Cardiff Docks During World War II: Importance and Impact

1. Cardiff at War Wales’ appeal was based upon the assumption that it was too far to the West to suffer from German bombing raids. The assumption proved to be unfounded. Cardiff suffered its first raid in June 1940 and during the following fifteen months thirty thousand buildings in the city were damaged, Llandaff Cathedral among them. The bombing of Cardiff Docks Photograph courtesy of The National Museums and Galleries of Wales, ref: 85.25/60

2. A Luftwaffe Reconnaissance photograph of Cardiff Docks How has the dock area changed over time? Change over time Look at the date when this photograph was taken. When did Britain declare war on Germany? What does this tell you about German preparations for war and the importance that was attached to Cardiff Docks? Photograph courtesy of The National Museums and Galleries of Wales, ref: 96.44

3. H.M.S. Cardiff (Guided Missile Destroyer), berthed at Roath Dock before being decommissioned, July 2005. This photograph gives you a good idea of the size of this one dock area and of the types and size of vessels that could have been berthed at Cardiff Docks during the war.

4. Cardiff Bay in 2005 as seen from roughly Point E on the Luftwaffe Reconnaissance Photo. Cardiff Bay in 2005 as seen from roughly Point F on the Luftwaffe Reconnaissance Photo.

5. Why would the Luftwaffe have wanted to target Cardiff Docks during the Second World War? Click on each image to help you answer this question.

6. A Sea Hurricane being loaded at Cardiff Docks, c.1942 Photograph courtesy of The National Museums and Galleries of Wales, ref: 79.86/60

7. United States Soldiers disembarking at Cardiff Docks, 1943 Photograph courtesy of The National Museums and Galleries of Wales, ref: 79.89

8. A porter at Cardiff Docks during World War Two. “One third of the nation’s vital imports and exports were channelled through the South Wales ports…” Can you think what some of those imports and exports would have been? Image and information courtesy of Dennis Morgan

9. Over 300 bombs dropped on the Cardiff Docks area during the war and thousands of mines were laid in the Bristol Channel. Statistics courtesy of Dennis Morgan, Cardiff: A City at War If Cardiff Docks were so important, what else would have had to have been developed to cope with the huge amounts of imports and exports? Image and information courtesy of Dennis Morgan

10. SS Stresso following a raid on Cardiff Docks on 20th June, 1940 This was the first raid on Cardiff Docks carried out by the Luftwaffe. 16 bombs were dropped altogether by one lone raider. Image courtesy of the Associated British Ports

11. San Felippe was sunk after a raid on Cardiff Docks on 9th July, 1940 Six men were killed when this ship was sunk. The tragedy is also remembered because of the bravery of two men. Tim O’Brien jumped into the hold of the burning ship three times to rescue his work mates. J.N. Anderson also jumped onto the ship to help the injured men. Image courtesy of the Associated British Ports

12. The result of bombing Cardiff Docks Look back at the photographs of the docks taken in 1942-1943 and the shipping statistics. Although lives were lost and shipping often disrupted, do you believe that the docks had been seriously affected by German bombing raids during the war? Reason

13. Even though Cardiff Docks may not have been seriously affected by Luftwaffe raids, the merchant shipping vessels that played such a crucial role during the war by bringing in food and supplies of raw material, suffered enormously once out on the open seas. The Docks around Wales were vital for the unloading of food and other materials, but of 164 merchant ships that sailed from the ports of South Wales, 123 were sunk by enemy action once at sea. One Cardiff shipping firm (The Reardon Smith Company) had lost 33 of its 41 ships by the end of the war. Most had been torpedoed by German U-Boats. The U-Boat menace was a serious threat to Britain being able to continue the war. You may like to view the U-Boat Presentation at this point.

14. The bombing of Cardiff Docks Why bomb dock areas within Wales? What were the effects of bombing Cardiff Docks END