Specialists in London
Wartime Guided Walks
Currently, we offer a selection of guided walks through different areas of London.
All of our walks start and finish at convenient locations and last for approximately 2 hours 30 mins to 3 hours depending on the actual walk, weather conditions and the number of questions you might ask of the guide. Questions are always welcomed and form an integral part of the experience. Prices for our advertised walks are £15 per head, payable on the day.
Our Guided Walks
Duration approx 1 hours 30 mins
Starts at: Imperial War Museum, Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park, SE1 6HZ. This walk is specifically aimed at school groups and starts and finishes 'beneath the guns' in front of the Imperial War Museum. During our time together, we will look at how a single incendiary bomb destroyed Southwark (RC) Cathedral and also look at the terrible fires that affected the Elephant & Castle on the night of 10/11 May 1941. We look at a tragedy involving London's firefighters on the same night and then look at how one of London's most famous boxing venues was destroyed in the Blitz and see evidence of splinter damage nearby. On our route, we discover evidence of shelter life in the area and how the German 'V' weapons affected Londoners towards the end of the war, before returning to the IWM.
WALK 1
SOUTHWARK IN THE BLITZ
Duration approx 2 hours 45 mins
Starts at: All Saints Church, All Saints Drive SE3 0TY. On this walk, we start by learning why All Saints Church lost it's railings. We see the evidence of bombing in an earlier conflict as well as learning of a devastating V-2 rocket incident in the heart of Blackheath Village. We see surviving anti-invasion measures on the heath and learn of the work of the Civil Defence services before discovering how General Wolfe‘s statue acquired his ‘honourable scars‘ of war. We also tread in the footsteps of Churchill at the Old Royal Naval College as well as learning of the destruction of St Alfege's Church.
WALK 2
BLACKHEATH & GREENWICH AT WAR
Duration approx 2 hours 30 mins
Starts at: Sloane Square Tube Station SW1W 8EE. On this walk, we learn of a devastating incident at Sloane Square Station, before hearing how US Army soldiers and WACS became casualties of a V-1 incident from which bandleader Glenn Miller had a narrow escape. We also hear of several incidents at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea before learning of the life and death of a Canadian Fire Watcher at Chelsea Old Church as well as the exploits of the Civil Defence Services. The walk continues as we hear of the heroism of a rescue worker who was awarded the George Cross and the Freedom of Chelsea for his work at the Guinness Trust buildings in 1943 before we finish the walk by looking at the work of Archibald MacIndoe whose pioneering work in plastic surgery saved the life of many RAF pilots
WALK 3
CHELSEA AT WAR
Duration approx 2 hours 30 mins
Starts at: City Thameslink Station, Holborn Viaduct Entrance EC1A 2FD. This walk looks at the bombing of London in both conflicts, starting with a V-2 rocket attack on Smithfield Market, the scars of which can still be seen to this day. We then go back over one hundred years to the very first Zeppelin raid to penetrate Central London which created terror near St Bartholomew's Hospital. A nearby V-1 attack is also covered, before we settle down to studying the events mainly of 29 December 1940 at various locations in the City as we take a meandering route that culminates at St Paul's Cathedral, where we learn of the wartime incidents that affected Wren's masterpiece.
WALK 4
ZEPPELINS, BOMBERS & ROCKETS
Duration approx 2 hours 45 mins
Starts at: Apollo Victoria, Wilton Road SW1V 1LG. This walk has a definite Royal Air Force connection as we first learn of the events of Battle of Britain Day, 15 September 1940, which culminated in a major air battle over Central London. We then hear of the work of the Civil Defence services and discover surviving evidence of air raid shelters. We discover several American connections to Wartime London including a visit to the site of one of Ed Murrow‘s Blitz broadcasts. We learn about Air Chief Marshall Sir Keith Park, the ‘Defender of London‘ as well as hearing about a pre-war ‘Nazi‘ funeral in London. The walk passes through London‘s ‘Theatreland‘ where we hear how the industry ‘kept calm and carried on‘ before we finish our walk at St Clement Danes, Central Church of the RAF and learn of it‘s destruction on the last night of the Blitz.
WALK 5
WESTMINSTER AT WAR
Further walks are always under development. The organisers reserve the right to amend or truncate walks due to inclement weather, construction works or any other reason, whether outside their control or not.
Duration approx 2 hours 45 mins
Starts at: Old Aldwych Tube Station, Surrey Street, Strand WC2R 1EP. “There never was a raid like it, another one like that and they'd have had us on our backs.“ So said one eye-witness of the great raid of 10th/11th May 1941. This new walk focuses on that fateful night as well as other major raids together with V-Weapons incidents affecting the area. On this walk, we learn of the destruction of London's "Oranges & Lemons" church and it's post-war resurrection. We will hear personal accounts of the gallantry of Salvation Army staff during the destruction of their headquarters building and learn of a survivor of the Battle of The Atlantic now in the heart of London. We will discover how a fortunate change of wind direction saved London from losing communications with the rest of the world, as well as hearing from eye-witnesses how All Hallows by the Tower Church was destroyed despite gallant efforts to save it. There are many other tales of heroism and destruction on this walk as well as a few surprises.
WALK 6
THE THAMES ON FIRE
Duration approx 2 hours 45 mins
Starts at: (Outside) West India Quay DLR Station, London E14 4EE. On this new walk, we move outside our usual "comfort zone" of the Second World War and also examine the rich industrial heritage of this fascinating area, whilst of course not forgetting the wartime history either. We start by examining the history of the West India Docks before walking to the Thames Path, where we learn of a tragedy at Bullivant's Wharf in 1941. We discover the origins of Millwall FC and looking across the Thames, we hear of the near destruction of the Surrey Docks on 7 September 1940. Continuing east along the Thames Path, we hear various stories of wartime devastation to the area before visiting the launch site of IK Brunel's giant steamship "Great Eastern". We examine evidence of wartime air raid shelters at Millwall Park before visiting a wartime anti-aircraft battery at Mudchute Farm. We learn of the tragic deaths of two wartime firewomen, as well as a peacetime tragedy nearby in the early days of the area's regeneration, before traversing the Greenwich Foot Tunnel and examining wartime damage here. The walk finishes south of the river at the Cutty Sark in Greenwich.
WALK 7
THE ISLE OF DOGS - WARTIME & INDUSTRIAL HISTORY
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