How did St Paul's survive the Blitz?

[Gerald]

The scene after the air raids of 29 December 1940, 70 years ago

There was an unofficial lull in the Blitz attacks on London, for Christmas in 1940. But by 29 December, the German bomber planes had returned with renewed vigour. St Paul's Cathedral famously survived, but how?

It became known as the Second Great Fire of London - the night 70 years ago that devastating air raids turned the capital into a conflagration.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12016916



Note: 29 December 2010 Last updated at 03:43 GMT

[Armistead]

Fairly obvious, Churchill wanted it saved at all cost as a landmark and they put a strong human effort there putting out fires as they started. Plus, it contained little burnable material...However it was damaged. Many lost their lives just trying to get there to save it.

Some say the Germans used the dome as a beacon as it reflected in the moonlight, but doubt it's true as it was hit and damaged in several areas.

Divine intervention.....I doubt God would care more for one church built with mass wealth for the likes of the royal family to throw million dollar weddings, over the 100's others that burned to the ground...

Oxford was never hit either....

[danlisa]

Most (if not all) of the damage in that photo was a result of the Fire Storm or deliberate demolition and not from bombs.

I recall seeing a documentary about the Blitz and there was a concerted effort to ensure that St Pauls survived.

I highly doubt the building was used as sighting guidance, if anything was used, they used the river, which rather handily directs any bomber directly into central London.

[Rockstar]

Don't any of you read the paper? Everyone knows information was recently released. Ground-based installations used immense projectors to generate a deflector shield, like the one that protected the air base at Biggin Hill from arial bombardment. This shield worked in both directions, however, and must be lowered momentarily to allow the launching of fighter aircraft.

Leading up to the Battle of Briton, German paratroops trained to land beyond the shield perimeter, and march over land to destroy the generators powering the shield. Obviously this never happened.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

Don't any of you read the paper? Everyone knows information was recently released. Ground-based installations used immense projectors to generate a deflector shield, like the one that protected the air base at Biggin Hill from arial bombardment. This shield worked in both directions, however, and must be lowered momentarily to allow the launching of fighter aircraft.

Leading up to the Battle of Briton, German paratroops trained to land beyond the shield perimeter, and march over land to destroy the generators powering the shield. Obviously this never happened.

[Gerald]

In the case of purely historical postings that interest seems to be cold as ice,

[Castout]

There was a women named Therese Neumann from German town of Konnersreuth. She was somekind of a saint and she opposed Hitler and Nazi.

The allied generals knew about her and ordered that her house be spared from bombing runs.

It still did catch a bomb but she was unharmed. She befriended US WWII general and had a cross put on top of a new church building by a loaned US military helicopter.

She also saved a few Catholic pastors from the hand of the Nazis.
She is also a stigmatist and she survived living without eating and drinking nothing but the blessed hosts for the rest of her life until she died. This is testified by people ordered from the Vatican to investigate her and actually lived with her to do that..

Look her up on the internet.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Castout

There was a women named Therese Neumann from German town of Konnersreuth. She was somekind of a saint and she opposed Hitler and Nazi.

The allied generals knew about her and ordered that her house be spared from bombing runs.

It still did catch a bomb but she was unharmed. She befriended US WWII general and had a cross put on top of a new church building by a loaned US military helicopter.

She also saved a few Catholic pastors from the hand of the Nazis.
She is also a stigmatist and she survived living without eating and drinking nothing but the blessed hosts for the rest of her life until she died. This is testified by people ordered from the Vatican to investigate her and actually lived with her to do that..

Look her up on the internet.

I will,thanks

[Castout]

Originally Posted by Vendor

I will,thanks

I have her video documentary. Real shot not recreated. I must say I'm impressed. There are some rather disturbing scenes though like when she cried blood from her eyes.

[Gerald]

I looked on the internet about her, and a fascinating story

[papa_smurf]

What those volunteer firefighters went through, I cannot even begin to imagine. Yes I've seen some large fires, but they were surrounded by a wall of fire, firestorms and not to mention the intense heat - those are true heroes

(To those in the UK, help support the Firefighters Benevolent Fund)

[Catfish]

Hello,
there were special voluntary firemen trained and being positioned in St. Paul's, i once read a book about it. There were two tactics to quench a fire when it came to those thermit bombs, and it was relatively easy if you were fast enough. Looking at the devastation around it it still is hard to believe ..
Greetings,
Catfish

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Castout

There was a women named Therese Neumann from German town of Konnersreuth. She was somekind of a saint and she opposed Hitler and Nazi.

The allied generals knew about her and ordered that her house be spared from bombing runs.

It still did catch a bomb but she was unharmed. She befriended US WWII general and had a cross put on top of a new church building by a loaned US military helicopter.

She also saved a few Catholic pastors from the hand of the Nazis.
She is also a stigmatist and she survived living without eating and drinking nothing but the blessed hosts for the rest of her life until she died. This is testified by people ordered from the Vatican to investigate her and actually lived with her to do that..

Look her up on the internet.

I remember reading about her year or so ago. There's quite a bit to it that would indicate "foul play". Especially on the subject of bleeding eyes and the stigmata stuff.

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by Dowly

I remember reading about her year or so ago. There's quite a bit to it that would indicate "foul play". Especially on the subject of bleeding eyes and the stigmata stuff.

To make Saints, you have to create miracles, I think 3....and the Catholic Church is good at creating both......keeps them rich.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Armistead

To make Saints, you have to create miracles, I think 3....and the Catholic Church is good at creating both......keeps them rich.

Hehe, aint that the truth.

Here's a good read on the case of Theresa Neumann:
http://www.josef-hanauer.de/swindle-...-contents.html

Only chapters 1-5 are translated, the whole book in german is available too:
http://www.josef-hanauer.de/schwi.html