Letter: The massively important role of Londonderry and Fermanagh in World War Two

Vital role of NI in WW2

'Pursuit – The Sinking of the Bismarck' is a hardback of a little over 200 pages by the late Ludovic Kennedy (1919-2009).

The dramatic end chapters describe the fast and well-armed Bismarck playing a cat and mouse game with her Royal Navy pursuers. Fermanagh and Derry feature in the epic struggle to defeat a massive World War Two threat to UK survival.

The Battle of the Atlantic and U-boats allegedly caused Winston Churchill more sleepless nights than Luftwaffe air attacks on cities and industrial centres.

If the German navy had successfully blended U-boat attacks with surface attacks by ships like Bismarck, then Britain might have fallen to the Nazis. Bismarck did almost escape, but a flying boat from Lough Erne found her and sealed her fate.

In an age when plane and boat ranges were massively lower, Londonderry was a massively important refuelling and naval centre.

Likewise, Lough Erne was a vital western RAF base, massively extending the Atlantic area over which air attacks and reconnaissance could happen.

Does the positive (essential?) role and value of Fermanagh during World War Two deserve far more attention?

James Hardy, Belfast BT5