Britain was called the 'Home Front', because people felt that they were part of the war. The war effected everyone whether they were on the front line (in Europe) or on the home front (back in Britain).
Not everyone went to fight, but everyone helped in the 'war effort' in some way or other.
Find out how women help on the home front
Land Girls and other jobs
Find out about the jobs men did on the home front.
ARP Warden | Guardia di casa
Bombing raids destroyed homes and killed many people.
See the Blitz
People had to take precautions against any bombs dropped during air raids and the possibility of the Germans invading Britain.
I bambini e alcune donne lo erano evacuati from the big cities into the countryside. People carried maschere antigas to protect themselves and built rifugi antiaerei shelters. All windows and doors were blacked out.
1938 |
24th August, 1938 |
Il Parlamento approva il Emergency Powers (Defence) Act. |
26th settembre, 1938 |
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29th settembre, 1938 |
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1st dicembre, 1938 |
Britain establishes a national register for war service. |
1939 |
1st September, 1939 |
Britain begins evacuazione plans in preparation of German air attacks. |
3rd settembre, 1939 |
3 Sept The Prime Minister of Britain, Neville Chamberlain, declares war on Germany.
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3rd settembre, 1939 |
Il Parlamento approva il National Services (Armed Forces) Act. |
7th September, 1939 |
Il progetto National Registration Act (1939) passed in Britain, introducing identity cards. |
28th September, 1939 |
Meat rationing begins in Britain. |
1940 |
7th gennaio, 1940 |
Rationing of basic food items is established in the Britain. |
14th febbraio, 1940 |
British government calls for volunteers to fight in Finland. |
9th May, 1940 |
Conscription in Britain extended to age 36. |
10th May, 1940 |
Winston
Churchill becomes the new British Prime Minister, replacing Neville Chamberlain. |
14th May, 1940 |
The Local Defence Volunteers (Dad's Army) is created. It is later called the Guardia di casa. |
25 maggio, 1940 |
Sporadic Luftwaffe bombings in England. |
10th July, 1940 |
Il progetto Aeronautica militare (German airforce) launch the start of the Battle of Britain. |
23rd agosto, 1940 |
The Luftwaffe carry out a all-night bombing raid on London and begins the Blitz. |
7 settembre, 1940 |
Il progetto Londra Blitz starts (lasts 8 months) |
12th ottobre, 1940 |
Adolf Hitler postpones Operazione Sealion, i proposed invasion of Britain. |
18th November, 1940 |
Airbourbe radar successfully used by the Royal Air Force for the first time. |
1941 |
10th May, 1941 |
The Luftwaffe destroy the House of Commons in Westminster. |
15th May, 1941 |
Frank Whittle's jet-propelled Gloster E28 takes its first flight. |
1st giugno, 1941 |
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18th dicembre, 1941 |
Il progetto National Service Act is passed introducing conscription for women. All unmarried women aged between the ages of 20 and 30 were called up for war work. Pregnant women and those with young children were exempt. |
1942 |
23rd aprile, 1942 |
The Luftwaffe start bombing Exeter, Bath and other historic cities in Britain. |
1943 |
18th gennaio, 1943 |
The Luftwaffe renews its air attacks on London. |
1944 |
1944 |
Butler's Education Act - Free Secondary Education and school leaving age raised to 15. |
13th giugno, 1944 |
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8th settembre, 1944 |
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1945 |
27th marzo, 1945 |
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14 agosto 1945 |
World War Two ends |
Razionamento continues .....
4 July 1954 - Food rationing ends |
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