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Craig Armstrong

A close-up look at what World War II was like for this Scottish city—the second most raided in Britain. Includes photos.

Scotland was of grave strategic importance during WWII due to its geographical position, while its capital hosted many military and civil organizations. Further north, Aberdeen possessed significant shipbuilding facilities, including Hall, Russell & Co. , which built such vessels as corvettes and frigates—resulting in the yard being targeted by the Luftwaffe on multiple occasions. The fishing fleet was also crucial in supplying food for a war-starved Britain, and many Aberdeenshire men risked their lives putting out to sea. Many were killed by enemy aircraft or mines.

No member of the population escaped the war, whether it was the many men and women who served in the military or in roles such as the Home Guard, ARP services, nursing, working in vital war industries, or struggling to keep a household under strict rationing and wartime stress. Aberdeen was originally classed as a “neutral area” and no plans were made for evacuation. By 1940, however, anger and frustration drove many to petition for changing this classification.

The petitioners were likely proved correct as Aberdeen went on to become the most frequently raided city (after London) in Britain—earning it the nickname the ‘Siren City. ’ It was also the site of the final Luftwaffe attack on Scottish soil when a concerted attack was made on April 21,1943, resulting in 125 deaths and about 12,000 houses destroyed or damaged.

Aberdeenshire also played a large role in the war effort in the air. It was ideally placed to enable the RAF to patrol not only northeast Scotland, but also the North Sea and vital approaches to the naval base at Orkney, while the RAF also launched raids on occupied Norway and enemy shipping. Aberdeen at War 1939–1945 poignantly commemorates the efforts and achievements of Aberdeen: workers, fighters, families divided, all surviving astounding tests.

Pen & Sword Military

Your Towns & Cities in World War Two

Aberdeen at War 1939–45

Douglas d'Enno

Long before war was declared on 3 September 1939, Brighton had steadily and carefully prepared for the coming conflict by building shelters, organising defence and rescue services, and providing the population with advice of its own or from government sources. These precautions stood the town in good stead when the first bombs fell on it in mid-1940 and during the many subsequent attacks. The resort did not, admittedly, suffer as grievously as some others on the South Coast, yet civilian casualties totalled nearly 1,000, of whom over 200 were killed, 357 were seriously injured and 433 slightly injured. This is not the first book to reveal the toll of the bombs locally, but it is the first to describe, in parallel, day-to-day events and societal responses during the nearly six years of conflict. As elsewhere, restrictions often made life arduous for residents. Yet despite the hardship, the town’s citizens even marshalled sufficient resources to ‘adopt’ two battleships and generously saved towards assisting with other wartime causes, such as help to our ally, Russia. The hospitality trade and resort-related services suffered greatly during the periods when the defence ban on entering the town was enforced. In many respects, however, life went on largely as before, particularly in the spheres of entertainment, leisure and some sports. Douglas d’Enno, an authority on the history of Brighton and environs, shows in meticulous detail, in absorbing text and numerous pictures, how life in wartime Brighton was a struggle for many, but never dull.

Brighton at War 1939–45

A tribute to the WWII contributions made by this north-eastern English town from the historian and author of RAF Bomber Command at War 1939-1945.

South Shields and its near neighbours such as Jarrow were key communities in the national war effort, despite their relatively small size. Located on the East Coast, South Shields was situated at the key entry to the strategically important River Tyne and was well defended against enemy attack. 

Huge numbers of South Shields men and women volunteered for wartime service, while many others worked in vital wartime industries. The town had a particularly high number of men serving in the Merchant Navy and the South Shields mariners suffered very heavy casualties. South Shields also had a multi-cultural population with a large number of foreign (or aliens as they were referred to) seamen and an especially large and active Yemeni community. Indeed, South Shields was to become the first town in Britain to have a purpose-built mosque. Although there were tensions amongst the population due to cultural and racial differences, the Yemeni community played a considerable and loyal role in the war effort.

The book also looks at the considerable contribution made by the men and women who volunteered for the ARP and Civil Defence Services. The towns of Tyneside, including South Shields, were heavily attacked by the Luftwaffe and the blitzes of 1941 hit the town particularly hard. No member of the community was left untouched by the war, whether they were evacuees, workers, servicemen or just civilians struggling to maintain a home in wartime Britain.

South Shields at War 1939–45

A tribute to the WWII contributions made by this northeastern English town from the historian and author of RAF Bomber Command at War 1939-1945.

South Shields and its near neighbors such as Jarrow were key communities in the national war effort, despite their relatively small size. Located on the East Coast, South Shields was situated at the key entry to the strategically important River Tyne and was well defended against enemy attack. 

Huge numbers of South Shields men and women volunteered for wartime service, while many others worked in vital wartime industries. The town had a particularly high number of men serving in the Merchant Navy and the South Shields mariners suffered very heavy casualties. South Shields also had a multi-cultural population with a large number of foreign (or aliens as they were referred to) seamen and an especially large and active Yemeni community. Indeed, South Shields was to become the first town in Britain to have a purpose-built mosque. Although there were tensions amongst the population due to cultural and racial differences, the Yemeni community played a considerable and loyal role in the war effort.

The book also looks at the considerable contribution made by the men and women who volunteered for the ARP and Civil Defence Services. The towns of Tyneside, including South Shields, were heavily attacked by the Luftwaffe and the blitzes of 1941 hit the town particularly hard. No member of the community was left untouched by the war, whether they were evacuees, workers, servicemen or just civilians struggling to maintain a home in wartime Britain.

This local history explores the wartime contributions and sacrifices of a strategically significant English port town during WWII.

Located on the River Wear, Sunderland was a vital hub for shipbuilding and coal exportation. During the Second World War, these important attributes marked it as a prime target for the Luftwaffe. The town experienced numerous air raids, including one which caused devastating casualties and structural damage. The authorities struggled to provide adequate shelters and Air Raid Precautions services.

Sunderland also had a proud tradition of military service. Many joined the local Army regiment, the famed Durham Light Infantry, which saw action in almost every theater of the war. Other brave Wearsiders joined the Merchant Navy, the Royal Navy, and the Royal Air Force. Some served in Bomber Command, seeking vengeance for the brutal bombing of their home town.

Sunderland at War 1939–45

Scotland was of grave strategic importance during the war because of its geographical position and its capital was the location of a significant number of important military and civil organizations. Edinburgh Castle became the HQ of the Scottish Home Forces whilst the Forth was a vitally important port and was heavily protected even before the start of the war. Its importance was marked by its attracting the first air raid of the war on mainland Britain when a force of German bombers was sent to attack naval shipping in the Forth on 16th October 1939. The raid was intercepted by the RAF which shot down at least two bombers and the entire action was witnessed by many civilians on the ground. The raid also caused the first civilian casualties when two women were injured in Edinburgh and two men machine-gunned in Portobello. Thousands lined the streets days later for the funeral of two of the Luftwaffe airmen.No member of the population of Edinburgh escaped the war, whether it was the huge numbers of men and women from the area who came forward for service in the military or in roles such as the Home Guard, ARP services, nursing, working in vital war industries, struggling to maintain a household under strict rationing and the stresses of wartime life, or children evacuated from the city to the rural areas of Scotland to escape the expected bombing campaign (even though the Archbishop of Edinburgh called for their return if there was insufficient provision of religious instruction in reception areas).Edinburgh was also home to a sizable Italian community which was badly affected by internment and the subsequent tight restrictions on movement and civil rights. The Italian community was also subjected to violent attacks when rioting mobs attacked Italian owned business throughout the city (although one family business was spared because one of the sons was known as a fanatical supporter of Hibs).Edinburgh at War 1939-1945 poignantly commemorates the efforts and achievements of Edinburgh: workers, fighters, families divided, all surviving astounding tests.

Edinburgh at War, 1939–45

Ruth Mansergh

“A comprehensive view of the important part Cumbria played in WWII, including a detailed look at the warships built in the Barrow Yard.” —Firetrench
 
 The outbreak of war marked a new era for the people of Cumbria. Many young men and women enlisted in the Forces, while older people joined the Home Guard or became Air Raid Precaution Wardens. Children from cities were sent to Kendal to escape the threat of bombing raids, members of the Women’s Land Army began to arrive on at the local farms, and Silloth airfield near Carlisle trained thousands of pilots from allied countries.
 
 The first sign of German interest in the important shipbuilding town of Barrow-in-Furness was in May 1936, when a rigid airship and passenger aircraft flew very low and slowly over the Furness rooftops. Vickers shipyard became a target for enemy bombing and eventually more than 10,000 houses were damaged or destroyed by the Luftwaffe during the Barrow Blitz that took place during April and May 1941.
 
 Extensively researched, the book takes a detailed look at the ships built in Barrow, memorials in the city of Carlisle and towns and villages across Cumbria, and remembers the brave dead of Second World War.
 
 Overall, this is a poignant testimony to the momentous efforts, bravery, self-sacrifice and determination of the people of Cumbria during the Second World War, who sought to find normality in a reality so far removed from anything they had ever known.
 
 “In this fascinatingly good read, Ruth has captured the spirit and uncertainty of all Cumbrians in those stressful years.” —Cumbria Family History Society

Cumbria at War, 1939–45

Tanya Wynn

This comprehensive account of the southern English county during WWII covers everything from the Dunkirk evacuations to the Battle of Britain and more.

Located along the English Channel, the southeastern county of Kent played a significant role in the Second World War. This volume covers Kent’s many contributions—both civilian and military—throughout the conflict. The chronicle details how the Dover Patrol kept Allied shipping safe in the English Channel, as well as the preparation and aftermath of the Dunkirk evacuations of May 1940, with all of the vessels leaving from and returning to Kent ports and harbors.

Kent’s numerous airfields were of vital importance during the Battle of Britain between July and October 1940. The Richborough camp, set up in 1939 at the old First World War Kitchener barracks, provided safe haven to thousands of German and Austrian Jewish refugees. This book includes never before published letters written to one of the camp's residents during his stay there.

Historian Tanya Wynn also discusses the county's military hospitals and pow camps, its Victorian Cross and George Medal winners, and the restricted areas that adorned the coast as the people of Kent battened down the hatches, knowing that they were the very first line of defense in case of a German invasion.

Kent at War 1939–45

An in-depth look at how Scotland’s largest city and its residents were affected by the Second World War, with photos included.

Scotland was of grave strategic importance during World War II because of its geographical position, and Glasgow was the location of a significant number of important military and civil organizations as well as housing industry vital to the national war effort. As a result, Glasgow attracted enemy attention on many occasions—with the city and its hinterland being heavily raided by the Luftwaffe. These included the infamous raid on Clydebank in March 1941, which killed over five hundred civilians and left only seven houses undamaged in the town.

Although Glasgow’s shipyards, munitions factories, and other industries were all vital, so too was the location of the city itself. The River Clyde was the end point for many Atlantic convoys bringing precious food, material, and men to the war-struck British Isles, and the city was thus a vital link in the nation’s war effort. No member of the population of Glasgow escaped the war. Huge numbers of men and women from the area came forward for service in the military or in roles involving the Home Guard, ARP services, nursing, and vital war industries. 

Residents struggled to maintain a household under strict rationing and the stresses of wartime life, and children were evacuated from the city to rural areas to escape the bombing campaigns. Glasgow was also home to a sizable Italian community, which was badly affected by internment and tight restrictions on movement and civil rights. The Italian community was also subjected to violent attacks when rioting mobs attacked Italian-owned business throughout the city.

Glasgow at War 1939-1945 paints a portrait of a city fighting to survive, and poignantly commemorates the efforts and achievements of workers, fighters, and families divided.

Glasgow at War, 1939–45

Gary Dobbs

When Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, Cardiff and its surroundings, like every other city, town, hamlet and village in the country, sent forth large numbers of young men to fight against the oppression of Hitler and the Nazis. This is a story not only of the war itself, but of the way war affected those far away from the battlefields, and of how a nation stood together in the face of a seemingly unstoppable force. The book pays particular attention to the way Welsh society changed during the war years, far reaching changes that are still felt in the country today. The book details the enormity of the human sacrifice paid by the people of Cardiff and its surrounding areas, but also contains many examples of the way ordinary people stood proud, defiant in their determination to bring about the downfall of the Nazis. Lavishly illustrated with over fifty original and modern-day photographs, this book is essential reading for anyone interest in military and social history.