Kent has a long and illustrious military history dating back to the Roman occupation but the first great conflict of the twentieth century brought the horrors of war to a new generation. Thousands of the county's finest young men were sent off to fight in battlefields around the world including Europe's Western Front, which was less than a day's travel from Kent. Because of its proximity to this major war zone, Kent came to play a pivotal role in the conflict. The ports of Dover and Folkestone were the main staging posts for the British Expeditionary Force and the primary points of arrival for the thousands of wounded servicemen being repatriated from the Front. Its hospitals cared for the wounded and its munitions factories produced the armaments needed to fight the war. The county's geographical position also made it a prime target for German air raids and naval bombardments, which brought the terrors of modern war to the civilian population for the first time. Kent at War tells the remarkable story of the First World War as it unfolded and affected the county and its people.

For over 400 years Chatham Royal Dockyard provided over 500 ships for the Royal Navy, and was forefront in shipbuilding, industrial and architectural technology. It was established by Queen Elizabeth I in 1547. At any one time it employed around 10,000 people, often convict labourers. Many famous vessels were built by the Chatham boatyard including HMS Victory, Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar, which was launched here in 1765. In the 20th century, Chatham played its part in both World Wars as it became a major manufacturer of submarines. It was also at this time that the Naval Barracks at HMS Pembroke were established, becoming one of the Royal Navy's three 'manning ports' during WWI and continuing in this role until the 1950s. The history of the economy, architecture and people of the dockyards and barracks is brought to life in this book.