The Nottingham Blitz remembered
Fires blazed at the Trivett’s Building, in Short Hill and at three of the Boots factories in Poplar Street, Island Street and Station Street.
One of the largest fires was battled at St Mary’s Church on High Pavement as an incendiary bomb burned through the roof.
On the night of May 8 and into the morning of May 9, the Luftwaffe targeted both Nottingham and Derby.
A decoy fire system located near Cropwell Butler in the Vale of Belvoir confused the aircraft, and many of the bombs intended for Nottingham were dropped on open farmland in the vale.
Nottingham was as prepared as it could be. It was the first city in Britain to develop an ARP (Air Raid Precautions) network.
The city was divided into zones, controlled by report and control centres with 45 auxiliary fire service stations.
Many people used the city’s ancient caves as air-raid shelters.
There were also a large number of public shelters and even a network of tunnels under the John Player & Sons tobacco company building big enough to house around 5,000 workers.
Hilary Silvester, executive chair of Nottingham Civic Society, said: “Although the city and county came under aerial attack on several other occasions, this was the night when Nottingham saw serious action.
“And indeed heroic action from the fire service and other agencies who did so much to help their fellow citizens and the fabric of our city: without their efforts Nottingham today would be a very different place.”
The Nottinghamshire Firefighter Memorial in St Mary’s churchyard commemorates those members of the fire and rescue service who lost their lives during the war.
It was unveiled by Princess Anne in 2013.
Commemorations will take place on Sunday at the memorial in St Mary’s churchyard to remember the heroes and victims of the blitz.
More information about Nottinghamshire’s wartime fire and civil defence services can be found in David Newman’s book Battle Of The Flames.