Plymouth during the Blitz
•As the blitz began in the early summer of 1940 the first bomb to drop on Plymouth was dropped just before midday on Saturday 6th July 1940.3 houses were demolished and two were beyond repair when the bomb was dropped in the North Prospect area. Several people were injured and three died. This was a huge shock to everyone. During the blitz Plymouth suffered tremendous damage, it was described as the worst bombed city in the country.Attacks started in 1940 and continued as late as may 1944. During the 59 bombing attack, 1,172 civilians were killed and 4,448 injured.The two main shopping centres and nearly every civic building were destroyed, along with 26 school,eight cinemas and 41 churches. In total 3,754 houses were destroyed with a further 18,398 seriously damaged.On the 29th/30th April Plymouth and Devonport were again attacked, and, although the raid was on a larger scale than any of its predecessors, it began with inaccurate, bombing in open country North of the city, where wood-fires at Mount Edgcumbe were heavily bombed.The night of April 22nd/23rd 1941 saw the worst disaster of the blitz, an air raid shelter in Portland area had a direct hit, 72 people died. The city centre was completely destroyed. shops and houses, all that was left of the guild hall and the St Andrews church were empty shells.
Everyone was effected
Children were affected in that their schooling and night time was disrupted. People heard the raid warning and went straight to a shelter until they got the all clear. Mr Roy Lidiard who lived and worked in Plymouth at the time said: "My most vivid recollections of these nightmarish times was one of the six nights between April 21st and 29th 1941 when Luftwaffe unleashed probably the most ferocious, hideous sustained
attacks during the Plymouth bombardments". Plymouth was affected so badly because most of the blitz was at night.
attacks during the Plymouth bombardments". Plymouth was affected so badly because most of the blitz was at night.
Why Plymouth?
Plymouth was a key target as it is the home of Dookyark. This is a large naval base at Devonport in Plymouth.