The Swansea Blitz was the heavy and sustained bombing of Swansea by the German Luftwaffe from 19 to 21 February 1941. A total of 230 people were killed and 397 were injured.

How long did it take to rebuild Swansea after the blitz?

Swansea still regenerating 75 years after Blitz. Seventy-five years after German bombs rained on a thriving Swansea for three successive nights during World War Two, efforts are still being made to regenerate its centre. The city was reduced to rubble during what became known as the "Swansea Blitz".

How many buildings were destroyed in the Swansea Blitz?

857 properties were destroyed, 11,000 properties were damaged. 230 people were killed, 409 were injured.

Which British city was bombed the most in ww2?

While London was bombed more heavily and more often than anywhere else in Britain, the Blitz was an attack on the whole country. Very few areas were left untouched by air raids. In relatively small compact cities, the impact of a severe air raid could be devastating.

Did the Battle of Britain happen at night?

Battle of Britain Day, 15 September 1940, is the day on which a large-scale aerial battle in the Battle of Britain took place. In June 1940, the Wehrmacht had conquered most of Western Europe and Scandinavia. Around 1,500 aircraft took part in the air battles which lasted until dusk. ...

The Three Night Blitz

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Why was Swansea targeted in the blitz?

Swansea was targeted because of its docks, and part of the Germans' bombing campaign was to damage exports as well as demoralise civilians and emergency services.

When was the three night blitz?

Remembering the Blitz

Throughout the Second World War, Luftwaffe bombers targeted towns in South Wales. Swansea was by far the hardest hit and nearly 400 people were killed between 1940 and 1943, the majority of them in the Three Nights' Blitz, 19-21 February 1941, which laid waste the centre of the town.

Was Wales bombed in ww2?

The Cardiff Blitz (Welsh: Blitz Caerdydd); refers to the bombing of Cardiff, Wales during World War II. Between 1940 and the final raid on the city in March 1944 approximately 2,100 bombs fell, killing 355 people. ... Consequently, it and the surrounding area were heavily bombed.

Why is it called the blitz?

For eight months the Luftwaffe dropped bombs on London and other strategic cities across Britain. The attacks were authorized by Germany's chancellor, Adolf Hitler, after the British carried out a nighttime air raid on Berlin. The offensive came to be called the Blitz after the German word blitzkrieg (“lightning war”).

How many bombs dropped in WWII?

Between 1940 and 1945, U.S. and British air forces dropped 2.7 million tons of bombs on Europe, half of that amount on Germany.

Was Port Talbot bombed in ww2?

Part of a steelworks factory had to be evacuated after an unexploded World War Two bomb was found. South Wales Police said the temporary evacuation was a precaution and the site has now reopened. ...

Was Cardiff bombed in the war?

Newspapers reported that 355 in Cardiff people died from air raids during World War Two, and even more people would have been injured. One of the most devastating raids on Cardiff took place on 2 January 1941. At least 126 people died and 110 homes were destroyed (plus more homes were damaged).

What did the Luftwaffe do?

Luftwaffe, (German: “air weapon”) component of the German armed forces tasked with the air defense of Germany and fulfillment of the country's airpower commitments abroad. The Luftwaffe was formally created in 1935, but military aviation had existed in the shadows in Germany since the end of World War I.

Was the blitz part of the Battle of Britain?

The Luftwaffe initiated the first attack as part of the Battle of Britain on 10 July 1940. ... For the first six weeks the Luftwaffe concentrated on bombing strategic targets, such as air strips, on the south coast.

Who shot down the most planes in the Battle of Britain?

In just 42 days 303 Squadron shot down 126 German planes, becoming the most successful Fighter Command unit in the Battle of Britain. Nine of the Squadron's pilots qualified as 'aces' for shooting down 5 or more enemy planes, including Sergeant Josef Frantisek, a Czech flying with the Poles who scored 17 downed planes.

Where did all the rubble from ww2 go?

The vast bulk of London's rubble was dumped in East London's Lea Valley, where the River Lea flows down to join the Thames. So much detritus was deposited in Hackney and Leyton Marshes that the Museum of London estimates it raised the ground by up to 10 feet in numerous places.

Was Burnley bombed in ww2?

During the Second World War, Burnley largely escaped the Blitz, with the only Luftwaffe bomb to known to have fallen within the town landing near the conservatory at Thompson Park on 27 October 1940.

How many homes were destroyed by bombs in Britain and Germany in ww2?

During the Blitz 32,000 civilians were killed and 87,000 were seriously injured. Two million houses (60 per cent of these in London) were destroyed in the Blitz.

Who discovered Swansea?

The town of Swansea was founded in the early 12th century when the Normans conquered the area. The Norman lord built a wooden castle on the site of Worcester Place. (It was rebuilt in stone in the early 13th century). A town soon grew up by the castle.

How many castles are in south Wales?

Wales is often called 'the land of castles' – there are 427 of them! If you visit Wales you're almost certain to see one. If you live here you're probably familiar with quite a few. Cadw looks after 44 castles — each one is unique.