Although the impact of the Great War on Brighton was profound, the seaside town was spared any direct attack by the enemy. The fear of spies and sabotage, however, was widespread at first and aliens were an issue which had to be swiftly resolved under new legislation. Allies, of course, were warmly welcomed, and accommodation was swiftly found for those fleeing the catastrophic events in Belgium.Between 1914 and 1918, Brighton made major contributions to the war effort in many ways: by responding readily to the call to arms, by caring for great numbers of wounded (the story of the exotic Royal Pavilion being used as a hospital for Indian casualties is widely known locally) and by simply being itself - an open and welcoming resort that offered sanctuary, respite and entertainment to besieged Londoners and to other visitors, from every stratum of society. The book looks at the fascinating wartime roles of Brighton's women, who quietly played a vital part in transport services, industrial output and food production. Non-combatant menfolk also kept the wheels turning under very trying circumstances. When the meat shortage became acute, the mayor himself took direct action, requisitioning ninety sheep at Brighton Station for the town which were destined for butchers' shops in London.The names of no fewer than 2,597 men and three women who made the supreme sacrifice were inscribed on the town's memorial, which was unveiled at the Old Steine on 7 October 1922 by Earl Beatty. At the ceremony, the earl acknowledged that 'it was by duty and self-sacrifice that the war was won.' It remained, he said, for those who had survived the conflict to ensure that the great sacrifices of the past, both by the dead and the living, should not have been made in vain. We remember them in this book.

It was in 1841 that the London & Brighton Railway constructed the line from Norwood (linking with the London & Croydon Railway) to the coast. The lines built between 1841 and 1868 formed a comprehensive countywide network, extending from Three Bridges to Midhurst and Chichester in the west and (via the South Eastern Railway) from Tunbridge Wells to Bexhill, thence to Rye, in the east. The county's coastal stations yield their own interesting story. Apart from the stations on main routes, those on branch lines and wayside halts are also included. In this book, Douglas d'Enno explores the absorbing and sometimes colourful story of one county's railway stations. The older photographs feature early postcards and carefully selected images from railway archives and publications. When juxtaposed with their present-day equivalents, the extent of the change in these facilities for rail passengers can be fully appreciated.

This unique volume is a startling record of memorable and tragic happenings culled from the railway history of three counties in south-east England: Sussex, Surrey and Kent. It is believed to be the first book to describe and illustrate the accidents and unfortunate incidents on a chronological and county-wide basis. The time span is comprehensive, with accounts of the first mishaps dating from Victorian times and the most recent from the twenty-first century. Accounts of wartime incidents have been included. These extraordinary moments in railway history are explored by the author in vivid detail. The focus is not solely on collisions and derailments but extends also to other untoward events, some away from the main line and others on railway premises. The descriptions of the varied and dramatic scenes depicted include details of those caught up in the accidents and interesting details relating to the subsequent fate of the locomotives involved.