Fortunately York survived the Second World War much better than some of England’s other historical towns like Coventry and Plymouth. This was primarily due to the lack of major industry in the city, as it was not a strategically important target.
Baedeker raids
But in the summer of 1942 it was attacked as part of the ‘Baedeker raids’. These were retaliatory air raids on picturesque and historic English cities, aimed at demoralising the British nation by the destruction of its history. They included raids on York, Norwich and Bath, Exeter, Canterbury. They were in response to previous RAF raids on historic German towns such as Lubeck, Cologne and Dresden. The raids were named after the Nazis selected targets from the German “Baedeker – Great Britain” guide books. The main areas of the city affected by the bombing raids were around the station and carriage-works, including significant damage to the York Convent buildings and The Guildhall. Luckily none of York’s prestigious heritage buildings were badly damaged.
Bizarrely, the first enemy aircraft to be shot down in Britain in WWII was near Whitby, just north-east of York. The German Heinkel plane was scouring the coast for British convoys of ships in the North Sea.
York and the surrounding area played a key role in WWII as home to dozens of RAF Bomber Command air bases. These included:
- Acaster Malbis
- Driffield
- Elvington
- Full Sutton
- Holme-on-Spalding-Moor
- Pocklington
- Melbourne
- Linton-on-Ouse
- Marston Moor
- Rufforth
- Riccall
For more information on WWII airfields in the area, check out the following websites:
http://content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/bombercommand/http://www.oldairfields.fotopic.net/
The Yorkshire Air Museum
One of the best museums in the area is the Yorkshire Air Museum, previously voted “Top Attraction in Yorkshire”. Formerly home to 77 Squadron of RAF Bomber Command, flying Handley Page Halifax’s, the museum is based at RAF Elvington, a few miles to the east of the city, just off the A64. It is the largest independent air museum in the UK, and provides a vivid picture of what life was like on a 1940’s Bomber Command base. Approximately 50 aircrafts are exhibited at Elvington, including the legendary WW2 Halifax Bomber, Spitfire and Hurricane. There are also exhibits from pre and post WW2, including two modern day Tornado fighter jets.
The Halifax Project
The Halifax rebuild project started in 1986, with the salvation of a fuselage section from the Isle of Lewis. Ten years later, the externally complete aircraft was rolled out, but has now been fully fitted out internally. It stands as a permanent tribute to all the allied aircrews of RAF Bomber Command.
RAF Elvington has one of the longest runways in the UK. As well as the air museum, the airstrip is host to the Yorkshire Air Show, and is also used for motor racing events. It was the location for Richard Hammond’s ill-fated attempt at a new British Land Speed Record, as featured on Top Gear.
