Glasgow at War, 1939–45

An in-depth look at how Scotland’s largest city and its residents were affected by the Second World War, with photos included.

Scotland was of grave strategic importance during World War II because of its geographical position, and Glasgow was the location of a significant number of important military and civil organizations as well as housing industry vital to the national war effort. As a result, Glasgow attracted enemy attention on many occasions—with the city and its hinterland being heavily raided by the Luftwaffe. These included the infamous raid on Clydebank in March 1941, which killed over five hundred civilians and left only seven houses undamaged in the town.

Although Glasgow’s shipyards, munitions factories, and other industries were all vital, so too was the location of the city itself. The River Clyde was the end point for many Atlantic convoys bringing precious food, material, and men to the war-struck British Isles, and the city was thus a vital link in the nation’s war effort. No member of the population of Glasgow escaped the war. Huge numbers of men and women from the area came forward for service in the military or in roles involving the Home Guard, ARP services, nursing, and vital war industries. Residents struggled to maintain a household under strict rationing and the stresses of wartime life, and children were evacuated from the city to rural areas to escape the bombing campaigns. Glasgow was also home to a sizable Italian community, which was badly affected by internment and tight restrictions on movement and civil rights. The Italian community was also subjected to violent attacks when rioting mobs attacked Italian-owned business throughout the city.

Glasgow at War 1939-1945 paints a portrait of a city fighting to survive, and poignantly commemorates the efforts and achievements of workers, fighters, and families divided.