Fun Fact #242 & 243 Coventry
Fun Fact #242 (Fun Fact THrowback!)
The Coventry Catastrophe.
Early November 1940 Great Britain broke Germany’s secret code during World War 2 (Enigma), but the Germans heard whispers of this. Then a week after the Enigma was broken, German radio chatter around the town of Coventry picked up “MOONLIGHT SONTANA”. While the operation was originally set to target the Factories of Coventry, it was changed on November the 11th to the homes of the town so they could see if Enigma had been broken as surely the Allies wouldn't let a town full of people die. Hours before the bombing was set to Commence Churchill at last made his decision not to evacuate or warn the town –they had to keep the secret.
He would later call it the biggest regret of his life as the Germans unveiled their incendiary bombs for the first time in the war bombing the perimeter of the city and working their way in taking multiple runs through the nearly uncontested skies. 1500 people died, the residential district was so thoroughly destroyed that a new word would be invented in German “Coventrieren” meaning to raze a city to the ground. Churchill spent the rest of his life trying to make up for Coventry and personally helped in its reconstruction. He even ordered the SAS to do the same tactics to bomb the German city of Mannheim in the same manner as what had been done to Coventry on December 16th of that year. He took Coventry so personally because as he would often say when asked: the people trusted him, and by doing nothing, he betrayed that trust. He never forgave himself.
It should be noted: the fact the codes remained intact is estimated to have shortened the war by at least 2 years, while saving an estimated 14 million lives minimum. Also for the last two years Coventry has been the fastest growing city in all of Europe with still around 25% of Britain’s manufacturing being completed within the city.
German Enigma 1 using a 3-rotor decoder.
Fun Fact #243
The Coventry Carol
In the season of Christmas the carols are all cheerful and happy, calling joy and goodwill to all –all That is, but one. Lully Lullay was originally part of a larger play written in the town of Coventry and put the town on the map, helping to attract people to the point its manufacturing could take off and begin to develop into a city. Until during the Puritan’s dominance in Britain the song was hidden in a wall to avoid being burned where it lay forgotten for 150 years.
After the German Luftwaffe bombings the song was rediscovered in the rubble of The Coventry Cathedral. The BBC would broadcast the song shortly thereafter. It proved to be so Popular that it attracted foreign interest in rebuilding the city, renaming the song “The Coventry Carol”. Pecatonix actually does an excellent modern version of this song in case you’re curious.
Coventry Cathedral days after the bombing (the carol was rediscovered on the same day this was taken)
