Air Raids In Birmingham During World War II
The first air raid siren sounded in Birmingham on the night of 25th June 1940, but nothing happened. Birmingham was on the route for Coventry, Manchester and Liverpool, and out of the 367 times the alarms were to be sounded, only 77 would prove necessary.
The first bomb, from a lone raider, dropped in Erdington early in the morning of ninth of August 1940, killing one man and injuring several of the people. This bomb, like the majority that were to come, had missed its objective. The enemy’s policy, so it was subsequently confirmed, was not to terrorise the people, but to damage factories and any vital public works. The hit and miss character of the bombing was due to technical inadequacy, but wrecked homes and human casualties a distance from factories naturally made people think it was deliberate. Even if terrorising had been the purpose, it was futile. The general spirit of defiance can sometimes be seen symbolised by a Union Jack stuck in a pile of rubble that was the remains of some families home, and one man was seen securing an umbrella over his flag!
There were only minor attacks until the night of the 25th/ 26th of August, when the Market Hall burned out and 25 people died in the first raid on the city centre. Fort Dunlop was hit in daylight on 27 September and the Austin Aero factory suffered a daylight raid on 13th of November in which six people died and 25 injured, but the enemy did not develop this experiment and there was never more than minor daylight incursions.
The city centre was hit badly between 25th and 30th of October. Incendiaries were used first. Fires could light up the scene ready for high explosives. Furthermore, there were not the number of people at hand in the city centre at night time to give immediate attention to every incendiary bomb that had penetrated building. The Council House roof was damaged by fire and the Town Hall, the art gallery and the University (in Edmund Street) were also damaged. On the 25th 19 people in the Carlton Cinema in Taunton Road, Sparkhill all were killed when a bomb exploded in front of the screen. It was on the 29th that the cathedral suffered severe fire damage. Fortunately the prized Burne-Jones Windows had already been moved to a place of safety.
The first massive raid, by 350 bombers, came on 19 November. It lasted nearly all night, and on the 22nd another 200 bombers came. The attack was widespread. On the 19th BSA’s factory in Small Heath was hit by high explosive and burnt out. Nearly 50 employees were killed. Including lighter attacks on other nights, the casualties for the period from the 19th to the 28th was 796 dead and 2345 injured. About 20,000 people were made homeless. A new weapon, the landmine, was being used. It was virtually a sea mine on a parachute and it was extremely powerful.
There followed a virtual lull until a very heavy raid on the ninth of ninth and 10th of April 1941-the last of its severity for the rest of the war. 250 raiders cause 1121 casualties. High explosives damaged Birmingham parish church. There was little activity again until 27 July 1942 when between 60 and 70 bombers attacked in reprisal, on Hitler’s orders, for the increasing intensity of our bombing of German cities.
There were no more very serious raids after this, the very last being on 23 April 1943 when a mere two bombs fell on Bordesley Green, causing injuries, but no deaths. The last siren sounded on the night of 15 May 1944.
The number of high explosives that had dropped on the city was 5129 and in addition there were 48 parachute mines. Thousands of incendiaries had also showered down. Human toll for the Blitz had been 2241 bed, 3010 seriously injured and 3682 slightly injured. (The total fatalities in Britain for the whole war were 60,595 with 86,182 seriously injured.) Many casualties were among the services on duty during attacks, for they could not take cover.
For all the devastation, the air war on Birmingham did not achieve its purpose. Vital industries suffered some disruption, but the overall effect on the city’s industrial war effort was negligible. The Luftwaffe was not equipped for the sustained, long-range heavy bombing such as Bomber Command was. In Hamburg 20,000 people were killed in one raid alone.
The first bomb, from a lone raider, dropped in Erdington early in the morning of ninth of August 1940, killing one man and injuring several of the people. This bomb, like the majority that were to come, had missed its objective. The enemy’s policy, so it was subsequently confirmed, was not to terrorise the people, but to damage factories and any vital public works. The hit and miss character of the bombing was due to technical inadequacy, but wrecked homes and human casualties a distance from factories naturally made people think it was deliberate. Even if terrorising had been the purpose, it was futile. The general spirit of defiance can sometimes be seen symbolised by a Union Jack stuck in a pile of rubble that was the remains of some families home, and one man was seen securing an umbrella over his flag!
There were only minor attacks until the night of the 25th/ 26th of August, when the Market Hall burned out and 25 people died in the first raid on the city centre. Fort Dunlop was hit in daylight on 27 September and the Austin Aero factory suffered a daylight raid on 13th of November in which six people died and 25 injured, but the enemy did not develop this experiment and there was never more than minor daylight incursions.
The city centre was hit badly between 25th and 30th of October. Incendiaries were used first. Fires could light up the scene ready for high explosives. Furthermore, there were not the number of people at hand in the city centre at night time to give immediate attention to every incendiary bomb that had penetrated building. The Council House roof was damaged by fire and the Town Hall, the art gallery and the University (in Edmund Street) were also damaged. On the 25th 19 people in the Carlton Cinema in Taunton Road, Sparkhill all were killed when a bomb exploded in front of the screen. It was on the 29th that the cathedral suffered severe fire damage. Fortunately the prized Burne-Jones Windows had already been moved to a place of safety.
The first massive raid, by 350 bombers, came on 19 November. It lasted nearly all night, and on the 22nd another 200 bombers came. The attack was widespread. On the 19th BSA’s factory in Small Heath was hit by high explosive and burnt out. Nearly 50 employees were killed. Including lighter attacks on other nights, the casualties for the period from the 19th to the 28th was 796 dead and 2345 injured. About 20,000 people were made homeless. A new weapon, the landmine, was being used. It was virtually a sea mine on a parachute and it was extremely powerful.
There followed a virtual lull until a very heavy raid on the ninth of ninth and 10th of April 1941-the last of its severity for the rest of the war. 250 raiders cause 1121 casualties. High explosives damaged Birmingham parish church. There was little activity again until 27 July 1942 when between 60 and 70 bombers attacked in reprisal, on Hitler’s orders, for the increasing intensity of our bombing of German cities.
There were no more very serious raids after this, the very last being on 23 April 1943 when a mere two bombs fell on Bordesley Green, causing injuries, but no deaths. The last siren sounded on the night of 15 May 1944.
The number of high explosives that had dropped on the city was 5129 and in addition there were 48 parachute mines. Thousands of incendiaries had also showered down. Human toll for the Blitz had been 2241 bed, 3010 seriously injured and 3682 slightly injured. (The total fatalities in Britain for the whole war were 60,595 with 86,182 seriously injured.) Many casualties were among the services on duty during attacks, for they could not take cover.
For all the devastation, the air war on Birmingham did not achieve its purpose. Vital industries suffered some disruption, but the overall effect on the city’s industrial war effort was negligible. The Luftwaffe was not equipped for the sustained, long-range heavy bombing such as Bomber Command was. In Hamburg 20,000 people were killed in one raid alone.