Helen F
Warrington |
451 of 462
Sun 29th May 2022 3:08pm
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Wartime and the Blitz - The Blitz - 14th November 1940 | |||
belushi
coventry |
452 of 462
Sun 29th May 2022 5:51pm
On 29th May 2022 1:04pm, Helen F said:
While I would have thought that declassified papers relating to the event might have answered this question, this link outlines the possibilities - The Coventry Blitz 'conspiracy' - BBC
These are the thoughts that occurred to me without reading that - even knowing that other places were likely to be bombed on any particular night (eg London), how much success was there turning back/destroying an attacking force? How much defence could be scrambled once a target was known? How long could a defence force be kept aloft waiting and then fighting?
The answer seems to be that even if they'd known, the results would have been much the same.
Another string to the conspiracy is that De Gaulle quoted Churchill saying that he wanted a big event to shock other countries, especially the US, into joining the fight. I don't know if the quote of either man was genuine but it's not odd for a victim to half wish they'd get more seriously injured so that they will be helped. That doesn't mean they really want to be attacked.
First I've heard of the De Gaulle/Churchill conspiracy theory. However, Churchill got his "big event" when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and conspiracy theorists believe Churchill could have forewarned Roosevelt but chose not to. |
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Wartime and the Blitz - The Blitz - 14th November 1940 | |||
Rob Orland
Historic Coventry Thread starter
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453 of 462
Tue 20th Sep 2022 4:24pm
A kind member (some time ago, sorry about the long delay!) gave me somebody's nice quality but tiny 1940 diary, in the hope that it would provide some interest. It makes fascinating reading, but the aged pencil text is faded in places, making some words almost undecipherable.
So, I will provide a large scan of the pages for the 14th & 15th November, and below I will give the text that (I think) I am able to read. I've made the image quite large, so it will be able to bear some magnification if you wish to zoom in. I've placed a number of question marks here and there where I'm uncertain of a word, so I would very much appreciate any assistance you might be able to give - or corrections if I appear to have got a word wrong....
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Wartime and the Blitz - The Blitz - 14th November 1940 | |||
JRL
Binley Woods |
454 of 462
Wed 21st Sep 2022 3:15pm
Hi Rob. This is my interpretation of the Blitz Diary.
Work 8.00 - 5.30
On Slotter till afternoon.
Then G.Dopple told us to get planer ready for rush job.
Warning 7:10. Planes over at 7:20 and from then till 2:50 continuous bombing.
Terrible.
One near one shook us in shelter.
Trouble of using streets around Mrs Lewis and Joan in shelter with us.
Terrific barrage.
Some of planes sounded like wasps.
From 2:00 I had about 10 minutes peace, then off again. With a few breaks.
About 5:00 attack began to die down. Came up for tea.
All clear at 6:25. Moon still up.
Took Muriel round home (Ida, Frank, and Mr Lewis) to see if all was OK.
House windows gone and roof. Met Grandad and Ida took him back home.
Houses shattered and down. Indescribable.
Frank and I went with Grandad to see if his car was OK,
but found it knocked about but engine ran.
Walk round St Pauls burnt out and Courtaulds.
Went to clean Mr Spencers house up with F & D.
Dusk at Heath.
Mr & Mrs Spencer and M & D to dinner. The Spencers stopped at night
Air Raid Warning - 6:30. Nothing doing.
Interesting find. I'm surprised they had an "all clear", we had no electricity.
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Wartime and the Blitz - The Blitz - 14th November 1940 | |||
Rob Orland
Historic Coventry Thread starter
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455 of 462
Wed 21st Sep 2022 7:41pm
That's fantastic, JRL - exactly what I was hoping for, thank you! I had to laugh at some of my own attempts once I'd seen what some of the words should've been! I've now made the necessary corrections in my post above.
After scanning a few other pages in the diary, I was able to correct the name on the third line - G Dipple - it was much clearer on a previous page.
With your help and another close look, I think I've also now deciphered "Mobile guns in streets around Mrs Lewis".
And yes, they were probably lucky to hear an "All Clear" - I've read that very few sirens were still operational by morning, with so little electricity around. |
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Wartime and the Blitz - The Blitz - 14th November 1940 | |||
PhiliPamInCoventry
Holbrooks |
456 of 462
Thu 22nd Sep 2022 9:43am
Hi all,
I'm biased as I know JRL & Rob very well, but I'm sure that deserves the three brills award.
Brill, brill & brill.
Pass the port. |
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Wartime and the Blitz - The Blitz - 14th November 1940 | |||
Annewiggy
Tamworth |
457 of 462
Thu 22nd Sep 2022 12:15pm
Their is a George Dipple living in Sovereign Road in 1939, listed as a shaper and planer in a tool room. Aged 31, so he could well be the foreman. There is also a G V Dipple mentioned in the newspapers as a rugby player. |
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Wartime and the Blitz - The Blitz - 14th November 1940 | |||
Rob Orland
Historic Coventry Thread starter
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458 of 462
Thu 22nd Sep 2022 3:56pm
Oh my, Anne, you've done it again - wonderful work! Yes, that just has to be him, doesn't it! |
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Wartime and the Blitz - The Blitz - 14th November 1940 | |||
Wearethemods
Aberdeenshire |
459 of 462
Fri 21st Oct 2022 5:09pm
Now I'm back to reading all the posts I've missed, the diary and the comments about 'G Dipple' are interesting to me. My maternal grandmother Amelia Lewis lived in Kirby Road, just a few yards from Sovereign Road. The back entry's gates faced one another where Anderson Shelters were erected in some people's rear gardens (my grandparents didn't have one). My mother Joan was living with her while my father was away in the FAA. I might be wrong, of course, as I can't ask them but it is a coincidence. |
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Wartime and the Blitz - The Blitz - 14th November 1940 | |||
NeilsYard
Coventry |
460 of 462
Tue 14th Nov 2023 10:50am
Another year on .............. I will pause for thought tonight. There is a Vigil tonight at the Ruins if anyone is interested/available. |
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Wartime and the Blitz - The Blitz - 14th November 1940 | |||
NeilsYard
Coventry |
461 of 462
Wed 15th Nov 2023 3:01pm
I actually went on a random late night stroll last night. I ended up going around Hearsall Common in the dark - the skies were clearing on a cold, crisp night. It was very evocative thinking of the events 83 years on - I could almost imagine the drone of the Luftwaffe bombers. I also looped back towards home passing 111 Beechwood Avenue and thoughts for the five members of the Witcomb family who were killed. |
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Wartime and the Blitz - The Blitz - 14th November 1940 | |||
Choirboy
Bicester |
462 of 462
Thu 16th Nov 2023 11:39am
NY, you made me recall the stories told by my father of cycling to work in Ford Street early on the next day finding the roof was missing from over his milling machine. Unexploded bombs discovered later meant he had to make a long detour to get home to Wyken. He was given recovery work and soon had tarpaulin coving the roof skeleton but it took only a few days for the electricity to be reconnected and getting back in production.
He was a member of the St John's Ambulance but fortunately was not on duty on the 14th. My mother said they hid under the kitchen table and dad put a cushion over her head when the explosions were close-bye, she would have been nearly 7 months pregnant with my bother. 4 members of a family in Farren Road were killed about 100 yards away.
Dad would not talk about his St. John's experiences. People of his generation buried their PTSD. All I can say is he was the coolest person I have known when faced with a crisis situation.
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