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Return of Luftwaffe bombers to #Belfast on the night of 4-5 May 1941 was known as the 'Fire Raid'. 1000's of incendiary & high explosives where dropped on the city primarily targeting the manufacturing & harbour infrastructure. #NIWM database records 216 deaths 1/ #BelBlitz80
As with the #Easter Raids the civilian population bore the brunt of destruction as fires engulfed homes & streets. North & East Belfast suffered direct hits from high explosive mines & fire bombs. Entire households, in some cases streets where destroyed with their occupants /2
Avondale Street in the Connswater area of East Belfast, surrounded by busy textile mills & factories, suffered a direct hit killing 15 including 6 from the McCullough family at number 8. Agnes & Ralph McCullough where 6 & 5. Neighbors where also killed in and around the area. 3/
The Stediplan von Belfast 'Target Map' shows clearly marked symbols detailing military, industrial & civil infrastructure targets including Parliament House at Stormont, directly targeted during the raids. Based on contemporary mapping it was instrumental in raid 'success' 4/
Blitzkrieg was not 'precision' bombing, institutions not 'marked' by Luftwaffe cartographers suffered equally. Campbell Collage c1km away from Stormont housed 'No 24 British General Hospital'. 23 men & 1 woman, medics, service personal & civilians where killed in a direct hit 5/
'Mapping the Belfast Blitz' is an interactive Web Map App & resource developed & funded by @QUBGeography #GIS @QUBelfast @NIWarMemorial recording the deaths & location of those lost in #BelBlitz41 via mapping/aerials & contemporary archives, to be published later this month. 6/6
