Leicester at War

A gentle easy paced ride taking in some places of interest that were targeted during the war ! 4.5 miles with plenty of stops along the way to discuss some of Leicesters history !

For more details see our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Led-and-Social-Rides-in-Leicester-1899998196696082/?tn-str=k*F

Our ride will see some of the places mentioned in Richards full wartime ride notes.......

Leicester Blitz Ride, Overview
On this short ride we will be looking at Leicester during the war and in particular the major
bombing raid of 19th November 1940. We will also look at a number of industrial sites
related to the war effort.
Leicester was only attacked on 8 occasions during the war, all but 2 of the raids being
carried out by lone raiders. These were almost certainly aircraft that had for some reason,
possibly a navigational error or mechanical problems missed their designated target.
The other raid was by 2 aircraft, which attacked the Gypsy lane area, and the ‘Leicester Blitz’
in which an estimated 25-30 aircraft took part.
Although devastating, this raid was not anywhere near the scale of the raid Coventry
experienced 5 days earlier.
In the grand plan of things Leicester was not a major part of Britain’s war machinery, with
no major manufacturer of equipment as in say, Coventry and Birmingham. It did have many
factories producing many items for the war effort but these items were produced at other
sites around the country so the loss of a particular facility in Leicester would not have much
long term effect.
A number of the single raids were in the area of the gas works and electricity station near
Aylestone road, and the railway lines, which would suggest an attempt to cause disruption
rather than to deprive the war effort of a particular item.
The large raid on 19th November followed a predicted format that was used by both the
Luftwaffe and the RAF. The air raid sirens sounded at around 7.30 in the evening with the 1st
aircraft dropping their bombs soon after.
These were flares and incendiaries, dropped by the ‘Pathfinder’ aircraft. These were light
bombers, normally flown by experienced crews with good navigational and bombing skills.
The object was to set the targets alight so as to act as markers for the following heavy
bombers with their HE payloads.
The incendiary bombs were small and dropped in large numbers, but very effective if not
put out quickly, many of the buildings lost were due to these devices. A stirrup pump and a
bucket of water and sand was normally sufficient to deal with one, however it was not
uncommon to put a small delayed explosive charge into them so as to cause injury to
anyone tackling them.
The first of the incendiaries fell in a line from Aylestone gas works to the LNER station on
Belgrave Road (Now Sainsbury’s) and the last wave at almost 8.00, landing off Humberstone
road. This attack left many buildings alight (including the Tigers stand) and acted as a
beacon for the following heavy bombers. The attack with HE started at just after 8.00 with
the last bomb falling after 1.30 the following morning.
The Luftwaffe used mainly medium bombers such as the Heinkel HE111, these were twin
engined with a payload of around 2000kg, which compared to the heavy bombers of the
RAF which were 4 engined and with a payload of 6500kg restricted their bombing capacity.
It is estimated that 4 parachute mines, around 150 HE and many thousands of incendiaries
had been dropped during the 6 hours the raid lasted.
By which time 11 factories had been destroyed with a further 72 put out of action, 550
houses had been destroyed or seriously damaged with a further 4,000 plus being damaged.
108 people had lost their lives and a further 203 had been injured
There is very little evidence left on the ground of the events 70 years ago; however it is
possible to see where newer buildings are surrounded by older building’s, showing where
rebuilding after the war has taken place and this I hope to be able to show you today/
tonight
THE TOWN HALL
The Town Hall in the 1940’s was a much more important, in the terms of local administration
than it is today. It was the seat of power and the administration centre for the city. Many
events took place where were standing now. It was here that volunteers would have come
to sign up and many parades and events took place here during the war. It was here that
one of the first HE bombs dropped struck home. It entered the roof just to the right of the
dormer window up to the right of the entrance. It passed cleanly through all 3 floors, the
impact breaking many of the windows as it went, and ending up in the basement (now the
bike park) fortunately it failed to explode and was dealt with the next day.
FREEMAN. HARDY & WILLIS
The site of the old Leicester Centre Hotel is where the factory of FH&W stood. This was one
of the first buildings to be destroyed on the 19th, most of the initial damage being caused by
incendiary bombs. The factory was totally destroyed and re built in its present form after the
war. Anyone over 40 would remember FH&W shoe shops. Sadly in the 80’s they went into
administration and this building became a hotel and exhibition centre. Some people say it
could do with the attention of the Luftwaffe again!
St GEORGES AREA (WIMBLEDON STREET/QUEEN STREET)
This area was badly hit with the factories (now apartments) on Wimbledon Street being
badly damaged by fire. Further up on Queen Street and Southampton Street and looking
over towards the Phoenix Arts Centre saw the majority of the bomb damage. Almost all of
the area was so badly damaged that after the war the council purchased the area for later
development (St Georges way ring road was part of their long term vision)
Where the Phoenix AC stands, the Leicester Mercury and the land over the ring road was all
bomb site after the war. A number of roads, like East Short street, that were around on
November 19th never existed afterwards.
On Queen Street (walk or push bikes round from Southampton Street) you can see the
remains of the Grieves machinery factory entrance (next to cycle mural and opposite the
Leicester Mercury car park ramp) Why this bit of architecture survived is a mystery, you will
notice that it’s not even complete, the top is missing! Sadly when the bomb struck at
around midnight the air raid shelter in the cellar sustained considerable damage, resulting in
the death of 5 people sheltering there.
After the war Grieves re located to Coalville and were producing knitting machines and
needles until the late 1990’s. They now have a unit on Parker drive.
The land where the ring road now and the area including St Georges Retail Park contained a
number of streets and sheds where goods yards for the LMS railway stood. Some of the
warehouses sustained damage. At the time Leicester was an important railway junction with
engineering works and 2 turntables. The station and yards would have been one of the
objectives, but luckily escaped major damage.
In 1941, John Beckett was appointed as City surveyor. One of his tasks was to come up with
a plan for reconstruction and re generation after the war. In 1944, with the end of the war in
sight he produced a ’50 year plan’ for the city and much of what he proposed has been
implemented in one way or another, the ring road being one of his visions along with the
new football stadium, the post war social housing estates and the shopping centres.
However he could never have predicted the increase in traffic we have today. It was a very
bold and far reaching plan which could be the subject of another ride all on its own.

GROVE ROAD
Looking into Grove Road from Vulcan road you will notice each side of the road, houses
which are of a later period. Where they stand originally was 12 houses. These were all
destroyed by a parachute mine. These devices were either of 500kg or 1000kg and were
designed to explode at rooftop height. This caused damage over a much wider area,
however due to its size only one or two mines could be carried by a bomber. Another
disadvantage is it could not be dropped with any accuracy as the parachute was at the
mercy of the wind.
Bombing in the Second World War was far from the exacting science it is today, there was
no such thing as the smart bomb. Bombs were a free fall device which was subject to many
physical laws when dropped. When released from the aircraft it would initially be travelling
at the same speed and direction as the plane. Immediately physics would take over, gravity
would start the bomb in a downward direction, friction from the atmosphere around it would
start to slow it, and any wind would try to move it from its downward path, depending upon
the strength and direction of it (wind is also different depending upon the altitude)
With all these factors in mind, along with the type of bomb being dropped (all bombs had
different flight characteristics) the bomb aimer would have an adjustable bomb sight that he
would, from mathematically worked out tables, dial in the variables for the prevailing
conditions, along with the speed and altitude of the aircraft. With all the settings correct he
would then direct the pilot on his bombing run to align the bomb sight with the target and
at the correct moment release the bombs.
STEELS & BUSKS ENGINEERING, TEMPLE ROAD
‘Steels & Busks’ were in peacetime, manufactures of corsetry components, the steels for the
ribs and the ‘busk’ which was the term for the fastenings. As such they were manufactures
of high grade steel components, particularly spring steel. The factory was turned over to war
work, producing and assembling many components for the Spitfire.
The original factory was reduced to rubble on the night of the 20th, when a single raider
dropped 2 land mines. Ariel Works, which now stands here and the factory opposite were re
built after the war.
JOHN BULL RUBBER COMPANY
Originally The Leicester Rubber Company began in 1906. In 1934 it became The John Bull
Rubber Company and was well known before the war for its car and cycle tyres. By the time
the Second World War started they were producing many industrial rubber components;
however they had perfected a technique for bonding rubber and metal components which
was used extensively in aircraft manufacture. The building received minor damage during
the raid. In 1955 the company became part of Dunlop under the name ‘Metalastic’ and still
lives on today as part of the Trelliborg company, now at Beaumont Leys.
Also opposite here we have the Partridge Wilson (PW in the façade) who produced electrical
instruments and components for all branches of the armed forces. This factory employed
many women in its work. It is during the war that the first steps towards equality of the
sexes began. Women took on many roles, until then the preserve of the male. Women
became responsible for the running of the home, the finances and the family. This was often
while carrying out war work in the factories. Women also took on skilled labour tasks in
engineering.
20/22 HOLMFIELD AVE
These semi detached house on a quiet suburban street ended the night with a large hole in
its roof and a cracked front wall after a small bomb hit it but failed to detonate. looking at
the houses today you can still see in the mortar on the bedroom bays where the damage
was.
VICTORIA PARK
Here on the park was the scene of much activity during the war. A searchlight battery was
stationed here along with an anti-aircraft gun. Another battery was on the racecourse along
the London road.
Pairs of searchlights were spaced at a know distance apart and used to determine (via
Triangulation) the altitude of enemy bombers. This then enabled the fuses to be set on the
anti aircraft flak shells for maximum effect.
The AA guns were later supplemented by a ‘Z’ rocket battery. This was rack s of 16 AA
rockets, they were simple and unguided. Around 250 were on site for a while before being
replaced by wooden dummies, the live ones almost certainly being moved south to defend
London against the flying bombs.
VICTORIA PARK PAVILION
The original pavilion was a beautiful ornate Victorian structure with a cast iron balcony
surrounding it and was the victim of a land mine on the night of the 20th. It was damaged
beyond repair and replaced with the Art Nuevo structure we now have.
Just across from here we have a memorial to the 82nd Airborne US army regiment who were
stationed in and around Leicester prior to D Day.

WAR MEMORIAL
The War Memorial, a Quadrifons arch and was designed by Edwin Lutyens, who also
designed the Cenotaph in Whitehall and built in 1923, to commemorate the dead of the First
World War. The memorial, a Grade I Listed building, the gates at the bottom of the memorial
walk are also by Lutyens, along with the gates and lodges on the London Road side of the
park. These were built in 1930.
Wiggyston Girls School
In the grounds we can see the remains of a number of large air raid structures. There were
many shelters around the city; converted basements were very common, along with purpose
built structures like these. Into the 90’s these shelters were still used by the fire service for
smoke training. For those of you old enough to remember Blue Peter in the 1970, the editor
‘Biddy Baxter’ was an old girl of Wiggyston School.
A great number of the shelters were in business premises so as such were only available
during business hours, allowing people going about their daily tasks in the city to seek
refuge in the event of a raid. Anyone who can remember the old St Margret’s bus station
may remember the old bus shelters. These were formidable concrete tunnels with curved
roofs. During the war the glazing was removed and bricked in to provide public shelters.
These would have given considerable blast protection. When the station was re developed in
the 80’s they proved quite stubborn to knock down.
Saxby Street Junction
The Highfields area saw the greatest damage and loss of night on the night of the ‘Blitz’ A
walk around this area will soon reveal many late 1940’s/1950’s buildings interspersed
between the Victorian villas. This Junction is a good example. A large HE bomb exploded
right in the middle and you can see that on all 4 corners we have post war buildings
surrounded by the original Victorian examples.
Saxby Street was previously know as SAXE-COBURG STREET but along with many of the
streets around here that had German derived names had their names changed to a non
Germanic title in 1919
Just over the junction, Stoughton Street South, lead to Stoughton Street where the factory
of Taylor Hobson stood. Taylor Hobson was responsible for very high precision lenses, used
in field glasses and other optical instruments. In peace time they produced the finest
camera lenses in the world and supplied most of the Hollywood studios and cinema
projectors of the last century. They are still in Leicester today on New star Road.
The area where the factory stood and beyond was cleared in the late 1960’s as part of the
50 year plan, and now is the site of the Mere road Shops and Junior School.
Dover Street/Calais Hill
This area suffered considerable damage and again we can see where sites were cleared
after the war for later development. The areas to the left looking over Calais Hill towards
Waterloo Way took the most of the damage. Dover House, The NCP on East Street and The
BT Building are all built on land where property damaged in the attack once stood.
Holy Cross Church at the top of the hill was the first public building to be hit during the raid.
Greyfriars, ARP County Control HQ
This building was the control HQ for civil defence of the City and County. It was here that
reports of incidents would come into and decisions on the action to be taken made. It was
staffed 24/7. On the night of the 19th it would have been a very busy place with all of the
various districts sending in their reports by telephone if the lines were active, or by
messengers or runners. The fire and rescue services would have been at breaking point so
reserves from around the county would have been drafted in to help.
The 1st air raid warning over Leicester was sounded on 25th June 1940 and the last on the
25th March 1945. During that period there ad been over 200 activations with 8 actual raids
over the city (there were numerous other incidents throughout the county)
In those 8 raids 225 houses were destroyed with some 6000 suffering some form of
damage. 122 people last their lives and another 280 injured.

There is No Glory in War but please join us for this Glorious bike ride !!

Quite streets and Cycle ways

Multi stops at places of interest

We never leave anyone behind