World War 2: London firefighters helped save London from an inferno on this evening, brought on by the heaviest bombing raids yet seen from German planes.

It was the worst air attack in the war. Hitler had ordered repeated sorties on London to break the spirit of a nation that found itself alone against Nazi Germany.

France, Belgium, Norway and Holland had all been beaten by Germany, earlier in the year. A large number of British tanks had been left on the continental mainland after British troops had to be evacuated at Dunkirk. The USA had still not pledged support for the British.

The next morning a newspaper published a picture on the front page, of St Paul's Cathedral still standing amidst the devastation...

London's spirit had still not been broken during the country's finest hour.