{"title":"Your Towns And Cities In World War Two Ser","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"south-east-northumberland-at-war-1939-1945-book-craig-armstrong-9781473867468","title":"South East Northumberland at War 1939 - 1945","description":"A close look at the worry and hardships the people of South-East Northumberland were faced with during the Second World War.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49508433428753,"sku":"GOR010136067","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473867460.jpg?v=1751339097"},{"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":"isle-of-man-at-war-1939-45-book-matthew-richardson-9781526720733","title":"Isle of Man at War 1939-45","description":"Isle of Man at War 1939-45 presents the remarkable story of the Manx people, and their homeland, in the most destructive conflict of the twentieth century.  Few people are now aware of the extraordinary role that this small island played in assisting the allied war effort. Yet for six years, a place best known for motorcycle racing and as a holiday playground became a heavily armed fortress. Hundreds of airmen, soldiers and sailors were trained in readiness for combat. Thousands of enemy aliens were imprisoned behind the barbed wire of its camps, alongside those of British birth who were deemed to be a threat to security.  Top secret radar was developed, and the Island's merchant fleet played a vital role at Dunkirk and D-Day. On battlefields around the world, gallant Manxmen fought bravely, whilst at home, in spite of the pressures which total war brought to society, there was a perhaps surprising tolerance for those with pacifist beliefs. Likewise, though there was increased government control in almost all areas of life, these were times of great advancement for Manx democracy.  The story is told in the words of those who were there - some of these eyewitnesses speaking for the first time about their experiences, and among them the last survivors of that generation. Their accounts bring a freshness and immediacy to this remarkably vivid narrative.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49527160078609,"sku":"GOR010124289","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49733359763729,"sku":"NGR9781526720733","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50964510736657,"sku":"GOR014150970","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53192977187089,"sku":"GOR014799704","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1526720736.jpg?v=1751022110"},{"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":"warwick-at-war-1939-45-book-graham-sutherland-9781526722355","title":"Warwick at War 1939-45","description":"Discusses the largely-forgotten about PoWs who were housed in Warwick.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49542172082449,"sku":"GOR012867550","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ WELL_READ \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51356946006289,"sku":"GOR014237050","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":52856480956689,"sku":"NGR9781526722355","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1526722356.jpg?v=1751307902"},{"product_id":"kent-at-war-1939-45-book-wynn-tanya-9781473887404","title":"Kent at War 1939-45","description":"Kent at War 1939 - 45 is a comprehensive account of the part that the county played in the Second World War, covering in great detail a combination of life on the home front from a civilian perspective balanced against that of a military one.  The book's narrative looks at the part played by the Dover Patrol in keeping Allied shipping safe in the English Channel, not to mention the preparation and the aftermath of the Dunkirk evacuations in May 1940, with all of the vessels leaving from and returning to Kent ports and harbours. Other topics covered include the part played by the numerous Kent airfields during the Battle of Britain between July and October 1940, and the Richborough camp, which was set up in 1939 at the old First World War Kitchener barracks. Here Jewish men who had escaped from such countries as Germany and Austria, were put up as refugees, and the book includes never before published letters written to one of the camps residents during his stay there.  The author also discusses the county's military hospitals, Belgium refugees, as well as the restricted military areas that adorned the Kent coast line, as the people of Kent battened down the hatches knowing full well that not only were they on the front line of attack, but the very first line of defence in the case of a German invasion.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49559083417873,"sku":"GOR010169282","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473887402.jpg?v=1751405078"},{"product_id":"aberdeen-at-war-1939-45-book-craig-armstrong-9781473899162","title":"Aberdeen at War 1939-45","description":"Aberdeen was the most frequently bombed city in Britain suffering 32 raids and 364 air raid warnings. As a result, Aberdeen was nicknamed the  Siren City'.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49581316178193,"sku":"GOR012420384","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49736015380753,"sku":"NGR9781473899162","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473899168.jpg?v=1751306319"},{"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":"hampshire-at-war-1939-45-book-murray-rowlands-9781473869967","title":"Hampshire at War 1939-45","description":"The first book charting Hampshire s War at sea and on land","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49594045628689,"sku":"GOR009769736","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49734261768465,"sku":"NGR9781473869967","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53183093080337,"sku":"GOR014795236","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/147386996X.jpg?v=1751084673"},{"product_id":"cumbria-at-war-1939-45-book-ruth-mansergh-9781473877108","title":"Cumbria at War 1939-45","description":"The outbreak of war marked a new era for the people of Cumbria. Many young men and women enlisted in the Forces, while older people joined the Home Guard or became Air Raid Precaution Wardens. Children from cities were sent to Kendal to escape the threat of bombing raids, members of the Women's Land Army began to arrive on at the local farms, and Silloth airfield near Carlisle trained thousands of pilots from allied countries.  The first sign of German interest in the important shipbuilding town of Barrow-in- Furness was in May 1936, when a rigid airship and passenger aircraft flew very low and slowly over the Furness rooftops. Vickers shipyard became a target for enemy bombing and eventually more than 10,000 houses were damaged or destroyed by the Luftwaffe during the Barrow Blitz that took place during April and May 1941.  Extensively researched, the book takes a detailed look at the ships built in Barrow, memorials in the city of Carlisle and towns and villages across Cumbria, and remembers the brave dead of Second World War.  Overall, this is a poignant testimony to the momentous efforts, bravery, self-sacrifice and determination of the people of Cumbria 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":49727139414289,"sku":"GOR009926080","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473877105.jpg?v=1751440171"},{"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":"bath-at-war-1939-45-book-david-lassman-9781526706287","title":"Bath at War 1939-45","description":"Bath at War 1939-45 is a comprehensive account of the city's experience of the conflict, covering in detail life on the Home Front set against the background of the wider theatres of war.  The narrative of that global struggle is given with a focus on the ordeals endured by the people of Bath, as they cheered their men and women fighters off to war, welcomed thousands of evacuated men, women and children to the city, and faced the full might of Hitler's Luftwaffe.  Rare insights into the life of the war-torn city are included, along with untold stories from the footnotes of history, from the Bath blitz to the influx of American GIs. The book incorporates memoirs and memories, along with in depth research from official records and newspaper accounts, so the reader sees the war from the perspective of ordinary people, although the military experiences of Bath's citizens - and in many cases their tragic sacrifices - are also included.  More controversial topics are also touched upon, such as civil defence, military injustice, racism and local politics, to give a full and fascinating picture of a great city facing profound trials of endurance and courage, thus revealing the many characteristics which has sustained Bath throughout its illustrious history.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49733003444497,"sku":"NGR9781526706287","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50214759268625,"sku":"GOR011672400","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51377639031057,"sku":"GOR014246736","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1526706288.jpg?v=1750718352"},{"product_id":"glasgow-at-war-1939-1945-book-craig-armstrong-9781473879676","title":"Glasgow at War 1939 - 1945","description":"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.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49734378062097,"sku":"NGR9781473879676","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51829532197137,"sku":"GOR010143996","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473879671.jpg?v=1750859018"},{"product_id":"shropshire-at-war-1939-45-book-janet-johnstone-9781473858961","title":"Shropshire at War 1939-45","description":"Looks at how Shropshire was effected and reacted to the Second World War.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49734876430609,"sku":"NGR9781473858961","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51305270018321,"sku":"GOR010914439","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":52650184343825,"sku":"GOR014576209","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473858968.jpg?v=1751442024"},{"product_id":"reading-at-war-1939-45-book-david-bilton-9781473891012","title":"Reading at War 1939-45","description":"The first detailed account of what life was like in an important industrial and railway town.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49734937116945,"sku":"NGR9781473891012","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50476492292369,"sku":"GOR013965557","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50614869557521,"sku":"GOR011893172","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473891019.jpg?v=1750757551"},{"product_id":"darlington-and-teesdale-at-war-1939-45-book-craig-armstrong-9781526704801","title":"Darlington and Teesdale at War 1939-45","description":"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.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49738479894801,"sku":"NGR9781526704801","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50681920520465,"sku":"GOR012912435","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1526704803.jpg?v=1751244456"},{"product_id":"brighton-at-war-1939-45-book-douglas-d-enno-9781473885936","title":"Brighton at War 1939-45","description":"Long before war was declared on 3 September 1939, Brighton had steadily and carefully prepared for the coming conflict by building shelters, organising defence and rescue services, and providing the population with advice of its own or from government sources. These precautions stood the town in good stead when the first bombs fell on it in mid-1940 and during the many subsequent attacks.  The resort did not, admittedly, suffer as grievously as some others on the South Coast, yet civilian casualties totalled nearly 1,000, of whom over 200 were killed, 357 were seriously injured and 433 slightly injured.  This is not the first book to reveal the toll of the bombs locally, but it is the first to describe, in parallel, day-to-day events and societal responses during the nearly six years of conflict. As elsewhere, restrictions often made life arduous for residents. Yet despite the hardship, the town's citizens even marshalled sufficient resources to 'adopt' two battleships and generously saved towards assisting with other wartime causes, such as help to our ally, Russia.  The hospitality trade and resort-related services suffered greatly during the periods when the defence ban on entering the town was enforced. In many respects, however, life went on largely as before, particularly in the spheres of entertainment, leisure and some sports.  Douglas d'Enno, an authority on the history of Brighton and environs, shows in meticulous detail, in absorbing text and numerous pictures, how life in wartime Brighton was a struggle for many, but never dull.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49741841596689,"sku":"NGR9781473885936","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50050650800401,"sku":"GOR012620475","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53266560057617,"sku":"GOR014846017","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473885930.jpg?v=1750891967"},{"product_id":"south-shields-at-war-1939-45-book-craig-armstrong-9781473891210","title":"South Shields at War 1939-45","description":"South Shields and its hinterlands had been particularly hard hit during the 1930s and crime had been a significant problem in the inter-war years (as had political strife), but the area still made a significant and very loyal contribution to the war effor","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49756595323153,"sku":"GOR012142810","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":50045781475601,"sku":"NGR9781473891210","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":52635762196753,"sku":"GOR014573475","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473891213.jpg?v=1751306314"},{"product_id":"sunderland-at-war-1939-45-book-craig-armstrong-9781473891258","title":"Sunderland at War 1939-45","description":"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.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49777723638033,"sku":"NGR9781473891258","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51773234446609,"sku":"GOR011730751","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473891256.jpg?v=1751445776"},{"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":"derbyshire-at-war-1939-45-book-glynis-cooper-9781473875876","title":"Derbyshire at War 1939-45","description":"Life in the Second World War in Derbyshire, as seen through the eyes of those who actually lived through it.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50157146439953,"sku":"GOR011220694","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473875870.jpg?v=1751084675"},{"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":"The effect of the war on everyday life.","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\/en-au\/collections\/your-towns-and-cities-in-world-war-two-ser-book-series.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}