Post-blitz Coventry, July 1945 RAF War Film

Many short films were made during WWII by the RAF Film Production Unit. These pieces were known as GENs or GAFs and showed various aspects of the RAF at war - including 'on location' footage to send home, and home-life footage to send out to those serving.
This 5 minute Imperial War Museum clip, GEN No. 16, is from July 1945, and shows how life was carrying on in Coventry shortly after hostilities had ended, with the specific message to "Get the thing over chaps, and come back and help us"! It contains wonderful footage of a recently blitzed but cleaned up and recovering Coventry, with a look towards a bright future with some hard work ahead. A gem of a film for anyone with a Coventry connection.
For a related webpage discussing my views about Churchill's prior knowledge, or otherwise, of Coventry's Blitz, please see....
www.historiccov...

[@petejohnson8590]

I was born at (34) Humber road, ( now live in France, (but Coventry still has my heart),

[@COVbadman79]

You can't take the Cov outta the boy!

[@shawry1970cov]

Brilliant! That has to be one of the best bits of "Old Coventry" footage I've ever seen! Love the phoney Coventry accent of the narrator! :)

[@LaughingManPicXD]

More people need to see this in, especially with the state of the world today. Coventry truly is a city to be proud of

[@kirkwood93]

That was amazing! i love stuff like this about the city where i've been born an bred! i just wished it still looked the same somewhat

[@franygogs]

Love this old Cov footage thanks for posting. Sounds like Mr Chumley-Warner narrating.

[@roborland]

That old Churchill conspiracy, based on rogue accounts written to make money from the 30 year release of secrets in the 1970s, has long since been proved wrong - although sadly it looks like it's here to stay! There's absolutely no evidence that Churchill knew of Coventry's imminent bombing, only that a heavy raid was planned for that night and that Coventry was one of several probable targets. Please check out my Blitz section on Historic Coventry for more of my views on this.

[@nanofienduk]

try looking for coventry then and now...

[@29jug11]

I am left wondering just why they had to have a narrator with a strong Lancs/York’s accent.... eeee Bah-gum Lad... tha’ knows....?

[@roborland]

Cheers Shawry, it is a nice little piece of film, isn't it? And yes, I'm not sure what the accent's all about - the poor chap sound rather regionally challenged!!!

[@sasproductions701]

this was cool

[@harbornechris]

I enjoyed that

[@WattzEditin]

Why is a guy who clearly speaks like he's from Yorkshire commentating? It's well known we don't have any accent yet he's made us out to sound like pikeys

[@aristotle358]

+Reiss Watts Well funny! I agree. I'm a Coventry kid and I know we don't sound like that.

[@toonmag508]

Your comment was unnecessary, snobby twat.

[@MarkHarrison733]

Coventry was a legitimate military target due to its munitions factories.

[@monoperative]

Raised in Coventry, but referring to yourself as a "Coventarian"? Also, the fact that Coventry was sacrificed to preserve the cipher gained by Bletchley Park isn't exactly a secret anymore, and when considered objectively it was the right decision. Some 1,200 people died in the raids, but if the Germans were tipped odd that their coded transmissions were being intercepted then the war would have lasted longer, and many more people would have died.

[@PhilipInCoventry]

Brill!

[@MrDaiseymay]

Dontcha mean Bostin ?

[@joseshepherd2575]

I think you will find the right name is Coventrian NOT Coventarian.

[@sasproductions701]

actually its city of villains

[@fredgrove4220]

Naaah, it's "Covkid "

[@markharrison2544]

The bombing of Coventry happened because the RAF had already bombed cities and towns in Germany since 10 May 1940.

[@roborland]

Yes, that's true, particularly our bombing of Munich a few days before the big November raid. Even if we hadn't, though, Coventry would've been in line for a pasting sooner or later due to our industry towards the war effort.

[@fast1919]

Germany was bombing any country anywhere in 1940

[@nottmjas]

@@fast1919 in fact since September 1939 when they invaded Poland.

[@paulbarrell9109]

It was bombed because they produce arms in Coventry.A German tactical bombing

[@MrDaiseymay]

@@fast1919 They started practicing in 1937, by Bombing Gurnica in Spain, ( helping out the Facist Franco, in their civil war ) No warning No protection. 1,400 died, 4,000 injured, Goering was most pleased with the result.