UXO risk in Edinburgh

Why was Edinburgh targeted and bombed in WWII?

Although Edinburgh escaped the sustained bombing campaigns experienced by many major British cities, it was nevertheless subjected to repeated Luftwaffe attacks between 1940 and 1942. Rather than a single devastating ‘Blitz’, bombing occurred as a series of relatively small raids, many associated with attacks on the Forth Estuary, Leith Docks and nearby Rosyth Naval Dockyard.

The city was targeted primarily because of its strategic maritime location. Leith served as an important commercial port while the Firth of Forth contained major Royal Navy anchorages, extensive dock facilities and vital rail and road communications. German aircraft frequently crossed the Edinburgh area whilst attacking shipping, naval installations and industrial targets around the Forth.

Although overall bomb numbers were comparatively low, high explosive bombs, incendiaries and unexploded bombs were recorded across numerous districts including Leith, Granton, Portobello, Craigmillar, Gorgie and Holyrood. As with many UK cities, wartime records indicate that not every bomb was recovered, meaning unexploded ordnance remains a potential consideration during intrusive groundworks.

Unlike cities such as Birmingham or Coventry, Edinburgh was not bombed because of heavy manufacturing. Luftwaffe operations were largely directed against strategic military objectives including:

• Leith Docks
• Shipping within the Firth of Forth
• Nearby Rosyth Naval Dockyard
• Naval anchorages
• Railway infrastructure serving eastern Scotland
• Military headquarters and barracks
• Anti-aircraft defences protecting the Forth

Many raids over Edinburgh appear to have been secondary attacks or bomb jettisoning by aircraft returning from operations against larger targets including Glasgow, Clydebank and Belfast. Consequently, bombing was dispersed across numerous suburbs rather than concentrated within the city centre.

Air Raids on Edinburgh

The first significant attack affecting the Edinburgh area occurred shortly after the outbreak of war when German aircraft attacked Royal Navy vessels in the Firth of Forth during October 1939. Thereafter the city experienced intermittent bombing until mid-1942.

Bombing incidents included:

• June 1940 – Craigmillar area struck by high explosive bombs and incendiaries.
• July 1940 – Leith docks, railway infrastructure and dockside facilities attacked.
• 22 July 1940 – One of the most significant raids, during which a large bomb struck Albert Dock at Leith, killing eight people and damaging dock facilities.
• August 1940 – Portobello bombed, with several unexploded bombs recorded.
• September 1940 – Bombs fell at Holyrood and Gorgie.
• April 1941 – German aircraft returning from the Clydebank Blitz jettisoned bombs over northern Edinburgh, causing casualties around Newhaven and Leith.
• Further isolated attacks continued into 1942.

Overall, official records indicate around 47 bombs fell on Edinburgh itself during the war, causing approximately 19 fatalities and more than 200 injuries.

Areas Most Affected

The principal bombed locations included:

Leith
The city’s docks, railway sidings and commercial waterfront represented Edinburgh’s most important bombing target. Albert Dock, Victoria Dock and surrounding railway infrastructure suffered repeated bombing attacks.

Granton and Newhaven
Bombs and incendiaries were dropped across the harbour districts, particularly during aircraft withdrawal from raids further west.

Portobello
Several high explosive bombs landed in residential areas, with wartime records noting unexploded bombs remaining after the raids.

Craigmillar
Bombs and incendiaries were dropped on open ground and surrounding districts during June 1940.

Holyrood
Bombs fell within the grounds of the Palace of Holyroodhouse during September 1940.

Gorgie
Residential districts west of the city centre experienced isolated bombing.

These attacks illustrate the dispersed nature of bombing across Edinburgh, reflecting aircraft approaching or departing military objectives around the Forth rather than systematic destruction of the city centre.

Edinburgh’s Military History

Whilst German air raids represent the principal source of UXO risk across Edinburgh, the city’s extensive wartime military presence also presents the potential for Allied ordnance.

During WWII, Edinburgh formed a major military headquarters within Scottish Command and supported extensive defensive infrastructure around the Firth of Forth. The area included:

• Heavy Anti-Aircraft gun batteries
• Light Anti-Aircraft positions
• Searchlight sites
• Barrage balloon defences
• Military camps
• Coastal defence positions
• Ammunition storage
• Training facilities

At the height of the invasion threat during 1940, some 33,000 troops were stationed in the Edinburgh area. Anti-aircraft batteries around the city fired thousands of rounds during Luftwaffe attacks, creating the potential for discarded ammunition and associated military debris in the vicinity of former defensive positions. Construction works planned on and around these former military features may be at an elevated risk of encountering buried/discarded munitions – and we highly recommend that a UXO Risk Assessment is obtained prior to starting any intrusive ground investigations.