The Clydebank Blitz Lesson starter: Why would the Nazis want to bomb the civilian [non-soldier] population during WWII? What would they achieve? Give reasons for your answer.

We are learning to… Describe the events of the Blitz Describe the impact on civilians I can… Complete a Report on the Clydebank Blitz

Key social subjects skill What is Note-Taking? Note-taking is not copying out! Note taking is not taking notes ‘in your head’

The Blitz take notes in your jotter – you will need these for the quick quiz The Blitz was a series of air raids by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) on Britain. It lasted from September 1940 – May 1941 and targeted major cities in Britain. London and Coventry were bombed Clydebank, near Glasgow, was also bombed as part of the Blitz. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vWiJBlwcT4

Types of bombs used The bombs dropped weighed between 50Kg – 2,000Kg (1 bag of sugar = 1kg) Most bombs were explosives

Incendiary bombs Incendiary bombs (fire bombs) did not explode but they started fires.

The Clydebank Blitz On March 13th and 14th 1941, 460 German bombers attacked Clydebank Their main target was the John Brown shipyard. They already had photos of it taken by spy planes The weather conditions were perfect for the bombers – a clear night and a moon that lit up the Clyde

The Clydebank Blitz came in two phases: Bombers flew over Clydebank, and dropped incendiary bombs on areas that would catch fire quickly – the distillery and a timber yard. This was to guide the next wave of bombers. Guided by the fires from the first wave of bombs, a second wave came in and bombed the shipyards.

The John Brown Shipyard

The Singer Factory, Clydebank The Singer Factory, Clydebank. The sewing machine factory made weapons during the war.

The Blitz – Quick Quiz What was the ‘Blitz’? During which years of the war did it take place? What did incendiary bombs do? Name one English city that was bombed during the Blitz. Why was Clydebank targeted?

The Blitz – Quick Quiz What was the ‘Blitz’? A series of bombing attacks by the German Luftwaffe on British cities During which years of the war did it take place? 1940-41 What did incendiary bombs do? Started fires Name one English city that was bombed during the Blitz. London, Coventry (also others) Why was Clydebank targeted? It had a large shipyard and many important factories

What was the impact of the bombing on Clydebank? Video Task Write the following heading in your jotter: What was the impact of the bombing on Clydebank? As you watch the following programme, you need to take detailed notes on the impact of the bombing on Clydebank. These should include: Dates and events Personal stories / accounts Damage caused Deaths & Injuries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXmiE5YUUn8

Only 7 homes out of over 12,000 remained standing and unharmed after the bombing.

Thousands of families were made homeless

Much of the town was destroyed due to the fires which burned for 4 weeks after the attacks.

528 people died, 617 people were seriously injured, and hundreds more were injured by blast debris.

The Clydebank Blitz: Report Section 1 – The Blitz What was the Blitz? When did it take place? Which areas were targeted and why? Which cities were bombed? Who was responsible? What was the purpose of the Blitz? Section 2 – Events of the Clydebank Blitz When did it take place? Why was Clydebank targeted? What buildings specifically were targeted? What type of bombs were used? What were the stages of the attack? What was the weather like? What were the key events? Section 3 – Impact of the Bombing What happened to the people of Clydebank? Why did many not go to their shelters? How did people try to protect themselves? How many people were injured? How many people were killed? How many people lost their homes? Where did people go? How did the bombing affect Clydebank in the long term? Section 4 – Your views What were the main things that you learned about the Clydebank Blitz from the programme? How did it make you feel? Does it change your views of war or of Germany? Would you recommend that other people learn about the Blitz?

The Clydebank Blitz: Front Cover S2 History WWII The Clydebank Blitz By… (include at least one picture or drawing)

We were learning to… Describe the events of the Blitz Describe the impact on civilians Did you… Complete a Report on the Clydebank Blitz?