​​​London had seen air raids during the First World War, the first being 31 May 1915. This saw the population looking for shelter and utilising the protection of the London Underground. They would also need to get use to the conditions of ‘blackout’. Between 1915-1918, 667 people were killed and 1,936 injured because of enemy air raids. 

​With the start of the Second World War, the reality would be that once again, the city would come under threat. Air Raid ‘Deep level’ shelters such as underground stations and public shelters in the streets. 

​On 7 September 1940 the first raid hit London resulting in 430 dead and 1,600 injured. This was close to the total number of civilian casualties during the whole period of the First World War. 

​The Deep level shelters of the underground are still accessible today and used by the millions of commuters annually. However, the majority of public shelters are now gone or inaccessible. 

​On Lord North Street as you walk along, ghost signs can still be seen taking you back to 1939. These black and white signs can be found on the front of the terraced houses. The arrows point down directing the public to where shelter could have been taken. The shelters were located under the roadway. 

​For eight months the Blitz raged and ended in May 1941. The cost to civilian life was around 30,000. The war continued and Nazi Germany would switch from large bombing raids to targeting the capital using the vengeance weapons such as the V1 and V2. The final raid came in March 1945. The V weapons saw a further 30,000 casualties during that period of terror. 

​These signs are a reminder of those days during the war years that although the country was never occupied, civilians were still at danger from Nazi Germany, ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’.​