Life would never be the same again. Hundreds of people, civilians and soldiers, had died while thousands had lost their homes. Families had been torn apart and Norwich was a city littered with bomb sites.
But one thing hadn't changed. The love and passion for speedway and on April 20, 1946 Norwich Stars roared back into action to light up the city and county and put a smile on thousands of faces.
The legendary Bert Spencer and Wilf Jay were once again wearing the Star with pride and this time around Norwich favourite, hard man Aussie Dick Wise was the new manager. He was captain before the war.
The riders respected him and the fans loved him.
The future was looking good – the good times were back at the Firs.
The team had joined the newly-formed Northern League and the first meeting was a challenge match against Sheffield.
In the side were some talented riders: Ted Bravery, Paddy Mills, Sid Hipperson, Don Houghton and many more.
Under the expect eye of Dick Wise they proved themselves a tough outfit and the people of Norwich and Norfolk took them to their hearts... packing out the Firs Stadium.
This was a boom time for speedway and the gates doubled from those before the war. The bond of friendship between the supporters and the riders was strong and many friendships were formed.
The average attendance was almost 20,000 in 1946 and the track was one of the longest – 425 yards – and fastest in the country. Speedway in Norwich really was flying.
The first post-war season saw the Stars lift their first silverware when the Stars took the Northern trophy, beating Sheffield in the final by 106 points to 86. They also won the ACU Cup (Northern).
At the end of the 1946 season Wilf Jay left the Firs and was replaced by Aussie Syd Littlewood – another flyer.
The following year, the leagues were re-organised. Norwich joined the second division, mounting a serious challenge for honours but an injury to Bert Spencer didn't help and they finished in third place.
It was then that the one and only and record-breaking man in glasses – Phil Clarke of Norwich, a real local hero – first joined the Stars. A time when Paddy Mills was the leading rider.
Speedway was at its peak in Norwich with 460,000 people passing through the turnstiles in 1947 – and the Firs was extended to hold 26,000 fans.
As the 1940s came to an end Norwich continued to fight for promotion but kept missing out. It was claimed those who ran the sport didn't like Norwich.
Clarke was proving himself to be a promising young rider, but Bert Spencer decided to call it a day and returned to Australia. With Dick Wise also leaving at the end of the 1949 season, it meant that Norwich had severed its last links with the pre-war team.
What would the future hold?
• Coming up: As the 1950s arrived so did a man who knew a lot about speedway who had managed arch-rivals Hackney Wick Wolves. His name was Fred Evans and he brought a certain Aub Lawson with him, another Aussie the Norwich fans took to their hearts. And he knew a young man called Ove Fundin...
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here