A fascinating map of East London produced by the German Army during the Second World War in preparation for Operation Sealion. Targets of military, industrial, and cultural significance are marked in red or purple. This includes powerplants. factories, chemical works, docks, railway stations, townhalls, food warehouses, and even art collections.

This map was first issued in July 1940 after Adolf Hitler commanded his generals to plan for the invasion of Britain. This example contains updates to November 1941, the most prominent being the mapping of the top-secret Woolwich Arsenal works, most likely based on aerial photographs taken during the Blitz. The Woolwich Arsenal and Plumstead Marshes are entirely blank on the July 1940 edition as it is based on British Ordnance Survey maps and military facilities do not appear on OS maps. Our updated edition shows many buildings within the Arsenal grounds, though none are labelled, suggesting that intelligence was still limited. 

Operation Sealion was abandoned in September 1941 after the Luftwaffe failed to secure the necessary dominance of the air during the Battle of Britain. This map shows that the German government continued to update its maps of Britain throughout the war, just in case the plan should be revived. 

This is the north-east sheet of a larger 4-sheet map of London.

 Printed colour. [LDN7636]