Frank Helped To Save The LTI Vehicles Factory
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This week sees the anniversary of the Blitz on Coventry in 1941 and no one remembers it more vividly than Frank Gogerty, who more than 60 years ago was standing on top of what is now the factory of taxi manufacturer, LTI Vehicles, fighting fires in the aftermath.
From left, Frank with his colleagues and Home Guards at Carbodies
(Click on the photo to enlarge. High resolution versions are available)
That night, the Holyhead Road factory, which was then known as Carbodies Ltd, was destroyed along with many other industrial areas in the city.
Frank, who is originally from Leicestershire, started working for Carbodies Ltd in the Sheet Metal Shop, in 1934 and spent nine years there until he joined the army in 1943.
During the war, Prime Minister, Winston Churchill encouraged people to join their Local Defence Volunteers (LDV), which later became the Home Guard. Frank joined up along with his colleagues at Carbodies and while continuing with their daily jobs they were on constant watch out by night for enemy aircraft.
A week after on April 17th 1941, Frank was presented with a letter of thanks from Robert Jones, the owner of Carbodies Ltd, for his ‘devotion of duty through the period of enemy action’.
(Click on the photo to enlarge. High resolution versions are available)
Frank commented, "I remember the night of April 10th 1941 vividly. As Corporal in charge of the Home Guard that night, I rallied the guards round and we all helped the firemen to put the fires out.
"At one point a bomb came down on the Alvis factory across the road and the impact threw me 20 foot to the floor. It was a terrible night and so much of Coventry was destroyed."
Carbodies Ltd was established in 1919 as a coachbuilding operation, under the guidance of Robert 'Bobby' Jones, on a small site in Old Church Road, Coventry.
The firm relocated to the present Holyhead Road factory in the mid 1920s and in 1948 the first taxi was made at the factory. LTI Vehicles, the black cab, are now world famous and more than 100,000 taxis have been made at the factory since 1948. LTI’s website can be found at www.lti.co.uk.
Matthew Cheyne, Sales & Marketing Director at LTI Vehicles, said, "It has been 64 years since that night in 1941 and brave volunteers like Frank helped to keep British industries thriving during the war and paved the way for the black cab, which is a global icon of Britain.
"LTI Vehicles prides itself on the robust design of its hand-built vehicles, which are renowned for their longevity and ability to cover hundreds of thousands of miles during a lifetime of use. I’m sure Frank and his colleagues will be pleased to see the factory thriving more than 60 years on."
Frank, who is now 89 years old and lives in Whitley in Coventry, set up his own business in car body repairs called GBA Services LTD after the war and only retired last Wednesday 6th April. Frank is looking forward to spending more time with his family and getting to grips with the computer he was given as a retirement present.
From left, Frank with his colleagues and Home Guards at Carbodies
(Click on the photo to enlarge. High resolution versions are available)
That night, the Holyhead Road factory, which was then known as Carbodies Ltd, was destroyed along with many other industrial areas in the city.
Frank, who is originally from Leicestershire, started working for Carbodies Ltd in the Sheet Metal Shop, in 1934 and spent nine years there until he joined the army in 1943.
During the war, Prime Minister, Winston Churchill encouraged people to join their Local Defence Volunteers (LDV), which later became the Home Guard. Frank joined up along with his colleagues at Carbodies and while continuing with their daily jobs they were on constant watch out by night for enemy aircraft.
A week after on April 17th 1941, Frank was presented with a letter of thanks from Robert Jones, the owner of Carbodies Ltd, for his ‘devotion of duty through the period of enemy action’.
(Click on the photo to enlarge. High resolution versions are available)
Frank commented, "I remember the night of April 10th 1941 vividly. As Corporal in charge of the Home Guard that night, I rallied the guards round and we all helped the firemen to put the fires out.
"At one point a bomb came down on the Alvis factory across the road and the impact threw me 20 foot to the floor. It was a terrible night and so much of Coventry was destroyed."
Carbodies Ltd was established in 1919 as a coachbuilding operation, under the guidance of Robert 'Bobby' Jones, on a small site in Old Church Road, Coventry.
The firm relocated to the present Holyhead Road factory in the mid 1920s and in 1948 the first taxi was made at the factory. LTI Vehicles, the black cab, are now world famous and more than 100,000 taxis have been made at the factory since 1948. LTI’s website can be found at www.lti.co.uk.
Matthew Cheyne, Sales & Marketing Director at LTI Vehicles, said, "It has been 64 years since that night in 1941 and brave volunteers like Frank helped to keep British industries thriving during the war and paved the way for the black cab, which is a global icon of Britain.
"LTI Vehicles prides itself on the robust design of its hand-built vehicles, which are renowned for their longevity and ability to cover hundreds of thousands of miles during a lifetime of use. I’m sure Frank and his colleagues will be pleased to see the factory thriving more than 60 years on."
Frank, who is now 89 years old and lives in Whitley in Coventry, set up his own business in car body repairs called GBA Services LTD after the war and only retired last Wednesday 6th April. Frank is looking forward to spending more time with his family and getting to grips with the computer he was given as a retirement present.
posted by Jon Fry at 3:36:00 AM
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