Newcastle Blitz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Newcastle Blitz |
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.jpg) Visit to Elswick Works by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, 18 June 1941; Newcastle's vast industry was a strategic target of German bombers (photo from Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums) |
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| Belligerents | |||||
 Nazi Germany |
 United Kingdom |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||
| Unknown | ~400 | ||||
The Newcastle Blitz was a series of bombing attacks on the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in England. These attacks happened during World War II, when German planes from the Luftwaffe bombed the city.
Between July 1940 and December 1941, nearly 400 people lost their lives in these raids. The bombings were part of a larger plan by Germany to target important cities in Britain.
Contents
Why Newcastle Was a Target
Newcastle and the surrounding areas like Tyneside, Wearside, and Teesside were very important to Britain's war effort. This made them key targets for German bombers.
Important Industries
The region had many busy factories and industries. These included:
- Shipbuilding yards that built ships for the navy and merchant fleets.
- Busy docks that sent coal to other parts of England.
- Major railway lines that connected to Scotland.
Specific places the Germans wanted to hit were the bridges over the River Tyne, the docks, and large factories. These factories included the Elswick steelworks, Swan Hunter's shipyard, Vickers Armstrong "Naval Yard," and Wallsend slipway.
Evacuation of Children
Before the bombings started, many people, especially children, were moved out of Newcastle. In September 1939, after war was declared, over 30,000 people left the city. They went to safer places like the Lake District and rural Northumberland. This was done to protect them from the expected air raids.
Major Bombing Raids
The people of Newcastle faced many air raids during the war. Each raid brought danger and destruction to the city.
1940 Attacks
The first big attack on Newcastle and nearby Gateshead happened on 2 July 1940. The bombers aimed for the High Level Bridge. This raid killed 13 people and injured 123 others.
Another raid took place on 15 August 1940. German planes flew from bases in Norway and Denmark. Even though British fighter planes stopped many of them, some bombers managed to drop bombs on Newcastle and Sunderland.
1941 Attacks
On 25 April 1941, German bombers attacked Newcastle again. They dropped powerful explosive bombs, fire-starting bombs (incendiaries), and even a parachute mine. This attack killed 47 people and left many homes destroyed.
A raid on 1 September 1941 caused a huge fire at the New Bridge Street Goods Station. The fire burned for a whole week! This raid was very damaging, killing 50 people and seriously injuring 71. Another 140 people had minor injuries, and over a thousand people lost their homes.
The last major raid on Newcastle happened on 29 December 1941. Nine people were killed in the Byker area of the city. After this, smaller attacks by single planes or small groups continued for about two more years.
One of these smaller raids hit North Shields. A building called W.A. Wilkinsons, which was being used as an air raid shelter, was hit.
After the Blitz
The bombings caused a lot of damage to homes in Newcastle. Before the war, the city had been growing quickly, building new houses. The destruction from the Blitz meant that even more homes needed to be built after the war ended. This led to a big effort to build new housing across Tyneside.
