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Coventry Civil Defence Report and Control Centre
(submitted by Maurice Rattigan)
I was born 22-9-1927 and as a 14 or 15 year old I volunteered for the Civil Defence Messenger Service in 1942. I was stationed at an A.R.P. post in Daventry Road, and when volunteer messengers we're required for duty at the Report and Control Centre I put my hand up.
The duty consisted of a full night on every 8 days. The Centre was in the basement of the main Coventry Police Station in the Council House building with the entrance in St. Marys Street. Although the police Station had received a direct hit in April 1941 (Specials Commandant A.F.Matts MBE was killed), it had relocated in the same building a few yards down at the next doorway towards Earl Street.
The Report Centre was a room about 20 foot by 12 where about 12 to 15 Special Constables (in civvies) manned the telephones for incoming air raid incident reports. They filled out duplicated incident reports and us messengers then took these forms across the corridor to the Control Centre where instructions were relayed to the Fire, Ambulance and Rescue Services to attend to the incidents.
The Control Centre was about twice the size of the Report Centre and was something similar to a RAF Control Room where the Controller sits above the others dispensing his orders. The Controller was nominally the
Chief Constable, Capt. S.A.Hector, although most times an Inspector took charge. There were maps on the walls highlighting the various incidents.
Unbeknown to us then, the danger of air raids was almost over (the last bombs, incendiaries, we're dropped in the Avon Street area on 3rd August 1942). Nevertheless exercises we're carried out every evening, and later, in relays, they would adjourn to the Golden Cross for liquid refreshment. Despite my tender years, but looking old for my age, I was taken along for my half-pint.
Then back to St.Marys St. for supper. Later out came the cards for brag or pontoon. One messenger on another shift lost a few bob and there

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were tears. Capt. Hector got to hear about it and banned gambling in the Police Station thus bringing it into line with the rest of the country.
Us lads slept in a room near the cells and some nights it was rather noisy. Breakfast was provided in the morning and then it was off to work.
With no activity it became rather boring and I resigned after about 12 months.
I hope this information is of some use to someone. Some years ago I tried to research the Centre but was told everything went in the skip when the Coventry Police Force joined up with Warwickshire.
Maurice Rattigan

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