The Battle of Britain

Baedeker Raids

Fire Blitz on Bath, 1942, by Wilfred Haines; This oil painting by fireman artist Wilfred Haines shows fires blazing across the city of Bath during an air raid in April 1942. The city was ill-prepared for an air raid on this scale and high-explosive bombs did considerable damage. In two consecutive nights of attacks, 400 people were killed, communications badly affected and the town's railway station put out of action. Wilfred Haines was killed in 1944 by a V-1 flying bomb.

Fire Blitz on Bath, 1942, by Wilfred Haines

art

This oil painting by fireman artist Wilfred Haines shows fires blazing across the city of Bath during an air raid in April 1942. The city was ill-prepared for an air raid on this scale and high-explosive bombs did considerable damage. In two consecutive nights of attacks, 400 people were killed, communications badly affected and the town's railway station put out of action. Wilfred Haines was killed in 1944 by a V-1 flying bomb.

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In 1942, in retaliation for an RAF bombing raid on the German town of Lübeck, the Luftwaffe launched a series of destructive raids against historic towns and cities in Britain. These attacks were termed the 'Baedeker' raids after the famous German...

In 1942, in retaliation for an RAF bombing raid on the German town of Lübeck, the Luftwaffe launched a series of destructive raids against historic towns and cities in Britain. These attacks were termed the 'Baedeker' raids after the famous German travel guides.

Exeter was the first target on 24 April 1942. On 25-26 April, Bristol and Bath were raided and Bath was hit again the following night. The city was not prepared for an attack of this scale and its ancient buildings extremely vulnerable to blast damage.

Norwich was raided on 27 April and again two nights later. Although Norwich had been blitzed before and had Air Raid Precautions provisions in place, these raids cost the lives of 222 people.

In April, York was also attacked. The raid lasted only an hour but heavy explosives and incendiaries caused significant damage, and the city’s medieval Guildhall was destroyed.

In early May, 90 aircraft dropped high explosives, parachute mines and incendiaries in a low-level attack on Exeter. Fires devastated the city’s shopping centre, and the raids left 163 people dead and 131 badly injured.

At the end of May, Canterbury was raided. Despite being deliberately targeted by the bombers, the city’s cathedral survived the raids. The bombers returned on 6-7 June, but the addition of a balloon barrage helped to protect the city from further serious damage.

The final raid was aimed at Norwich at the end of June. It left 14 dead and 11 injured.

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Related Exhibitions

  • Bomb damage in Lübeck, 1942

    photographs

    Bomb damage in Lübeck, 1942; Aerial reconnaissance photograph showing bomb damage in Lübeck, Germany, 1942. This vertical photographic-reconnaissance photograph taken over the historic German city of Lübeck shows the extent of damage caused by the raid by RAF Bomber Command aircraft on 28-29 March 1942. This image shows the devastated western part of the Altstadt from the gutted cathedral (top left) to the Drehbrucke (bottom right) and Kanalstrasse (bottom left). It is thought that the 'Baedeker' raids were a reprisal for the RAF's bombing of Lübeck and other historic towns.

  • Study for A Fire Guard Team, Exeter

    art

    Study for A Fire Guard Team, Exeter; Study for A Fire Guard Team, Exeter, 1943, by William Clause. On the night of 25-26 April 1942, Exeter was the first city to be bombed in the 'Baedeker' raids. In this first raid, 80 people were killed and 55 wounded. Exeter and other small historic cities targeted in the 'Baedeker' raids were often poorly prepared or badly defended. Where possible, defences were improved, and this study for an oil painting shows a team of volunteer fire fighters standing amongst rubble from previous raids.

  • Aftermath of a 'Baedeker' raid

    photographs

    Aftermath of a 'Baedeker' raid; The aftermath of a 'Baedeker' raid on Canterbury, 1942. The windows of a Marks & Spencer store in Canterbury are boarded up following the air raid on 31 May 1942, which devastated the Whitefriars area of the city. In the foreground, piles of debris are all that is left of several buildings along the street. Many houses, shops and notable buildings such as the Corn Exchange and City Market were destroyed in the raid, together with the bus depot, three churches and two schools.

  • Private Papers of Mrs L R Pearson

    Private Papers of Mrs L R Pearson; In this series of letters written to her relatives in America, Lily Pearson describes everyday life in York during wartime. In the letter shown here, she describes her work with the Women's Voluntary Service and mentions recent air raids on the city of Hull. In a subsequent letter, she gives a detailed account of the 'Baedeker' raid on York in April 1942 in which her home was badly damaged.

  • Wreckage of a house after an air raid on York, 1942

    photographs

    Wreckage of a house after an air raid on York, 1942; This house was almost totally destroyed in a direct hit by a bomb during the 'Baedeker' raid on York on 28-29 April 1942. Its owner, Mr McGregor, is shown standing amidst the remains of his home. Mr McGregor and his wife (plus their lodger) were protected from the bomb blast and collapsing masonry by a Morrison air raid shelter. This shelter is visible under rubble to the right of the photograph.

  • Bomb damage, Canterbury, 1942

    photographs

    Bomb damage, Canterbury, 1942; This photograph shows the extent of bomb damage to St Augustine's Abbey and the surrounding area, following the 'Baedeker' raid on Canterbury on 31 May - 1 June. Shops in the foreground have lost half their roofs, and timber and debris is all that is left of several other buildings along the road leading to the Abbey. A salvage truck is visible in the centre of the photograph.