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 | Warwickshire History |
| Wartime Warwickshire and Post-war history | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
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Coventry played a pivotal role in World War Two (1939-1945) as a main munitions centre for the war effort. As a result it became a prime target for German air raids during the blitz years of 1940-41.
On 14 November 1940, 500 German bombers dropped 500 tons of explosives and nearly 900 incendiary bombs on Coventry, claiming many lives and nearly destroying the city. Industry was hit hard with 75% of factories being damaged, although war production was only briefly disrupted with much of it continuing in shadow factories around the city.
After the war, the city was extensively rebuilt. The new city centre built in the 1950s was designed by young town planner Donald Gibson and included one of Europe's first traffic free shopping precincts. The city is now a popular place for shopping and features many excellent shops.
A new modern cathedral designed by Sir Basil Spence was also built and opened in 1962 next to the ruins of the old cathedral. The city, as an act of reconciliation, was further twinned with the German town of Dresden which had also suffered a devastating bombing attack. |
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A number of Bomber bases within Warwickshire operated during the war. Wellesbourne airfield was home to the No.22 Operational Training Unit who trained many aviation personnel, and is in fact still in operation as a private airfield. Gaydon had a large RAF base near the village that is now the Heritage Motor Centre, and Baginton Aerodrome was an RAF fighter station. Today, it is known as Coventry Airport and houses the Midland Air Museum.
The Midland Air Museum is one of the top aviation attractions and features an excellent collections of wartime aircraft as well as celebrating the work of Sir Frank Whittle, the inventor of the jet engine.
The Royal Show started in Warwickshire at the NAC, Stoneleigh in 1963. The Royal Show is the biggest agricultural show in England and celebrates all aspects of farming and rural life, from the best of British livestock to the latest business and technological innovations in the farming industry. It is well worth a visit.
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| For an in-depth look at historic collections representing the very best of Warwickshire's heritage, culture and personalities see the Windows on Warwickshire webpages.
This web site contains over 10,000 fascinating items - many made available in digital format for the first time. A wide range of resources are represented - including old photographs, rare documents, maps, historic buildings, art, letters, fossils, literature, everyday memorabilia and much much more.
Each item is interpreted by relevant subject experts and the web site database can be explored using a variety of powerful search tools. A series of "Spotlights" focus on key aspects of the collections and give users the added opportunity to improve their understanding of Warwickshire's unique past. |
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