Military Heritage – serie

The landlocked county of Wiltshire, characterised by its high downland and wide valleys, has a rich military history that stretches back through the centuries. Evidence of Wiltshire’s military heritage can be seen throughout the county with numerous buildings and other structures still standing today, from ancient hillforts and medieval castles to military bases used in two world wars and the present day, as well as the army’s training area on Salisbury Plain.Wiltshire’s Military Heritage explores the long military history of the county, not only the battles that took place on its soil, including between warring Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and Danish invaders and during the English Civil War, but also the measures that were taken to defend it against possible attack. It also covers the heritage of the military units that were raised in the county and which were sent to fight in conflicts abroad. The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry was originally raised in 1794 and fought in the Boer War and both world wars, and is part of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry based in Wiltshire today. Wiltshire’s airfields played a significant role in both world wars, including during the Battle of Britain, and in recent years the town of Wootton Bassett became Royal Wootton Bassett because of its role in military funeral repatriations.This book will be of interest to all those who would like to know more about Wiltshire’s remarkable military history.

Conwy has been involved in military conflict for over 2,000 years. The Iron Age hill fort of Caer Seion defended the area from the sixth century BC. Many slingshot stones have been discovered here, attesting to troubled times. In 881 the Welsh defeated an Anglo-Saxon army led by Aethelred of Mercia. The most spectacular outcome of Conwy’s strategic military significance at the mouth of the River Conwy was Edward I’s mighty castle, creating a walled town. In 1399 Richard II sought refuge in Conwy Castle against the future Henry IV’s forces and the castle was besieged again during the English Civil War by Parliamentary forces. An army camp was established at Morfa in the nineteenth century, becoming home to the Salford Pals and the Royal Engineers in the First World War and a Polish resettlement camp after the First World War. During the war, the sulphur mine at Caer Coch was the country’s largest producer of sulphur, vital for munitions. Conwy also played a vital role in the Second World War as Mulberry Harbours, crucial for the Normandy landings, were initially designed and then assembled here, and Ratcliffe Engineering built parts for Beaufighter and Halifax aircraft. The town was also a centre of prisoner-of-war camps in the area and despite some accounts of conflict between townsfolk and prisoners, relations were generally harmonious and some ex-prisoners married and settled in the area after the war.This book will be of interest to all those who would like to know more about Conwy’s remarkable military history.

Forged through centuries of armed struggle and foreign domination, aggressive invaders, oppressive monarchs, and rebellious citizens have repeatedly clashed to create Berkshire’s military heritage. A heritage stained with blood spilt during hard-fought sieges, vicious battles, terrible slaughters, and tragic accidents. The oldest remnants of Berkshire’s military heritage date to the Atrebates, an Iron Age people whose impressive hill forts once dominated the county’s skyline, and whose remains are visible today.Windsor Castle, a royal residence, embodies almost a thousand years of military action and is still one of the nation’s top ceremonial attractions. The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst formed on the site of the former Royal Military College is one of the world’s toughest and most revered military training academies in the world. Its graduates include the Sultan of Brunei, Sir Winston Churchill, fascist Sir Oswald Mosley, James Bond author Ian Fleming, sports personalities Fionidi Parker and Heather Stanning, singer James Blunt, Oscar-winning actor David Niven, and Princes William and Harry.Berkshire’s military forces include the Royal Berkshire Regiment’s ‘Biscuit Boys’, who have protected the county and nation at home and abroad since 1881; and the women of the Air Transport Auxiliary service, who were formed and operated out of the county during the Second World War.Military historian and battlefield guide, former soldier Dean Hollands writes passionately about Britain’s military heritage and this book will interest anyone keen to know more about Berkshire’s remarkable military history.

The making of Dorset’s military heritage has been a dramatic, brutal, and often turbulent affair. From the time of the Durotriges tribes and their spectacular Iron Age strongholds, to the more modern sea forts and blast-proof nuclear bunkers of the Cold War, Dorset’s landscape has been shaped by generations of defensive countermeasures.Successive and bloody invasions by Roman, Anglo-Saxon, Viking and Norman forces have paved the way for revolution, civil uprising, insurrection and rebellions that history defines as the Peasants’ Revolt, the Swing and Monmouth Rebellions, the rise of the Dorset Clubmen, the Anarchy and English Civil Wars.In Tudor times the ships of Elizabeth I’s navy dropped anchor in Dorset’s waters before engaging the Spanish Armada off Portland. Men of the local volunteers, militias, yeomanry, and Dorsetshire’s Regiment of Foot have fought bravely and with distinction at home and abroad, from the Peninsular War to South Africa, and through two world wars. The Royal Flying Corps and its successor the Royal Air Force played vital roles in defending the nation, and during the Second World War their presence proved invaluable in the planning and execution of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of northern France.Military historian, battlefield guide and former soldier Dean Hollands writes passionately about Britain’s military heritage and this book will interest anyone keen to know more about Dorset’s remarkable military history.

The Channel Islands, self-governing British Crown dependencies lying o the coast of Normandy in France, have a fascinating military heritage. Jersey and Guernsey are the two largest islands, but other inhabited islands include Alderney, Sark and Herm. Open to invaders, including the Vikings, the islands passed to Norman control in the ninth century. Although King John lost all his mainland Normandy possessions, he retained the islands, which became an important strategic stronghold, heavily fortified and often defended by local militias. Defences were strengthened during the threat of invasion of Britain by Napoleon but were occupied by German forces in the Second World War, becoming part of their Atlantic Wall defences.This book will be of interest to all those who would like to know more about the Channel Islands’ remarkable military history.

The dockyard at Portsmouth was founded by Henry VII, developing into a naval base that was essentially the nation’s most important military establishment. Here, in times of war, huge fleets were assembled and the harbour that lay alongside the dockyard witnessed the constant arrival and departure of ships engaged in convoy duties, blockading and attacking enemy ports or intercepting hostile seagoing fleets. In turn, it was a potential target for an enemy, for if the dockyard could be destroyed or captured, then the nation’s first line of defence, the Royal Navy, would cease to be effective. Sensitive to such a danger, successive governments built defence structures in and around Portsmouth as well as barracks to house the navy, army and marine personnel. As the firepower of guns increased and the nature of fortifications changed, so did the defences of Portsmouth, with these gradually pushed further and further back so that the forts and gun batteries would always ensure the safety of Portsea Island from either land or sea attack.In the twentieth century the defences were adapted further for the new threat of aerial bombardment or attack by submarine. This book will be of interest to all those who would like to know more about Portsmouth’s remarkable military history.

The Isle of Wight has been a popular holiday destination since the Victorian times, with the island known for its mild climate, beautiful scenery and historic connections. It also sits right at the entrance to the important Southampton and Portsmouth docks and because of this, there are a number of impressive castles and fortifications located on the island, including Carisbrooke Castle. Throughout history, the importance of the Isle of Wight has been recognised by invaders, and the island was attacked by the Vikings, the Normans, the French and most recently the Germans during the Second World War. Cowes was the home of Saunders-Roe, the military aircraft and vehicle manufacturer and in the Cold War, the Needles Battery was the testing site for Britain’s Blue Streak nuclear deterrent missile.This book will be of interest to all those who would like to know more about the Isle of Wight’s remarkable military history.

Plymouth’s history has been strongly defined by its position on a natural harbour on England’s south coast. It was a trading port before the Romans arrived, defended by forts on the shoreline and inland. French raiders attacked the town in the Hundred Years’ War and Plymouth Castle was later built to defend the English fleet in Sutton Pool. Drake famously played bowls on Plymouth Hoe awaiting the opportune moment to attack the Spanish Armada and the then town was later under siege during the English Civil War. Naval docks began to be built at Devonport in the seventeenth century, later protected by the Breakwater, and inland a ring of Palmerston forts were constructed. The port was a major embarkation point for British forces in both the First and Second World Wars, including flying boats from Mount Batten, and was heavily targeted by the Luftwaffe with huge destruction of swathes of the city. Although Plymouth is no longer in the front line of war, Devonport is still a major naval dockyard and although many army barracks were demolished post-war, it is still home to the Royal Marines, Royal Artillery and the Royal Navy at HMS Drake and nearby HMS Raleigh.Plymouth’s Military Heritage will be of interest to all those who would like to know more about the city’s remarkable military history.

Herefordshire has always been a border region and prone to conflict. During the Iron Age it was the dividing line between the Silures and Dobunni tribes and many hill forts in the area are still visible. The division heightened with the coming of the Romans as the Dobunni accepted Roman rule but the Silures carried out a successful guerilla campaign against the invaders. The arrival of the Saxons pushed the people that came to be called the Welsh back through the county, so that when the Normans took control, they found an unruly land that demanded their full attention and building of border castles by the Marcher Lords. Throughout the medieval period Herefordshire was fought over by the Vikings, Normans and the Welsh, culminating in the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr. Civil wars also played out among the green fields of Herefordshire, from the Anarchy of the twelfth century to the Wars of the Roses of the fifteenth century and the Civil War of the seventeenth century. Later, Herefordshire supplied many men for Britain’s armed forces in its county regiments, not least in the world wars of the twentieth century, and the county is a fitting home for the Special Air Service, the most feared unit in the British Army.This book will be of interest to all those who would like to know more about Herefordshire’s remarkable military history.

The county of Pembrokeshire has a long military history, and its heritage stretches back into the late Bronze Age. Even today ancient hill forts and coastal defences can be discerned in the landscape. Norman settlement in Pembrokeshire and Welsh resistance created monumental castles which are still prominent in the landscape, including Pembroke, Carew and Manorbier, and later the strategically important harbours on the coastline such as Milford Haven, Fishguard and Pembroke Dock were further fortified. During the First and Second World Wars, Pembrokeshire played an important role in the aerial war, with what became the world’s largest military flying boat station during the Battle for the Atlantic and numerous airfields inland, some continuing into the Cold War. With numerous memorials, a military cemetery and a roll call of gallant Pembrokeshire men and women through the centuries, this book will be of interest to all those who would like to know more about Pembrokeshire’s remarkable military history.

Once a small village on the south bank of the River Thames, for over a thousand years Greenwich has been associated with all three of Britain’s military services: the navy, army and air force. As Greenwich grew, it encompassed the townships of nearby Deptford, Woolwich, Blackheath, Kidbrooke and Eltham, becoming a London borough in 1965. Greenwich was home to the Royal Naval College, and the Royal Dockyards of Deptford and Woolwich built vessels for the Royal Navy, with armaments factories and army training establishments also in Woolwich. During the First World War the Royal Flying Corps opened a station in Kidbrooke which remained an RAF station until 1965. Although Britain’s armed forces have moved out of many of these locations today, the heritage remains. Greenwich’s Military Heritage will be of interest to all those who would like to know more about the area’s remarkable military history.

The county of Lincolnshire has an impressive military history and heritage which stretches back nearly 2,000 years to the time of the Romans. Through the centuries the historic country of Lincolnshire has built its defences and witnessed invasion and civil war, withstood attack and sent people to fight further afield. The Roman garrison at Lincoln, subsequent Saxon and Danish invaders and the fortifications of the Norman conquest have all left their mark. Lincolnshire played an important role in the twelfth century ‘Anarchy’ and the English Civil War, and later the Lincolnshire Regiment and Lincolnshire Yeomanry fought in many campaigns. In the two World Wars in the twentieth century the conflict came to the home front. Lincolnshire was at the forefront of the war in the air up to the Cold War, and was nicknamed ‘Bomber County’ in the Second World War, and its sailors and navigators have played significant roles in the war at sea through the years.This book provides a fascinating insight into the events, people and places which represent Lincolnshire’s military heritage. It will be of interest to all those who would like to know more about Lincolnshire’s remarkable military history.

The military heritage of Northumberland is without doubt one of the richest in all the British Isles. By nature of it being England’s most northern county, its borders have seen many bloody clashes and battles since the earliest times. Hadrian’s Wall stretches along the south of the county and is dotted with forts, garrisons and fortified settlements along its length. The first Viking raid was carried out upon Lindisfarne in 793. There were clashes with the Scots for centuries and from the thirteenth century and for 400 years afterwards there were border raids by reivers. The Battle of Newburn in 1640 was one of the flashpoints that led to the English Civil War, and many a noble Northumberland family was ruined in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745.It is hardly surprising that within the boundaries of the county there can be found more castles than anywhere else in Britain and, as a breed of fighting men, the steel of the Northumbrians is like no other. The men of the North were the backbone of the British Army; a number of regiments have recruited here, including the Coldstream Guards, King’s Own Scottish Borderers and, of course, our very own Northumberland Fusiliers, ‘The Fighting Fifth’. They all served with distinction wherever they fought – from the Peninsular War to South Africa, through two world wars, and beyond.Award-winning military historian Neil R. Storey knows and loves Northumberland and this book will interest anyone keen to know more about its remarkable military history.

With its strategically important location on the banks of the River Ribble, Preston is no stranger to wars and warfare. Conquering Roman legions passed this way, Robert the Bruce made devastating raids here, militia troops were recruited for Queen Mary, Cavaliers and Roundheads crossed swords, and the Riot Act was read at Preston, leading to bloodshed and bitterness. The barracks on Fulwood Moor became a place for legendary regiments and battalions to prepare for war. Heroes of the Crimea, the Boer War, international conflicts and both world wars emerged from Preston. Weapons for worldwide warfare have been produced here too – be they tanks or trucks, bombs or jet fighters – and industry has developed accordingly. Ships laden with sailors, troops and precious cargo have docked here, and the city’s railway station has bade farewell to many soldiers and sailors en route to war. Local author Keith Johnson shows that Preston’s proud military heritage lives on through its historic sites, personalities, monuments and memorials.

Norfolk’s military heritage dates back to the earliest times, from Iron Age forts, Iceni strongholds and Boudica’s rebellion against Roman occupation to its front-line role with coastal defences and numerous airbases during the Second World War. The Romans left their mark with fortifications, garrisons and shore forts. The county was shaped by Anglo-Saxon and Viking invasions and the Normans, whose castles still stand dominant in the county.Norfolk was the scene of uprisings and rebellions, including the Peasants’ Revolt, Kett’s Rebellion and Civil War conflicts. The men of the county led and filled the ranks of the local volunteers, militias and yeomanry during the Napoleonic Wars and was famed for its great maritime commander of the day – Admiral Lord Nelson. The county played a vital part in both world wars, not least suffering direct attacks by German battleships, Zeppelin air raids during the First World War and becoming a target during the Baedeker Blitz in 1942. The Royal Norfolk Regiment has a proud history, serving with distinction wherever they fought – from the Peninsular War to South Africa, through two world wars and beyond.Award-winning historian Neil R. Storey is a born-and-bred Norfolk man. He has published on military and social history themes for thirty years and knows and loves his county well. Norfolk’s Military Heritage will interest anyone keen to know more about the county’s remarkable military history.

The county of Devon, with its coastline north and south, wild moorland, and rolling rural countryside, villages, market towns, many characterised by local industries, and historic cities of Exeter and Plymouth, has a rich military history that stretches back through centuries. Evidence of Devon’s military heritage can be seen throughout the county with numerous buildings and other structures still standing proud today.Devon’s Military Heritage explores the long military history of the county, not only the battles that took place on its soil and the measures that were taken to defend it against possible attack but also the heritage of the military units that were raised in the county and which were sent to fight in conflicts abroad. The 1588 Spanish Armada was first engaged by the English fleet off Plymouth, and the famous Devon mariners Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Hawkins, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Richard Grenville were at the forefront of the defeat of the Armada and other encounters with the Spanish during this period. A hundred years later, in 1688, William of Orange landed at Brixham to launch the Glorious Revolution. Devonport has long been a major port and shipbuilding centre for the Royal Navy and Plymouth was a target for German aerial bombardment in the Second World War. Soldiers from the Devonshire Regiment and the Royal Devon Yeomanry and their antecedents fought for the country for centuries and Devon was also the site of the disastrous rehearsal for D-Day where hundreds of Allied servicemen lost their lives off Slapton Sands and in Lyme Bay. The military heritage of castles, fortifications, airfields, military bases and monuments throughout the county is also explored.This book will be of interest to all those who would like to know more about Devon’s remarkable military history.

The north Wales seaside resort of Llandudno developed in the 1850s from a scatter of small settlements on the slopes of the Great Orme. The Iron Age defences of Pen Dinas hill fort and the presence of Roman coin hoards suggest local military conflict, and skirmishes are recorded from the time of the Vikings. In later centuries the focus for military activity stretches a mile or so down the Conwy Valley to the castles of Deganwy and battles between Welsh and English. Llandudno became embroiled in the invasion of Edward I when he gave the Bishop of Bangor land on the Great Orme to build a ‘palace’. This was sacked in Owain Glyndwr’s revolt of the early 1400s. With the rise of Britain’s empire copper was mined, partly to provide cladding for the wooden-hulled ships of her navy. By the twentieth century significant military training establishments were based in the area, as were prisoner-of-war camps and convalescent homes for military personnel. In 1915 a German U-boat attempted to pick up escaped POWs in Llandudno Bay, and the town was chosen as the new location for the Royal Artillery’s Coast Artillery School and the Inland Revenue. In Llandudno’s Military Heritage authors Peter Johnson and Adrian Hughes cover all this and more, showing the impact that the military has had on this north Wales town, its combatants and its citizens over the centuries.

Few counties can rival Essex’s extensive and varied military history. The battles fought in Essex, and by its servicemen and women overseas, have not only shaped the history of the county but have directly influenced the course of British and world history. In Essex’s Military Heritage, Adam Culling explores 2,000 years of the county’s military history, beginning with Boudicca’s attack on Roman Colchester then moving on to frontline battles between the Anglo-Saxons and Viking raiders, medieval and Civil War sieges and beyond.Throughout Essex no better connection to its military past is more present than the physical evidence that remains. Norman castles, Tudor and Victorian forts, coastal and inland defences and the RAF and US Army Air Force airfields from the Second World War are a few reminders of Essex’s military past. From the largest war memorial in the county in Colchester’s Castle Park to commemorative stained-glass windows in village churches, peculiar, intriguing and moving memorials of military sacrifices are ever present throughout Essex.From the Crimean War to the present day, Essex has been the home to many military units. None are more significant than the Essex Regiment who, along with their predecessors, fought bravely in conflicts all around the world. Munitions factories and wartime manufacturing, gallant and distinguished conduct, Zeppelin crash sites, requisitioned stately homes and ‘secret’ nuclear bunkers, this book provides a fascinating insight into the events, people and places that represent Essex’s military heritage.