Although the county borough of Wallasey is essentially residential, its close proximity to Liverpool caused it to suffer much, what is today only too often referred to as "collateral damage," from the air-raids by the German Luftwaffe. 
The Blitz on Merseyside
340 civilians lost there lives, 275 were seriously injured and more than 600 were slightly injured in the raids on Wallasey. The number of "alerts" was 500 and 658 high explosive bombs are known to have fallen on the borough, including 17 parachute mines. The number of houses demolished was 1,150 and others damaged totalled 17,000. The first bombs fell on August 10th, 1940, including one that fell on a house in Cliff Road that killed the occupants, the blast from which blowing off the roof of our home.
The heaviest raids were In Christmas week, 1940, and In March 1941. During the December raids 110 were killed and 91 seriously injured. Starting at about 6 p.m. on December 20, the first raid lasted nearly ten bours and on the following night raiders appeared about the same time and persisted until about 5 a.m.
Intermittent raids were followed by a sustained attack on March 12, 13 and 14, 1941, when parachute mines, meant to be dropped in to the river Mersey, landed in Wallasey causing considerable damage as can be seen in the first two photographs below. Over 10,000 were rendered homeless; 174 were killed and 158 seriously injured. Wallasey escaped lightly during the May "blitz" on Merseyside when nearly 1,500 were killed in Liverpool, 262 in Bootle, 28 in Birkenhead and only ;{ in Wallasey. The last bomb fell on Merseyside on January 10, 1942
Wallasey has had the honour of being visited twice by Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Their first was the more memorable, for it was on November 6, 1940, when they came to see the first of the bombing damage.
War-time secrecy shrouded the arrangements for the visit, but although the populace had not been forewarned, news of their arrival spread like wildfire, and there were cheering crowds at every point.
There was a minimum of formality during the two hours they spent at the scene of the bomb damage, especially homes that were smashed by aimless bombing. They saw the debris of a house in which a mother and two babies lost their lives while the father was serving on the high seas. They passed the house wherein Mrs. Robert Martlew and her mother and father were killed.This was no formal State occasion. There was no display of flags and decorations. It was something more precious—an intimate informal visit to the people in their battered homes.
Later, after the bombing which cost so many civilian lives in December, 1940, and March, 1941, the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill came to see for himself what a front line town was contributing to the nation by its industry and courage. His visit, too, was a surprise, and residents in the Poulton Road area got what was described as the shock of their lives when they saw the Prime Minister, wearing nautical cap and reefer coat, his gas mask slung over his shoulder and the inevitable cigar clenched between his teeth, step out of » motor car into their midst on *he morning of April 26, 1941. He was in the town only a short time but he received ample evidence of the undaunted spirit of the people.
Another visitor during those days (February 1941) was Mr. Herbert Morrison, then Minister of Home Security, who described the Civil Defence Services as an example to the nation.
Wallasey's Town Hall was hit in 1940, destroying the magnificent organ in the main hall. Personally it was a sad loss as it was there that my school held its annual prize-giving ceremony. I cannot recall who played the organ to accompany the school choir conducted by the popular Mr. Hubbuck.
Destruction on Church Street.
The hall of Wallasey High School for Girls, hit on August 30th 1940.
There was much damage in the immediate area, fortunately casualties were few.
Principal Source: Wallasey - Old and New - Published by the "Wallasey News" 1949.
Return to Narrative
or go to
Addenda Index