I realise this is a bit of an anorack question - sorry, but it struck me..
Was there ever a raid on Grantham in WWII? As far as I know, it is / was of little strategic value. (Unless it was part of the Baedecker raids where cities of purely historic/ cultural interest wee targeted.
few visible scars
Simple answer: yes, Grantham was bombed.
(If you're interested, the BBC's "People's War" has a number of relevant memoirs, e.g. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/39/a4252439.shtml)
Grantham had some strategic importance as it was a main point on the rail line to London. Being in the East Midlands, it was also on the route for bombers flying to Nottingham, Derby, and cities further west such as Coventry.
The London Blitz has such a pull on the public consciousness that it's sometimes easy to forget just how badly other parts of the country were hit. The biggest single raid on the UK was of course on Coventry; the second-biggest was on Clydebank (near Glasgow).
After the South-East, the East-Midlands was the next biggest target, hence 12 Group with Douglas Bader and his "Big Wing" at Duxford...
Thank you. (I was born and brought up in Derby, - obviously an important target), and even in the 60's can remember bomb sites.
few visible scars
Wow...growing up as an American I cannot imagine having to live through BOMBINGS. yeah we have our issues with murders and mass shootings but we are quite fortunate to have never been invaded or attacked (9/11 not included of course)
"Vive la mort, vive la guerre, vive le sacre mercenaire."
Good morning csteve, - Always nice when someone responds!
I am far to young to have been in Derby in the war ...
(incidently, if you do not know, Derby is the home of Rolls Royce aeroengines.. produced the Merlin engine that made the spitfire so good and transformed your Mustang from a good fighter to being one of the very best)
....But my Mum did. As I say, as a kid in around 1960-1970, there were areas of the city still wasteland that hadn't been fully cleared and developed.
What I can remember is the IRA bombing campaignes of the 70's / 80's.. you just took at something.. Odd, you tend to live with somethings as 'it just is'. I remember when I was in the USA talking to people from LA / San Francisco who could happliy live with the threat of a killer earth quake any day now, but couldn't contemplate the (perceved) threat of street violence in new York.. and of course, vicea Versa.
few visible scars