Bomb damage to the roof of one of the galleries.

Bomb Damage at Trafalgar Square

The first bombs of the Blitz fell on the City of Westminster just before 11pm on 30 August 1940. The National Gallery was hit for the first time on the night of 12 October, by a 250 kilo bomb which destroyed Room XXVI (now room 10). It was very lucky not to suffer worse damage: during the same raid seven people were killed and thirty-three people were injured when a bomb hit Trafalgar Square.

A second bomb fell in one of the Gallery's small courtyards five days later on 17 October, but it did not explode immediately. It eventually went off - destroying the Old Board Room and damaging the Library - on 23 October, while the Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal Squad were at lunch. More bombs fell on the Gallery on the 7 and 15 November. It was fortunate that the pictures had gone and even more fortunate that no one was hurt.

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