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When Norwich Fell Victim to the Baedeker Blitz

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When Norwich Fell Victim to the Baedeker Blitz 36 Friday, February 19, 2021 | Eastern Daily Press Feature After the blitz: The destruction wrought When Norwich on the centre of Norwich by the second Baedeker raid is apparent in this view towards the corner of Buntings (now Marks & Spencer) and Curl’s (now Debenhams). Inset, The Terror Raids of fell victim to the 1942, out now Pictures: CONTRIBUTED Baedeker Blitz In one of the most defning episodes of the Second World War on the home front, Norwich found itself in the fring line of a deadly and destructive campaign of terror nearly 80 years ago. As a new book charts the full story of the Baedeker Blitz, Steve Snelling relates some of the human experiences unearthed during author Jan Gore’s historical odyssey compelling and cities - she was a student at Exeter comprehensive new study University while her son later has been published of the studied in Canterbury - had, as A series of air-raids which she puts it, “piqued” her curiosity for thousands of men, women and about their involvement in the children were a scarring and war and led to the discovery that scarifying memory of the Second both shared the unwelcome World War in Norfolk. distinction of falling victim to the Written by Jan Gore, a retired retaliatory aerial bombardment government librarian who is fast ordered by Hitler with the specific forging an enviable reputation as aim of terrorising the civilian one of the country’s foremost population. chroniclers of the conflict waged Having already explored a close to home, The Terror Raids of tragic incident during the V1 1942: The Baedeker Blitz presents assault on London, it “seemed a graphic portrayal of the Nazis’ time to look at what happened in aerial offensive which deliberately the spring of 1942”. Her targeted England’s most historic ‘Baedeker’ quest had begun. and architecturally important “Of course,” she explains, “I cities in revenge for the knew that London had suffered devastation wrought on Germany worst of all from German air by an increasingly powerful RAF raids, but for periods people living Bomber Command. in so many other cities had also Based heavily on first-hand had to endure their share of accounts, some of them supplied attacks and I wanted to highlight by readers of the EDP and its those experiences which have sister paper, the Evening News been overshadowed by the greater who answered her appeal for Blitz for so long.” eyewitness material, the book It was a self-ordained mission of straddles the entire cycle of remembrance which combined destruction that began in the two of her greatest passions - spring with attacks on Exeter and family history research and an parents having lived through people’s experiences during the ancient cities raided that spring Bath and continued into the abiding fascination with the lives those times. Not that they ever Baedeker raids the less surprised summer none suffered a longer or summer with raids on Norwich, of civilians during the Second spoke much about it which, I she was by such discoveries. “It more punishing ordeal than the York and Canterbury and World War. think, was telling in itself. wasn’t just having to endure the Norfolk city which was the represents something of a “Looking back,” she says, “I “I’m passionate about the bombing, though goodness knows objective for no fewer than seven personal odyssey. think my interest stems in part importance of recording the that would have been dreadful attacks between April and August A connection with two of the from my grandparents and memories of ordinary people enough, it was the strain of living of that year. caught up in these extraordinary with that fearful uncertainty of There were no specific sites events before it’s too late, but just what the night would bring. You targeted. Born out of pure as important is understanding never knew when you went to bed vengeance following a devastating what they endured. And the more whether you would have to get up ‘fire-storm’ assault on the I read their accounts I can’thelp in a couple of hours in an effort to Hanseatic city of Lubeck, the aim thinking, ‘wow, how on earth did try to reach your Anderson was to deliver a similar wave of they live through that? How did shelter before the bombs started terror to the doors of British they cope? It must have been falling. civilians. The cities selected for genuinely terrifying. “It’s a bit like when you have a aerial bombardment were those “It does rather annoy me when new baby and you’re woken with a comparable heritage that people talk of the ‘Blitz Spirit’. It’s repeatedly in the night. You’re not also boasted a wealth of historic so broad brush. There’s a sense of too sure what’s going on beyond buildings. In the words of the now ‘oh, wasn’t everyone brave’. Well, the fact there’s a very loud noise notorious, albeit slightly yes, lots of people were, but if you which you have to stop. That kind erroneous, statement issued by look at the truth behind the of complete disorientation would the German Foreign Ministry, the propaganda you discover that be happening night after night Luftwaffe was “to go all out to among those who survived the after night.” bomb every building in Britain raids there were quite a few marked with three stars in the people who suffered mental health Target Norwich Baedeker [travel] guide”. problems or worse still committed Nowhere was that nagging fear It scarcely mattered that the suicide because they couldn’t cope more intensely felt during the guide-book’s highest rating was, In the firing line: Eric Jarrold witnessed the Baedeker blitz as a Civil Defence any more.” Luftwaffe’s 1942 aerial offensive in fact, only two stars. The 001 messenger while still a schoolboy The more she found out about than in Norwich. Of all those reference was sufficient for Karl .
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