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.
