A Luftwaffe map of Cardiff Dockland across the bay as issued to bomber crews and dated 1941. The luftwaffe were conscious that the South Wales ports had clear access to the US supply routes across the Atlantic since many of the North Sea ports were easily blockaded. All the ports of the Bristol Channel were therefore seen as legitimate targets for the Nazi regime but in the case of Cardiff, most of the bombs and incendiary devices missed the docks and landed on the city.

One theory put forward by a Cardiff historian is that the managing director of a local engineering company was a German spy and directed the Luftwaffe planes to bomb the city. He had apparently fled back to Germany on the night of the most devastating attacks which raised suspicion about him. Maybe, his German accent provided the clue and/or the claim that he had a large framed picture of Adolf Hitler above the fireplace in his office. All of which seems to indicate that he was a very, very, stupid German spy! [002]

'Die Hafenanlagen von Cardiff bei Hochwasser' - 'The Docks of Cardiff at Highwater' - A Luftwaffe image of the Cardiff Dockland as issued to bomber crews during WWII to assist them identify and confirm bombing targets. The image is almost in the same orientation as the map above showing the Queen Alexandra Dock nearest, with the Roath Basin leading to the Roath Dock beyond and then to the left of that the Bute East Basin and Dock and finally the Bute West Basin and Dock. The Dowlais steelworks and docks were an obvious target for enemy aircraft. Another piece of history from the Penarth Dock Collection. [001]