The Blitz of 1941

During the Second World War, the heaviest attacks on the city came in 1941. In the two intensive attacks on the 20 and 21 March, 336 people lost their lives. Five further attacks in April brought the toll to 590. There was hardly a building in Plymouth that wasn’t touched in some way by the Blitz. Much of the city centre was obliterated and although many buildings remained amongst the debris, most were damaged beyond repair. It’s hard now to imagine the total devastation the bombing caused. Many of the most popular streets, Bedford Street, Union Street, Old Town Street, Frankfort Street, Cornwall Street, George Street etc were either totally destroyed or severely damaged. Major buildings such as the Guildhall, the Municipal Buildings, St Andrew’s Church, Charles Church and the General Post Office were obliterated. Many schools were also hit. These included Plymouth High School for Girls, the Hoe Grammar School and the infants school at Summerland Place. Many churches were destroyed also including St James the Less, King Street Methodist, St Peter’s, George Street Baptist and many other. The bombing was indiscriminate and destroyed anything that got in its way. In the dockyard, the bombing was bad but not as damaging as would have been thought and within a few months, it was back to 90% efficiency. Outside the city, the bombing was just as devastating and areas affected included Devonport, Stonehouse, St Budeaux, Swilly and Saltash Passage. Devonport lost many buildings including the Post Office, the Alhambra Theatre, the Synagogue, the Hippodrome and the Salvation Army Headquarters. Residential houses that were either destroyed or beyond repair amounted to 3,754.Others that were seriously damaged but able to be repaired amounted to 18,398. Houses that were slightly damaged amounted to an additional 49,950. It’s hard to imagine today, unless you’ve lived through it, such devastation to a city. Many children were packed off to live with relatives, friends or obliging families in safe areas in the countryside. Thousands left on special trains and many saw it as an adventure while others were upset to leave their parents behind. Lady Astor said at the time, 'What helped the evacuation was that everyone seemed to have a cousin in the country!'. News of the devastation of Plymouth soon reached the rest of the world and gifts arrived from all over particularly the United States who sent ambulances, soft toys, food packages and surgical dressings. The Royal Sailors Rest received crates of supplies so large that they were unable to get them into the building. At the end of the war, there were a total of 4,448 casualties due to the raids and heavy bombing of the city. Throughout it all though, the people of Plymouth remained strong and there were regular dances on the Hoe almost in defiance of the enemy as they bombed the city. Plymouth was reborn after the war and the city was rebuilt almost from scratch. Few buildings remained in the heart of the city that were there before the war and even now, the city is constantly changing.