Starting at St Mary’s Community Health Centre, this route crosses through the most damaged areas of Portsmouth during the Blitz and connects places of remembrance. You’ll finish at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, following a trek along the beach where thousands of troops left for D-Day.&nbsp;&nbsp;The historical points of interest link key sites where troops or citizens came together to build a sense of community or receive a homely welcome. Discover the stories behind the people maintaining Portsmouth’s spirit and learn about familial settings that were brought about through hardship and horror.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This route shows you to a range of scenarios and emotions that residents experienced. The trail is on flat concreted ground in busy urban areas, with lots of transport connections.&nbsp;&nbsp;

United Kingdom

Guildhall Square became the metaphoric heart of Portsmouth, withstanding air raids, feeding raid victims and hosting celebrations

Guildhall Square

Portsmouth Dock

This plaque honours the people of Portsmouth during the Second World War in recognition of their determination and devotion to the city. It can be found outside the Garrison Church

Commemorative Plaque

 ​Free French sailors help salvage belongings and clear up amid the wreckage of a Blitzed building in Portsmouth on 14 January 1941

Free French Navy help in the clear up after an air raid on Portsmouth. January 1941

Winston Churchill shakes hands with 16 year old George Smith at Portsmouth Dockyard on 31 January 1941. Smith claimed to be the youngest worker on the premises

Winston Churchill during the Second World War in the United Kingdom

Community in War-Scarred Portsmouth

​​When the bombing raid hit on 10 January 1941, Verger J. Heaten acted quickly. With the help of both sailors and airmen who were stationed nearby, they managed to save the Chancel at the western end of the building. However, the nave and the main section of the building lost its roof because of the bombing. They remain roofless to this day and because of this it is a symbolic remembrance of the air raids Portsmouth suffered throughout the War. &nbsp;​​Services were still held the following Easter, after the debris had been cleared and the chancel had been partitioned off.&nbsp;​​Within the Church there are now beautiful stained-glass windows. The main church window portrays the church’s history, from its founding up until the Second World War. An additional army window memorialises Portsmouth's military involvement. The central window of the army display is celebrative of D-Day, showing a soldier and the scene of the invasion fleet in Port-Solent before they departed for France. The 8th Army window shows war in the desert, representing the divisions that fought in North Africa during the Second World War and remembering those that lost their lives. &nbsp;​​The Royal Garrison church is sometimes now referred to as the ’British Military Cathedral’ and remains one of Portsmouth's most recognisable landmarks. It celebrates its rich history through both the stained-glass windows and the unrepaired roof. The Church serves as a reminder of the destruction that war creates and a symbol of the vast challenge of rebuilding a country after the devastation of war.&nbsp;​The Church is available to visit for the public and is in the care of English Heritage. ​&nbsp;

Royal Garrison Church

​​Flint Lodge had a lounge, chapel, writing room and canteen. This was to ensure the women had a sense of belonging, when in many cases they were far away from their homes. &nbsp;​The lodge was opened by Lady Little, wife of Admiral Sir Charles Little. When she opened the hostel, she spoke of her hopes that it would not be used exclusively by those in the navy but all service women in Portsmouth, such as Wrens or Land Army women. She hoped that through the hostel, there could be an exchange of experiences.&nbsp;​The warden of the lodge, Mrs H.W. Hutton, came to Portsmouth to work in the hostel. The newspaper article celebrating the opening of the lodge claimed she would be a ‘foster mother to many service girls in Portsmouth.’ The sense of creating a home away from home was important to boost morale and ensure women were happy within their roles. The superintendent of the Wrens in the Portsmouth area, Miss A. Curtis, argued that places such as these were vital as it helped women ‘escape from service life for a little while.’&nbsp;​The lodge had certain rules for the service women to adhere to. One such rule was that any boyfriends were only allowed in the lounge and canteen area. The Lodge itself opened at 10:00 and closed at 22:00, with any girl wanting a bed for the night to be there by 23:59. However, ‘a service girl who is stranded in Portsmouth [would] get a hot bowl of soup and a welcome at any time of the night.’&nbsp;​Importantly, the Lodge was not just a place for sleeping, but a place for people to socialise and connect. Other similar clubs in Portsmouth included Freestone House and Cape Town House, which had a sewing machine and received donations of magazines, books and sporting equipment to entertain the service women. &nbsp;​The house is now private property and cannot be accessed by the public. &nbsp;

Flint Lodge

Pre-war, the school covered most of the area where the petrol station now stands. It is therefore thought that the air raid shelter would have been in the playground, around fifty metres south of the petrol station. &nbsp;​The 10 January 1941, one of the worst raids experienced in Portsmouth took place, resulting in a substantial number of buildings being hit. This included places such as Guildhall Square, Clarence Pier, Palmerston and Commerical Road. Other air raid shelters such as Bramble Road Shelter were also hit on this fatal night. &nbsp;​Of the 80 people to lose their lives at Besant Road Shelter, 76 of the civilians were able to be identified, leaving 4 unnamed. Most of the victims were then buried in a communal grave within Kingston Cemetry and are mentioned on the memorial plaques within the cemetery.&nbsp;​​There are many personal recollections from the 10 January relating to the Besant Road School Shelter. One of these is of an air raid warden who was working at the school's shelter. He had taken his wife and nine children to a different shelter nearby on Arundel Road (likely because the schools was full), and then returned to the Besant Road shelter, where he was killed in the bombing. Other civilians who were killed included Dorothy Kimber, who had been married for just a year when she died. On that day she had been visiting her parents and, on her walk back, had to use the air raid shelter. She met some friends as she made her way to Besant Road School, all of which sadly passed away that night. &nbsp;​​The Plaque is said to be inspired by the story of a women whose heel broke on her way to the shelter, meaning she did not make it and instead took cover under a shop doorway. One of her friends and all her family made it to the shelter, where they were killed by the German bombing raid.&nbsp;​​The full list of those killed can be found here: ​<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="Hyperlink SCXW262921069 BCX4" href="https://www.memorialsinportsmouth.co.uk/city-centre/besant-road-shelter.htm">Memorials and Monuments in Portsmouth City Centre (Besant Road Air Raid Shelter) (</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://memorialsinportsmouth.co.uk">memorialsinportsmouth.co.uk</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="Hyperlink SCXW262921069 BCX4" href="https://www.memorialsinportsmouth.co.uk/city-centre/besant-road-shelter.htm">)</a>​&nbsp;​&nbsp;

Besant Road School Shelter memorial Plaque

​​Portsmouth Townhall was built in 1890 and adopted as the symbolic heart of the city. In 1926 when Portsmouth was raised to city status it was renamed Guildhall. &nbsp;​During the Second World War, many entertainment venues in Portsmouth were destroyed through German bombing. Restaurants, cinemas and theatres were closed, destroyed or both, such as the Portsmouth Hippodrome.​&nbsp;​Guildhall Square filled the gaps left across the city. It became the site of open-air canteens, providing meals in mobile and street kitchens. These were located in the spaces in front of the Great war memorial to the right of the Guildhall building and stretched into Victoria Park, just behind the Guildhall. It aimed to partially fill the bellies of the 3000 civilians left homeless.&nbsp;​Reduction of entertainment was not limited to Portsmouth but spread across the country, leading to the rise in popularity of mobile entertainment such as travelling cinema vans. Outside the Guildhall steps vans would display popular films and rally morale.&nbsp;​On 10 January 1941, 2,314 fires tore across the city. Portsmouth glowed red and orange, caused by three showers of incendiary bombs combined with high explosive shells from the Luftwaffe. Several bombs made direct contact with Portsmouth Guildhall. The building suffered irrevocable damage to the interior and roof, however the outer walls survived, reflecting the city’s strength and determination. Shortly afterwards on 6 February, a royal party visited Portsmouth and their trip included a tour of the heavily damaged Guildhall. The visit was met with a hardy and triumphant welcome with upbeat chants and humorous exchanges between residents and the King. &nbsp;​Guildhall Square was also a popular celebratory destination to mark the war’s end. The square continued to be a place for the community to gather, and street parties and bonfires filled the space with dancing and cheering. ​&nbsp;​Throughout the war the Guildhall became the space that embodied the spirit of Portsmouth civilians. It reflected the destruction, determination and love of resident's experiences. ​

Portsmouth Naval Dockyard has been the centre for important events and visits from the likes of Admiral Lord Nelson to Winston Churchill and Queen Victoria. In the Second World War it became the workplace of 25,000 people including 3,000 women by 1943. Dockyard workers, naval personnel and Royalty created separated and interconnected communities throughout the war to serve their country.&nbsp;​In January and March 1941, extensive bombing targeted the dockyard and left the surrounding areas of Portsea, Old Portsmouth and Commercial Road in rubble or destroyed. Soon afterwards, Prime Minister Winston Churchill along with his wife Clementine, Harry Hopkins (representative for President Roosevelt), esteemed military personnel Admiral Sir William James, and Regional Commissioner Harry Butler formed a party which toured the destructive trail left by the Luftwaffe in Portsmouth. Arriving in Portsmouth Dockyard, they inspected warships and civil workers.&nbsp;​Similarly in 1944, during a royal visit to Portsmouth to further increase civilian morale, King George VI examined his navy within the dockyard. The visit demonstrates the importance royalty had on upholding and strengthening both civilian and military communities.&nbsp;​The Dockyard was not unfamiliar to visitors for recreational or diplomatic purposes in wartime either. HMS Victory’s historical significance made it a sought-after venue during visits to the Dockyard. Despite seeing no combat between 1939 and 1945, HMS Victory sustained war-inflicted damage caused by Luftwaffe bombing in 1941. In 1943, the dockyard received a visit from the Archbishop of Canterbury, addressing troops and dockworkers from a HMS Victory platform.&nbsp;​Although restoration onboard HMS Victory had been halted, in February 1944 the Chinese military were hosted aboard, led by General Yang Chieh and Sir Charles J C Little. In ummer 1945, the Chinese Navy returned to the Victory again, indicating the welcoming characteristics of the naval community in Portsmouth throughout the war. HMS Victory provided a welcoming backdrop throughout the war for military and worker needs.&nbsp;​The Naval Dockyard remains active, however it is separated by Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, a visitor attraction that is open to the public.​&nbsp;

Portsmouth Dockyard

​​​Like many Portsmouth residents, Mary Verrier felt the impact of war. She had been bombed out twice and she relied upon Guildhall Square canteens, yet she continued to provide quality patient care.&nbsp;​In 1938, Mary trained as a red cross cadet assigned to the Portsmouth division. As war arrived, she was attached to First Aid Post 1- St Mary’s Hospital. This detachment possessed the only gas decontamination unit, which Mary was trained to use. Initially, St Mary’s was a workhouse infirmary, evolving later into a hospital. Today it is a walk-in healthcare centre. &nbsp;​Although posted to St Mary’s, Mary’s work took her to other parts Portsmouth. During the evacuation of Dunkirk and the Dieppe and Sanders raids, she treated casualties at Queen Alexandra hospital. Portsmouth hospitals suffered much damage from air raids, therefore patients were frequently transferred to St Mary’s (outside of the city centre). However, it wasn’t immune to attacks. One bombing resulted in the destruction of 80 nurse's rooms, matron's quarters, a kitchen and the pool, and killed several members of staff.&nbsp;​Caught in a raid once herself during a cinema date with her husband, Mary left to return to the hospital, where she was hauled in to help tackle two fires before arriving at her post where Air Raid Precaution teams were taking civilian casualties. This demonstrates the wartime determination and cooperation among Portsmouth’s population.&nbsp;​Prior to D-Day, medical training intensified at St Mary’s, with wards cleared and bodily fluids stocked up. In June 1944, Mary stood on Southsea Pier by a mobile hospital unit waving the troops goodbye. For the injured that returned, she provided specialised burn treatment at her clearing station and tended to troops and Prisoners of War with burns and blasts. She took care of physical wounds, whilst and tried to boost morale. Gifts were exchanged consisting of parcels for POW’s and poems or dances for nurses. ​&nbsp;​In 2021, Mary passed away. She committed her life to the Red Cross and the people of Portsmouth. Mary’s memories of the Second World War reflect normality for many civilian and military personnel. Portsmouth was full of ‘hard times, happy times and hospital staff’ (Memoirs of Sister Mary Verrier, Portsmouth library).​&nbsp;

Mary Verrier, a wartime Portsmouth nurse

Kingston cemetery, established in 1856, serves as a reminder of the domestic and military cost of war. Along the East and West walls, as you enter from St Mary’s Road, two memorial gardens are located a third of the way down, roughly parallel to one another.&nbsp;​The East Side Memorial faces the railway track. It is a simple inscribed limestone block which reads:&nbsp;​​‘Erected to the memory of those men, women and children, both known and unknown, who died as a result of enemy bombing on this city and whose last resting place is near this spot. 1939-1945.”&nbsp;​“Out of the depth of sorrow and sacrifice will be born again the glory of mankind.’&nbsp;&nbsp;​Between the engravings is a singular plaque, marking 30 names including John and Elsie Christie. John Christie was naval personnel therefore he was granted a separate service grave, seen opposite the memorial. Christie is not the only military personnel buried within Kingston’s grounds. 574 First and Second world war service graves are dispersed across the site, maintained and recognised by the Commonwealth War Graves Commision. A cluster of eighteen Second World War graves can be found 100m from the eastern memorial. The historical significance of the site is marked by its Cross of Sacrifice which, following the Great War, honours all service personnel buried within the grounds, including those who died in the Portsmouth bombings. &nbsp;​On 10 January 1941, 171 civilians died during one raid. 36 victim names are recorded on the West Side memorial, alongside casualties from separate attacks. On 17 January 1941, a public funeral took place within Kingston cemetery, giving the city a chance to grieve together. The strip of grass in front of the memorial marks the location of the communal grave. &nbsp;​Often family members killed in the same event were buried together, such as the Wiltshires. John Wiltshire - who was serving on HMS Queensworth - was sent home when his father and three sisters were killed in an air raid shelter on Cairo Terrace. All four family members were buried in Kingston.​&nbsp;​Kingston is Portsmouth’s largest cemetery. It is free to access and still in use to this day.​&nbsp;