Siren question for Coventry Blitz commemorations (Poll)

Organisers of commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz are debating whether to sound an air raid siren to mark the bombings.


Much Park Street

The Luftwaffe dropped thousands of tons of bombs on the city on 14th November 1940, killing hundreds of residents and destroying most of the city centre.

Residents are being asked by the city council if they want a siren sounded during a weekend of commemorations.

Some say it will act as a poignant reminder, but others disagree.

'Bring back memories'

The siren, with its two-tone wail, would be activated during a civic service in the cathedral ruins on Sunday, 14 November.

John Huthwait, 81, from Coventry, was only 11 when the city was devastated during the 12-hour blitz.

He said sounding a siren would give an idea of what people lived through.

"I think it is no problem, it will bring back memories. I mean we have got to remember these historical things," he said.

However, other residents who lived through the Blitz have said the eerie sound was too painful a reminder.

Three-quarters of the city centre were devastated, including the ancient cathedral, hospitals, schools and the tram system.

The council is expected to make a decision about sounding the siren at a meeting next month after hearing feedback from residents.

Personally I think it should be sounded twice. Once at 8.00pm when the raid first began, then again at 2.00am when the all-clear was sounded. That would give people born since an idea of just how long the raid lasted.

Most definitely

There are many today that have never actually heard an air-raid siren.

I think it would be a very good idea, especially, if as you say Dutchman, it shows the duration of the raid

Thay should have some old bombers fly over too just to add to the effect.

There was an influential horror film made just after the war called Dead of Night in which guests at country house party are forced to relive the sounds of the Blitz and the effect is still chilling even when heard today.

Air raid siren to be heard at Coventry Cathedral event

An air raid siren will be sounded to mark the 70th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz, it has been announced.

Residents were asked by the city council if they wanted a siren sounded during commemorations on 14 November.

But the council said the siren would only be heard within the cathedral, as part of the memorial service.

The Luftwaffe dropped thousands of tons of bombs on the city on 14th November 1940, killing hundreds of residents and destroying most of the city centre.

Some residents told the council the two-tone wail would act as a poignant reminder, but others said it was too painful a reminder.

Coventry's Lord Mayor Brian Kelsey said the views of people who had experienced the bombings first hand had been taken into account

He said: "They [sirens] will mark the beginning and end of a two-minutes' silence at 7.15pm and will only be heard around the cathedral and not across the city."