In the great scheme of things people often forget that many of Devon’s towns and villages, far from being sleepy wartime backwaters, played a vital role in the fight against the Nazis. Indeed it has been said that Devon was among the most military active of any county during the Second World War. In this book the author looks at his home town of Exmouth during the war years, drawing on years of collecting information and images, and interviewing many people who lived through the period and whose eye-witness accounts are included here.

Exmouth’s strategic importance at the mouth of the River Exe made it a target for a number of raids including a devastating attack from the air in February 1943 in which 26 people were killed and many wounded, with great destruction of property. This and many other aspects of wartime life in the town are covered, including: The Home Guard; Children in Wartime; The Exmouth Civil Defence; The Role of Women in War ; and the American

Presence. With over 300 photographs, this important book will fascinate anyone who has a connection to Exmouth past or present, and all those interested in the history of the war on the Home Front.

160 pages. Published 2010