[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. Over a period of nine months, over 43,500 civilians were killed in the raids, which focused on major cities and industrial centres. The attacks were authorized by Germany's chancellor, Adolf Hitler, after the British carried out a nighttime air raid on Berlin. 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. Nurse Emma Duffin, who had served in World War I, contrasted death in that conflict with what she saw:.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. Government apathy, a lack of leadership and a belief the Luftwaffe could not reach Belfast lead to the city lagging behind in terms of basic defences. A Raid From Above It became a city by royal charter in 1888. Protection of the city fell to seven anti-aircraft batteries of 16 heavy guns and six light guns. 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. He stated that "he would once more tell his government how he felt about the matter and he would ask them to confine the operations to military objectives as far as it was humanly possible. Outside of London, with some 900 dead, this was the greatest loss of life in a night raid during the Blitz. The danger faced in London was greatly increased when the V2 attacks started and the casualty figures mirrored those of the Blitz.. MacDermott would be proved right. As well as photographs, the Luftwaffe gathered information on landmarks, potential targets and defences or lack thereof. The raids hurt Britains war production, but they also killed many civilians and left many others homeless. Anna and Billy returned to England and continued running the children's home. 9. Nearby residential areas in east Belfast were also hit when "203 metric tonnes of high explosive bombs, 80 land mines attached to parachutes, and 800 firebomb canisters containing 96,000 incendiary bombs"[16] were dropped. Video, 00:01:41, The German bombing of Coventry. It was not the first time the alarm had sounded to signify the presence of Luftwaffe bombers over the city. 50,000 houses, more than half the houses in the city, were damaged. Only four were known still to be alive. At the core of this book is a compelling account of the Luftwaffe's blitz on Belfast in April-May 1941. In the mistaken belief that they might damage RAF fighters, the anti-aircraft batteries ceased firing. At 10:40pm the air raid sirens sounded. Just eight days earlier, eight planes destroyed the aircraft fuselage factory and damaged the docks, with 15 people ultimately killed as a result of that raid. [19], 220,000 people fled from the city. [26], Initial German radio broadcasts celebrated the raid. 7. [citation needed]. Moya Woodside[23] noted in her diary: "Evacuation is taking on panic proportions. Video, 00:01:41NI WW2 veterans honoured by France, The Spitfire turns 80. When war broke out in 1939 the city did not expect to be attacked by German bombers: it was geographically remote and deemed a relatively . Accounts differ as to when flares were dropped to light up the city. Those who sought refuge at the school were told that they would quickly be relocated to a safer area, but the evacuation was delayed. The South Hallsville School disaster prompted Londoners, especially residents of the East End, to find safer shelters, on their own if necessary. At the time of the first attack in April 1941, there were no operational searchlights, too few anti-aircraft batteries and scarcely enough public air raid shelters for a quarter of the population. Belfast was the birthplace of the RMS Titanic, the world' most famous ship which, when it was constructed in the early 1900s, was longer than the height of the world's tallest building at 882 feet and six inches in length. 6. The phrase Business as usual, written in chalk on boarded-up shop windows, exemplified the British determination to keep calm and carry on as best they could. 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. William Joyce "Lord Haw-Haw" announced that "The Fhrer will give you time to bury your dead before the next attack Tuesday was only a sample." The Germans, however, saw Belfast as a legitimate target due to the shipyards in the city that were contributing to Britain's war efforts. In his interview, Becker stated that only military objectives were aimed for. Belfast was largely unprepared for an attack of such a scale as 200 German bombers shelled the city on 15 April 1941. The Belfast blitz during World War Two - BBC News Taoiseach amon de Valera formally protested to Berlin. Blitz, The - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help Emma Duffin, a nurse at the Queen's University Hospital, (who previously served during the Great War), who kept a diary; Video, 00:01:23, Watch: Matt Hancock message row in 83 seconds, Isabel Oakeshott: Why I leaked Hancock's messages. 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. The attacks by both V1's and V2's only ended as the Allies advanced up through Western Europe . Three vessels nearing completion at Harland and Wolff's were hit as was its power station. [12], There was little preparation for the conflict with Germany. Many of the surface shelters built by local authorities were flimsy and provided little protection from bombs, falling debris, and fire. From September 1940 until May 1941, Britain was subjected to sustained enemy bombing campaign, now known as the Blitz. The period of the next moon from say the 7th to the 16th of April may well bring our turn." Similar initiatives bearing the same name were ordered in the past decade by former mayors Libby . Video, 00:01:38, At least 17 dead in Jakarta fuel storage depot fire, Australia's 'biggest drug bust' nets $700m of cocaine. In another building, the York Street Mill, one of its massive sidewalls collapsed on to Sussex and Vere Streets, killing all those who remained in their homes. and Major Sen O'Sullivan, who produced a detailed report for the Dublin government. Streetlights, car headlights, and illuminated signs were kept off. THE BELFAST BLITZ was a series of four air raids over Northern Ireland during the spring of 1941. Streets heavily bombed in the city centre included High Street, Ann Street, Callender Street, Chichester Street, Castle Street, Tomb Street, Bridge Street (effectively obliterated), Rosemary Street, Waring Street, North Street, Victoria Street, Donegall Street, York Street, Gloucester Street, and East Bridge Street. Prayers were said and hymns sung by the mainly Protestant women and children during the bombing. 13 Facts You Didn't Know About Belfast Video, 00:01:09The Spitfire turns 80, The German bombing of Coventry. Find out how it began, what the Germans hoped to achieve and how it severe it was, plus we visit nine places affected by the attacks. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any material on this site without expressand written permission from the author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Video, 00:00:26, Living through the London Blitz. The Belfast blitz. St George's Church in High Street was damaged by fire. 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. About 1,000 people were killed and bombs hit half of the houses in the city, leaving 100,000. There are other diarists and narratives. As many were caught in the open by blast and secondary missiles, the enormous number of casualties can be readily accounted for. Since 1:45am all telephones had been cut. Where they are going, what they will find to eat when they get there, nobody knows. The Luftwaffe crews returned to their base in Northern France and reported that Belfast's defences were, "inferior in quality, scanty and insufficient". Richard Dawson Bates was the Home Affairs Minister. Video, 00:01:37Thanks, but no big speech, in Ken Bruce's sign off, Tear gas fired at Greece train crash protesters. Nearby were the citys main power station, gasworks, telephone house and the Sirocco Engineering works. The Belfast Blitz: the city in the war years - History Ireland By mid-September 1940 the RAF had won the Battle of Britain, and the invasion was postponed indefinitely. No attendant nurse had soothed the last moments of these victims; no gentle reverent hand had closed their eyes or crossed their hands. Humanity knows no borders, no politics, no differences of religious belief. Reviewed by: Geoffrey Roberts. 8. workers. On September 10, 1940, the school was flattened by a German bomb, and people huddled in the basement were killed or trapped in the rubble. Up Next. Tommy Henderson, an Independent Unionist MP in the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, summed up the feeling when he invited the Minister of Home Affairs to Hannahstown and the Falls Road, saying "The Catholics and the Protestants are going up there mixed and they are talking to one another. 24 - The tyres Dunlop were invented in Belfast in 1887 25 - The two H&W cranes are named Samson and Goliath 26 - The Albert Clock is Ireland's leaning tower 27 - The mobile defibrillator was invented in Belfast 28 - Belfast's ice hockey team, the Giants, is one of the best in Europe. James Craig, Lord Craigavon, had been Prime Minister of Northern Ireland since its inception in 1921 up until his death in 1940. After the passing of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, it became the seat of the government of Northern Ireland. Given Belfast's geographic position, it was considered to be at the fringe of the operational range of German bombers and hence there was no provision for night-fighter aerial cover. It lies where the Lagan River flows into a part of the Irish Sea. Nine were registered on three separate occasions, and from the start of the Blitz until November 30 there were more than 350 alerts. It would appear that Adolf Hitler, in view of de Valera's negative reaction, was concerned that de Valera and Irish American politicians might encourage the United States to enter the war. The bombs continued to fall until 5am. 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. The offensive came to be called the Blitz after the German word blitzkrieg (lightning war). Another attacked Bangor, killing five. On occasion, forces consisting of as many as 300 to 400 aircraft would cross the coast by day and split into small groups, and a few planes would succeed in penetrating Londons outer defenses. Oakland plans to unleash 'pothole blitz' to fix notorious street damage Wherever Churchill is hiding his war material we will go. Video, 00:00:51, Australia's 'biggest drug bust' nets $700m of cocaine, Thanks, but no big speech, in Ken Bruce's sign off. Six Heinkel He 111 bombers, from Kampfgruppe 26, flying at 7,000 feet (2,100m), dropped incendiaries, high explosive and parachute-mines. 29 interesting facts about Belfast you never knew - BeeLoved City High explosive bombs predominated in this raid. The first (April 7 -8), a small attack, was most likely carried out to test the city's defenses. The famous places damaged include the palace of Westminster and Westminster hall, the County hall, the Public Record office, the Law Courts, the Temple and the Inner Temple library; Somerset house, Burlington house, the tower of London, Greenwich observatory, Hogarths house; the Carlton, Reform, American, Savage, Arts and Orleans clubs; the Royal College of Surgeons, University college and its library, Stationers hall, the Y.M.C.A. Read about our approach to external linking. In The Blitz: Belfast in the War Years, Brian Barton wrote: "Government Ministers felt with justification, that the Germans were able to use the unblacked out lights in the south to guide them to their targets in the North." Between Black Saturday and December 2, there was no 24-hour period without at least one alertas the alarms came to be calledand generally far more. After a brief lull, the Luftwaffe returned in force on February 17. This raid overall caused relatively little damage, but a lot was revealed about Belfast's inadequate defences. continuous trek to railway stations. It remains a high death toll - a shocking number of people killed in just a few weeks. Belfast was ill-prepared for the blitz. Under the leadership of Prime Minister John Miller Andrews, Northern Ireland remained unprepared. John Wood Dunlop invented the pneumatic tyre in Belfast in 1887. Instead of pressing his advantage, however, Hitler abruptly changed his strategy. 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. Three nights later (April 1920) London was again subjected to a seven-hour raid, and the loss of life was considerable, especially among firefighters and the A.R.P. THE BELFAST BLITZ was a series of four air raids over Northern Ireland during the spring of 1941. On the ground, there were only 22 anti-aircraft guns positioned around the city, six light and 16 heavy, and on the first night only seven of these were manned and operational. However they were not in a position to communicate with the Germans, and information recovered from Germany after the war showed that the planning of the blitz was based entirely on German aerial reconnaissance. Fiber-optic cables are made from thin strings of glass and are generally about one-tenth the width of a . Despite the attacks, Belfast continued to contribute to the war effort, and within less than a year the city witnessed the arrival of thousands of American troops. Since most casualties were caused by falling masonry rather than by blast, they provided effective shelter for those who had them. The first attack was against the city's waterworks, which had been attacked in the previous raid. 11 churches, two hospitals and two schools were destroyed. Subs offer. There wasn't enough room for Anna or Billy, so they sheltered elsewhere, a twist of fate that would save their lives. 7. Several theatres and many cinemas were open, and there were even a few sporting events. And then naturally as I was over the target, I did pick up flak but I have no sense of exactly how weak or how strong it was, because every bit of flak you get is dangerous.. Read about our approach to external linking. Video, 00:03:09, Mapping the lives lost in the Belfast Blitz, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. Gring had insisted that such an attack was an impossibility, because of the citys formidable air defense network. An earlier flight on Oct. 18 allowed the crew to plot several targets in the city. [citation needed]. 10,000 "officially" crossed the border. 19.99. By the middle of December it had reached nearly 1,700,000 (adjusted for inflation, this was the equivalent of roughly 100 million in 2020). A charitable relief fund for the people of London was opened September 10. Hitlers intention had been to break the morale of the British people so they would pressure their government to surrender. On September 1, 1939, the day World War II began with Germanys invasion of Poland, the British government implemented a massive evacuation plan. The Belfast Blitz - Inside the Deadly 1941 Luftwaffe Raids on Northern From a purely military perspective, the Blitz was entirely counterproductive to the main purpose of Germanys air offensiveto dominate the skies in advance of an invasion of England. Very early in the German bombing campaign, it became clear that the preparationshowever extensive they seemed to have beenwere inadequate. The Belfast Blitz: April-May 1941 - History Ireland Added to this was the repair and refitting of 22,000 more vessels. 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. As well as these two major targets, other firms in Belfast produced valuable materials for the war effort including munitions, linen, ropes, food supplies and, of course, cigarettes. Belfast Blitz - Wikipedia The mortuary services had emergency plans to deal with only 200 bodies. So had Clydeside until recently. By Jonathan Bardon. Even the children of soldiers had not been evacuated, with calamitous results when the married quarters of Victoria Barracks received a direct hit. Belfast's Albert Clock tower is sinking - it leans by four feet. I was definitely one of the first over the target and as I flew in there was no great defence because there were not a great many aircraft over the target at that point, recalled Becker. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. The sense of relative calm was abruptly shattered in the first week of September 1940, when the war came to London in earnest. As the UK was preparing for the conflict, the factories and shipyards of Belfast were gearing up. Author Lawrence H. Dawson detailed the damage to Londons historic buildings for the 1941 Britannica Book of the Year: The following curtailed list identifies some of the better known places in inner London that have been damaged by enemy action.