Luftwaffe Target Scotland

[Saxondog]

March 13,1941 236 German bombers attacked Glasgow and Clydeside, Scotland, United Kingdom for the first time, targeting munitions factories and docks, sinking 3 cargo ships and damaging 2 destroyers. To the south, German bombers attacked Liverpool for the second night in a row, pushing total casualty to about 500.

This set a terrible example of the venerability of Scottish Harbours,and the threat to shipping of air born bombing raids on anchored ships and Harbours in general.


WITH a population of around 10,000 during World War II, Peterhead seemed unlikely to be one of Hitler's top targets.

But a new book - Luftwaffe Over Scotland, by Les Taylor - claims the fishing port was the second most bombed place in Britain after London.

The reason was not because of its strategic value, but Peterhead's geographical position. It was the first urban area the Luftwaffe saw as they attacked the UK from Norway.

The town was bombed 28 times during World War II - followed by Aberdeen with 24 raids, Fraserburgh 23, Edinburgh 18, Montrose 15 and Glasgow 11.

In total, there were more than 500 German air raids on Scotland - ranging from single aircraft hit-and-runs, to mass bombings by 240 planes.

During the air war in Scotland, 2500 people died and 8000 were injured.

And more than 200 enemy aircraft were shot down on Scottish territory. Although Peterhead was attacked more times than any other Scottish town, Clydebank suffered the greatest loss of life in one raid - the Clydebank Blitz.

In the book, Les reveals that the terror bombing of the Clydeside - which killed 800 people over two nights - was never planned by the Nazis

Saxondog