The Bombing Of Bristol - Pictures of Streets And Buildings Damaged In The Raids of 1940 - 1941

By Anon Anon

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Nov 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781473353350

Book preview

THE

BOMBING OF BRISTOL

Pictures of STREETS and BUILDINGS Damaged in the Raids of 1940—1941

The City Ablaze.

Compiled by F. G. WARNE, in Association with the BRISTOL DEVELOPMENT BOARD.

CONTENTS

The Raids

Destroyed or Seriously Damaged

Acknowledgment

The Raids

IT was not to be expected that such an important City as Bristol would escape the attention of the Germans. But although there had been minor raids, Bristol did not feel the full weight of attack from the air until the night of Sunday, November 24th, 1940, more than a year after the outbreak of War. Then the enemy, apparently in an attempt to make up for lost time, began a bombing onslaught that must be described as being made with the determination of unbounded fury. The whole of important streets, big city stores and shops, and famous buildings that night went crashing to hideous ruin midst mounting fires which were seen in the countryside for many miles around. Bristol, declared the German Official News Agency, has been wiped out!

This devastating Sunday raid was followed quickly by two other large-scale night raids, one on December 2nd, which the Germans said was to conclude a work of destruction similar to Coventry and Southampton, and the second on December 6th, when the City, subjected to an attack of five hours, was rent with the most terrific anti-aircraft barrage so far experienced. Less than a month intervened, with Christmas happily quiet, and then on January 3rd 1941 there occurred a tremendous onslaught which lasted for twelve hours, from soon after dusk till nearly dawn. The night was one of Winter’s bitterest, with Frost and Fire in grim conflict. The while flames poured from blazing buildings, coats of ice from the jets of the benumbed firemen formed on adjoining houses. It was a terrible attack, but even this did not satisfy the enemy’s lust for indiscriminately bombing non-military targets, for in less than 24 hours, on January 4th, the sorely stricken city had to endure another all-night ordeal of fire and destruction. Hardly a fortnight had elapsed when on January 16th there was yet another heavy night raid, extending over 10 hours. The next occasion of a mass attack was on the night of March 16th, when for eight hours showers of bombs were loosed over the city, with serious loss of life and the