WW2 in Kirkcaldy

[JDB307]

Does anyone know if there are any records of air raids on Kirkcaldy during WW2?  I have a vague recollection of some damage to buildings in Mitchell Street, opposite the end of Alexandra Street.  I would have been about six at the time.  They were probably aiming at the harbour.

Jack

[fraserrigby]

I remember my gran saying that the Germans regularly tried to bomb the rail bridge but she said no raids directed at Kirkcaldy, although it was hit by spare bombs from german planes returning from Clydebank heading back to Norway. One such bomb was dropped at the Chapel level which blew out windows in Smeaton. I think it is recorded in the Fife Free Press which has been digitised and is available to view online.

[captainkirk54]

I am not aware of bombing in Kirkcaldy during the war, but on the night of 23rd July 1940 a lone German bomber dropped a bomb near Thornton Junction station half a mile south of my family home in Coaltown of Balgonie, the crater is still visible. They were definitely aiming for the main Edinburgh to Dundee railway line, but may been confused by the extensive Balgonie sidings mineral railway yard - 200 yards north west of the station, with the bomb exploding 200 yards from the sidings. This lone bomber continued northwards and dropped a second single bomb at Markinch Station opposite St Drosdans cemetery only 200 yards from the mainline.

Britains night defences were very poor as our radar only tracked incoming planes crossing the coast, once overland there was no radar and we depended on the Royal Observer Corps. Apparently this was a tactic of the Germans to employ lone bombers which were more difficult to track overland at night.

I cannot see how effective it would be to drop two bombs are a long flight probably from Norway, nor can I imagine what sort of long range bombers would only carry two bombs, this may have been its first two bombs or its last two bombs, but after dropping the bomb at Markinch it turned and headed out over the coast where Crail aerodrome was a known target.

Records do show however that a lone German bomber was shot down off the Fife coast that night by Spitfires from the fighter station at Drem, but one can only speculate.

[RJ_Paton]

According to https://www.onfife.com/newspaper_index/world-war-ii-kirkcaldy-air-raids/  there were air raids on Kirkcaldy or involving Kirkcaldy between January and March of 1941

[Henry7]

There were three bomb-craters from early in WW2, high up on the west end of the Binn hill above Burntisland. 

They were visible for many years but gradually disappeared, filled up with grass.  What the Gerries could have been aiming for, away up there, always puzzled me as a little lad.  And still does!