{"title":"Your Towns And Cities In World War Two Ser","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"birmingham-at-war-1939-45-book-julie-phillips-9781473866973","title":"Birmingham at War 1939-45","description":"Barely 17 years after the Great War that had brought Britain to its knees, the country was once again asked to make sacrifices and give their all to the war effort. With its strong industrial background, Birmingham was already geared to help manufacture the vehicles that could be adapted for war use, and with the threat of the German Luftwaffe screaming across the skies, it was only right that the production of planes, most notably the spitfire, was ramped up to help protect the British public.  While many of its men and women were involved in the forces abroad, many more stayed behind to defend the city, with inhabitants risking their lives by taking up fire hoses, first aid kits, manning anti-aircraft guns and positioning barrage balloons in order to save others from the devastating destruction of the Blitz. Meanwhile, the city's children were separated from their families to escape the worst of the bombing and would return from their adventures changed: not all host evacuee families were as kind or as welcoming to their charges as it would appear.  Yet not everyone was so patriotic and keen to do their bit, and the opportunity for crime and to fiddle the rations with black market goods was rife. Not even Government issue equipment was off limits, as one Birmingham gang of sandbag thieves demonstrated.  For Birmingham, the Second World War was a time of great hardship and sacrifice and the hard work continued for many years after, as its people painstakingly rebuilt parts of the bomb-damaged city.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49516829999377,"sku":"GOR011645573","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49572132913425,"sku":"GOR012250596","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49735017300241,"sku":"NGR9781473866973","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473866979.jpg?v=1750826994"},{"product_id":"wimbledon-merton-morden-at-war-1939-45-book-ruth-mansergh-9781473894549","title":"Wimbledon, Merton \u0026 Morden at War 1939-45","description":"More than 350 bombs fell on Wimbledon during the Second World War, killing 150 residents and injuring a further 1,071\\. Around 12,000 houses were damaged and 810 destroyed.  Notable people discussed in this fascinating book include Ernest Leonard Harvey, who was onboard HMS Suffolk on the night Bismarck was spotted; Peter Walley, who died when he steered his crashing aircraft away from housing in the area; Pat Reid, Colditz Castle escapee; PoW Ernest Colman's \"Wimbledon Variation\"; casualties of the Burma-Thailand railway; and the members of the Mitcham Home Guard who were killed when a German parachute mine hit the Tower Creameries site on Wednesday, 16 April 1941 (after a relatively quiet couple of weeks).  This well-researched book also includes a list of the lost hospitals of Wimbledon, as well as war memorials in the London Borough of Merton - findings which have since been added to the Imperial War Museum's website, www.iwm.org.uk. It also provides an insight into factory worker jobs that have long-since bitten the dust. Tri-ang in South Wimbledon was a national by-word for toys - until it started making munitions for real. And, with the outbreak of war, Vortexion of The Broadway, Wimbledon - a manufacturer of public address amplifiers - found itself under the direction of the Government for war work.  Overall, this is a poignant testimony to the momentous efforts, bravery, self-sacrifice and determination of the people of Wimbledon during the Second World War, who sought to find normality in a reality so far removed from anything they had ever known.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49535988171025,"sku":"GOR011439149","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49733346230545,"sku":"NGR9781473894549","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50208409288977,"sku":"GOR013889190","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473894549.jpg?v=1751419911"},{"product_id":"cardiff-and-the-valleys-at-war-1939-45-book-gary-dobbs-9781473864610","title":"Cardiff and the Valleys at War 1939-45","description":"When Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, Cardiff and its surroundings, like every other city, town, hamlet and village in the country, sent forth large numbers of young men to fight against the oppression of Hitler and the Nazis. This is a story not only of the war itself, but of the way war affected those far away from the battlefields, and of how a nation stood together in the face of a seemingly unstoppable force.  The book pays particular attention to the way Welsh society changed during the war years, far reaching changes that are still felt in the country today. The book details the enormity of the human sacrifice paid by the people of Cardiff and its surrounding areas, but also contains many examples of the way ordinary people stood proud, defiant in their determination to bring about the downfall of the Nazis. Lavishly illustrated with over fifty original and modern-day photographs, this book is essential reading for anyone interest in military and social history.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49587018596625,"sku":"GOR010323162","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53591960912145,"sku":"GOR011484294","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473864615.jpg?v=1751371210"},{"product_id":"barnsley-at-war-1939-45-book-mark-green-9781526721877","title":"Barnsley at War 1939-45","description":"The 'eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month' of 1918 was supposed to be the conclusion of the 'war to end all wars'.  Just twenty-one years after the armistice was signed, Barnsley, its borough and the world braced itself for a global conflict that history would eventually testify to be deadlier than the war that destroyed a generation of Barnsley men and boys.  After the Great War, the famous market town stumbled into a new era that promised social change, including universal suffrage, economic and political stability and establishments of new international organisations such as the League of Nations to steer the masses. In reality, the town suffered in poverty, endured pit disasters, countless industrial deaths all the while still lamenting its lost generation, mercilessly butchered on The Somme.  The books narrative explains in detail Barnsley's transition from its interwar years, to the euphoria of victory in 1945, supported by a timeline of national events that helped shape the town. It steers away from the common two-dimensional viewpoints some people had on the Home Front and the endless reusing of the same themes - 'the Great British spirit', Churchillian greatness, D-Day, Dunkirk and VE day. Although one cannot dismiss those remarkable qualities the town developed during the war, it also explores controversial topics such as social impacts, the rise in juvenile delinquency, misplaced optimism, increase in crime and the acceptance of the status quo by some members of the ruling council.  Indeed, Barnsley rose to the challenge as it did years earlier, women once again revealed their rightful place in society as equals, miners smashed productivity records, men and women took up arms in anticipation of invasion.  The Second World War had arguably the same impacts on Barnsley as the Great War, further local names etched on the memorials as a timeless reminder of the men, women and children who died or gave their life for their town, county and country. Never to be forgotten.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49730482110737,"sku":"NGR9781526721877","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":52495477834001,"sku":"GOR010227977","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1526721872.jpg?v=1751244464"},{"product_id":"merseyside-at-war-1939-45-book-mike-royden-9781473873339","title":"Merseyside at War 1939-45","description":"Merseyside played a unique role during the Second World War, which directly led to the area being a major enemy target in an attempt to put the port completely out of action. Consequently, Merseyside became the most heavily bombed area outside of the capital. Despite the considerable damage, the campaign failed, and the port continued as a centre of operations for Western Approaches Command, controlling the safe passage of supply convoys into the Mersey, providing an essential lifeline to the success of the war effort.  Rare insights into the life of war-torn Merseyside are included, along with untold stories from those who witnessed the events first hand, including the Blitz, the defence of the port, and the grim conditions in one of the largest prisoner of war and internment camps in the country in Huyton.  A broad spectrum of life on the Home Front is recounted through memories, newspaper stories and personal memoirs to bear witness to the profound trials of courage and fortitude of ordinary people enduring this desperate struggle to survive the war years. This fraught resilience was not always a united front, and controversial topics are also studied, such as conscientious objectors, racism, strike action, and crime, plus the issue of the Spirit of the Blitz - was it a myth or reality?  This book therefore is an attempt to cover the full period of the war on the Home Front, in all its aspects, from the day war was declared, to the wild celebrations on the streets at the cessation of hostilities, plus the immediate post war problems.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49732958355729,"sku":"NGR9781473873339","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50759659946257,"sku":"GOR009926947","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473873339.jpg?v=1751449952"},{"product_id":"leeds-at-war-1939-1945-book-stephen-wade-9781473867772","title":"Leeds at War 1939 - 1945","description":"Leeds at War 1939-1945 is a comprehensive account of the citys experience of the war, covering in expert detail life on the Home Front set against the background of the wider theatres of war.  The narrative of that global conflict is given with a focus on the trials and ordeals that faced the people of Leeds as they cheered their men and women fighters off to war, were bombed and saw their children evacuated to rural areas.  Rare insights into the life of war-torn Leeds are included, along with untold stories from the footnotes of that history, from the air-raid shelters to the internment issues. The book incorporates the unique human record of that struggle from memoirs and memories, so that the reader sees the war bottom up from the ordinary people, although the military experiences of Leeds' citizens are not ignored.  More controversial topics are also touched upon, such as anti-Semitism, labour troubles and crime, to give a full and fascinating picture of a great city facing profound trials of endurance, courage, and that true Yorkshire grit that has been the hallmark of the citys rise to prominence in Britain.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49778387091729,"sku":"NGR9781473867772","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51347202998545,"sku":"GOR009805648","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473867770.jpg?v=1751273150"},{"product_id":"newcastle-at-war-1939-1945-book-craig-armstrong-9781473867505","title":"Newcastle at War 1939 - 1945","description":"Newcastle was a key cog in the national war effort despite its northerly location, located on the key East Coast it played a significant military and civil role in the war. Newcastle is situated on the strategically important River Tyne and was well defended against enemy attack with several forts and other measures in place.  Newcastle, a largely urban industrial community, was home to key wartime industries with its shipbuilding yards building and repairing huge numbers of vessels, both naval and merchant, throughout the war and its munitions and heavy engineering also making key contributions (especially in the construction and fitting of heavy naval guns). This made the town a significant target for the Luftwaffe and several determined raids were made which inflicted heavy casualties, especially during 1941.  The city also became the centre of a widespread ARP scandal when local and national enquiries revealed large scale corruption at the centre of the ARP organisation and council. The subsequent investigation resulted in several prosecutions, resignations and a national re-organisation of ARP services. The industries of the city were not without their problems and, despite great patriotism being evidenced, there were several notable illegal strikes including those of dockworkers, engineers and the infamous apprentices strike which saw several prosecutions and resulted in the imprisonment of several suspected communist instigators.  The book also looks at the considerable contribution made by the men and women who volunteered for the ARP and Civil Defence Services. The heavy raids on the city resulted in great loss of life and the men and women of the emergency services were faced with horrifying scenes which they had to overcome and work through.  No member of the community was left untouched by the war whether they were evacuees (the author s father was one of them), workers, servicemen or just civilians struggling to maintain a home in wartime Britain.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":51864515445009,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51864515576081,"sku":"GOR010212869","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9781473867505.jpg?v=1753953066"},{"product_id":"northamptonshire-at-war-1939-1945-book-kevin-turton-9781473876675","title":"Northamptonshire at War 1939 - 1945","description":"When the Second World War was declared in September 1939, Northamptonshire was better prepared for the years that followed than it had been twenty-five years earlier. Lessons had been learned from the First World War, and people were far more aware of the impact modern warfare could have on their lives. Through film, press and radio, they were able to monitor the events in Europe in a way unprecedented by any previous generation, which led to a greater understanding of world politics and a realisation that the rise to power of Adolf Hitler would have predictable repercussions. So, when Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain addressed the nation after Germanys armies had invaded Poland, war, for many, had already become inevitable.  But what exactly did this mean to the people of Northamptonshire, and how did they react to the threat of invasion? What were the consequences of the conflict on the Home Front? How did Northamptonshire's towns and villages function through six years of grinding warfare? These questions, and many others, are examined and answered in the pages of this book. This is the story of those who were there; the people who never accepted the possibility of defeat, who coped with rationing, blackouts, conscription and aerial bombardment, and then welcomed Londons evacuees and greeted the American Airforce with open-armed hospitality.  Using military events as a background, this book relates Northamptonshires story, from the parts played in the war effort by the shoe industry, the Northamptonshire Regiment, the Home Guard, the ARP and to, of course, the people.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":52102347751697,"sku":"GOR009924453","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53243309162769,"sku":"GOR014826639","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9781473876675.jpg?v=1757096387"},{"product_id":"hull-at-war-1939-45-book-david-bilton-9781473860902","title":"Hull at War 1939-45","description":"As in the Great War, Hull was a prime target for the bombs of the German air force when the Second World War began, particularly as it was common knowledge that prior to September 1939, German planes had over flown the city taking pictures, and German sailors had visited the port and city. Throughout the war, each night the citizens of the city waited for the sound of the sirens telling them to get to their shelters. There were many false alarms but there were also many raids, so many that Hull has the dubious distinction of being the most bombed city in the country, after London, but compared to its size, the damage and number of casualties were even more devastating.  In the book are numerous photographs, many never previously published, which detail the effects of the raid on the city. Also included are extensive lists of the casualties caused by the bombing and by the blackout. This book is the first to detail every known raid and provides new evidence about previously unreported attacks using contemporary documents. Some parts of the story of the raids are harrowing and show the perils of daily life in a city during the blitz.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":52620869632273,"sku":"GOR014564449","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9781473860902.jpg?v=1761558043"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/collections\/your-towns-and-cities-in-world-war-two-ser-book-series.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}