A result of the Bath Blitz, or the Baedeker raids (Baedeker travel guides) carried out by the Nazis in World War Two.
This building is a memory of the Bombings. Now only a stone’s throw from The King of Wessex, a Wetherspoon pub, Premier Inn, and Odeon cinema in the Kingsmead Entertainment Centre. In those days it was the labour exchange.
In April 1942 early in the morning, a 250kg bomb hit the pavement on the north side of James Street West, opposite this building.
The day before Holy Trinity Church, 40 yards away, was also hit by a similar bomb. The stone of the building was left severely pitted by shrapnel and machine gun fire and this damage can still be seen on the retained facade of the building. There is a plaque on the flank wall in Kingsmead North. Take a look when visiting Bath
417 people were killed, another 1,000 were injured and more than 19,000 buildings were damaged in Bath on April 25-26, 1942.
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