The Blitz
There is a heavy night raid on Manchester, the first of 2 consecutive nights. About 370 aircraft are involved in this raid, each with about one ton of high explosives. 37,000 fire-bombs are also dropped. To mark the target, planes from KG100, II/KG55 and III/KG26 drop flares and incendiaries. 400 fires are started in the city center and at Stretford. Damage to factories and commercial properties is heavy.
Railway stations are hit as is the main bus depot. The city has 3,500 firemen but many are in Liverpool helping there from the previous day. As a result many fires are able to do a lot of damage across the city. Fires burn in Piccadilly, the Royal Exchange, the Shambles and the Cathedral, Cheetham's Hospital, around Albert Square, Portland Street and Trafford Park.
Damage in Liverpool |
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Manchester Raid |
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On 22/23 December 121 aircraft of Luftflotte 2, and 149 aircraft of Luftflotte 3, both based in Northern France, dropped 272 tons of high explosive and 1,032 canisters of incendiary bombs on Manchester. On 23/24 December 171 aircraft of Luftflotte 3 returned and dropped another 195 tons of high explosive and 893 incendiaries. 684 people died and many more were injured. Over thirty acres of city centre Manchester were destroyed (some reports say ninety), Salford and Stretford were savaged as well. At one point there were 1300 major blazes, some combining, as at Piccadilly, to create a fire storm. Buildings were demolished to prevent the fire spreading. |
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]Mediterranean
Aircraft from the HMS Illustrious bomb Tripoli.
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