・設計者:クリストファー・レン卿。 ・第二次世界大戦のロンドン大空襲(Blitz)で教会本体が破壊され、塔だけが残された。 ・戦後、廃墟となった教会跡は撤去され、残った塔がランドマークとして保存された。 ・その周辺に St Paul’s Cathedral School の新校舎が建てられ、現在は校舎と塔が一体化して 見える形になっているのだと。
「INTRODUCTION」 「NEW BEGINNINGS: THE FRIENDS OF ST PAUL’S
With the war over, the St Paul’s Watch was no longer needed. It was disbanded after a farewell dinner in October 1945, when heartfelt toasts were made before the members went their separate ways.
But this was not the end of the story. Life on the Watch had created such strong, lasting ties of friendship and community, that some of its members decided to create a new organisation: The Friends of St Paul’s Cathedral.
Founded by Dean Matthews in 1952, the Friends raised funds for the restoration of the Cathedral and promoted knowledge of its history and ongoing work. Some 83 members attended the first meeting, but numbers grew rapidly.
The Friends are a unique community who come together to enjoy our music, heritage and spiritual learning – some even volunteer with us. Membership starts at £25 a year. Find out more about joining the Friends by visiting stpauls.co.uk」
The aftermath of the war held many challenges: reconstruction, more food rationing, and reintegration for those returning after five long years away. Time was needed too, for mourning the missing, and the dead.
The St Paul’s Watch was commemorated with a dedication on a flagstone inside the Cathedral. In 1946, a fund was set up to build the American Memorial Chapel, in tribute to the 28,000 American servicemen and women who lost their lives during the Second World War while stationed in Britain.
Watch Commander Godfrey Allen was one of the architects who designed the Chapel. It was located in the Apse, which was reconstructed after sustaining bomb damage during the war. The American Memorial Chapel was dedicated in November 1958 with a service attended by the Royal Family.」
【追悼 戦争が終わった後、人々は多くの課題に直面しました。復興、食料配給の継続、そして5年に及ぶ
長い年月を経て帰還した人々の社会復帰です。また、行方不明者や戦死者を悼む時間も必要でした。
セント・ポールの監視団(St Paul’s Watch)は、大聖堂内部の石畳への献辞によって 記念されました。1946年には、アメリカ記念礼拝堂(American Memorial Chapel) 建設の ための基金が設立されました。これは第二次世界大戦中、イギリスに駐留し戦死した
・これは 1940年12月29日夜、ロンドン大空襲(Blitz)の最も激しい日 「Second Great Fire of London(二度目のロンドン大火)」の記録。
「This iconic photograph was taken by Herbert Mason at the height of the London Blitz, on 30th December 1940. It immediately became an enduring symbol of Britain’s wartime bravery and resilience.
In Nazi Germany, the same image was used as propaganda to convince the population that St Paul’s had been destroyed — false evidence that the Luftwaffe’s bombing raids were a success.」
このパネルは「THE LONDON BLITZ IN NUMBERS(数字で見るロンドン大空襲)」 を テーマとする統計的な展示解説。 「THE LONDON BLITZ IN NUMBERS
1 million
Houses and flats damaged or destroyed in London. One in every six Londoners was made homeless at some point during the Blitz.
180,000
People per night sheltered in the London Underground system during the Blitz.
100,000
Incendiary bombs plus 24,000 high explosive bombs were dropped on London in just one night, between 6pm on December 1940 and the early hours of the next morning.
43,500
Civilians killed during the first eight months of attacks, with nearly half of Britain’s total civilian deaths for the whole war occurring during the Blitz.
2,136
Estimated number of fires recorded by the London Fire Brigade.」
「GERMANY’S WEAPONS OF WAR(ドイツの戦争兵器)」 を解説する展示 「GERMANY’S WEAPONS OF WAR
The Luftwaffe employed a variety of weapons and tactics to target London and other British cities.
Lightweight incendiary bombs were widely used to start fires that could spread to neighbouring buildings. Mines and larger high-explosive bombs were dropped to maximise damage.
By 1944, among the most deadly threats were the ‘doodlebug’ V1 and V2 high-speed missiles. ‘V’ was short for Vergeltungswaffe, meaning ‘vengeance weapon’. These lethal rockets were made by prisoners in Nazi concentration camps. Conditions there were so appalling that more people died making the rockets than those killed by them in air raids. More than 500 V2 rockets were used in attacks on London.」
London experienced such heavy bombing on the night of 29th to 30th December 1940, it was dubbed "the second Great Fire of London". The western bell towers of St Paul’s can be seen through the smoke beyond this ruined arch on the next day.」
「DANGER AND DAMAGE(危険と被害)」 大聖堂が戦時中に直面した被害をテーマにした展示。 ・背景写真 ・パネルの背景には、爆撃後の修復作業か、建物内部の補強工事の様子と思われる白黒写真 が使用されていた。
・焼夷弾や爆撃で破壊された部分を補強する足場が描かれていた。
・「戦時中にセント・ポールが受けた具体的な被害」を紹介
「‘None of us will, I imagine, forget the dull roar of those tons of falling masonry followed by the rasping sound of falling glass which seemed to continue for many minutes.’ Watch Commander Godfrey Allen, recalling the night of 16th April 1941」
By 1940 the Cathedral urgently needed to increase its number of volunteers on the Watch, and the initial group of around 40 soon grew to 84 people, allowing for 12 men to work each shift.
An appeal to the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) included in its job description ‘Men from 40 to 60 who can walk upstairs and not fear heights’.
The number of volunteers on the Watch grew to more than 300 people as the war advanced. Men and women came from various backgrounds, bravely placing themselves in harm's way to protect the Cathedral. Together, they forged a great sense of camaraderie during a time of crisis.」
‘Report very bad night, everyone behaved splendidly’
This report was written by J. Green in the St Paul’s Watch logbook, on 16th April 1941. It is a typically understated account of what must have been a terrifying, life threatening experience for members of the Watch.
On that occasion, the Cathedral suffered significant damage from a bomb that hit the North Transept. This was just one of many perilous incidents that the Watch had to cope with. During another heavy air raid on London, fires raged on every side of the Cathedral after it was struck by 28 incendiary bombs.
Incredibly, not a single member of the Watch lost their lives during wartime service.」
During the bombing raids of 16th to 17th April 1941, a German naval mine was dropped in the North East Churchyard. It was discovered by the Cathedral’s Sub-Librarian Gerald Henderson, who spotted an object covered in green parachute silk.
A naval mine disposal expert was hurriedly called in. Lieutenant Ronald James Smith had to crawl underneath the mine to make it safe. As he began to unscrew the fuse, vibrations from a passing fire engine moved the mine and it began ticking.
Smith had around 17 seconds before it exploded. With nerves of steel, he deactivated the mine with just two seconds to spare, saving himself, the Cathedral and all those inside.」
Bomb debris and rubble are scattered across the floor by the Cathedral’s High Altar. If you look to the left of the photograph, you can see a tall candlestick.」 【危険と被害