When Coventry was recently the object of enemy attack you sent me a heartening message and expressed the sympathy and good wishes of the great City of Sheffield. It is now my turn, on behalf of the City of Coventry, to express to you our sorrow at the recent fierce attacks to which Sheffield has been subjected and the suffering and loss which they have entailed.

I express to the City of Sheffield the sincere sympathy of the Corporation and the Citizens of Coventry. We greatly admire the courage and the fortitude which your people have displayed, and know from our own experiences what an ordeal of this kind means. We deeply regret the devastation and the loss of life, but are glad to know that, so far as military objectives are concerned, the attacks have been comparatively ineffective.

A great responsibility rests at this juncture on Sheffield as an armament producing centre, and the Country knows that Sheffield will not fail. Coventry is proud to hold a place with Sheffield in the fighting line, and if in any way we can now be of help to you, I do hope you will let me know.

Original at Sheffield City Archives CA538/59.