Clydebank Blitz
Encyclopedia
The Clydebank Blitz refers to two devastating Luftwaffe
air raids on the shipbuilding town of Clydebank
in Scotland
which took place in March 1941.
Clydebank's production of ships and munitions for the Allies
made it a target (similar to the Barrow Blitz
). Major targets included the John Brown & Company
shipyard, ROF Dalmuir
and the Singer Corporation
factory. A total of 439 bomber
s dropped over 1,000 bombs. RAF
fighters managed to shoot down two aircraft during the raid, but none were brought down by anti-aircraft fire.
In his book Luftwaffe over Scotland: a history of German air attacks on Scotland, 1939-45, amateur historian Les Taylor qualified the Clydebank Blitz as "the most cataclysmic event" in war-time Scotland. He claims that while the raid on 13 March was not intended as a terror attack, it caused extensive damage because there was a lot of housing near the specific targets. But the bombing the following night was indeed a terror attack as it "was intended to crack morale and force the people to call for an end to the war. However, it had quite the opposite effect, strengthening resolve for the war in Scotland."
, neither of which was seriously damaged. The only plant completely destroyed was the Strathclyde Hosiery Company.
destroyer, , which helped defend the town from the docks of the John Brown & Company
shipyard. It is located directly opposite from the Town Hall, which has itself a shrine dedicated to those in Clydebank who died during World War I
and World War II
. There is another war memorial on Graham Avenue.
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
air raids on the shipbuilding town of Clydebank
Clydebank
Clydebank is a town in West Dunbartonshire, in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, Clydebank borders Dumbarton, the town with which it was combined to form West Dunbartonshire, as well as the town of Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire, and the Yoker and...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
which took place in March 1941.
The air raids
As a result of the raids on the nights of 13 and 14 March 1941, the town was largely destroyed. It suffered the worst destruction and civilian loss of life in all of Scotland. 528 people died, 617 people were seriously injured, and hundreds more were injured by blast debris. Out of approximately 12,000 houses, only seven remained undamaged — with 4,000 completely destroyed and 4,500 severely damaged. Over 35,000 people were made homeless.Clydebank's production of ships and munitions for the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
made it a target (similar to the Barrow Blitz
Barrow Blitz
The Barrow Blitz is the name given to the Luftwaffe bombings of Barrow-in-Furness, England during World War II. It took place primarily during April and May 1941, although the earliest Luftwaffe bombing occurred in September 1940.-Prelude:...
). Major targets included the John Brown & Company
John Brown & Company
John Brown and Company of Clydebank was a pre-eminent Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding firm, responsible for building many notable and world-famous ships, such as the , the , the , the , the , and the...
shipyard, ROF Dalmuir
ROF Dalmuir
ROF Dalmuir was an Engineering Royal Ordnance Factory owned by the British government during World War II. The factory manufactured medium-calibre guns, particularly anti-aircraft guns...
and the Singer Corporation
Singer Corporation
Singer Corporation is a manufacturer of sewing machines, first established as I.M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then The Singer Company in 1963. It is...
factory. A total of 439 bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
s dropped over 1,000 bombs. RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
fighters managed to shoot down two aircraft during the raid, but none were brought down by anti-aircraft fire.
In his book Luftwaffe over Scotland: a history of German air attacks on Scotland, 1939-45, amateur historian Les Taylor qualified the Clydebank Blitz as "the most cataclysmic event" in war-time Scotland. He claims that while the raid on 13 March was not intended as a terror attack, it caused extensive damage because there was a lot of housing near the specific targets. But the bombing the following night was indeed a terror attack as it "was intended to crack morale and force the people to call for an end to the war. However, it had quite the opposite effect, strengthening resolve for the war in Scotland."
The cover-up
Alexander Grozier, one of the survivors, believes the Government deliberately attempted to keep the story of the raids quiet "because they believed the Germans were trying to break people's morale." John MacLeod who lived in Clydebank as a boy agrees: "There’s certainly evidence that the Government was anxious to downplay the Clydebank Blitz. For instance, they took a long time to release official casualty figures – and only after great pressure from local MPs in the House of Commons.” He believes the news was kept out of the papers because the authorities did not want the Germans to return to the targets they missed.Effectiveness of the raids
Despite the devastation in the town itself, the Clydebank air raids were far from a military success. Among the primary targets were the John Brown Shipyard and Beardmore's Diesel WorksWilliam Beardmore and Company
William Beardmore and Company was a Scottish engineering and shipbuilding conglomerate based in Glasgow and the surrounding Clydeside area. It was active between about 1890 and 1930 and at its peak employed about 40,000 people...
, neither of which was seriously damaged. The only plant completely destroyed was the Strathclyde Hosiery Company.
War memorials
A war memorial is dedicated to the crew of a PolishPolish contribution to World War II
The European theater of World War II opened with the German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. The Polish Army was defeated after over a month of fighting. After Poland had been overrun, a government-in-exile , armed forces, and an intelligence service were established outside of Poland....
destroyer, , which helped defend the town from the docks of the John Brown & Company
John Brown & Company
John Brown and Company of Clydebank was a pre-eminent Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding firm, responsible for building many notable and world-famous ships, such as the , the , the , the , the , and the...
shipyard. It is located directly opposite from the Town Hall, which has itself a shrine dedicated to those in Clydebank who died during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. There is another war memorial on Graham Avenue.