List of strategic bombing over the United Kingdom in World War II

Last updated

A list of strategic bombing over the United Kingdom in World War II includes the towns and cities that received significant aerial destruction from 1940 to 1942 in the United Kingdom. After mid-1944 the Luftwaffe would struggle to defend their own skies.

Contents

History

The main German bombing across the UK occurred until June 1941. [1] Around 40,000 people were killed. The German raids began as daylight raids, but would later be mostly at night from September 1940 onwards.

The Luftwaffe dropped around 36,800 tonnes in 1940 and around 21,800 tonnes in 1941. It would drop around 3,000 tonnes per year from then on.

Strategic bombing

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Blitz</span> German bombing of Britain during WWII

The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom, in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term Blitzkrieg, the German word meaning 'lightning war'.

The Baedeker Blitz or Baedeker raids was a series of aerial attacks in April and May 1942 by the German Luftwaffe on English cities during the Second World War. The name derives from Baedeker, a series of German tourist guide books, including detailed maps, which were used to select targets for bombing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strategic bombing during World War II</span> Airborne warfare throughout World War II

World War II (1939–1945) involved sustained strategic bombing of railways, harbours, cities, workers' and civilian housing, and industrial districts in enemy territory. Strategic bombing as a military strategy is distinct both from close air support of ground forces and from tactical air power. During World War II, many military strategists of air power believed that air forces could win major victories by attacking industrial and political infrastructure, rather than purely military targets. Strategic bombing often involved bombing areas inhabited by civilians, and some campaigns were deliberately designed to target civilian populations in order to terrorize them and disrupt their usual activities. International law at the outset of World War II did not specifically forbid the aerial bombardment of cities – despite the prior occurrence of such bombing during World War I (1914–1918), the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), and the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belfast Blitz</span> German air raids on Belfast in World War II

The Belfast Blitz consisted of four German air raids on strategic targets in the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland, in April and May 1941 during World War II, causing high casualties. The first was on the night of 7–8 April 1941, a small attack which probably took place only to test Belfast's defences. The next took place on Easter Tuesday, 15 April 1941, when 200 Luftwaffe bombers attacked military and manufacturing targets in the city of Belfast. Some 900 people died as a result of the bombing and 1,500 were injured. High explosive bombs predominated in this raid. Apart from those on London, this was the greatest loss of life in any night raid during the Blitz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liverpool Blitz</span> German bombing of British port city during WWII

The Liverpool Blitz was the heavy and sustained bombing of the English city of Liverpool and its surrounding area, during the Second World War by the German Luftwaffe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manchester Blitz</span> Aerial bombardment of British city, World War II

The Manchester Blitz was the heavy bombing of the city of Manchester and its surrounding areas in North West England during the Second World War by the German Luftwaffe. It was one of three major raids on Manchester, an important inland port and industrial city; Trafford Park in neighbouring Stretford was a major centre of war production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham Blitz</span> WWII aerial bombardment of British city


The Birmingham Blitz was the heavy bombing by the Nazi German Luftwaffe of the city of Birmingham and surrounding towns in central England, beginning on 9 August 1940 as a fraction of the greater Blitz, which was part of the Battle of Britain; and ending on 23 April 1943. Situated in the Midlands, Birmingham, the most populous British city outside London, was considered an important industrial and manufacturing location. Around 1,852 tons of bombs were dropped on Birmingham, making it the third most heavily bombed city in the United Kingdom in the Second World War, behind London and Liverpool.

Events from the year 1940 in the United Kingdom. The year was dominated by Britain's involvement in the Second World War, which commenced in September the previous year, as well as the numerous enemy air raids on Britain and thousands of subsequent casualties. Although the war continued, Britain did triumph in the Battle of Britain and Nazi Germany's invasion attempt did not take place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coventry Blitz</span> German bombing raids on the English city in World War II

The Coventry Blitz or Coventration of the city was a series of bombing raids that took place on the British city of Coventry. The city was bombed many times during the Second World War by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe). The most devastating of these attacks occurred on the evening of 14 November 1940 and continued into the morning of 15 November.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southampton Blitz</span> WWII aerial bombardment of British port city

The Southampton Blitz was the heavy bombing of Southampton by the Nazi German Luftwaffe during World War II. Southampton was a strategic bombing target for the Luftwaffe as it contained both busy docks with associated business premises and factories and the Supermarine factory building Spitfires in Woolston. Being a large port city on the south coast it was within easy reach of German airfields in France.

Kampfgeschwader 55 "Greif" was a Luftwaffe bomber unit during World War II. KG 55 was one of the longest serving and well-known in the Luftwaffe. The wing operated the Heinkel He 111 exclusively until 1943, when only two staffeln of its four Gruppen (Groups) used the Junkers Ju 88C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hull Blitz</span> Aerial bombardment during World War II

The Hull Blitz was the bombing campaign that targeted the English port city of Kingston upon Hull by the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiff Blitz</span> Aerial bombardment during World War II

The Cardiff Blitz ; refers to the bombing of Cardiff, Wales during World War II. Between 1940 and the final raid on the city in March 1944 approximately 2,100 bombs fell, killing 355 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parachute mine</span>

A parachute mine is a naval mine dropped from an aircraft by parachute. They were mostly used in the Second World War by the Luftwaffe and initially by the Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command. Frequently, they were dropped on land targets.

<i>Kampfgeschwader</i> 54 Military unit

Kampfgeschwader 54 "Totenkopf" was a Luftwaffe bomber wing during World War II. It served on nearly all the fronts in the European Theatre where the German Luftwaffe operated.

<i>Kampfgeschwader</i> 1 Military unit

Kampfgeschwader 1 was a German medium bomber wing that operated in the Luftwaffe during World War II.

'Kampfgeschwader' 27 Boelcke was a Luftwaffe medium bomber wing of World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leeds Blitz</span>

The Leeds Blitz comprised nine air raids on the city of Leeds by the Nazi German Luftwaffe. The heaviest raid took place on the night of 14/15 March 1941, affecting the city centre, Beeston, Bramley and Armley. The city was subjected to other raids during the Second World War, but they were relatively minor; only the March 1941 raid caused widespread damage, including to the city's museum and its artefacts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5th Anti-Aircraft Division (United Kingdom)</span> Military unit

The 5th Anti-Aircraft Division was an air defence formation of Britain's Territorial Army, created in the period of tension before the outbreak of the Second World War. It defended Southern England during the Battle of Britain and the Blitz.

References

  1. University of Exeter
  2. "Listed status for bombed cinema". BBC News Online . 2 February 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2023.