|
Showing 1 - 14 of
14 matches in All Departments
The Boy Scouts Association was just seven years old when war broke
out in 1914\. With its members brought up with a strong ethos of
duty and loyalty, it was no surprise that many wanted to play the
best role possible in the nation's war effort. Many members were
amongst those who rallied to the colours and enlisted in the heady
days of the first weeks and months of the war. Some already
belonged to either the Reserves or the Territorials and so found
themselves immediately thrust into the front lines and casualty
rates were high. Several of those who fought were decorated for
their service, with a number even wining the Victoria Cross. On the
Home Front, Boy Scouts served as messengers, printers, dispatch
riders etc. in the War Office and other government offices, both
locally and nationally. Scouts helped gather in the harvest, hunted
for spies, aided the civil and military authorities, maintained
watch during air raids, helped various wartime charities and sold
old bottles to raise funds for recreational huts and ambulances for
the front. Others found themselves mounting guard on the coasts and
on vulnerable points such as the railway network, or aiding
recruitment efforts across the country. The Boy Scout became a
trusted and common sight on the streets of the country and the
contribution they made was great indeed.
For much of the nineteenth century, the women of Northumberland had
occupied crucial, though largely underappreciated and acknowledged,
roles within society. Aside from the hard life of raising families
in an area where money was often hard to come by, and where much of
the available work was labour intensive and dangerous, women were
also expected to play a role in bringing money into the household.
In what was a largely agrarian county, female labourers, who were
known as bondagers, were widely respected for their contribution to
the local economy although there were those who criticised the
system for forcing women to undertake hard manual labour. The
farming economy in Northumberland depended so much upon female
labour that many men found that it was far easier to be taken on by
a prospective employer if they could assure that employer that they
would be able to bring a suitable female worker with them. The
period was also one of considerable upheaval. There were a number
of prominent Northumbrian suffragists and the local radical
suffragettes launched a number of attacks in the area. Morpeth was
a very early supporter of women's suffrage and the Mayor and local
council actively gave their support to the cause, although they
remained largely opposed to the actions of the suffragettes.
Although born in London, Emily Wilding Davison's mother was
Northumbrian and she had a wide network of relations in Morpeth and
throughout the county. After her father's death her mother had
relocated to the Northumberland village of Longhorsley and Emily
spent long period with her, recuperating after her numerous hunger
strikes. Famously losing her life after being struck by the King's
horse at the 1913 Derby, Emily was buried with great ceremony in a
quiet Morpeth churchyard and to this day she remains one of
Morpeth's most famous (adopted) daughters, with her grave remaining
a sight of pilgrimage for many supporters of women's rights.
Sunderland was a key shipbuilding and repair facility with a long
history of providing vessels for the British Merchant Navy. As well
as its shipbuilding industry, the town also possessed other
important industries such as paint manufacturing and extensive
industries connected with shipbuilding and coal mining. The port
town, on the banks of the strategically important River Wear, was
also a main hub, along with its northerly neighbour the River Tyne,
for coal exports, with much of the coal produced in the huge Durham
coalfield being dispatched south via the Wear. All of this meant
that the town found itself on the front lines of the war effort and
marked it as a prime target for the Luftwaffe. The town experienced
several heavy air raids, including one which caused a great deal of
damage to both housing and key industries, as well as resulting in
serious casualties to the civilian population. The considerable
disruption and dislocation caused meant that the authorities
struggled to provide adequate shelters and to fill the gaps within
what were to become vital Air Raid Precautions services. When the
bombing came, these volunteers were to make a vital contribution.
Sunderland also had a proud tradition of military service and many
of her men and women volunteered for service in the armed forces,
with many paying the ultimate price in defence of freedom. A large
number of Sunderland men served in the Merchant Navy, while the
Royal Navy also boasted many Wearsiders. The local Army regiment,
the famed Durham Light Infantry, also boasted many Wearsiders and
the regiment saw action in almost every theatre of the war. For
other Wearsiders, the attraction of flight drew them to service in
the ranks of the RAF, for some, service in Bomber Command was
motivated by a thirst for vengeance after witnessing the bombing of
their home town.
One of the main dangers to Britain during the Second World War was
the possibility of the country being starved out of the war.
Indeed, it was what Churchill feared the most. Before the war,
Britain was hugely dependent upon foreign imports of food and
supplies, but with unrestricted submarine warfare these lifelines
were in danger of being cut and the amount of imports hugely
reduced. Britain was not unprepared. Lessons had been learned
during the First World War, when people had been encouraged to grow
more of their own food. The Ministry of Food, in particular, had
detailed plans in the event of a future war and the 'Dig for
Victory' campaign rightly went down in history as one of the great
successes of the British Home Front. For the farmers of Britain the
war meant a massive upheaval, as the government ordered them to
plough up millions of acres of land to grow valuable arable crops.
Meanwhile, with rationing a daily and inescapable part of life, the
people of Britain had to get used to different foodstuffs,
including powdered egg, Spam and even whale meat. Incredibly, the
diets of many British people actually improved during the war and
the fact that the country avoided starvation demonstrated not only
the success of government planning, but also the determination and
ingenuity of the wartime generation.
Cate Blanchett reprises her role as the 'Virgin Queen' in this
sequel to the Oscar-nominated 'Elizabeth'. This time round
Elizabeth has to contend with the rising power of Spain, as Philip
II (Jordi Molla) readies an armada for invasion, intent on
returning England to Catholic influence. While her trusty servant
Sir Francis Walsingham (Geoffrey Rush) works tirelessly to protect
her from numerous plots, Elizabeth discovers she has a potential
weakness in her fondness for Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen).
During the Second World War, Darlington had a number of industries
that were important to the war effort. With its historic links to
the railway industry, the town possessed several engineering firms,
as well as a number of companies that produced iron and steel
products, and many of these companies switched some or all of their
production over to wartime demands. The town also had an extensive
rural hinterland and the farmers of Teesdale were faced with a
barrage of new demands and regulations governing their vital work.
Many residents of the area served as members of the armed forces
and losses were grievous: the number of Darlington men killed while
serving with the RAF was particularly high, with the impact of
these losses spreading throughout the community. Despite many
setbacks, Darlington was very efficient in bring its Air Raid
Precautions and civil defence services up to full strength. With
Britain facing invasion in 1940, many older men in the area, along
with those younger men who were in reserved occupations,
volunteered to serve in the Local Defence Volunteers (later the
Home Guard) and one man was still serving at the age of 89.
Thankfully, Darlington did not see the heavy bombing that many
other communities in the North East of England suffered. However,
there were still a large number of accidents in the area caused by
the blackout, resulting in a number of fatalities. Locals also had
to deal with rationing and not all were willing to pull together,
seeing the wartime conditions, instead, as an opportunity to make
illegal profits.
Northumberland to the Romans it was Ad Fines, the limit of the
Empire, the end of the Roman World. It was here in 122 AD that the
Emperor Hadrian decided to build a wall stretching from
coast-to-coast to provide protection, to show the might of the
Empire, and as a statement of his grandeur. Visitors to
Northumberland can walk the Wall visiting milecastles, Roman
frontier forts and settlements such as Housesteads (where you can
see the oldest toilets you ll ever see) or Vindolanda (where you
can take part in an archaeological dig) where wooden tablets
detailing life on this frontier (the oldest example of written
language in Britain) were discovered, or the remains of Roman
temples and shrines (such as the Mithraeum at Carrawburgh). After
the Romans left, Northumberland became the heart of one of the
greatest kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon Britain, Northumbria. The home of
Saints, scholars and warrior kings. Visitors can see the ancient
seat of this kingdom at the medieval Bamburgh Castle, visit Hexham
Abbey (built in 674 AD), or tour the magnificent remains of the 7th
century Priory at Tynemouth (where three kings are buried Oswin (d.
651), Osred (d. 790), and the Scottish King Malcolm III (d. 1093).
No other county in Britain has as many medieval remains as
Northumberland. From the most grand such as Alnwick Castle (known
as the Windsor of the North, the home of the Dukes of
Northumberland, the capital of Northumberland, and, to many,
Hogwarts!) to humble remains such as the Chantry at Morpeth. At
Warkworth visitors can tour the medieval church (scene of a 12th
century Scottish massacre), Warkworth Castle (another Percy
possession and the setting for a scene in Shakespeare s Henry IV),
a medieval hermitage, and the fortified bridge gatehouse (one of
the only surviving examples in Britain). Northumberland was ravaged
during the Anglo-Scottish Wars and this led to the development of
family clans of Border Reivers who were active during the 16th and
early 17th centuries. Raiders, looters, blackmailers and courageous
cavalrymen the Reivers have left many surviving remnants of their
harsh time. Peel Towers dot the landscape alongside Bastle Houses.
The active can even walk in the footsteps of the Reivers by
following the Reivers Way long distance path. Victorian
Northumberland was dominated by both farming and, increasingly, by
the industrial genius of some of its entrepreneurs. The greatest of
these, Lord Armstrong (known as the Magician of the North), has
left behind one of the most magnificent tourist sites in Britain;
his home at Cragside. Carved from a bare hillside and transplanted
with millions of trees and shrubs and crowned with the beautiful
Cragside House visitors can walk the grounds taking advantage of
various trails and spotting wildlife such as red squirrels before
visiting the first house in the world to be lit by electricity!
Scotland was of grave strategic importance during the war due to
its geographical position, while its capital was the location of a
significant number of important military and civil organisations.
Aberdeen possessed important shipbuilding facilities, including
Hall, Russell & Co., which built a number of vessels during the
war, such as corvettes and frigates, resulting in the yard being
targeted by the Luftwaffe on a number of occasions. The fishing
fleet was also of prime importance in supplying food for a
war-starved Britain and many Aberdeenshire men constantly risked
their lives putting out to sea in order to land fish. Many were
killed in attacks by enemy aircraft or mines. No member of the
population of Aberdeen 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, or struggling to maintain
a household under strict rationing and the stresses of wartime
life. Evacuation proved a thorny issue as Aberdeen was originally
classed as a neutral area' and no plans were made for evacuation.
By 1940, however, there was anger and frustration as several groups
petitioned for this classification to be changed. These petitioners
were probably proved correct as Aberdeen went on to become the most
frequently raided city (after London) in Britain suffering 32
attacks and 364 air raid warnings earning the city the nickname the
Siren City'. Aberdeen also suffered the final Luftwaffe attack on
Scottish soil when a concerted attack was made on 21 April 1943,
resulting in 125 deaths and an estimated 12,000 houses being either
destroyed or damaged. Aberdeenshire also played a significant role
in the war effort in the air. It was ideally placed to enable the
RAF to patrol not only the north-east of Scotland, but also the
North Sea and the 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.
The Royal Air Force had placed a great deal of faith in its force
of bombers, Bomber Command, in the event of a future war. The
belief in the ability of formations of bombers flying in daylight
and unescorted, protecting themselves from enemy fighter attack,
informed early tactics but led to bloody losses. Hampered by
government restrictions on targets, by late 1941 Bomber Command was
in crisis. As a result, and coupled the growing dire war situation,
a new and forceful commander, Sir Arthur Harris, was appointed and
new strategies allowed Bomber Command to broaden its attacks
despite some opposition. The result was the area bombing strategy
which focussed attacks upon enemy held towns and cities. This Main
Offensive period lasted throughout 1943-1944 and saw both victories
and defeats. It was also the period that saw a limited number of
precision attacks; on Augsburg, Peenemunde and, most famously, the
Ruhr dams. Bomber Command also aided in tactical and strategic
support for the invasion of Europe and the subsequent fight to push
inland. New technological developments allowed Bomber Command to
hit V-Weapons sites and to focus more on precision bombing, but
Harris remained determined to hit German towns and cities whenever
possible, while the Command's growing power allowed it to rain
devastation upon its targets, culminating at Dresden. Much has been
written about Bomber Command, but this book focusses largely on
those who took part in the raids and on public attitudes towards
the campaign in Britain. Using accounts from national and local
archives, newspapers and existing historiography, the book seeks to
shed light on untold stories from Bomber Command's war.
In 1939, North Northumberland shared a proud tradition of military
service with it s wider region and this was reflected in 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 or
nursing. This part of Northumberland was a key recruitment centre
for the local county regiment, the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers,
with men from the area being heavily involved in the fighting
during the blitzkrieg of France and the Low Countries, the miracle
of Dunkirk, as well as many more battles. Yet, to the dismay of
many, an entire territorial battalion was taken prisoner at
Singapore. This district was also vital as a training area, with
the wide and relatively uncluttered skies being widely used for the
training of aircrew, one airfield played a key role in the build up
to D-Day. In addition to combat and training, this area was also
rich with fertile land and so played a crucial role in the war
effort as it supplied food to its own communities and wider
Britain. Many communities in the area welcomed evacuees from urban
Tyneside whilst also welcoming servicemen (especially from the RAF)
into their homes.Others saw the business opportunities and this
book includes accounts of the struggle that many families faced in
coping with rising wartime prices, longer working hours and endless
worry. Despite the hardships the people of North Northumberland
undertook, they all bundled together, and continued to provide
incredible charitable support right up until the end of the war in
addition to their normal efforts. They managed to maintain their
morale throughout the majority of the war despite rationing,
blackout and wartime restrictions. North Northumberland at War
1939-1945 poignantly commemorates the efforts and achievements of
Northumberland s northern communities: farmers, fighters, families
divided, all surviving astounding feats.
Tynemouth Borough, which included the towns of Tynemouth and North
Shields, was an area of strategic value to the national war effort
as it contained the mouth of the river Tyne and was the entry point
to the most important munitions centre in Britain. Industry upriver
included the manufacture of munitions, armaments, and military and
civilian ships, whilst the port of Tyne was one of the busiest in
the country with its internationally important coal export
industry. Away from its industrial importance the area was also a
hotbed of military recruitment. In common with the rest of the
north east, Tynemouth had large numbers of young men who were
serving in the forces before the outbreak of the war. Its record
for wartime recruitment was second to none and it lay in a key
recruitment area for the local regiment, the Northumberland
Fusiliers, who raised over fifty battalions during the war - a
record. Given its location on the coast, Tynemouth also had a proud
tradition of service in the Merchant Navy and many Tynemouth men
had the sea in their blood, whilst North Shields was the home base
of a large and active fishing fleet.Many of the men who manned the
trawlers saw active service, whilst others were exposed to even
greater dangers due to the war. This engaging book is the first to
look at the fascinating social history of Tynemouth during the
shattering years of the Great War and charts the huge sacrifices
made by the people of Tynemouth.
Scotland was of grave strategic importance during the war because
of its geographical position and Glasgow was the location of a
significant number of important military and civil organisations as
well as housing industry which was vital to the national war
effort. Glasgow s importance attracted enemy attention on many
occasions with the city and its hinterland being heavily raided by
the Luftwaffe. These raids included the infamous raid on Clydebank
on 13th and 14th March which killed over 500 dead and only seven
houses undamaged in the town. Under relentless bombing the
Glaswegians maintained their spirit and remained committed to the
war effort. Although Glasgow s shipyards, munitions factories and
other industries were all vital to the war effort so too was the
location of the city itself. The 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, 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. Glasgow 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.??Edinburgh at
War 1939-1945 poignantly commemorates the efforts and achievements
of Edinburgh: workers, fighters, families divided, all surviving
astounding tests.
|
You may like...
Higher
Michael Buble
CD
(1)
R172
Discovery Miles 1 720
Loot
Nadine Gordimer
Paperback
(2)
R398
R330
Discovery Miles 3 300
|