Luftwaffe
Attacks On South Wales
And
Surrounding Bridgend Area.
6 High Explosive bombs dropped on Danygraig Road and a further 4 bombs on Kilvey Hill at 3.30am. Slight damage to property on Danygraig Road. The four bombs that landed on Kilvey Hill all failed to explode. No casualties.
A lone plane dropped 2 High Explosive bombs over Morriston. No reported casualties.
Thirteen craters, two about 14 feet by 5 feet deep in a straight line running from Bridgend town direction towards Merthyr Mawr sand dunes. Two horses were injured and two rabbits killed. Slight damage to Tyla Farm, Whitney Farm and Brooklands Farm.
King's Dock, Swansea. Swansea's first air raid to claim lives. A single enemy plane approached Swansea's Dock at 10.20am, dropping 4 High Explosive bombs at the 'Mole' end of King's Dock. The surprising nature of a daylight attack meant there were dock workers on duty at the time and, with no alert to the imminent strike, 12 dock workers were killed outright and a further 26 were injured during the incident. The dock's sheds and workshops also received extensive damage.
2 High Explosive bombs fell at Swansea Docks and Elba Crescent in the early morning. An unexploded bomb was reported in Danygraig. No casualties.
2 High Explosive bombs dropped over Talefrewe Farm, Cockett just before midnight. Slight damage to farm buildings but no casualties.
2 High Explosive bombs dropped over Swansea Docks. Slight damage but no casualties.
2 High Explosive bombs fell at Banc Mawr near Reddiffusion Station, Cockett. No casualties.
14 High Explosive bombs and numerous Incendiary bombs dropped shortly after 11.00pm on Mumbles foreshore, the Uplands (the Girl's High School and St James Church were hit) and Treboeth. 4 people injured.
2 High Explosive bombs and numerous incendiaries dropped on Waunarlwydd with a few High Explosive bombs falling into the waters of Swansea Bay near West Cross. No casualties reported.
10 High Explosive bombs dropped, all landing in the sea near West Cross. No casualties or damage.
31 High Explosive bombs dropped during a heavy midnight raid. Damage was caused to Landore's railway viaduct and also to houses in the surrounding Manselton, Cwbwrla and Brynhyfryd areas. Also bombs hit Singleton Park, Clyne and Ravenhill. 13 of the 31 bombs failed to explode but one directly hit an "Anderson Shelter" killing 5 occupants. A total of 13 were killed and 15 injured during the raid.
20 High Explosive bombs dropped in the sea near Mumbles Head. No injuries or damage.
16 High Explosive bombs dropped over Hafod, Cwmbwrla, Greenhill, Treboeth and Cadle Commons during the early morning. 7 unexploded bombs were reported and between 7 and 12 people were injured.
12 High Explosive bombs (3 failing to explode) dropped over Gors Avenue, Greenhill, Cwmbwrla, Foxhole and St Thomas during early morning raid. Damage to residential property with 1 death and 3 injuries.
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Incendiary fins "The fire-damaged
incendiary fin (left) was one which was dropped on Llantwit Major church.
I was given the item in the mid 1970s by a lady who still lived opposite
the church (now long since dead). She retrieved it at the time the bomb
was dropped. I bought the other fin at later date as a comparison piece." |
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Numerous Incendiaries bombs dropped over the area stretching from Dunvant to Kilvey Hill. No damage or casualties.
Swansea's town centre was targeted with a blitz which lasted several hours. (251 High Explosive bombs and over 1000 incendiaries dropped covering the region during the largest raid in Swansea to date). A deadly mixture of High Explosive and incendiary bombs fell on the shopping centre causing a red glare in the sky as a number of buildings burnt to destruction. One shopping street in particular was badly damaged and other buildings were totally gutted by the fires, whilst Parachute Flares silently and menacingly hung in the area lighting the devastation for miles around. Rescue efforts were carried out using torchlight only to avoid the area from further targeting. 33 people were killed and 115 were injured.
4 High Explosive bombs dropped on farmland in Llansamlet. 1 of the bombs did not explode until the following day. No damage or casualties.
4 High Explosive bombs dropped over Llansamlet and Treboeth just before midnight. Unexploded bomb at Tyrhester Farm. No casualties.
A single plane dropped 3 High Explosive bombs over Brynmill just before 9.00pm. 1 failed to explode. Slight damage to Langland Terrace but no casualties.
Just before 11.00pm 2 High Explosive bombs dropped near New Cut Bridge and King's Dock. Incendiaries also dropped over Rutland Street and Wind Street. The old Strand Power Station and a bus were damaged. A petrol bomb was also dropped on Dyfatty Street where 2 houses were destroyed. No casualties.
9 High Explosive bombs and numerous incendiaries dropped over Swansea's town centre, St Thomas, Uplands, Mount Pleasant, Townhill and Mayhill. Slight damage but no casualties.
6 High Explosive bombs and numerous incendiaries dropped on Prince of Wales Dock, Kilvey Hill, St. Thomas, Bonymaen, Winchwen and Morriston. Only slight damage and no casualties.
15 High Explosive bombs and numerous incendiaries dropped over Gors Avenue, Winchwen, Cockett, Mayhill and Llansamlet. Medium damage to residential properties and 5 casualties.
1941
Cardiff: suffered its heaviest raid of the war, leading to the loss of 165 people, with a further 427 seriously injured. Early in the raid parachute landmines fell on Llandaff. The parachute of the first one was said to have become entangled with the tip of the spire of the Prichard Tower and then fell into the churchyard on the south side of the cathedral. It exploded, creating a vast crater and destroying many graves, also severely damaging the Chapter House and the roof of the nave, south aisle and chancel.
Swansea: 2 small High Explosive bombs dropped on an empty field in Ynystawe just before midnight. No damage
12 High Explosive bombs and 200 incendiaries dropped on St. Thomas, Swansea town centre, Sketty, Derwen Fawr and Glais just after midnight. Many small fires reported but all were easily extinguished. 20 casualties reported.
2 High Explosive bombs dropped on King's Dock Road by a solitary plane just after 10.00pm. 5 people slightly injured. Only slight structural damage.
Extensive damage as 178 High Explosive bombs and 7000 incendiaries landed on a snow-covered Swansea during its heaviest raid to date. St Thomas was easily the most affected region with other significant damage being recorded at Hafod and Bonymaen.
This blitz started soon after dark and lasted for several hours. Undoubtedly, a sustained attack on the docks and industrial sector were the intentions of the enemy this night, but the surrounding residential areas of Bonymaen, Hafod and St. Thomas suffered the brunt of the bombs which missed their prime targets. Starting with a large number of incendiaries, which fell both sides of the River Tawe, a continuous bombardment of flares and High Explosive bombs followed from 8.00pm until 12.50am. This caused severe fires that damaged houses, shops and commercial buildings and resulted in 55 deaths and 97 casualties. One of the legitimate targets of the raid was the ICI works complex at Landore which was, as part of the war effort, heavily involved in war production. Around 20 incendiary bombs and some High Explosives hit the area but only caused damage to some building roofs, with the plant itself escaping unscathed. There were only three minor casualties and no deaths at the plant resulting from the enemy's onslaught.
The "Three Nights' Blitz" (19th,20th,21st). Over these three night's of intensive bombing, which lasted a total of 13 hours and 48 minutes, Swansea town centre was almost completely obliterated by the 896 High Explosive bombs employed by the Luftwaffe. A total of 397 casualties and 230 deaths were reported.
The worst single incident during the war in Swansea happened on the second night of 'The Three Nights' Blitz'. A whole stick of bombs hit a row of houses in Teilo Crescent, which was already in flames. The lives of the street's residents, as well as fire fighters and wardens who were battling the fires, were tragically wiped out, amounting to a total of 46 deaths and many more injuries.
The basement of Wesleyan Chapel, situated at the top of Swansea's old Goat Street, was one of the many that had been requisitioned as a public shelter to cover the neighbouring populace. The shelter had become, much to the deep consternation of the Civil Defense authorities, a place where people would congregate socially each evening. Many locals would bring blankets, pillows and deckchairs to the shelter, which had become well-known for its use as a "Fish and Chip Bar". But it was during the less congenial circumstances of the third night of 'The Three Nights' Blitz' that wartime drama removed every last ounce of meagre merrymaking. Around 150 people had seeked shelter here during the very worst bombardment the Luftwaffe wreaked upon Swansea. The town centre was in the midst of being burnt to the ground during the relentless onslaught of mostly incendiary bombs. The vast majority of buildings here were ablaze and raging out of control due to the intensity of the attack and the lack of fighting ability remaining in both the exhausted defense force and bomb-damaged water hydrants and hoses. The flames had been so intense in Goat Street that it was obvious that the people sheltering in the Wesleyan Chapel shelter were at serious risk. Taking a decisive step, two or three policemen efficiently evacuated the shelter and guided the people down Welcome Lane to the arches beneath The Strand, where they sheltered until the 'all clear' was sounded at 12.40am. However, as was common during this time of misinformation and rumour in the absence of real fact and authoritative announcements, it was believed by a substantial number of locals that over a hundred people had met their deaths within this shelter.
6 High Explosive bombs deposited on open fields at Cockett and the Cefn Coed area. Only slight structural damage with 1 person reported with slight injuries.
12 High Explosive bombs dropped on the foreshore between Swansea and Mumbles. No damage or casualties.
3 deaths and 9 casualties as Hafod dealt with a total of 15 High Explosive bombs. 8 houses were demolished and others sustained significant damage. Neath Road was blocked by a bomb crater and Gas and Water mains received substantial damage.
100 incendiaries fell over Bonymaen and Llansamlet. Minimal damage and no casualties.
Minimal damage as 4 High Explosive bombs were dropped over Danygraig Road and Crymlyn Bog before darkness had begun to fall over Swansea.
3 killed as The Strand and North Dock were rocked by 2 High Explosive bombs just after 9.00pm.
Slight damage and no recorded casualties as 800 incendiaries and 1 High Explosive bomb were dropped over Mumbles Head and Limeslade.
13 casualties as 2 parachute mines (one which failed to explode) were dropped over Frederick Place, Llansamlet at midnight.
Morriston received 3 casualties as 1 High Explosive bomb was dropped on its town just after midnight.
4 High Explosive bombs dropped on Treboeth, Morriston again. Slight damage with 4 casualties.
4 High Explosive bombs landed in the sea off the cliff walk path between Langland and Caswell Bays. No injuries. An unexploded bomb was found at Mayhill Gardens.
Swansea Strand and Burrows area and Port Tennant were targeted with 2 parachute mines. 1 person was killed with 23 casualties.
1942
240 incendiaries dropped over Birchgrove. No damage.
1943
Swansea's last air raid was a another blitz on the town. A few bombers dropped flares some time after 10.00pm, before circling the town to release their load of 32 High Explosive bombs and a substantial amount of incendiary bombs. The raid lasted a relatively short 30 minutes, but killed 34 people, injured 110 and caused considerable damage to residential houses and shops in the areas of Neath Road, Hafod, St. Thomas and Brynmill. In addition, Swansea General Hospital needed to evacuate 300 patients to neighbouring hospitals after a ward was completely demolished by a blast.
