"Sixty years ago Swansea was destroyed. The 'ugly lovely' town of Dylan Thomas was gone forever. This most devastating period in the town's history that resulted in a loss of life and property came over the 19th, 20th and 21st of February 1941.
"The Second World War brought wholesale destruction to many towns in Britain, but, compared to places like Coventry, London or Clydeside, Swansea got off light. The first hit on Swansea had been early on the morning of 27 June 1940, at 3.30am, when a flare lit up the sleeping town - this was the start of a total of 44 attacks on the town.
"The bombing of the town by the Luftwaffe - which brought a hell on earth to all its inhabitants - began on that cold, snowy night of 19 February 1941 when just after 7.30pm a shower of bombs fell on the quiet streets - 'Causing houses to dissolve like heated butter'. Fires raged around the town as incendiaries rained from the sky and the call for help went out to all the emergency services. The first response attended by the Fire Service was to 91 Rhondda Street, where it was recorded that only slight damage was done to a first floor landing. By the third night over 170 incidents had been attended.
"On the last night the air raid sirens sounded at 7.50pm - the start of a raid that lasted for five hours. Incendiary bombs fell over Swansea and the town centre was again engulfed in flames. Another school was lost. The Grammar School that had stood on Mount Pleasant Hill since 1851 took a direct hit and by the following morning was just a smouldering shell.
"The devastation of the town brought many important visitors to view the damage first hand and give comfort to those most deeply affected. Mrs Gladys Fisher of Milton Terrace, daughter-in-law of Fred Fisher, recalled the day the King and Queen stood on the terrace to see the destruction inflicted on the town by the enemy. The visit had been kept secret, but at the last minute Mrs Fisher and her neighbours rushed out of their houses to cheer the Royal party. The Queen enquired if any one had been hurt or suffered damage to their home. Mrs Fisher told her how her house had taken a hit. It was suggested a memorial tablet should have been placed at this point where the King inspired the people of Swansea! The Prime Minister Winston Churchill also came to Swansea on one of his wartime fact-finding missions. He also stood in Milton Terrace, to see for himself the ruins of the town."
Royston Kneath.
Read more memories of the Three Nights Blitz in David Davies' feature.
your comments
If you are under 16 please do not disclose your surname.
We try to publish as many comments as we can but unfortunately, due to the volume of comments we receive every day, we cannot guarantee that all comments submitted will be published
Amanda Hammond
My Dada was Thomas James Henry Hammond born 1913 Townhill, Swansea, brother Kenny, sisters Iris, Elsie and Betty. He came home on leave and could not find his way home as the bombs had done so much damage he always had tears in his eyes when he talked about it. I am only in my early 40s are there any of my relatives from Swansea?
Wed Aug 27 16:22:52 2008
Marilyn Kenna Swansea
My grandmother, Gladys Westacott (Chapple) lived in Brynmill and would walk to a tobacconist shop in Wind Street to buy tobacco for my grandfather. She often told the tale of the time she 'got caught in the bombing'. She had gone for tobacco and returning along what is now The Kingsway was frozen to the spot with fear as bombs were falling behind her. I assume this would have been over the docks.
Thu Jan 31 13:16:05 2008
Joan and Ray Williams; Swansea
My mother (Joan) was a little girl living in Townhill. She vividly remembers having to take shelter in a neighbours, Mrs Eaton's Anderson Shelter during the air raids. It smelled of earth and damp canvas, while they huddled together and the ladies made tea on a paraffin stove. She remembers the shaking and explosions, especially the bombs that exploded on Gwynedd Avenue that destroyed a row of houses, killing the occupants. She also remembers her father, Len , pouring sand over the incendiary bombs that had landed in their garden and bomb shrapnel that had smahed windows and was lying on the floor of the bedroom.
My father, Ray, was from Llanelli and remembers the noise of bombers and the glow over Swansea in the distance. He remembers coming into High Street with his Uncle Hubert and seeing bodies lined up under canvas not far from the station. Later in the war (May/June 1944) my mother recalls standing on Pantycelin Rd, Townhill, looking down on Swansea Bay full of ships, a lot towing bargess (The Mulberry Harbour?) and then within a night or two all of them having disappeared. her aunty turning to her mother and saying "Elsie, I think something big is up!" - it was the start of the Normandy invasion.
Elsie (my grandmother) was nervous for some time after, as she was concerned for my grandfather,Len, who was serving with the Welsh Guards at the time and would eventually fight in Normandy.
Thu Jan 3 10:03:03 2008
David Evans australia
I was about six when Swansea was bombed and lived in Port Talbot. We thought it was great because a bomb landed in the railway embankment next to our school but didn't go off. So we had a few days off while it was defused and removed.
Thu Dec 27 11:20:37 2007
Deborah Tilley of Haverfordwest
My late Dad George Battye (1934 - 2007) lived in York Street with his parents, brothers, and sister. Their house took a direct hit and was totally flattened. They survived because they took shelter in the cellar.Dad had vivid memories of being dug out from the basement and rescued by the firemen.I wonder whether his claustrophobia in later life was caused by this event.
We used to love to hear him talk about it and I'm only sad that he's not around anymore to hear his voice. It's so important to listen to what our older family members have to say. They lived through so much.
Wed Nov 14 11:55:37 2007
Jeff Lloyd, Western Australia
In 1941 my Mother and father lived in Baglan, across the bay from Swansea. My dad would stand on the front step and watch poor Swansea taking a pasting, saying that he could feel the blast from the exploding bombs and crouching every time the ack-ack battery [which was located in the fields just behind our house]would fire.And hoping and praying that his Mum and Dad who lived in Swansea were still alive.
Fri Oct 5 09:09:55 2007
Alan Madge from Slough
I was born after the war in 1946, but I well remember my grandparents' house in Compass Street, Manselton (where as children we used to stay with my parents for summer, Christmas and Easter holidays). The back garden took a direct hit during the blitz blowing out windows and doors. Fortunately, my mother and my grandparents were out at the time as they might otherwise have sustained serious injuries or even been killed by the bomb blast.
My grandfather was Mr W J Devonald who subsequently retired as headmaster of Mayhill school in 1949 and was a deacon at Siloam Chapel and was probably quite well known. 0n the Manselton and Pentre areas of Swansea. My father who worked at Port Talbot docks at the time of the blitz used to recall the time he was coming home late one night on a train which had been stopped by signal on Landore viaduct. Incendiary bombs were raining down on the viaduct and he and the train crew, using firemen's shovels from the cab of the locomotive, went along the viaduct scooping them over the edge into the River Tawe. "The night he helped save the main rail link into Swansea". I wish I'd recorded more of Dad's stories when he was still alive.
Tue May 8 10:10:15 2007
joan , nee gundy , from maesteg
My father, the late Vernon Gundy, was working, during the Swansea blitz,for the Postal Service, keeping telecommunications operating. After returning to the telephone exchange late one afternoon, Vernons workmate heard the sound of an approaching German flying bomb.He shouted "Get down!" and the men dived for cover beneath the truck.
Almost immediately , the bomb hit the bus station, demolishing it and killing a lot of people who were waiting to go home after work. For many years, the bombsitewas made into a large memorial grassed mound.
After the war's end, Vernon and his wife and 3 children moved to New Zealand, but the memories of that time remained for the rest of his life .
Wed Apr 18 16:36:52 2007
Alan Thomas, Copenhagen Denmark
Although only a small child I remember the bombing vividly. My Grandfather holding me high and looking down toward Swansea from the safety of our Neath back garden. The aircraft flew over our town before turning to make their run-in,the flares,distant rumble of bombs and ack-ack and orange sky.
Mon Jan 15 10:06:09 2007
Viv Belcher formerly from Brynamman
I was 3 1/2 when Swansea was blitzed. We ran to a shelter in a house at the top of Brynbach Rd from Esgair Ynys,where we lived. I clearly remember a pitch black night and the sky over Swansea being bright red with search lights, the sound of explosions and gunfire. I dont know how long we were at the shelter, for when I awoke the next day I was at home..
Tue Dec 19 09:31:49 2006
R C Cameron Eugene OR USA
Wasn't the Swansea Bltz caused by the rumor of the showing of the movie by the name "The Great Dictator" ? PS, I was there for the 3 nights at the sailors home!
Mon Sep 18 09:44:11 2006
John James, London
My brother and I were evacuated from London,and went to Llangyfelach school, and remember watching Swansea burning on the fateful three nights. To this day I remember the rhyme we kids used to say.
German jerries over Cymru
In Penclawdd they see a donkey,
We're in Egypt said the jerry,
Let's go back to Briton Ferry.
Mon Jul 3 11:22:10 2006
Owen Jones, Ebbw Vale, Gwent
My father Hugh Jones lived in Fullers Row as a child and remembered the three day blitz well. At the time he was a teenager working as a bicycle delivery boy. He always told me about the bank being hit and moltern coinage running out over the steps. Was this an exaggeration or did this actually happen? Sadly my dad is no longer with us and I only wish I had taken the time to get more stories of his childhood.
Thu Jan 26 00:44:32 2006
Keith James, Brynamman
I remember standing at the front of our house watching the sky above Swansea (15 miles away)all lit up and red from the fires and bombs. I was four at the time.
Thu Nov 3 23:52:53 2005
John Williams, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
I was 7 at the time of the 3 Night Blitz living in Fullers Row and an incindary bomb can through the roof of my bedroom, my mother and I being in a shelter at the end of our street. The ARP men quickly put out the fire minimizing the damage. The next night a landmine was dropped creating a crater at the other end of the street. When this was discovered the following morning we were all evacuated until the bomb had been defused, without any casualities.
There was snow on the ground and no water supply and I remember collecting snow to put in the kettle and making boiling water on an old Dover stove. Not knowing any better I thought the period was great as the town was lighted-up by the fires from the bombing and was a great visual sight particularly as complete blackout was in effect.
Wed Oct 26 16:26:40 2005
R C Cameron Eugene, OR USA
I was a resident of the sailors home as a memberof the MN in Swansea during the 3 night blitz of `41. I remember helping the firemen roll out hose at a fire close by one of those nights. I will never forget it along with other artic runs to Russia...
Tue Oct 18 23:08:59 2005
Keitha Green Indiana U .S.A
I was almost eleven,we lived in the Sandfields. For three nights we crouched in the dark under the stairs, on one of the nights an incendiary bomb landed in the soft earth in our garden, lucky for us it happened to be a dud so my father took it over to the St.Helens School yard and put it in a sand bucket. We thought any minute it might explode! My brothers and me were evacuated to the village of Hook about five miles from Haverfordwest. We left from St. Helens School in buses for High St. Train Station... there were plenty of tears that day!!!!!!
Sat Aug 27 16:05:36 2005
Peter G Davies born in Swansea
One of my starkest memories of the blitz (I was six at the time) was seeing the burnt out shell of St Mary's church with the bells, which had fallen out of the tower, piled up at the bottom of the tower. I took up bellringing in England many years later and came back to Swansea on a number of occasions to ring the new St Mary's bells, but I'll never forget the original bells! I also remember how easy it was on my way home from Swansea Grammar school to walk from the bottom of Mount Pleasant to the bus stop in Castle Square - in a straight line!
Thu Jul 14 20:10:31 2005
Maureen Derrick (nee Bacon) from London
I was only 5 years old at the time of the bombings in Swansea but I do remember it all very well. My father had taken our family my mother and 7 children to Swansea to get away from the bombs in London.
I remember one night in particular when my mother and I sat in a cupboard under the stairs of the house we rented with her saying prayers over and over again and me wondering what it was all about and being absolutely terrified. My brothers who were teenagers and my father went to help at the Fire Station when it was bombed the boys thinking how exciting it all was.
I remember also days playing on the sands at the Mumbles and having a wonderful time. I will always remember my time in Swansea probably because of the war and how terrified I was by it all. Even now whenever I hear the sound of that awful siren going off (in a film) I get a terrible feeling in my stomach and feel quite frightened.
Thu Dec 30 01:14:10 2004
Max Jenkins, Morriston
I well remember in 1941 a landmine falling into our next door neighbour's garden in Frederick Place, Llansamlet. My twin and I were about 6 years old at the time. It exploded - demolishing our neighbour's detached house and the terrace of 7 houses on the other side. Our house at the end of a row of three suffered considerable damage but was later repaired. Miraculously no one was killed. My mother had gone to our back door because although the air raid siren 'all clear' had sounded she heard a plane overhead. She saw an object suspended under a parachute just clear our apple tree. Thinking it was probably an armed German airman she told my elder brother (then about 16)to fetch my twin and me from our bedroom. He sustained the only injury of the night bending over our bed to waken us when the landmine exploded shattering the bedroom window and sending a sliver of glass into the wall a foot above his head. He sustained a wound in his rear from a smaller piece of glass.
Mon Aug 30 20:56:04 2004
Do you have memories of the Swansea Blitz? Add your comments and stories here.
