Today, Tuesday 25th April, marks the 81st anniversary of the start of the devastating bombing raid on the city of Bath by the German Luftwaffe, commonly known as the Bath Blitz.
Bath was heavily bombed in 1942 – Kingsmead Street is unrecognisable today | Library image
The bombing of the area between 25th and 27th April 1942 was part of a series of retaliation raids by the German Air Force.
During the three-day period, more than 19,000 buildings in Bath were damaged, with over 1000 being destroyed and 417 people lost their lives.
The Bath Blitz is one of the most significant moments in the city’s history, with some Bathonians still remembering the events of those fateful days.
The first bombing raid began at 11pm on Saturday, 25th April, and continued through to 1am on Sunday morning.
Despite the air raid sirens sounding across the city, many believed the bombers were heading towards Bristol to continue their four-month bombing campaign on the neighbouring city.
The Luftwaffe planes flew back to France to refuel and rearm, and were back in Bath at 4.35am on Sunday morning.
Following their earlier attack on the city, the aircraft could now easily spot their target, which was well ablaze.
A third bombing run was carried out on Monday morning, along with machine gun fire down the streets, damage from which can still be seen today on the former Labour Exchange building on James Street West.
During the Bath Blitz, the Assembly Rooms were completely destroyed, having only been restored a few years earlier after a period of neglect.
A 500kg bomb was also dropped on Queen Square, destroying 24 metres of the frontage of the Francis Hotel.
Many of the hotel guests and staff had taken shelter in the basement, and casualties from the substantial bomb remained low.
The Bath Blitz was an event that left a lasting impact on the city, with almost 1,200 homes destroyed and the majority of the city’s churches damaged beyond recognition.
Among the 417 casualties, 10 were police officers, the largest loss of life in one day for Avon and Somerset Police.
A selection of images of the damage caused by the Bath Blitz can be found on the Bath in Time website, and a video is available to watch via the British Film Institute.
