) shelter constructed during the war. The PLA built two hundred of these shelters and they undoubtedly saved the lives of many people. The reconstruction is often used by our educational team help school groups interpret the gallery.
Focussing on individuals, innovations and events the gallery stands as a lasting testament to one of the greatest and most terrible struggle of the twentieth century. The gallery has been designed to support National Curriculum studies especially at Key Stage 2.
Please see our theme page Docklands at War for more information about how the Second World War affected the Port and the East End.