Blitz Memorial

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

The Blitz Memorial is a mass grave containing the remains of approximately 30 unidentified civilians who died as a result of enemy bombing raids during April and May 1941. Located to the eastern end of the cemetery, comprising a polished red granite headstone mounted with a Celtic cross over the inscription; ‘Sacred to the memory of unidentified victims of enemy action Belfast, April 1941 RIP’. Communal grave is covered in gravel and concrete walling bounds perimeter, with matching coping over; that flanking headstone to west is of unpolished and tooled red granite, terminated by diminutive corner piers.

Row of sixteen headstones marking graves dedicated to Second World War military personnel, located near the eastern boundary of the cemetery, with headstones placed at the foot of graves. Those of local and Commonwealth casualties have the traditional commissioned headstones; those of seven Polish nationals are pointed-headed and feature the Polish eagle carved in relief.

SETTING
The Blitz Memorial is sited to the eastern end of the graveyard, set back from the road and facing east. The Airmen graves are located to the north-eastern end of the cemetery, orientated on a north-south axis. The graves line the eastern side of the road, with the headstones set back from the road and facing west (unusually, these are placed at the foot of the graves). The cemetery contains other structures of special architectural and historic interest: the sandstone gate-screen (HB26/22/002A); the Clark Canavan Cross (HB26/22/002B); the Bowen Vault (HB26/22/002C); and the Cross of Sacrifice dedicated to the fallen of WW1 (HB26/22/002D).

MATERIALS
Blitz memorial: Granite & concrete
Airmen Graves: Limestone

Historical information

Milltown Cemetery (HB/26/22/002A) was established by the Roman Catholic Church in order to provide adequate burial ground for the growing Catholic population of the expanding industrial city. Opened in 1869, following a dispute raised by Bishop Dorrian, regarding the inadequate provision of Catholic burial ground at the intended municipal cemetery on the Falls Road, Dorrian purchased 15 acres on the Falls Road for a new Catholic cemetery, which was opened in 1869.

There are total of 105 First World War casualties buried in Milltown, including three French sailors, and 53 from the Second World War, which include 7 Polish airmen. There are 35 headstones carrying inscriptions for 37 First World War military personnel, while 19 of the Second World War casualties are inscribed on family headstones within the cemetery. Six panels of the screen wall located behind the Cross of Sacrifice are inscribed with the names of 45 First World War military casualties who are buried in 39 public graves in the poor ground of the cemetery, as their graves cannot be marked by headstones (Hartley).

In August 1940 a new lot for military causalities was set aside to the west-side of the cemetery. During the Second World War, Milltown was the only burial ground in the north of Ireland in which military causalities from that war were unmarked. A dispute between the cemetery and the War Graves Commission arose over the erection of temporary wooden grave markers but was later resolved by the installation of semi-permanent painted steel crosses over the graves (Hartley).

There is a group of 16 war graves, marked with headstones, which contain 7 Polish airmen, military personnel from Canadian and New Zealand, as well as local military causalities. 6 of the Polish airmen belonged to the 304 Squadron, transferred to RAF Predannack in Cornwall in December 1943. While returning from an anti-submarine operation in the Bay of Biscay, for reasons unknown, 5 airmen were killed when their Wellington Bomber crashed into Arraglen on Mount Brandon in Co. Kerry on 20th December 1943. The other two airmen buried at Milltown were thought to have been killed during accidents. The distinctive headstones were erected between May and October 1951 and featured the Polish eagle. Originally placed at the foot of the graves, the stones were moved to the heads of the graves in 1957, however they were relocated back to the foot of the graves in 1969, to prevent damage from passing vehicles (Hartley; Glenravel).

The Blitz memorial comprises a Polish red granite stone, mounted with a Celtic cross and inscription reading; ‘SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF UNIDENTIFIED VICTIMS OF ENEMY ACTION BELFAST APRIL 1941’. Belfast was subjected to three major air raids by the Luftwaffe in April and May 1941 and due to a lack of anti-aircraft guns, barrage balloons and insufficient air-raid shelters the casualties were high. Approximately 900 people died as a result of the aerial bombings; the majority of unidentifiable victims are buried in the City cemetery but those bearing an indication of the Catholic faith (such as a medal, rosary or cloth scapular) were buried in this mass grave in Milltown (Hartley). After suffering damage and vandalism, the memorial was refurbished in 2012 at a cost of £30, 000 (Belfast Telegraph).

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/60/3 - Third edition OS map (1901)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/60/4 - Fourth edition OS map (1920)
3. NIEA File (HB/26/22/002A)
4. Belfast Telegraph (4th May 2012)
5. Belfast Telegraph (3rd September 2015)

Secondary Sources
1. Hartley, Tom ‘Milltown Cemetery; The History of Belfast Written in Stone’ (2014)
2. Quinn, Raymond ‘ Milltown Cemetery; A Brief History’ (2000)
3. PRONI D4145/4/4 The Rushlight: The Belfast Magazine, vol. 23, no. 7 (no date)
4. Scott. R ‘A Breath of Fresh Air; The Story of Belfasts Parks’ (2000)
5. ‘Silent Cities’ RIBA, London, (1977)
6. English Heritage Designation Listing Selection Guide ‘Commemorative Structures’ (April 2011)
7. English Heritage Conservation Bulletin ‘The Heritage of Death’ Issue 66, (Summer 2011)

Online Sources
1. Commonwealth War Graves Commission (www.CWGC.org)
2. Dictionary of Irish Architects: (www.dia.ie)
3. (http://www.niwarmemorial.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/The_Belfast_Blitz.pdf)
4. (http://www.waryearsremembered.co.uk/home/POLISH.htm)
5. Glenravel History Project ‘A Brief History of Milltown Cemetery’ (http://issuu.com/glenravel/docs/milltown/38)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Freestanding Blitz Memorial, commemorating the aerial bombing by the Luftwaffe in 1941, which resulted in unprecedented civilian casualties across the city of Belfast; whilst the majority were buried in the City Cemetery, this mass grave contains the remains of about 30 people who, although unidentifiable, bore an indication of Catholic faith. Despite being modest in scale and design with a mix of granite and concrete, it provides a tangible link to the Second World War and in honouring victims, it is of great social and historical significance. Nearby, the Commonwealth and Polish war graves are indicative of the international scale of WW2 and are enduring reminders of the commitment and personal sacrifice given by those who served, both on a local scale but also within a wider global context. Memorials such as these are of increasing significance as such events begin to pass from living memory. Located in the historic Milltown Cemetery (HB26/22/002) in Belfast, the Blitz memorial positively contributes to its rich social and cultural heritage. It does not however meet the statutory test as being 'special' in terms of its architectural qualities.