Today marks the 78th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz, which took place on the night of 14th November 1940.
It was a night that changed the City of Coventry forever as around 500 German planes embarked on operation ‘Moonlight Sonata’, a bombing raid which caused utter devastation to the city and its people.
The official death toll from that night was 554, but the true figure was likely to have been much higher, with many Coventrians missing and unaccounted for. At least 1000 more people were injured, and the entire city was profoundly affected by the events of that night.
The first air raid sirens rang out at around 7pm and the all-clear did not sound until 6am on the 15th November – 11 hours later. It was the longest and most devastating air raid Britain had yet witnessed.
The bombing raid destroyed the face of the medieval city and resulted in extensive damage to the City’s factories, the damage or destruction of 43,000 homes and the destruction of the cathedral of St Michael.
However, the night of 14th November, and subsequent raids, led to Coventry and its people becoming known and respected worldwide, and to to this day, for determination, recovery, peace and reconciliation.
Today, 78 years on from that fateful night, we’d ask all fans of Coventry City Football Club to take time to remember the victims of the Coventry Blitz and all of those who were affected.