Sheffield during the blitz

[Sheffield History]

Just came across this book on Amazon. The Sheffield Blitz

However underneath it says 'Operation Crucible' 

Does anyone know what that means?

Ps - you can get the book HERE if you want a copy - http://amzn.to/2euVuan

[syrup]

The  German code name for the Blitz was Schmelztiegel ("Crucible").

[Sheffield History]

Ah got ya - thank you

[Keith_exS10]

May I add my thoughts to the thread. Once again I have to say I was there.

 The Blitz photos showed what it was like after the event exactly as I remember it.  Father and I had just reached the grandparents by Barber Road off the Circular bus when the sirens went followed by an immediate attack.  So back in the opposite direction to Hunters Bar for home. Only we two on board with the indicator showing Havelock Bridge which showed the crew's intention of making it to Leadmill Road. We hoped they did. Getting home was a game  of chance with anti aircraft shells exploding overhead. One contributor remarked that the A.A guns did no good. Pieces of shrapnel as big as two fingers hissing down could do as much damage as bomb fragments, so it was into  a passage till there was a pause and run again. After the raid the first impression was the silence which the book can't convey. Time for some tea. No water;  there isn't any gas or electricity either. Good job we had a coal fire and a bucket of fresh water every night. Now listen for the man and nip out to the water cart with a bucket. Bit short of window glass as well. We were lucky; others didn't have a house to go back to.The book brings it all out.

. Our concern was for friends and relatives. Nobody had a phone so we walked to Bramall Lane  They had survived so a look at the Moor.  Silence, rubble all over and the smell of all sorts of material burning. The book can't bring that out either. We walked back to Hunters Bar. No public transport. Drag the tram casualties out of the centre and it wasn't long before they  were back running. When we got round to it we saw the centre just as the book shows it. 

Looking at the list of contributors. Eddie Ratcliffe, and the late Ken Atkin were at Hunters Bar School at the same time as I was. Best estimate is we were five, nine and ten years old In that order. Ken's experience was pretty much the same as mine. I am a bit reticent to correct the written word in the opening paragraph of Sharrow Vale at War regarding the school staff. Ladies they were not. The headmaster was MISTER Thomas Bingham ( "Thos"  to us lads).a genial type. This sticks in my mind because father was in a similar line and spent time in discussion in Thos's office halfway up the stairs.

Nobody could forget MISTER  Laver if like me you were on the sharp end of a stroke with his walking stick, handed out to all and sundry at the drop of a hat. An elderly silver haired old gentleman whose looks belied his disposition and  who had some weird ideas but you learned not to query them.The other staff names ring no bells but there was at least one lady teacher who did  her best with local weather recording. Temperature readings varied wildly; nobody told us or her about Centigrade and Fahrenheit. Overall I cannot see how all the staff became female. Even at that date we could tell the difference. Slip of the keyboard perhaps.

That said I have to say that this book covers the Blitz and  the war as I remember it, a good introduction to the subject  Can't say much about the "now" photos. Having lived away in the second biggest county for fifty odd years I don't like the look of a lot of them. Shame really.

  Final thought. To help out,  school dinners became available, arriving from some mysterious source in big two handled insulated containers like oversize 5 gallon drums at about 11 a.m. This day the two dinner ladies brought them up into the hall as usual. Then there was a yell. We looked out. Released from it's container it was surprising how far and fast rice pudding could travel on a polished floor. For once Thos looked put out. We wern't happy either: only half a dinner  and we'd paid for a full one.