BRITISH SMASH 12 ITALIAN WAR VESSELS; 3 OF DUCE’S 6 BATTLESHIPS LISTED AS HIT (11/14/40)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 11/14/40 | Raymond Daniell, C.L. Sulzberger, James Aldridge, Hanson W. Baldwin

[Vanders9]

Over Britain... There is an especially heavy and effective German attack on Coventry involving 449 planes. Factories and historic buildings are badly damaged. Warning has been received during the afternoon of the day and the few precautions possible at this short notice have been taken by the relevant authorities.

I remember my Grandma telling me about the raid on Coventry, she was in the middle of it and escaped death by a miracle. It wasn't pleasant.

[Vanders9]

This is a charge that has been made numerous times, but I understand that the latest historical thought is that Churchill did not know Coventry was going to be attacked, or he may have known an attack was coming, but not that Coventry would be the target.

In any case, there was not much in the way of "extra defensive measures" that could have been taken. The RAF had no effective night fighters at that stage in the war and there was a chronic shortage of AA guns and especially searchlights.