When Hitler Brought Terror To Sheffield
On the nights of 12th and 15th December 1940, hundreds of German bombers headed for Sheffield.
Within hours, entire streets had vanished.
Great swathes of the city centre were reduced to ruins.
Families were buried beneath the rubble.
More than 2,000 people were killed or injured - hardly a suburb escaped unscathed.
Nearly a tenth of the city's population was made homeless.
Friends, neighbours and loved ones were never seen again.
Tens of thousands more carried the trauma for the rest of their lives, often never speaking about the horrors they had witnessed.
Despite being one of the most devastating attacks of the Second World War, much of Sheffield's Blitz story has never been fully told.
Until now.
FREE UK DELIVERY • STRICTLY LIMITED TO 250 COPIES
Sheffield's Date With Hitler - 85th Anniversary Collector's Edition
The most comprehensive Sheffield Blitz collection ever assembled — featuring 4+ hours of rare film footage, original German bombing maps and newly recorded survivor testimony.
- ✓ Personally signed by Neil Anderson
- ✓ Strictly limited to 250 copies
- ✓ Free UK delivery
- ✓ 30-day money-back guarantee
Preserving Sheffield's wartime memories before they are lost forever.
⚠️ PRE-ORDER NOW OPEN: Dispatch begins Monday, 3 August 2026, with every order sent via Royal Mail Tracked 24. Your exclusive Digital Archive will be emailed after your Collector's Edition has been dispatched, allowing you to enjoy the complete experience together.
The youngest Sheffield Blitz survivors are now in their late eighties and nineties.
Every year, more first-hand memories of the attacks are lost forever.
For more than 15 years, historian Neil Anderson has recorded the stories of the men, women and children who lived through Sheffield's darkest days.
Many of those voices have now fallen silent.
Their memories survive here.
The Story Hidden For 85 Years
Historian Neil Anderson has dedicated his life to uncovering the true story of the Sheffield Blitz.
He has interviewed hundreds of survivors, searched British and German wartime archives, worked alongside the Imperial War Museum and uncovered material hidden for decades.
Many of the voices featured in this collection have now fallen silent.
Their memories live on here.
WHY THIS COLLECTION IS DIFFERENT
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Interviews With Hundreds Of Survivors
First-hand testimony from the people who lived through Sheffield's darkest nights.
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Research Behind The BBC Documentary
The research that inspired the BBC documentary Sheffield: The Forgotten Blitz.
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15 Years Of Original Investigation
Thousands of hours spent uncovering archive material in Britain and Germany.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Five-Star Customer Reviews
Verified reviews from collectors, historians and Sheffield people. -
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Margaret M.
"My mum lived through the Blitz and spoke about it occasionally, but never in great detail. Watching the survivor interviews felt like listening to her generation one final time. There were moments that genuinely brought tears to my eyes. A beautiful and important piece of work."
What's Included In The Collection?
The most comprehensive Sheffield Blitz collection ever assembled - bringing together rare film footage, original German bombing maps, survivor testimony, archive material and 15 years of groundbreaking research.
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The Collector's Edition
The fully updated and expanded 85th Anniversary Collector's Edition of Sheffield's Date With Hitler, personally signed by Neil Anderson and accompanied by a hand-numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
This book contains almost 20 pages of additional material unavailable in the original edition.Discover newly recorded memories from Sheffield 'Blitz Kids', a detailed map showing exactly where bombs fell during the attacks, and newly uncovered research revealing how the city's dams were protected from potential German attacks that could have triggered a disaster on the scale of the Great Sheffield Flood.
The book also includes new material exploring Sheffield's permanent Blitz exhibition and the continuing efforts to preserve the memories of those who lived through the attacks.
Together with extensive revisions and additional research, this is the most complete edition of Sheffield's Date With Hitler ever published.
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Re-live Sheffield's darkest days
More than four hours of ultra-rare Sheffield Blitz film footage, survivor interviews, archive material and exclusive digital content.
Watch Sheffield prepare for war.Witness the city after the bombs fell.
Walk through streets reduced to rubble.
Stand alongside King George VI and Queen Elizabeth as they visit the devastated city.
Hear the voices of survivors recalling the most terrifying nights of their lives.
And follow Neil Anderson's 15-year quest to uncover the stories many feared would be lost forever.
This isn't a documentary about the Sheffield Blitz.
It's a chance to witness it through the eyes of the people who lived it.
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The Maps Used To Target Sheffield
These are among the most extraordinary wartime documents ever uncovered about Sheffield in World War Two.
Smuggled out of Germany after the fall of Berlin, these original Luftwaffe bombing maps remained largely unknown for decades.
When historian Neil Anderson first uncovered and researched them, they transformed long-held understanding of why Sheffield was targeted — revealing the true military priorities behind the attacks and overturning decades of accepted thinking.
This collection includes three of these remarkable WW2 bombing maps, reproduced in detail, together with the story of their discovery, what they reveal, and why they matter.
For anyone fascinated by the Second World War, they offer a rare opportunity to see Sheffield exactly as the Luftwaffe saw it. -
Explore The Story Yourself
The Blitz doesn't end with this collection - your journey is only just beginning.
Follow Neil Anderson's acclaimed Sheffield Blitz Walking Tour and uncover the hidden locations, forgotten stories and remarkable survivors behind Sheffield's darkest nights. Get behind the scenes access with our exclusive companion notes.
Stand where the Marples Hotel once stood. Stand where bodies have never been recovered.
See where entire streets vanished.
Discover the places where the city's wartime scars remain visible more than 85 years later.
History isn't confined to these pages.
It's waiting for you outside.
Here's The Collection In Greater Detail
You're getting the most comprehensive Sheffield Blitz collection ever assembled.
Rare film footage, original wartime documents, survivor testimony and discoveries uncovered during more than 15 years of research.
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Relive The Story
✓ Expanded 85th Anniversary Collector's Edition of Sheffield's Date With Hitler
✓ Nearly 20 pages of newly added material unavailable in the original edition
✓ More than four hours of ultra-rare film footage
✓ Historic footage captured in Sheffield immediately after the raids
✓ Rare film of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visiting the devastated city
✓ Newly recorded memories from Sheffield 'Blitz Kids'
✓ First-hand survivor testimony and eyewitness accounts
✓ Hundreds of wartime photographs and archive images
✓ Previously unpublished research uncovered during 15 years of investigation
✓ Rare archive material sourced from British and German records
✓ Includes newly uncovered details of the secret efforts to protect Sheffield's dams from a potentially catastrophic wartime attack -
Own The Archive
✓ Reproductions of three original German bombing maps used to target Sheffield together with exclusive companion guide to compare actual bombing patterns
✓ Includes the story behind the research and the remarkable discoveries that changed our understanding of the Sheffield Blitz.
✓ Detailed map showing where every bomb fell during the attacks
✓ Details of the permanent Sheffield Blitz exhibition.
✓ Sheffield Blitz Walking Tour featuring AI-enhanced content that brings wartime Sheffield back to life and exclusive companion notes✓ Bonus digital content
✓ Personally signed by Neil Anderson
✓ Individually hand-numbered Certificate of Authenticity
✓ Exclusive commemorative bookmark
✓ Collector's welcome card
✓ Luxury black tissue-wrapped presentation
✓ Strictly limited to just 250 copies.
THE BOOK IS ONLY THE BEGINNING: Continue your journey through Sheffield's wartime story with original German bombing maps, ultra-rare film footage, survivor testimony, archive material, exclusive digital content and an interactive walking tour that brings the events of December 1940 vividly back to life.
FREE UK DELIVERY • STRICTLY LIMITED TO 250 COPIES
Sheffield's Date With Hitler - 85th Anniversary Collector's Edition
The most comprehensive Sheffield Blitz collection ever assembled — featuring 4+ hours of rare film footage, original German bombing maps and newly recorded survivor testimony.
- ✓ Personally signed by Neil Anderson
- ✓ Strictly limited to 250 copies
- ✓ Free UK delivery
- ✓ 30-day money-back guarantee
Preserving Sheffield's wartime memories before they are lost forever.
⚠️ PRE-ORDER NOW OPEN: Dispatch begins Monday, 3 August 2026, with every order sent via Royal Mail Tracked 24. Your exclusive Digital Archive will be emailed after your Collector's Edition has been dispatched, allowing you to enjoy the complete experience together.
Product FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions...
Is This A Limited Edition?
Only 250 Collector's Editions have been produced to mark the 85th anniversary of the Sheffield Blitz.
Every copy is individually signed and hand-numbered.
Once sold, this edition will not be reproduced.
How do I access the digital archive?
After purchasing you'll receive an email with a secure link to your exclusive Digital Archive.
There you'll find the films, interviews, walking tour companion guide and additional material.
Is this suitable if I already own Sheffield's Date With Hitler?
Absolutely. This edition has been created especially for the 85th anniversary. It combines fifteen years of additional research since the original edition with additional pages and chapters; exclusive archive material; film footage; German bombing maps; digital content and collector's items unavailable in previous editions.
Is the Sheffield Blitz walking app included?
Your Collector's Edition includes simple step-by-step instructions explaining how to download the app, together with Neil Anderson's exclusive companion notes, written after more than fifteen years researching the Sheffield Blitz.
These personal notes explain why the locations featured on the tour were chosen, share the stories behind them and reveal details that aren't available within the app itself, helping you experience Sheffield's wartime history in a much richer and more meaningful way.
Is the book personally signed?
Yes. Every Collector's Edition is personally signed by Neil Anderson and includes a hand-numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
How will my Collector's Edition arrive?
Every Collector's Edition is carefully prepared by hand before being dispatched.
Your book is personally signed, hand-numbered and presented in luxury gift packaging, complete with a Certificate of Authenticity, commemorative bookmark and welcome card.
Each order is wrapped with the same care and attention that has gone into creating the collection itself, ensuring it arrives ready to enjoy or to give as a special gift.
How long will delivery take?
Orders are dispatched within two business days. They are sent fully tracked using Royal Mail 24-hour delivery.
Every Collector's Edition is carefully packed to ensure it arrives in perfect condition.
Can I buy this as a gift?
Yes. Many customers are purchasing the collection as a gift for parents, grandparents, local historians and anyone with an interest in Sheffield's wartime story.
The premium presentation makes it an ideal keepsake.
Why is this collection £69.95?
Because you're receiving far more than a signed book.
The Collector's Edition brings together fifteen years of research into one premium package, including:
- A personally signed, hand-numbered 85th Anniversary Collector's Edition that would typically retail at more than £30.
- Three original German bombing maps, specially reproduced for this collection.
- More than four hours of ultra-rare Sheffield Blitz film footage.
- An exclusive digital archive, companion guide and bonus interviews.
- The Sheffield Blitz walking app companion notes.
- Luxury presentation packaging, including a Certificate of Authenticity, commemorative bookmark and welcome card.
- Free UK delivery.
Purchased separately, the individual elements would represent significantly greater value.
This collection brings them together in one definitive edition, created to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Sheffield Blitz and strictly limited to just 250 individually signed and hand-numbered copies.
What our customers think
★★★★★ John Harrison
"I thought I knew the Sheffield Blitz story. I've lived here all my life and heard the family stories countless times. I was wrong. The film footage alone is astonishing. Seeing the city immediately after the raids brought home the scale of what happened in a way no book ever has before. Every Sheffield family should own this collection."
★★★★★ Darren Green
"The German bombing maps absolutely blew me away. I'd never seen anything like them. To think these were the actual maps used to target Sheffield is extraordinary. Combined with the book and archive footage, it creates a completely different understanding of what happened to the city."
★★★★★ Diane Liggins
"The quality is exceptional. The signed book, certificate, presentation and packaging all make it feel genuinely special. You can tell an enormous amount of care has gone into creating something that will last for generations."
★★★★★ Patricia B
"What struck me most was the humanity. These aren't just statistics and dates. They're real people telling real stories. The interviews with the last surviving 'Blitz Kids' are priceless and deserve to be preserved forever."
FREE UK DELIVERY • STRICTLY LIMITED TO 250 COPIES
Sheffield's Date With Hitler - 85th Anniversary Collector's Edition
The most comprehensive Sheffield Blitz collection ever assembled — featuring 4+ hours of rare film footage, original German bombing maps and newly recorded survivor testimony.
- ✓ Personally signed by Neil Anderson
- ✓ Strictly limited to 250 copies
- ✓ Free UK delivery
- ✓ 30-day money-back guarantee
Preserving Sheffield's wartime memories before they are lost forever.