(Irelandclick.com)

On the night of April 15 1941, an event took place in Belfast which many people in the city had thought impossible, when the German Luftwaffe began an air raid.

Although this was to have been one of two main raids, it was not the first.

A smaller one had occurred which picked out selected targets in the Docks area. Most people thought nothing of this small raid and were glad to accept the view of the Northern Ireland Cabinet that Hitler’s bombers could never reach Belfast.

But by continuing to ignore the danger Belfast was left almost defenceless. It had no fighter planes, no barrage balloons and only a few anti-aircraft guns, at a time when the war had already been running for three years.

One of the largest squadrons of Luftwaffe bombers, consisting of over 200 planes, left Brittany in the north of France on the evening of 15 April, their target – Belfast.

The planes that took part were mainly Heinkel HE III medium bombers and when they arrived in the city, air raid sirens sounded to warn the local population.

This caused a lot of confusion as an event which many people thought impossible was taking place. The Civil Defence took up positions with the army manning the few anti-aircraft guns in Victoria Barracks.

In the docks smokescreens were set alight and these were belching out thick black smoke. When the sirens died down the noise of the approaching bombers could be heard coming over the lough. A few minutes later the bombing began.

As is well documented many areas of the city were struck but, without doubt, the most heavily-bombed area was that which lay between York Street and the Antrim Road.

In the New Lodge bombs struck a large number of residential streets due to the fact that Victoria Barracks was a direct target of this ‘carpet bombing.’ Burke Street, which ran between Annadale Street and Dawson Street, was completely wiped out with almost all its residents dead.

In Lincoln Avenue and Cranburn Street what were neat rows of terrace houses were now burning piles of rubble.

This was also the case on the Antrim Road, Pim Street, St James’s Street, Annadale Street, Dawson Street, New Lodge Road and sections of Hillman Street, Duncairn Gardens, Upper Meadow Street and Stratheden Street. An air raid shelter on the Hallidays Road received a direct hit killing all those taking shelter within it.

The York Street Mill received a large number of hits and was burning out of control. One of its massive side walls collapsed on to Sussex and Vere Streets killing all those who still remained in their homes. This mill had been one of the targets.

Victoria Barracks was almost completely destroyed in the attack. The scene inside is described by Jimmy Doherty who was an air raid warden at the time.

“The barrack was devastated,” he said. “Large blocks were in ruins, some of them blazing. The married quarters received a direct hit resulting in heavy casualties and loss of life.

“Rescue teams were busily engaged trying to recover bodies or others who could be brought out alive.

“This was the sight that met us as we passed along with one of the guards from the gate who directed us through the area and gave us a running commentary as we went along.

“We could see more new fires were blazing fiercely in the buildings used as stores. ‘The gunners collected a packet’ was how our guide described a direct hit on a gun crew.

“A group of ATS girls perished in this attack as did some more when a bomb hit their quarters.

“Our informant told us that about 30 ATS were killed. He told of further major damage at the far end of the barrack as we cut off between two large blocks.”

The German bombs continued to be dropped for most of the night and the aircraft crews dropped frightening flares which were designed to light up the night so that they could identify targets.

Various bombs were dropped on these including firebombs, landmines (which were suspended from parachutes) and anti-handling devices which were particularly lethal as they were designed to explode once someone touched them.

Because the New Lodge area both contained, and was surrounded by, Luftwaffe targets it became the most heavily-bombed area of Belfast.

Part 2

This article appeared first on the Irelandclick.com web site on June 6, 2002.

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