A public appeal has been made for help in the creation of a memorial to the 1941 Belfast Blitz.
Belfast City Council has partnered with the Northern Ireland War Memorial (NIWM) charity on the project, which will commemorate those who died over the four nights of German bombing.
NIWM is working with Blitz historians Alan Freeburn and Dr Brian Barton to establish a complete list of those who died in the raids.
A total of 937 fatalities have been identified so far, using government records and official sources.
The NIWM and Belfast City Council are asking the public to review the provisional list of victims and to contact them if they feel a victim has been omitted.
Plans will see the memorial located in Cathedral Gardens, an area between St Anne’s Cathedral and the Ulster University Campus, which the council is in the process of developing.
Don Bigger, chair of NIWM, said the memorial will be a “compelling monument to a tragic time in Belfast’s history”.
“The impact was devastating and the new memorial will recognise those who were killed ‘as a direct result of enemy action’ in the city,” he said.
“A total of 937 fatal casualties have already been identified and NIWM is working with Blitz historians Alan Freeburn and Dr Brian Barton to establish a definitive list of people who lost their lives as a result of these raids.
“Elsewhere in Northern Ireland, on the night of Easter Monday, a further 32 died due to German bombing in Derry/Londonderry, Bangor and Newtownards. In time, NIWM is also hoping to support memorials to mark these raids.”
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Belfast Lord Mayor Micky Murray said: “We are so grateful for the Northern Ireland War Memorial’s expert support and guidance in creating this important Blitz Memorial for Cathedral Gardens.
“It’s right and fitting that we remember all those who lost their lives in these devastating raids on our city.
“Our plan for Cathedral Gardens is that it becomes an easily accessible place, where everyone is welcome to meet up to relax, enjoy entertainment, or simply take in the beauty of a new living landscape and urban forest.
“And hopefully, in creating this Blitz Memorial and siting it in Cathedral Gardens, we will not only honour these Belfast residents, but also provide pause for reflection on the pointless destruction that war brings at a time when conflict sadly continues in many parts of the world.”
Further information and the provisional list of victims can be found at: https://www.niwarmemorial.org/belfast-blitz-memorial