Bournemouth was originally a deserted heathland on England's South Coast
until the area was developed as a health resort in the early nineteenth
century. The town grew rapidly in size and by 1900 Bournemouth was
firmly established as a popular tourist destination and a fashionable
home by the sea, with grand hotels, gardens, a concert hall and a host
of other cultural and entertainment venues. During the Second World War
Bournemouth was a direct target with aerial bombing raids destroying
many homes and familiar buildings with a significant loss of life. The
seafront was fortified, and the beach mined and covered with obstacles
as it was a possible target of invasion, and many iron structures were
dismantled for the war effort. Communities learned to deal with
rationing, air raids and large numbers of evacuees. The war had a
devastating effect on local communities through the loss of life, the
destruction of familiar places, the movement of people and the hardships
experienced at home but both were also a time of courage and fortitude
in an effort to continue with everyday life. In this book, local
historian author John Needham has captured the tribulations of the times
in words and pictures, telling the stories of many local men, women and
children during this trying period. Bournemouth at War pays tribute to
the people of this town who served, died and lived through the Second
World War, and how they managed to endure in the face of the horrors of
war.
