View source for Sheffield Blitz

{{short description|German bombing of Sheffield during the Second World War}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}

{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict = Sheffield Blitz
|partof = the [[Strategic bombing during World War II|Strategic bombing campaign]] of the [[Second World War]]
|image =A burning building in Sheffield which was raided recently. New York Times Paris Bureau Collection. - NARA - 541901.tif
|image_size = 300px
|caption = Devastation in Sheffield city centre after the Blitz
|date = {{start and end dates|1940|12|12|1940|12|15|df=yes}}<br />(4 days)
|place = [[Sheffield]], England
|coordinates = {{coord|53|23|N|1|28|W|display=inline,title}}
|result = German strategic failure:<!-- See [[Template:Infobox military conflict]] for result criteria.--> <br />
* Steel factories in Sheffield continued to operate and provide essential supplies for the war effort.
* Widespread damage and civilian casualties, Sheffield in extensive structural ruins.
|combatant1 = {{Flagcountry|United Kingdom}}
|combatant2 = {{Flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}
|commander1 = {{plainlist |
* {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} '''[[Winston Churchill]]'''
* {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Hugh Dowding]]
* {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Frederick Pile]]
* {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Owen Tudor Boyd]]
* {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Sir Leslie Gossage]]
}}
|commander2 = {{plainlist |
* {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} '''[[Adolf Hitler]]'''
* {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Hermann Göring]]
* {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Hugo Sperrle]]
* {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Albert Kesselring]]
* {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Hans Jeschonnek]]
}}
|strength1 =
|strength2 =
|casualties1 = {{plainlist |
*660+ dead
*1,500+ injured
*40,000+ homeless
*3,000+ houses destroyed
}}
|casualties2 = Unknown
|alt_caption = 
}}
{{Campaignbox German bombing of Britain 1940–1941}}
{{Campaignbox Home Front (World War II)}}

The '''Sheffield Blitz''' is the name given to the worst nights of [[Nazi Germany|German]] ''[[Luftwaffe]]'' [[Strategic bombing during World War II|bombing]] in [[Sheffield]], England, during the [[Second World War]]. It took place during nighttime on 12 and 15 December 1940.

In 1940, Sheffield was a city of about 560,000 people and contained industries primarily centred on [[steel]] and [[armaments]]. [[Hadfields Limited|Hadfields]] steelworks was also the only place in the UK at that time where 18-inch [[armour-piercing]] shells were made. Most factories were located in the East End of the city beside the [[River Don, South Yorkshire|River Don]]. Documents captured at the end of the war showed the targets for the raids included the Atlas Steelworks, Brown Bayley Steelworks, Meadowhall Iron Works, River Don Works, Darnall Wagon Works, [[Tinsley Park Collieries]], East Hecla Works and Orgreave Coke Ovens.<ref name=License>License, Paul (2000) ''Sheffield Blitz – In words, pictures and memories'', Sheffield Newspapers Ltd.</ref>

The [[full moon]] was on 14 December 1940,<ref name=Moon>[http://www.life-cycles-destiny.com/dw/19311940.htm Phases of the moon 1931–1940]</ref> and both blitz nights were cold and clear.

The [[Germany|German]] code name for the operation was Schmelztiegel ("Crucible").

==12 December raid==

On the afternoon of Thursday, 12 December, British monitoring stations detected X Verfahren (sometimes called [[X-Gerät]]) [[battle of the beams|radio beams]] being laid across northern England and calculated that the likely target of the coming raid would be Sheffield.<ref name=License/>
[[File:Patchwork done on the Wicker Arches in Sheffield, England due to World War 2 Bombing.jpg|thumb|Patchwork on the [[Wicker Arches]] covering an unexploded bomb hole.]]
The yellow alert was received at 6:15{{nbsp}}pm, followed by the purple alert at 6:45{{nbsp}}pm. The red alert was sounded at 7:00{{nbsp}}pm.<ref name=License/> The attack was made by three main groups of aircraft flying from airfields in northern France, including [[Cambrai]]. 13 Heinkel 111s from [[Kampfgruppe 100|''Kampfgruppe'' 100]], the German Pathfinder unit arrived over the city at 7:41{{nbsp}}pm and dropped 16 SC50 high-explosive bombs, 1,009 B1 E1 ZA incendiaries and 10,080 B1 E1 incendiaries. The first incendiaries were dropped over the suburbs of [[Norton Lees]] and [[Gleadless]].<ref name=License/>

The first main group was made up of three waves of 36 [[Junkers Ju 88]]s and 29 [[Heinkel He 111]]s. The second group was made up of 23 Junkers 88s, 74 Heinkel 111s and 7 [[Dornier Do 17]]s. The last group was made up of 63 Junkers 88s and 35 Heinkel 111s, a total of 280 aircraft.<ref name=Wakefield>Wakefield, K. (1981) ''The First Pathfinders – The Operational History of Kampfgruppe 100, 1939–1941''  {{ISBN|0-947554-20-3}}</ref>
At about 9:30{{nbsp}}pm, a line of bombs fell on Campo Lane and Vicar Lane, demolishing the West end of the [[Sheffield Cathedral|Cathedral]]. At about 10:50{{nbsp}}pm a 500&nbsp;kg bomb fell on and destroyed the C&A and Burtons buildings opposite the Marples Hotel in [[Fitzalan Square]].<ref name=h2g2>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A5559573 BBC.co.uk Sheffield Blitz]</ref>
At 11:44{{nbsp}}pm, The Marples Hotel itself received a direct hit. The death toll of this incident was 78, the single biggest loss of life in the attacks. Full details of the identities of the victims and the extensive police efforts made to ensure everyone was identified can be found in the [[Sheffield Archives|Sheffield City Archives]]. The deceased were later found in the cellar, a large concrete box with deep encasing floors and walls beneath the carriageway outside the Marples building.<ref name=License/>
The majority of the bombs on this night fell on the city centre or residential districts, with the last bombs falling at 4:00{{nbsp}}am.<ref name=License/>

==15 December raid==

The second night of the Blitz saw the first use of a new German policy for their pathfinders. High-explosive bombs were no longer carried and were replaced by incendiaries. On this night the pathfinder force was made up of 16 Heinkel 111s, which dropped 11,520 B1 E1 incendiaries between 7:00{{nbsp}}pm and 7:50{{nbsp}}pm. The 15 large fires and the numerous small fires started were visible from 150{{nbsp}}km away.<ref name=Wakefield/>

The main raid was carried out by 50 Heinkel 111s and 11 Dornier 17s, and finished at 10:15{{nbsp}}pm. Many steelworks received hits, including Hadfields, Brown Bayleys and [[Steel, Peech and Tozer]] Ltd, although the damage was not serious enough to affect production.<ref name=License/>

==Aftermath==

In total over 660 people were killed, 1,500 injured and 40,000 made homeless. 3,000 homes were demolished, with a further 3,000 badly damaged. A total of 78,000 homes received damage. Six [[George Medal]]s were awarded to citizens of Sheffield for their bravery during the raids. 134 victims of the raids were buried in a communal grave in [[City Road Cemetery]].<ref name=License/>
[[File:Sheffield City Hall WW2 Bombing Shrapnel Damage.png|thumb|Shrapnel damage left on the pillars of the [[Sheffield City Hall]]]]
[[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]] and [[Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon|Queen Elizabeth]] toured the city soon after the raids to inspect the damage and boost morale amongst survivors. [[Prime Minister of the UK|Prime Minister]] [[Winston Churchill]] also toured the blitzed city, speaking through loudspeakers to a 20,000-strong crowd in Town Hall Square and giving his signature 'V' for 'Victory' [[V sign]].<ref name=Abrahams>Abrahams, James S.  (1940), ''Sheffield Blitz'', Newsphotos Press Agency, Pawson & Brailsford, Sheffield, England.</ref>

==Stage play==

''[[Operation Crucible (play)|Operation Crucible]],'' a play about the Sheffield Blitz by Kieran Knowles, has been performed in London, Sheffield and New York.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/aug/03/operation-crucible-review-war-history-evoked-with-horror-and-humanity|title=Operation Crucible review – war history evoked with horror and humanity|last=Billington|first=Michael|date=3 August 2015|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=12 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/19/london-theater-journal-maximally-minimal/|title=London Theater Journal: Maximally Minimal|last=Brantley|first=Ben|date=19 August 2015|website=ArtsBeat|access-date=12 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/operation-crucible-at-finborough-theatre-sw10-srqbjz37xct|title=Operation Crucible at Finborough Theatre, SW10|last=Maltby|first=Kate|date=5 August 2015|work=The Times|access-date=12 April 2018|issn=0140-0460}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/sep/10/operation-crucible-review-sheffield-crucible|title=Operation Crucible review – Sheffield steals the show in lively wartime tale|last=Hickling|first=Alfred|date=10 September 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=12 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/15/theater/review-operation-crucible-brits-off-broadway.html|title=Review: In 'Operation Crucible,' Terror and Reassurance|date=2 June 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=16 May 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Anderson, Neil (2010) ''Sheffield's Date With Hitler'' ACM Retro {{ISBN|978-0-9563649-3-7}}
*Anderson, Neil (2012) ''Forgotten Memories From A Forgotten Blitz'' ACM Retro {{ISBN|978-1-908431-11-0}}
*Knowles, Kieran (2013) ''Operation Crucible'' Oberon Books {{ISBN|978-1783190805}}
*Lofthouse, Alistair (2001) ''Then & Now: The Sheffield Blitz – Operation Crucible'' Ald Design & Print {{ISBN|1-901587-09-6}}

==External links==
*[https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/content/sheffield/home/libraries-archives/access-archives-local-studies-library/research-guides/blitz.html Sources for the Study of the Sheffield Blitz] Produced by Sheffield City Council's Libraries and Archives.
*[http://finboroughtheatre.co.uk/productions/2013/operation-crucible.php Website for the Finborough Theatre's Production] of Operation Crucible by Kieran Knowles

{{The Blitz}}

{{WWII city bombing|state=autocollapse}}

[[Category:History of Sheffield|Blitz]]
[[Category:The Blitz]]
[[Category:1940s in Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Military history of Yorkshire]]
[[Category:1940s in Sheffield]]
[[Category:December 1940 in the United Kingdom]]