Shropshire at War 1939-45

During the Second World War, Shropshire authorities implemented pre-arranged plans to cope with the conflict on the Home Front, including building air raid shelters and pillboxes, renovating redundant camps and disused airfields, and recruiting men and women for various posts. The factories turned to armament production, coal mines increased their output, and farmers cultivated more acreage. POW Camps sprang up, and uniformed servicemen and women from Britain, the Commonwealth, and America became familiar sights on the streets. The author paints a picture of the effect that six years of war had on those Salopians who remained on the Home Front, reflecting their struggles, acceptance of shortages, hardships, and determination not to give in.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 02 May 2018
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

With the outbreak of the Second World War, Shropshire authorities swiftly implemented pre-arranged plans to prepare for the impending conflict on the Home Front. These measures included the construction of air raid shelters and pillboxes, as well as the renovation of redundant camps and disused airfields. Men not eligible for military service volunteered for the LDV (later known as the Home Guard), the AFS, and the ARP. Women were recruited for a range of other positions, with members of the WVS playing a crucial role in accommodating a significant influx of evacuees from Merseyside and Smethwick from the very beginning. Shropshire's factories shifted their focus towards armament production, coal mines increased their output, and farmers expanded their cultivation efforts, ploughing an additional 47,000 acres for food production in the war's first year alone. Prisoner of War (POW) Camps emerged, with prisoners often being transported to work on local farms. Meanwhile, uniformed servicemen and women from Britain, the Commonwealth, and America became familiar sights on the streets.

Using a diverse range of sources, including newspapers and verbal testimonies, the author aims to portray the impact that six years of war had on the people of Shropshire who remained on the Home Front while others marched away. This book reflects their struggles, acceptance of shortages, hardships, and unwavering determination to persevere in the face of adversity.

Weight: 536g
Dimension: 240 x 173 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781473858961