AN ISLAND AT WAR 2

Published

This A4 84 page book tells the enthralling story of life on a small island on the South Coast of England, during World War I and II.

Hayling Island made an extraordinary contribution to the nation’s war effort during both World Wars, yet it has always been overshadowed by its famous neighbour Portsmouth. As a result, it has been largely overlooked in official histories of life on the home front.

The Island was virtually taken over by the armed forces, and the population trebled as holiday camps, hotels and large houses were all requisitioned for military use.

The list of military activities is quite remarkable - rifle musketry, landing craft training and repair, anti-aircraft defence, construction of elements of the D-Day Mulberry Harbour, the D-Day rehearsals, and the COPP.

All the while the civilian population got on with life as well as they could, joining the Land Army, Air Raid Wardens, Home Guard, and the Red Cross. We have worked tirelessly in seeking out so many fine stories, mementos and first-hand accounts of the war years, and especially a mass of wonderful photographs, which illustrate those times for us so effectively.