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In pictures: April in Aberdeen over the years with Middlefield School, Mugiemoss Mill and munitions girls

In our monthly trip into the archives, our memories of April in Aberdeen takes us to the bombsites of WW2, Mugiemoss Mill, cup-tie joy and the beach carnival.

Pupils look at the Middlefield School bomb damage on April 21 1943 after the worst air raid on Aberdeen during the Second World War. Image: DC Thomson
Pupils look at the Middlefield School bomb damage on April 21 1943 after the worst air raid on Aberdeen during the Second World War. Image: DC Thomson

Just over 80 years ago, April in Aberdeen was a terrifying time as Nazi bombs rained down on the city, bringing death and destruction to homes, businesses and schools.

Between 1940 and 1943 in the Second World War, Aberdeen was the most bombed city in Britain, earning it the unwelcome nickname ‘Siren City’.

The sinister wail of air raid sirens became part of daily life for Aberdonians as they hurried to basements, and shelters in streets and gardens to sit out the blitz.

Crowding in with family, neighbours – and often strangers – people waited anxiously as German bombers soared overhead.

A Press and Journal article from October 25 1944 with a tally of Aberdeen’s casualties until that point of the war. Aberdeen. Image: DC Thomson

As bombs rumbled and buildings crumbled, there was fear and apprehension about what would be left when people emerged from their underground sanctuaries.

This was particularly the case on April 21 1943, when Aberdeen suffered its most deadly air raid.

Middlefield School was badly damaged by Nazi bombs on April 21 1943

The night sky was full of Nazi bombers showering the city with high-explosive bombs, phosphorus bombs and oil bombs, which sparked fires, to cause maximum destruction.

Middlefield School, Causewayend Church, the psychiatric hospital and a nurses’ home were just some of the buildings left in ruins. But there were many more.

Middlefield School was one of the first buildings to be hit, while the worst-hit residential districts were Kittybrewster, Hilton, Woodside and George Street.

Middlefield pupil June Ross described how “Anderson Drive was ablaze with incendiary bombs”.

1941: Ammunition girls at Aberdeen Munitions Factory in April 1941. CF Wilson’s Munitions Factory was on Constitution Street during the Second World War. Image: DC Thomson

Teachers were at the school on fire-watching duty throughout the raid when parts of the building collapsed, trapping much-loved teacher Sybil Spicer.

She was pinned down by a fallen beam when a central stairwell collapsed, and taken to hospital where her leg was amputated.

Happily, she survived the ordeal, continued teaching, and went on to become the first female headteacher in Aberdeen.

As a result of bomb-damage on schools, many schoolchildren moved to half-days’ schooling to accommodate all the pupils at different times of the day until temporary huts were built.

Our gallery of archive photos of April in Aberdeen takes us beyond the war years and into happier occasions like cup-tie wins, shopping at The Green and fun at the beach carnival.

In pictures: April in Aberdeen over the years

1947: Flashback to April 19 1947 when Aberdeen won the Scottish Cup. Players Frank Dunlop and Stan Williams are on the left, the goalkeeper is George Johnstone, and on the right is Willie Cooper, whose historic goal put the Dons on the way to the Hampden Park triumph in which he couldn’t take part because of injury. Image: DC Thomson
1982: Aboyne Academy technical department teacher Alex Shearer, right, with some of the pupils at work on the adventure playground adjoining the school which will be open to the public. Financed by community centre funds, and a gift of timber from Glentanar Estate, the project was started by police cadets who were staying at the Old Coull School. Image: DC Thomson
1957: The spring sunshine brought out the crowds to the weekly market at the Green, Aberdeen, in April 1957. The sign under the awning advertises that back bacon is reduced by 4d (approx. 2p) per lb. Image: DC Thomson
1975: Children and parents try to hook a duck at Aberdeen Beach Carnival. Image: DC Thomson
1965: On the left is the £850,000 paper board making machine in its huge shed at Davidson’s paper mill at Mugiemoss. The finished uncut roll is in the foreground, with cut reels on the right lower floor. The aluminium hood covers the rollers and cylinders in the centre background. Image: DC Thomson
1960: All set for the start play in The Press and Journal Bridge Tournament at the Caledonian Hotel, Aberdeen, were, from left,- Mrs B. McIntosh, Miss B. Milne, Mr J. S. McIntosh, and Mrs V. Stephen. Image: DC Thomson
1992: Director and general manager of Conoco (UK), Bob Irelan, and his wife, Anne, at St John’s, the oil industry chapel in the Kirk of St Nicholas,  during a ceremony conducted by the Rev James Stewart, right, minister of the kirk, and the Rev Angus Smith, chaplain to the oil industry.<br />The tapestry, which was offered to the church by Mr Irelan and unveiled by his wife, was to hang in the chapel as a permanent memorial to 12 Conoco employees and members of their families who died in an air crash in Borneo in 1991. It was woven at the Doocot Studios of the Edinburgh Tapestry Co. Image: DC Thomson
1990: The annual outdoor landscape classes run by Gray’s School of Art were more popular than ever in 1990. Demand was such that year that three classes were needed; weather permitting, the classes were held outdoors at various locations in and around Aberdeen. Art teacher Diana Gallagher admires a charcoal sketch by Pierre Dekock, from Cults. Image: DC Thomson
1965: A view of Bridge Street in the 1960s looking much cleaner than it does nowadays. Image: DC Thomson
1991: Aberdeen Amateur Boxing Club had seven youngsters competing at the Scottish Championships at Meadowbank in April ’91. The youngsters are pictured with club officials at the training session in the Cummings Park Community Centre, Aberdeen. Back, from left, Harry Battensby (trainer), David McGregor, Gordon Anderson, Bon Reid (trainer), Adam Smith (secretary). Front, from left, Billy Sim, Tony Murray, Leroy Smith, Ray McDonald, Mark McDonald. Image: DC Thomson
1990: A view of Union Grove after Aberdeen was hit by a binmens’ wildcat strike just 24 hours before the launch of a campaign to make the city the cleanest in Europe. There was still no guarantee the rubbish would be cleared from the city’s streets in time for the start of National Environment week, which was to include a massive parade down Union Street. Image: DC Thomson
1984: Moira McLennan with her son Bruce (13), fourth from left, and several of the neighbours’ children who were petitioning the city council to have a play area built for youngsters in Seaton Avenue. Image: DC Thomson

Do you have memories of wartime Aberdeen you’d like to share? Please get in touch by email at: nostalgia@dctmedia.co.uk

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