StraitTales2

 

Air raids against the Rock:                                                   

 During the dark days of World War II, this Fortress came under aerial bombardment both from the Vichy-French and Italian aircraft from Sardinia. However, the barrage Gibraltar was able to put-up, made such raids both costly and ineffective for the attackers.

 In September 1938 the Government announced a Passive Defence Scheme and The City Council set about building a dozen bombproof shelters in various parts of town. When war came, the first few months were quiet; nothing much happened except for a few alarms caused by Spanish aircraft flying close to the Rock. However, after the fall of France, all that was to change. The British attack on the French fleet at Mers el Kebir - Operation Anvil  - on the 3rd July 1940, was to cost Gibraltar dear.

 The first result was the three air-raids of 5th July when the French Moroccan Air Force planes bombed Gibraltar; "in a half-hearted way, dropping most of their bombs in the sea" to quote General Sir William Jackson. There was no damage and no casualties. Then, over the next three days unidentified aircraft approached and our AA guns engaged them; but no bombs were dropped.

 Exactly a week later the Gibraltarian evacuees were expelled from French Morocco. Their return to the Rock and subsequent re-evacuation to distant shores is a harrowing tale, well covered elsewhere, but within 10 days of the return of those evacuees, the first shipload were embarked in the Royal Ulsterman, setting sail for Madeira. 

 Embarkation for England aboard the Athlone Castle started on the 26^th of July, but in the early hours of that same day the first serious air raid was mounted. It lasted only 22 minutes yet two bombs found their target; one fell into Loretto Convent, killing Sister Lorcan O'Connor and the other fell lower down, where Penney House stands today, killing Luis Dallia and his wife Maria.  A Royal Artillery gunner was also killed and another eleven people were injured, six of them seriously. These then, were the first air raid victims in Gibraltar. 

 The next night, the 27th July, the Royal Ulsterman, Ulster Monarch and Royal Scotsman set off for the United Kingdom with some 1900 evacuees. They left just in time for the following evening there was another air raid. The raiders claimed hits on merchantmen anchored in the bay but the recorded hits at Lamorna (next to the then Cable & Wireless), The Grand Stores (where the John Mackintosh Hall stands today) and Cathedral Square, right in front of the Holy Trinity, all failed to detonate. The bombs did no damage but there were two deaths by fragments of shrapnel from the AA shells fired at the attackers. Mother of four, Encarnacion Ressa and two year old Charles Neale died. 

 The less frequent daylight raids were potentially more dangerous: The late Francis Segovia, a Linense, had for some years prior to the war held a contract with the Royal Engineers.  He would import fish, then prepare them at a cookhouse along side St Jagos stoneblock where Leanse Place stands today. During one daylight raid, a bomb came through the kitchen roof, killing several people and injuring Francis.  But for each untimely death there was a merciful escape.  When a bomb found Ragged Staff Magazine, it caught the entrance parapet, narrowly missing the entrance by just a few feet.  At that time Ragged Staff was fully stocked with all types of munitions.  Another came through the roof of a house in Scud Hill, whizzed past a young Manuel Cavilla (yet to become robust journalist McAvilla) to fetch-up in the basement. Luckily it was one of the many duds - and it failed to explode.

 On the 20th August  (1940) HMS Renown arrived and was subject to attack by an Italian aircraft who approached from the north. Her bombs all went in the sea and the aircraft continued towards the south where a 4.5 shell took her tail off and she spiralled into the sea off Europa Point. That evening a second raid was mounted in which bombs struck the Rock causing a fire to break out but delivering no casualties and very little damage.

 The official reports are somewhat bald but eye witness statements give a stronger flavour; Peter Buttigieg, fireman in the bunkering tanker San Claudio: “HMS Renown arrived back on the 24th of September and was bombed almost immediately ... at about mid-day the air raid warning sounded and aircraft were reported overhead.  A few minutes later the bombing of Gibraltar by French aircraft had started... While bombs were raining all around, the guns of the fortress were fired as fast as they could be loaded.  Shells of all kind were hurled in the air, the sound of the guns from the Rock and all the battleships, cruisers and destroyers in harbour at the time, was inconceivable. (Renown had all her 44 AA guns firing as well as her machine guns)  A stick of bombs dropped parallel with the Renown, just yards away, then another and yet another.  We were tied up alongside the quay just ahead of HMS Renown, her bows nearly touching our stern; shrapnel rained on deck, an aircraft was brought down and a great cheer was heard from the gun crews... Renown decided to put to sea again... but the dockyard riggers were not to be found so the second officer of our ship and myself went and helped her slip her moorings. No sooner did she leave the quayside than a bomb fell just where she had been... I think her skipper must have had second sight."

 This had been Gibraltar’s longest air raid at two and a half hours. Forty French aircraft had taken advantage of the Levanter to bomb from 20 thousand feet. Over 100 bombs were dropped, many falling in the sea, but thirty had found targets mostly in the dockyard and south district. Hits included the Naval stores, Dutch Shell store, South Generating Station, married quarters at Naval Hospital Hill and Europa, Cormorant Wharf, KG5, St Jago’s Barracks, Scud Hill P.O., Kings Yard Lane and the CREs Office. In all six people were killed, three civilians and three military and many people were injured.

 The following day, at exactly the same time, a 200 aircraft raid was launched. It was estimated that some two thirds of their bombs fell – or were deliberately jettisoned - over the sea. But a number found their marks. The armed trawler Stella Sirius was sunk alongside the mole but not before San Claudio 2^nd Officer MH Jones, Peter Buttigieg, Fireman Joseph Stagno and Antonio De La Paz had managed to rescue the injured sailors who had been sheltering in the forecastle from flying shrapnel. The forecastle entrance was so distorted by the explosion that they had to take fire axes to break it open.  Just as the all clear sounded, the fire reached the ammunition store and with a big muffled bang, the trawler went down.  This time at least seven enemy aircraft were shot down...  and our sailors feasted on the fish stunned or killed by the bombs in the water.

 Vichy forces acknowledged the loss of 12 bombers and perhaps surprisingly - considering the bitter resentment caused by the Mer El Kebir operation – French deserters began to arrive. Throughout 1940 the airfield received a number of aircraft piloted by French officers from North Africa, who wanted to join the Free French.

On the 7th September 1940 the Blitz on London began and the focus of attention shifted for many of the Gibraltarians evacuated to London were now in far greater danger than if they had remained on the Rock.

First published at the Gibraltar Magazine 2004.    Paul Hodkinson.