In 1940, the Manchester and Salford Blitz saw the city and its surroundings targeted by the German Luftwaffe. The most destructive attack was launched in December 1940; it is remembered today as "the Christmas Blitz." Nearly 800 people lost their lives, and thousands more were injured, in two nights of raids ending with a devastating Christmas Eve that saw hundreds of tons of high explosive and thousands of incendiaries fall. The damage was so extensive that Nazi propaganda claimed the city had been burned to the ground. Attacks continued into 1941 and beyond, and landmarks such as the cathedral, the Free Trade Hall, the Royal Infirmary, and the Royal Exchange were all to suffer. At Old Trafford, too, a bomb wrecked the pitch and demolished the stands. This timely collection, based on first-hand accounts, tells the story of how the people of Manchester endured during this dark period in their history—a tale of courage, sacrifice, loss, and the enduring power of the human spirit.

Graham Phythian is a retired teacher. He has written a local history column for the South Manchester Reporter and is a regular contributor to Soccer History magazine. He is the author of seven books on regional and sport history, including Manchester at War and South Manchester Remembered.