THEY were Southampton's darkest days.

It was 80 ago when Nazi bombers entered the skies over Hampshire to deliver a deadly cargo that would bring about death and destruction.

To mark the anniversary of the attacks the Daily Echo has produced a commemorative book that takes a look back over the raids on Southampton in 1940, the Battle of Britain and the bravery of the city and its residents.

The devastating night times raids on November 23 and 30 marked the apogee in a brutal period of torment at the hands of the Germans. They had been raining down high explosives and incendiaries onto Southampton for several weeks.

In late September several attacks from the Luftwaffe were orchestrated with the intention to cause maximum disruption to the town and to break the spirits of its residents.

Southampton and its people were stronger than the Germans had anticipated, although the attacks claimed the lives of many of the town’s citizens.

More heavy casualties were recorded in early and mid-November 1940, which were much to the satisfaction of Hermann Goering. The commander-in- chief of the Luftwaffe had smugly stated that Southampton’s Civic Centre looked like a cake from the air – and he was going to “cut himself a slice”.

The Blitz of Southampton Remembered can be purchased for £2.95 from select shops across the region, ordered for £4, including post and packaging, by phone on 0800 731 4900 or online at dailyecho.co.uk/theblitz.