Coventry & Warwickshire in WWII

QDPR 72/4 1933. The 4 represented that you were the fourth member of the family resident at the address

Primrose, there was another side to the bombing. A middle aged couple lived a few doors away from us, they had an only child, a lad same age as my older brother, they became great mates, but like all teenagers in those days they wanted to join the forces, they joined the Navy, but sadly quite soon after joining, the lad fell down a stairway (on board I believe his first ship) and was killed, his parents quite openly told us, they wanted 'Jerry' to drop a bomb on their house while they were asleep. It was some months before my mother could write and tell my brother the sad news.

AD if they dont come over our inland airspace then how did they know where to find Coventry to bomb our munition works in ww2. Try reading the telegraph about the other day.

The Germans used maps, industrial espionage and basic radio signal navigation most likely..

You had better tell Yesterday channel on tv they have all their history programme wrong then about the photo footage taken from German aeroplanes prior to bombing Coventry.

They probably had maps too. The photos taken over Coventry would have given info on specific drop sites, not necessarily how to get there. With detection systems being as good as they are, it would be unwise in peace time to fly into what would be restricted airspace. That's not to say that it never happens..

The TV programme definitely isn't wrong about the photos - the Germans had more information about us than we dare imagine. They took before and after reconnaissance photos to work out how effective their bombing was (a bit like my "Now and Then" but from higher up! ), and those photos had all our factories clearly marked. They also had street maps of all UK cities, so they had no trouble at all locating anywhere they liked. We must also remember, of course, that until shortly before the war began (we'd like to think!) we were doing lots of business with Germany, and we shared far more with them than we ought to have. Britain's near-sightedness was quite astonishing at times, for instance ignoring the potential advantage to our country of Frank Whittle's patent for the jet engine, therefore allowing it to be published worldwide in a magazine that was subsequently used by the Germans, who then beat us to it by building the Messerschmitt 262.

Rob, you got it in one, absolutely spot on, we had air-races, motor races and shared everything, in those days. Coventry was the leading light in engines, I seem to remember they copied our designs, won the Schneider trophy, we then copied them and built the Spitfire, something like that, (quite vague now). Also some of our money people were hand in glove with them, they knew everything they needed to know, that was my impression.

Germany was good too and still is. If it wasn't for captured material, the rest of us might still be floundering around. The USA probably benefitted most, the USSR not too far behind. Between them, we were kicked into touch, but the Germans never give up and are still leaders in some fields.

It's annoying when Britain backs down so easily, and Canada is a chip off the old block, bowing to the USA at almost every opportunity. We just don't appear to learn quickly.

I've been reading a book on the blitz and it said that only ONE bomber was destroyed on that night. Unbelievable.

I recall reading a story of an airman baling out from his burning plane, either no chute, or damaged one (forget) and plummeting to the earth, he landed on a haystack in a field, and lived. A soldier was charged with taking away and driving an underground train, "said he was in a hurry to get home" or words to that effect.

75th anniversary first air raid Coventry

Ansty bombs bring back vivid memories for me. I was 12-13, my kid brother was 9-10 years old, because we lived close to the power station my parents sent us to a friends house 1 mile past the village of Ansty for safety. We heard planes, and had a frightening night, but next morning went to school, we crossed the canal bridge where the canal and railway came close, to cross the field diagonal to go to Shilton School. There were two craters. But dead and dying cattle were strewn across the field, torn to shreds, eyes bulging, a lone leg lay across the path, a cow that was badly injured see-sawed across a barb-wired fence. Years later we were told because we were so distressed, the school phoned the police, the police contacted our parents, my father came spent a couple of hours consoling us, gathered together all our things, spoke to the first narrow boat that was heading for Sutton Stop and we hitched a lift to Tusses Bridge and home. Later we heard that the farmer was also badly distressed. I doubt any reporter or people, other than the knackers yard man and the farmer and us, saw this ghastly sight. Today I learn the field and the house as been turned into a golf course, and no one but I have any memory of the episode. P.S. both my brother and I had nightmares for some weeks after.

Hi Kaga, Just read yours and that is why I am always grateful I was too young to take in that side of the war. The trauma of it all must have been unbearable in those times.