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Cardiff at War: The Devastation and Resilience of a City

Explore the impact of German bombing raids on Cardiff during World War Two and the measures taken to defend the city. Witness the destruction of iconic landmarks like Llandaff Cathedral and the resilience of its people.

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Cardiff at War: The Devastation and Resilience of a City

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  1. Cardiff at War Wales’ appeal was based upon the assumption that it was too far to the West to suffer from German bombing raids. The assumption proved to be unfounded. Cardiff suffered its first raid in June 1940 and during the following fifteen months thirty thousand buildings in the city were damaged, Llandaff Cathedral among them. The bombing of the city of Cardiff Photograph courtesy of The National Museums and Galleries of Wales, ref: 85.25/60

  2. “Measures were taken to defend Cardiff before the full fury of the Blitz began. Anti-aircraft guns were ringed around the city and rocket guns on Ely Racecourse were strategically placed to deter low flying aircraft. Mobile guns on lorries were also deployed.” Dennis Morgan, Cardiff: A City at War (1998) A Light Anti-Aircraft (A.A.) Gun Photograph courtesy of Swansea Museum

  3. A Barrage Balloon over Cathays Park. Talking Point: How did a barrage balloon work? How effective do you think barrage balloons were in protecting Cardiff from Luftwaffe bombers? Image courtesy of Cardiff Council Libraries and Information Service

  4. Croft Street and Rose Street, January 1941 On the 2nd January Cardiff was bombed by about 100 German aircraft. High explosives and parachute mines caused extensive damage. Image courtesy of Dennis Morgan

  5. 2nd January, 1941. The attack began at 6:37 p.m. Flares fell first, followed by incendiary bombs and eventually the thud of high explosives and parachute mines. “Riverside was the first suburb of Cardiff to feel the full onslaught of the Luftwaffe. The district suffered the heaviest casualties in the city as more than 60 people lost their lives in the first half hour of the raid….seven people lost their lives when a landmine struck their house…another seven people were killed in another house….a high explosive bomb hit the bakery and thirty-two people in the basement were killed….the gasworks in Grangetown was lit up by flames.” Dennis Morgan, Cardiff: A City at War (1998) How many people were killed at just these three locations?

  6. 2nd January, 1941. 8:00 p.m. A parachute was noticed drifting towards Llandaff Cathedral. Some people thought that it was a German airman who had bailed out of his aircraft. “ Probably the cords of the parachute became entangled in the spire of the cathedral before a landmine exploded outside the south porch….A huge crater erupted among the ancient graves in the churchyard and tombstones were hurled like ancient missiles more than half a mile away.” Dennis Morgan, Cardiff: A City at War (1998) Oak doors had been split and the whole of the nave had been unroofed. The inside of the cathedral was covered with debris, including shattered slates, stained glass window fragments and shattered timber. What do the past few slides tell you about the intensity of bombing on the 2nd January, 1941?

  7. A view of the destruction caused by the landmine that fell on Llandaff Cathedral Llandaff Cathedral - old and new Image courtesy of Dennis Morgan

  8. NGfL Cymru Click here to compare the old and the new

  9. Click here for a view of the interior of the nave

  10. The devastated interior of the nave of Llandaff Cathedral compared with the rebuilt nave, complete with Jacob Epstein’s concrete arch and aluminium statue ofChrist in Majesty. 2005 NGfL Cymru Image courtesy of Dennis Morgan

  11. The Dean of the Cathedral could not find his steel air raid helmet when the raid began and so had to place a colander on his head to protect himself. Unfortunately, he did sustain injuries none-the-less, along with the Cathedral Verger who was knocked over by the blast and covered in debris. Only Coventry Cathedral sustained more damage than Llandaff during World War Two. Memorial Stone at Llandaff Cathedral

  12. Bomb damaged Bute Street, opposite Bute Street Station. April 1943. Photograph courtesy of The National Museums and Galleries of Wales, ref: 79.85/60

  13. Bomb damage near the Heath Hotel, Allensbank Road. Photograph courtesy of The National Museums and Galleries of Wales, ref: 85.25/60

  14. The final assault on Cardiff by the Luftwaffe occurred in May and lasted for 83 minutes. Over 4,000 houses and 140 shops were destroyed or damaged and 45 people were killed. Landmines caused the worst damage throwing debris high into the air and causing many people to be buried under rubble. ‘A stick of bombs fell on Allensbank Road, severely damaging a row of houses and the Heath Hotel…A landmine fell on Cathays Cemetery (one lady) recalls coming out of the Anderson shelter ” to find a piece of gravestone from the cemetery on her parents’ bed.” Dennis Morgan, Cardiff: A City at War (1998)

  15. What can you see? Describe the level of devastation seen in these photographs.

  16. The bombing of the City of Cardiff Defences Effects of bombing Areas/places affected END

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