1 9 4 1 ▁during ▁bomb ing ▁ra ids ▁on ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁Str ateg ic ▁target ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁F ühr er ' s ▁War ▁Direct ive ▁No . ▁ 9 , ▁New castle , ▁north ▁T yn es ide , ▁W ear side ▁and ▁Te ess ide ▁in ▁north - east ▁England ▁were ▁de emed ▁important ▁targets . ▁The ▁areas ▁had ▁important ▁heavy ▁industry ▁including ▁ship building ▁and ▁busy ▁do cks ▁sending ▁coal ▁to ▁London ▁and ▁the ▁south ▁and ▁there ▁were ▁also ▁major ▁railway ▁connections ▁to ▁Scotland . ▁Target s ▁included ▁the ▁Ty ne ▁river ▁brid ges , ▁the ▁do cks , ▁El sw ick ▁steel works , ▁Sw an ▁Hunter ' s ▁ship yard , ▁V ick ers ▁Arm strong ▁" N aval ▁Y ard " ▁and ▁W alls end ▁s lip way . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁declaration ▁of ▁war ▁against ▁Germany ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁over ▁ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people , ▁mainly ▁children , ▁were ▁ev acu ated ▁from ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁Bomb ing ▁ra ids ▁▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁The ▁first ▁major ▁ra id ▁on ▁New castle ▁and ▁J arrow ▁came ▁on ▁ 2 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁The ▁target ▁was ▁the ▁High ▁Level ▁Bridge ▁and ▁ 1 3 ▁people ▁were ▁killed ▁with ▁further ▁ 1 2 3 ▁injured . ▁ ▁Another ▁ra id ▁on ▁New castle ▁came ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁when ▁German ▁bom bers