Air raids History of Southampton

the second world war hit southampton particularly hard. pockets of georgian architecture remain, of city levelled during blitz of november 1940. 476 tons of bombs dropped on city luftwaffe. southampton prime target because of general strategic importance major port , industrial area, , particularly because supermarine spitfire designed, developed , built in southampton.

on 15 september 1940, supermarine factory in woolston bombed, killing many, though not damaging factory. 2 days later, factory destroyed. after air raid nazi propaganda declared town had been left smoking ruin.

on 6 november 1940, during raid on town centre, 3 bombs hit school of art in civic centre, (now known art gallery), killing students sheltering in basement.

the main blitz, series of sustained nighttime raids, started on 23 november 1940. there pause until 30 november, when resumption of raids destroyed repairs had made during lull. blitz continued on 1 december, these raids sporadic , smaller. total of 137 people died during period of blitz, of 96 lost direct hits on public air raid shelters.

the accuracy of locally based ordnance survey s maps did not go unrecognised luftwaffe: german bomber pilots used them bomb southampton. 1 building survived bombing southampton s oldest, st. michaels church. spire important navigational aid german pilots , consequently ordered avoid hitting it. other buildings in southampton found used aids navigation; elmfield flats in millbrook had flat concrete roof visible air until grassed over.

there 1,605 air raid warnings in southampton, last raid occurred on 5 november 1944. 1 flying bomb fell within boundaries of southampton, @ sholing on 12 july 1944.