Greenock Blitz: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|German bombing raids on Greenock, Scotland during WW2}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} |
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{{Use British English|date=May 2017}} |
{{Use British English|date=May 2017}} |
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{{multiple issues| |
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{{more citations needed|date=January 2014}} |
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{{unreliable sources|date=January 2014}} |
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[[File:German parachute mine.jpg|thumb|right|A defused German bomb in Glasgow, 2 months before the Greenock bombings.]] |
[[File:German parachute mine.jpg|thumb|right|A defused German bomb in Glasgow, 2 months before the Greenock bombings.]] |
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The '''Greenock Blitz''' is the name given to two nights of intensive [[Strategic bombing during World War II|bombing]] of the town of [[Greenock]], [[Scotland]] by the [[Nazi German]] ''[[Luftwaffe]]'' during the [[Second World War]]. The raids over the nights of the 6 and 7 May 1941 targeted the [[shipyard]]s and berthed ships around the town (similar to the [[Clydebank Blitz]] the previous March). The brunt of the bombing fell on residential areas. Over the two nights, 271 people were killed and over 10,200 injured.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/community-life-and-leisure/heritage/family-history/war-dead-greenock-ww2|title=Inverclyde Council {{!}} War Dead: Greenock WW2|website=www.inverclyde.gov.uk|access-date=2018-02-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lostancestors.eu/memwar/G/Greenock02.htm}}</ref> |
The '''Greenock Blitz''' is the name given to two nights of intensive [[Strategic bombing during World War II|bombing]] of the town of [[Greenock]], [[Scotland]] by the [[Nazi German]] ''[[Luftwaffe]]'' during the [[Second World War]]. The raids over the nights of the 6 and 7 May 1941 targeted the [[shipyard]]s and berthed ships around the town (similar to the [[Clydebank Blitz]] the previous March). The brunt of the bombing fell on residential areas. Over the two nights, 271 people were killed and over 10,200 injured.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/community-life-and-leisure/heritage/family-history/war-dead-greenock-ww2|title=Inverclyde Council {{!}} War Dead: Greenock WW2|website=www.inverclyde.gov.uk|access-date=2018-02-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lostancestors.eu/memwar/G/Greenock02.htm|title=Civilian War Memorial - Greenock, Inverclyde, Scotland|publisher=Lost Ancestors|access-date=5 April 2021}}</ref> From a total of 180,000 homes nearly 25,000 suffered damage and 5,000 were destroyed.<ref name=who>{{cite web|url=https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/forgotten-blitz-scotland-left-thousands-dead.html|title=The Forgotten Blitz on Scotland That Left Hundreds Dead & Thousands Homeless|date=15 June 2016|first=Sarah|last=Copper|publisher=War History Online|access-date=5 April 2021}}</ref> |
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From a total of 180,000 homes nearly 25,000 suffered damage and 5,000 were destroyed outright.{{Citation needed|reason=numbers need sourced|date=January 2014}} |
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==Lead up to the raids== |
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When the German Luftwaffe began pounding London in 1940, it was decided that all convoy and merchant shipping activity in general would be transferred to the Clyde. Fortunately for the people living on or near the West coast of Scotland, Hitler was busy making final preparations for his attack on Russia and ordered that any air raids on the Clyde were to be treated more as a diversion than anything else. One shudders to think of the carnage that might have been inflicted on this area had he focused his attention on it just a few months before.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Greenock Revisited|last=Gemmill.|first=Stewart, Stewart|date=2014|publisher=Amazon |ASIN : B00KBCFGGU|location=Greenock}}</ref> |
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==6 May== |
==6 May== |
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The attack began around midnight on 6 May when around 350 German bombers attacked the town.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/news/2016/may/greenock-blitz|title=Inverclyde Council {{!}} Greenock blitz|website=www.inverclyde.gov.uk|access-date=2018-02-27}}</ref> Bombs fell all over the town and surrounding area; serious damage being inflicted on East Crawford Street and Belville Street. Many civilians fled to the tunnels in the east end of the town, significantly reducing casualties the next night. |
The attack began around midnight on 6 May when around 350 German bombers attacked the town.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/news/2016/may/greenock-blitz|title=Inverclyde Council {{!}} Greenock blitz|website=www.inverclyde.gov.uk|date=9 May 2016 |access-date=2018-02-27}}</ref> Bombs fell all over the town and surrounding area; serious damage being inflicted on East Crawford Street and Belville Street. Many civilians fled to the tunnels in the east end of the town, significantly reducing casualties the next night.<ref name=who/> |
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==7 May== |
==7 May== |
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Air raid sirens at 12:15{{nbsp}}am on 7 May marked the beginning of a second night of bombing. Initially, [[incendiary bomb]]s were dropped around the perimeter of the town. The second wave attacked primarily the east end and centre of Greenock; the [[distillation|distillery]] in Ingleston Street had been set alight in the first wave, causing a huge fire which acted as a beacon for the rest of the bomber force. The final wave came around 2{{nbsp}}am; dropping [[high explosive|high-explosive]] bombs and [[Parachute mine|parachute land mine]]s which caused widespread destruction. |
Air raid sirens at 12:15{{nbsp}}am on 7 May marked the beginning of a second night of bombing. Initially, [[incendiary bomb]]s were dropped around the perimeter of the town. The second wave attacked primarily the east end and centre of Greenock; the [[distillation|distillery]] in Ingleston Street had been set alight in the first wave, causing a huge fire which acted as a beacon for the rest of the bomber force. The final wave came around 2{{nbsp}}am; dropping [[high explosive|high-explosive]] bombs and [[Parachute mine|parachute land mine]]s which caused widespread destruction.<ref name=who/> |
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At 3:30{{nbsp}}am the "All Clear" sounded, but a large area of the town was in flames. The sugar refineries, distillery and foundries were all extensively damaged, |
At 3:30{{nbsp}}am the "All Clear" sounded, but a large area of the town was in flames. The sugar refineries, distillery and foundries were all extensively damaged, [[Greenock Municipal Buildings]] complex was partly destroyed, and several churches were left as burnt-out shells. However, damage to the shipyards was minimal.<ref name=who/> |
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==Decoy site== |
==Decoy site== |
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==George Medal== |
==George Medal== |
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Three local firemen were awarded the [[George Medal]].<ref name=who/> |
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Three local firemen were awarded the [[George Medal]] - Firemaster A.S. Pratten, Sub-Station Officer William Neill and Fireman James Berry - who entered a burning building and at great personal risk managed to control a blaze which threatened to destroy a quantity of material essential to the war effort. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[http://www.lostancestors.eu/memwar/G/Greenock02.htm Full list of casualties] |
*[http://www.lostancestors.eu/memwar/G/Greenock02.htm Full list of casualties] |
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* |
*[http://inverclyde-tv.com/stories/4717-greenock-blitz Greenock Blitz] |
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{{The Blitz}} |
{{The Blitz}} |
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[[Category:Airstrikes conducted by Germany]] |
[[Category:Airstrikes conducted by Germany]] |
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[[Category:The Blitz]] |
[[Category:The Blitz]] |
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[[Category:Greenock]] |
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[[Category:Military history of Greenock]] |
[[Category:Military history of Greenock]] |
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[[Category:History of Inverclyde]] |
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[[Category:Scotland in World War II]] |
[[Category:Scotland in World War II]] |
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Latest revision as of 23:45, 8 June 2024
The Greenock Blitz is the name given to two nights of intensive bombing of the town of Greenock, Scotland by the Nazi German Luftwaffe during the Second World War. The raids over the nights of the 6 and 7 May 1941 targeted the shipyards and berthed ships around the town (similar to the Clydebank Blitz the previous March). The brunt of the bombing fell on residential areas. Over the two nights, 271 people were killed and over 10,200 injured.[1][2] From a total of 180,000 homes nearly 25,000 suffered damage and 5,000 were destroyed.[3]
6 May
[edit]The attack began around midnight on 6 May when around 350 German bombers attacked the town.[4] Bombs fell all over the town and surrounding area; serious damage being inflicted on East Crawford Street and Belville Street. Many civilians fled to the tunnels in the east end of the town, significantly reducing casualties the next night.[3]
7 May
[edit]Air raid sirens at 12:15 am on 7 May marked the beginning of a second night of bombing. Initially, incendiary bombs were dropped around the perimeter of the town. The second wave attacked primarily the east end and centre of Greenock; the distillery in Ingleston Street had been set alight in the first wave, causing a huge fire which acted as a beacon for the rest of the bomber force. The final wave came around 2 am; dropping high-explosive bombs and parachute land mines which caused widespread destruction.[3]
At 3:30 am the "All Clear" sounded, but a large area of the town was in flames. The sugar refineries, distillery and foundries were all extensively damaged, Greenock Municipal Buildings complex was partly destroyed, and several churches were left as burnt-out shells. However, damage to the shipyards was minimal.[3]
Decoy site
[edit]An Air Ministry decoy starfish site behind Loch Thom prevented the number of casualties being even higher. The decoy was lit on the second night of the blitz. It consisted of a large number of mounds of combustible materials scattered over a wide area of the moorland to simulate a burning urban area. Scores of large bomb craters were found after an inspection of the decoy after the air raids.[5]
George Medal
[edit]Three local firemen were awarded the George Medal.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ "Inverclyde Council | War Dead: Greenock WW2". www.inverclyde.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
- ^ "Civilian War Memorial - Greenock, Inverclyde, Scotland". Lost Ancestors. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Copper, Sarah (15 June 2016). "The Forgotten Blitz on Scotland That Left Hundreds Dead & Thousands Homeless". War History Online. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ "Inverclyde Council | Greenock blitz". www.inverclyde.gov.uk. 9 May 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
- ^ Leslie., Dow, James (1975). Greenock. Greenock: Corporation of Greenock. ISBN 9780904834000. OCLC 2074684.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)