2025 London Trip: Oct 28 - Imperial War Museum

It's Tuesday, so I spent most of the morning doing laundry. Finally, no drama with the laundry. It helped that I could split the load up and use both sets of washers & dryers. So, now on our Tai Chi talks I can explain the difference bbetween vented, non-vented (condensing), and heat pump dryers. I'm sure everybody will be waiting breathlessly for this...

I made a quick lunch in the flat and then headed for the Imperial War Museum. I figured it would be something like my tour of the Belfast - a lot of equipment. I was partially correct, but there was much more. I'll start with the 'equipment' and then go to the other stuff.

Here's what you see as you approach the museum

Thses guns shot 15 inch shells, each weighing 1938 lbs, up to a distance of 16 miles. They were designed in 1912 for battleships. They were installed on various ships between the wars and one was on the HMS Roberts when it took part in the D-Day invasion.

Inside, the main hall are some of the various icons of the British military: the Spitfire and the Harrier jet. You've already seen photos of these.

Here are a couple of very nasty items:

German V-2 rocket that terrorized London in the latter part of WW2.

About 9,000 British and Europeans died as a result of the attacks; however, about 9 - 10 thousand concentration camp prisoners died while being forced to manufacture them.

The light blue craft was a Japanese rocket powered 'Kamikaze' bomber used in late WW2. It was dropped from a large aircraft, and had no landing gear.

The front end of a Lancaaster bomber. Under the feet of the navigator (in the nose) was written something to the effect of 'Parachute Exit Door"

This is my favourite. Read the note underneath

And the last equipment photo: 'Monty's' staff car.

On a very much more serious (somber?) note the museum dealt with the ugly side of war, with galleries on World War 1, World War 2, the Holocaust, and 1945 - 2014.

Postcards from Yrpes

Poison Gas

Battle of the Somme

WW1 Atrocities Reports

I read a few of the statements. Most were committed on women & children.

Singapore, WW2

Comfort Stations

This is a picture of the actual statue. It is about 4 inches high

I'm going to leave it there. As you can guess, parts of this museum left a huge impression on me.

There was no photography in the Holocaust Gallery.

The Peace and Security Gallery (1945 -2014) had exhibits on wars since (Afgahnistan, etc.) as well as a twisted window frame from the North Tower in New York.

I found this sign somewhere along my wandering through the museum. I think it sums up the impression this museum made on me.

I'll end on a lighter note. I happened to be near the elephant & Castle pub, so I jumped on the Tube for a look, hoping for the quintessential Enflish Pub.

Nope, it's been rebuilt in modern style.