On this day 70 years ago, the citizens of Coventry in central England awoke to see the destruction left by an overnight bombing raid by 500 Luftwaffe aircraft. Around 500 people were killed by the bombers, 4000 homes were destroyed, and most of the city’s factories were damaged, as were two hospitals, two churches, and a range of other buildings. The 14th century cathedral was substantially destroyed, as was much of the city’s gas and water infrastructure. The bombing raid lasted all night, starting at 7:20pm and finishing at dawn.
France had surrendered to Germany on 22 June 1940, and in July the Battle of Britain had begun. The Germans had hoped to overwhelm Britain quickly by establishing superiority in the air, but the British air fighters provided greater resistance than anticipated, and by the end of October it was apparent that the Luftwaffe would not be able to establish superiority over the RAF, and the Battle of Britain was over.
During July and August 1940 there had been several small raids on Coventry, which was a target because of its metal working industries including factories which made cars, bicycles, aeroplane engines and munitions. However, the raid on the night of 14 November was the most severe. The city was rebuilt, and a new cathedral was built alongside the ruins of the old one, which are still standing.