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The city of Coventry shrouded in a cloak of smoke and drizzle as people wandered around
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The city of Coventry shrouded in a cloak of smoke and drizzle as people wandered around
The city of Coventry shrouded in a cloak of smoke and drizzle as people wandered around in a daze taking in the destruction around them following the air raid of the 14th November 1940. During the raid 4, 330 homes were destroyed also three-quarters of the citys factories were damaged along with the citys tram system, with tram lines ripped from the ground or arched into the air. Out of a fleet of 181 buses only 73 remained. Most of the citys gas and water pipes were smashed and people were advised to boil emergency supplies of water. Amongst the devastation lay the bodies of 554 men, women and children many of whom were never identified also 865 people were injured. During the raid the Luftwaffe had dropped 30, 000 incendiary bombs, 500 tons of high explosive, 50 landmines and 20 oil-mines. The raid had gone on non-stop for almost eleven hours. The world had never previously witnessed this sort of airborne destruction before and the Germans coined a new word for it coventrated.
15th November 1940
Staff
Birmingham Post and Mail
Mirrorpix
Coventry
England
Media ID 21567522
© Mirrorpix
Blitz Coventration Operation Moolight Sonata Rubble Wreckage Air Raid
Remembering the Devastation - Coventry's Darkest Hour
EDITORS COMMENTS
. In this haunting photo print, we witness the city of Coventry draped in a somber cloak of smoke and drizzle. The aftermath of the air raid on November 14th, 1940, is captured as people wander around in a daze, trying to comprehend the destruction that surrounds them. The toll was staggering – 4,330 homes reduced to rubble, three-quarters of factories damaged beyond repair, and even the city's tram system torn apart with lines ripped from the ground or suspended in mid-air. Only 73 buses remained out of a fleet of 181. Gas and water pipes lay shattered throughout the streets while survivors were left boiling emergency supplies for clean water. Tragically, amidst this devastation lay the bodies of 554 men, women, and children who would never be identified. Another 865 individuals suffered injuries during this relentless eleven-hour onslaught by Luftwaffe forces. The scale of destruction was so unprecedented that it led to a new term being coined - "coventrated". This poignant image serves as a reminder not only of Coventry's resilience but also highlights how war can inflict unimaginable suffering upon innocent civilians caught in its path. As we reflect on this historic event captured by Memory Lane Prints' staff photographer on November 15th, let us honor those who endured such hardship and strive for peace so that no other city may ever bear witness to such devastation again.
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