Belfast Blitz Remembered 70 yrs Later

On Easter Tuesday 15th April 1941 The City of Belfast was bombed from 10.20pm until 5.00am the following morning. A total of 200 German planes were engaged in the raid. A light raid had been experienced on the 7th April but nothing like the night of the 15th and morning of 16th. Over 1000 people were killed and thousands more injured. The city was ablaze and fighting the fires almost impossible because water mains had been damaged and pressure was very low in many areas. There were few air raid shelters and most citizens sheltered in their homes hiding under tables or under their staircases. The City was at a standstill roads blocked, public transport not running and few businesses were able to open. There were not enough coffins for all the dead, The bodies had to be stored at a local swimming pools. Mass graves were needed and up to a hundred and fifty were buried at one time. Belfast was not prepared and had only 25% of air raid protection that would be required for a city of this size. The reason for this oversight was until France fell Belfast was considered outside the range of German bombers. It was a serious error and the raids continued until the 4th May 1941. In early May Dublin a neutral city was also bombed and approx 40 people were killed. A sad time in the Grand old City of Belfast
history, and it should be remembered 70 years later.
Cheers and keep reading.