10 facts about the belfast blitz

10 Facts about Belfast City. THE BELFAST BLITZ was a series of four air raids over Northern Ireland during the spring of 1941. After a brief lull, the Luftwaffe returned in force on February 17. More than 500 German planes dropped more than 700 tons of bombs across the city, killing nearly 1,500 people and destroying 11,000 homes. During the first year of the war, behind-the-lines conditions prevailed in London. Read about our approach to external linking. The attacks by both V1's and V2's only ended as the Allies advanced up through Western Europe . Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Historical Topics Series 2, The Belfast Blitz, 2007, This page was last edited on 31 January 2023, at 20:18. In each station volunteers were asked for, as it was beyond their normal duties. In every instance, all stepped forward. Later, guided by the raging fires caused by the first attack, a second group of planes began another assault that lasted until 4:30 the following morning. More than 1,000 people were killed, and the damage was more widespread than on any previous occasion. In addition, there simply was not enough space for everyone who needed shelter in one of the largest and most densely populated cities in the world. German bombing of London during the Blitz, Discover how the Third Reich attacked Great Britain during World War II's Battle of Britain, atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Watch President Roosevelt outline his Four Freedoms and learn how Britain defeated Germany's Luftwaffe. TOP 10: Facts About Belfast You Didn't Know - Ireland Before You Die Similar initiatives bearing the same name were ordered in the past decade by former mayors Libby . When the bombing began, 76-year-old William and 72-year-old Harriette took refuge under the stairs along with Dorothy, Dot and Isa. Guided by Davies, the people of the shelter created an ad hoc government and established a set of rules. Another defensive measure employed by the British was barrage balloonslarge oval-shaped unmanned balloons with stabilizing tail finsinstalled in and around major target areas. Outside of London, with some 900 dead, this was the greatest loss of life in a night raid during the Blitz. However that attack was not an error. By the time the raid was over, at least 744 people had lost their lives, including some living in places such as Newtownards, Bangor and Londonderry. Blitz Fibre UK Blitz Fibre UK Published Mar 1, 2023 + Follow Fact 1- Small but Mighty . to households. Prior to the "Belfast Blitz" there were only 200 public shelters in the city, although around 4,000 households had built their own private shelters. Many of those who died as a result of enemy action lived in tightly packed, poorly constructed, terraced housing. By 1941, production of the Short Stirling Bomber and the Short Sunderland Flying Boat was underway. He was succeeded by J. M. Andrews, then 69 years old, who was no more capable of dealing with the situation than his predecessor. Corrections? The devastation was so great that the Germans coined a new verb, to coventrate, to describe it. Around 1am, Luftwaffe bombers flew over the city, concentrating their attack on the Harbour Estate and Queen's Island. Clydeside got its blitz during the period of the last moon. Because basements, a logical destination in the event of an air raid, were a relative rarity in Britain, the A.R.P. Neighbouring residential areas were also hit. Video, 00:03:09, Mapping the lives lost in the Belfast Blitz, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The nights of November 3 and 28 were the only occasions during this period in which Londons peace was unbroken by siren or bomb. The creeping TikTok bans, Hong Kong skyscraper fire seen on city's skyline. Prayers were said and hymns sung by the mainly Protestant women and children during the bombing. The past doesnt change, its just over.. In the course of four Luftwaffe attacks on the nights of 7-8 April, 15-16 April, 4-5 May and 5-6 May 1941, lasting ten hours in total, 1,100 people died, over 56,000 houses in the city were damaged (53 per cent of its entire housing stock), roughly 100,000 made temporarily homeless and 20 million damage was caused to property at wartime values. [4], The Government of Northern Ireland lacked the will, energy and capacity to cope with a major crisis when it came. On September 1, 1939, the day World War II began with Germanys invasion of Poland, the British government implemented a massive evacuation plan. Just before Easter 1941, Anna and Billy Burdett and their 12-year-old daughter, Dorothy, returned to Belfast from England to visit Anna's family. 6. After his optician business was destroyed by a bomb, Mickey Davies led an effort to organize the Spitalfield Shelter. Emma Duffin, a nurse at the Queen's University Hospital, (who previously served during the Great War), who kept a diary; IWM C 5424 1. So had Clydeside until recently. Beginning on Black Saturday, London was attacked on 57 straight nights. Even the children of soldiers had not been evacuated, with calamitous results when the married quarters of Victoria Barracks received a direct hit. The Germans, however, saw Belfast as a legitimate target due to the shipyards in the city that were contributing to Britain's war efforts. Blitz, The - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help Oakland plans to unleash 'pothole blitz' to fix notorious street damage Although it arrested German spies that its police and military intelligence services caught, the state never broke off diplomatic relations with Axis nations: the German Legation in Dublin remained open throughout the war. It has been reported that on Easter Tuesday, Belfast suffered the highest loss of life of any city in the UK in a single raid. Video, 00:01:09The Spitfire turns 80, The German bombing of Coventry. 6. The British government had anticipated air attacks on its population centres, and it had predicted catastrophic casualties. On the 17th I heard that hundreds who either could not get away or could not leave for other reasons simply went out into the fields and remained in the open all night with whatever they could take in the way of covering. Where they are going, what they will find to eat when they get there, nobody knows. Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom . Video, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Mother who killed her five children euthanised. Nevertheless, through sheer weight of numbers, the Germans were on the brink of victory in late August 1940. Humanity knows no borders, no politics, no differences of religious belief. Initially it was thought that the Germans had mistaken this reservoir for the harbour and shipyards, where many ships, including HMS Ark Royal were being repaired. As the UK was preparing for the conflict, the factories and shipyards of Belfast were gearing up. At the beginning of the Blitz, British ack ack gunners struggled to inflict meaningful damage on German bombers, but later developments in radar guidance greatly improved the effectiveness of both antiaircraft artillery and searchlights. [21] Mass graves for the unclaimed bodies were dug in the Milltown and Belfast City Cemeteries. [citation needed], Other writers, such as Tony Gray in The Lost Years state that the Germans did follow their radio guidance beams. The first deliberate raid took place on the night of 7 April. It is situated at on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. As many were caught in the open by blast and secondary missiles, the enormous number of casualties can be readily accounted for. Van Morrison is from the east part of the city. A Raid From Above Some are a total loss; others are already under repair with little outward sign of the damage sustained: Besides Buckingham palace, the chapel of which was wrecked, and Guildhall (the six-centuries old centre of London civic ceremonies and of great architectural beauty), which was destroyed by fire, Kensington palace (the London home of the earl of Athlone, governor general of Canada, and the birthplace of Queen Mary and Queen Victoria), the banqueting hall of Eltham palace (dating from King Johns time and long a royal residence), Lambeth palace (the archbishop of Canterbury), and Holland house (famous for its 17th century domestic architecture, its political associations, and its art treasures), suffered, the latter severely. Death should be dignified, peaceful; Hitler had made even death grotesque. Under the leadership of Prime Minister John Miller Andrews, Northern Ireland remained unprepared. About 1,000 people were killed during the Belfast Blitz of 1941, with Harland and Wolff among the buildings that were hit by the Luftwaffe. Of the churches, besides St. Pauls cathedral, where at one time were five unexploded bombs in the immediate vicinity and the roof of which was pierced by another that exploded and shattered the high altar to fragments, those damaged were Westminster abbey, St. Margarets Westminster, Southwark cathedral; fifteen Wren churches (including St. Another attacked Bangor, killing five. He successfully busied himself with the task of making Northern Ireland a major supplier of food to Britain in her time of need.[5]. Over the course of three days, some 1.5 million civiliansthe overwhelming majority of them childrenwere transported from urban centres to rural areas that were believed to be safe. They prevented low-flying aircraft from approaching their targets at optimal altitudes and angles of attack. Belfast's Albert Clock tower is sinking - it leans by four feet. 10 Facts about Belfast City | Fun Facts About Belfast | Europa Hotel Here are 10 facts about both the German Blitzkrieg and the Allied bombing of Germany. The database Mr Freeburn has compiled is, he believes, the most accurate list of those killed and includes 222 children aged 16 or under. Belfast is famous for being the birthplace of the Titanic. The seeming normality of life on the Home Front was shattered in 1944 when the first of the V1's landed. Up Next. On August 25 the British retaliated by launching a bombing raid on Berlin. There wasn't enough room for Anna or Billy, so they sheltered elsewhere, a twist of fate that would save their lives. 10 fascinating facts about Belfast that you probably didn't know Richard Dawson Bates was the Home Affairs Minister. We were in exceptional good humour knowing that we were going for a new target, one of Englands last hiding places, said one pilot of the raid. In Bristol, the bombed-out ruins of St Peter's Church were left standing with added memorial plaques to the civilians who were killed. It lies where the Lagan River flows into a part of the Irish Sea. continuous trek to railway stations. The bombing of British cities - Swansea, Belfast, Glasgow Before the war broke out, civilians had been issued with gas masks and Anderson shelters, which people were encouraged to build at the. Only four were known still to be alive. workers. A modern bomb census has attempted to pinpoint the location of every bomb dropped on London during the Blitz, and the visualization of that data makes clear how thoroughly the Luftwaffe saturated the city. Fighter Commands efforts were greatly aided by the lack of any consistent plan of action on the part of the Germans. The Belfast Blitz - Inside the Deadly 1941 Luftwaffe Raids on Northern There was no smokescreen ability, however there were some barrage balloons positioned strategically for protection. [citation needed], Casualties were lower than at Easter, partly because the sirens had sounded at 11.45pm while the Luftwaffe attacked more cautiously from a greater height. For eight months the Luftwaffe dropped bombs on London and other strategic cities across Britain. Both planes quickly proved their mettle against German bombers, and Germanys best fighter, the Bf 109, was of limited use as an escort due to its relatively short operating range. "They have never been published before, never seen the light of day.". The national government also provided funds to local municipalities to construct public air-raid shelters. Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland . The raids hurt Britains war production, but they also killed many civilians and left many others homeless. This type of shelteressentially a low steel cage large enough to contain two adults and two small childrenwas designed to be set up indoors and could serve as a refuge if the building began to collapse. Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. Omissions? Many bodies and body parts could not be identified. O'Sullivan felt that the whole civil defence sector was utterly overwhelmed. In Newtownards, Bangor, Larne, Carrickfergus, Lisburn and Antrim many thousands of Belfast citizens took refuge either with friends or strangers. This raid overall caused relatively little damage, but a lot was revealed about Belfast's inadequate defences. Please select which sections you would like to print: Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. After the war, when the first girl from the home got married Billy gave her away, having lost his only daughter. The most heavily bombed area was that which lay between York Street and the Antrim Road, north of the city centre. 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The World's Most-Famous Ship, The Titanic, was constructed here. As many as 5,000 people had packed into this network of underground tunnels, which was dangerously overcrowded, dirty, and dark. The British thus fought with the advantage of superior equipment and undivided aim against an enemy with inconsistent objectives. Belfast Blitz - Wikipedia Thank you. Instead of pressing his advantage, however, Hitler abruptly changed his strategy. Video, 00:02:12, Isabel Oakeshott: Why I leaked Hancock's messages, Tears of relief after man found in Amazon jungle. During what was known as the "Belfast Blitz," 1,000 people were killed by bombs dropped by the Nazis in 1941 during the Second World War. Victory for the Royal Air Forces (RAFs) Fighter Command blocked this possibility and, in fact, created the conditions for Britains survival and the eventual destruction of the Third Reich. The M.V. Tragically 35 were crushed to death when the mill wall collapsed. Other Belfast factories manufactured gun mountings. This option had been forbidden by city officials, who feared that once people began sleeping in Underground stations, they would be reluctant to return to the surface and resume daily life. Between April 7 and May 6 of that year, Luftwaffe bombers unleashed death and destruction on the cities of Belfast, Bangor, Derry/Londonderry and Newtownards. While the balloons themselves were an obvious deterrent, they were anchored to the ground by steel tethers that were strong enough to damage or destroy any aircraft that flew into them. devised the Morrison shelter (named for Home Secretary Herbert Stanley Morrison) as an alternative to the Anderson shelter. Around 20,000 people were employed on the site with 35,000 further along in the shipyard. The bombs caused death and destruction across the city, affecting those of all religions and political backgrounds. So had Clydeside until recently. 50,000 houses, more than half the houses in the city, were damaged. Strand Public Elementary school, York Road railway station, the adjacent Midland Hotel on York Road, and Salisbury Avenue tram depot were all hit. From papers recovered after the war, we know of a Luftwaffe reconnaissance flight over Belfast on 30 November 1940. Burke Street which ran between Annadale and Dawson streets in the New Lodge area, was completely wiped off the map with all its 20 houses flattened and all of the occupants killed.[16]. WW2: How did an elephant beat the Belfast Blitz? - BBC Teach The district of Belfast has an area of 44 square miles (115 square km). The bombing of British cities - Swansea, Belfast, Glasgow Interesting facts about Belfast | Just Fun Facts Video, 00:00:46Hong Kong skyscraper fire seen on city's skyline, Watch: Matt Hancock message row in 83 seconds. Hitlers intention had been to break the morale of the British people so they would pressure their government to surrender. On November 14, 1940, a German force of more than 500 bombers destroyed much of the old city centre and killed more than 550 people. Authorities quickly implemented plans to protect Londoners from bombs and to house those left homeless by the attacks. This part of Belfast was the only one required to provide air raid shelters for workers. On July 16, 1940, Hitler issued a directive ordering the preparation and, if necessary, execution of Operation Sea Lion, the amphibious invasion of Great Britain. ", US journalist Ben Robertson reported that at night Dublin was the only city without a blackout between New York and Moscow, and between Lisbon and Sweden and that German bombers often flew overhead to check their bearings using its lights, angering the British. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). On April 16 an attack even fiercer and more indiscriminate than those of the previous autumn started at 9:00 pm and continued until 5:00 the following morning; 500 aircraft were believed to have flown over in continuous waves, raining an estimated 450 tons of bombs across the city. Heavy jacks were unavailable. The Blitz of Belfast 1941 - History Learning Site It was solemn, tragic, dignified, but here it was grotesque, repulsive, horrible. When the Blitz began, the government enforced a blackout in an attempt to make targeting more difficult for German night bombers. "A lot of the people I spoke to were relatives who ended up donating images and handwritten letters from before and after the Blitz. Harland and Wolff: The troubled history of Belfast's shipyard His reply was: "We here today are in a state of war and we are prepared with the rest of the United Kingdom and Empire to face all the responsibilities that imposes on the Ulster people. On August 2, Luftwaffe commander Hermann Gring issued his Eagle Day directive, laying down a plan of attack in which a few massive blows from the air were to destroy British air power and so open the way for the invasion. [citation needed]. The wartime output of the yard included aircraft carriers HMS Formidable and HMS Unicorn, cruisers such as HMS Belfast and more than 130 other vessels used by the Royal Navy. But the RAF had not responded. In early 1941 the Germans launched another wave of attacks, this time focusing on ports. The ill-fated ship was built in the city in 1912, and to this day, there is a museum dedicated to its building and the lives of all of those on board. . The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. After the war, instructions from Joseph Goebbels were discovered ordering it not to be mentioned. The couple, who ran a children's home, stayed with Anna's parents, William and Harriette Denby, and her sisters, Dot and Isa, at Evelyn Gardens, off the Cavehill Road, in the north of the city. The bombs continued to fall until 5am. Belfast Blitz: Marking the lost lives 80 years on A force of 180 bombers dropped 750 bombs - including 203 tonnes of high explosives - and 29,000 incendiaries over a five-hour period. [citation needed] However on 20 October 1941 the Garda Sochna captured a comprehensive IRA report on captured member Helena Kelly giving a detailed analysis of damage inflicted on Belfast and highlighting prime targets such as Shortt and Harland aircraft factory and RAF Sydenham, describing them as 'the remaining and most outstanding objects of military significance, as yet unblitzed' and suggesting they should be 'bombed by the Luftwaffe as thoroughly as other areas in recent raids'[28][29], After three days, sometime after 6pm, the fire crews from south of the border began taking up their hoses and ladders to head for home.

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