Exeter was bombed by the German Luftwaffe (The German equivalent of the Royal Air Force) on 19 different occasions between 1940 and 1942. The first air raid happened on 7th August 1940. A single bomber dropped 5 high explosive bombs onto St. Thomas. This air raid was fairly innocuous and was reported as:
"Five bombs fell on a south west town on Wednesday night. Little damage was done to property, and the only casualties were a middle aged man who was able to walk to a first aid post, a canary which died from shock and a few chickens." Express and Echo 9th August 1940.
The most destructive raid happened on the 4th May 1942. At around 1:30 the air raid siren was sounded and was declared a code 'Red' as 20 Luftwaffe bombers flew up the Exe estuary. The first bombs fell in Newtown, they were sticks of incendiaries (bombs designed to set fire to the rooftops). Then the fire barge that was trying to put the fires out was sunk in the River Exe. The High Street was blocked preventing access to the central area to fight the burning buildings. The fires were spreading from one building to another, despite the heroic efforts of the firewatch who would risk their lives to remove incendiary bombs from the rooftops with special scoops made for the job, before they could ignite and set further buildings on fire. In addition, the attacking planes flew low, hitting the emergency personnel with machine gun fire. After the German forces had retreated, the fires were getting more out of control. The fires spread quickly between the houses (made from plaster and lath) and destroyed many local businesses and residences. By the end of the day all of the fires had been put out.
This air raid killed 156 men, women and children, and injured 563. Thirty acres of the city were completely destroyed and many historic buildings were damaged or destroyed. 1,500 homes were completely destroyed, and another 2,700 more houses were severely damaged.
"Five bombs fell on a south west town on Wednesday night. Little damage was done to property, and the only casualties were a middle aged man who was able to walk to a first aid post, a canary which died from shock and a few chickens." Express and Echo 9th August 1940.
The most destructive raid happened on the 4th May 1942. At around 1:30 the air raid siren was sounded and was declared a code 'Red' as 20 Luftwaffe bombers flew up the Exe estuary. The first bombs fell in Newtown, they were sticks of incendiaries (bombs designed to set fire to the rooftops). Then the fire barge that was trying to put the fires out was sunk in the River Exe. The High Street was blocked preventing access to the central area to fight the burning buildings. The fires were spreading from one building to another, despite the heroic efforts of the firewatch who would risk their lives to remove incendiary bombs from the rooftops with special scoops made for the job, before they could ignite and set further buildings on fire. In addition, the attacking planes flew low, hitting the emergency personnel with machine gun fire. After the German forces had retreated, the fires were getting more out of control. The fires spread quickly between the houses (made from plaster and lath) and destroyed many local businesses and residences. By the end of the day all of the fires had been put out.
This air raid killed 156 men, women and children, and injured 563. Thirty acres of the city were completely destroyed and many historic buildings were damaged or destroyed. 1,500 homes were completely destroyed, and another 2,700 more houses were severely damaged.