Merseyside Blitzed

Liverpool is the heart of Merseyside, but surrounding the city on both banks of the Mersey are major towns such as Birkenhead, Bootle and Wallasey that have a proud history and identity of their own. Although their fate was and remains entwined with that of their larger neighbour people often unfairly overlook them. Their experiences during World War Two should not act as a footnote to the events in Liverpool. The bombs that fell on these towns were not dropped by accident as they contained docks, shipyards and vital industries of their own. Between them these areas suffered over 1,200 deaths due to the air raids. They also refused to bow to the pressure put upon them, carrying on despite the terrible impact the raids were having on their family, friends, homes and places of work. Like Liverpool the faces of Wallasey, Birkenhead and especially Bootle were dramatically altered by the raids. Today