Norfolk Coast in the Great War


Book Description

Norfolk Coast in the Great War focuses on the trials and joys, the achievements and disappointments, the humor and the sadness of everyday life in a region living on the edge of the country at the heart of the Kings vast Empire. Everyone from the folk who went off to fight, to scouts and schoolchildren, had a role to play in this coastline that had, since the time of the Spanish Armada, been considered a likely place for an enemy invasion. There were days of great tension, even terror, such as on the day of the first bombardment of the coast by the German Navy, and the day of Zeppelin attacks and dog fights out to sea when the flimsy planes of a fledgling RAF took on the Red Baron and his comrades.This unique study is based largely on original archive material, much of it never before published in book form. It is accompanied by many rare and fascinating photographs that show the day-to-day life of the people who lived in the many settlements on the coast and just inland. In addition, this book also gives an itinerary for a walk along the 46 mile stretch of the coast from Hunstanton to Cromer, taking in many of the places discussed and giving views that are exactly the same as they were 100 years ago.




Norwich and Norfolk


Book Description

A traveler’s guide to the history of Norwich and Norfolk, from the Stone Age to the dawn of World War I, featuring guided tours, photos, and more. Whether you’re traveling alone, with friends, or with your family, this guide has something for everyone wishing to explore the host of fascinating places on offer in what the Norfolk-born authors believe to be the most unspoiled and mysterious county in England. Norwich has its own section along with three possible walks taking in many of the recommended sites. The vast coast is presented next and finally the book travels to central Norfolk: places of interest are grouped as much as possible so that travelers can make the most of the time available. Everywhere, legends and stories relating to an area are woven into the narrative. A final chapter considers Norwich and Norfolk through time using rare archive and archaeological material to give a taste of life in days gone by. Top Norfolk photographer Daniel Tink has taken 100 photographs especially for the book and presents these where appropriate alongside some wonderful contrasting old prints and etchings. The book concludes with a comprehensive index and bibliography designed to facilitate further study. Throughout, telephone numbers and websites of attractions are given, providing readers with a “toolkit” to unlock the secrets, history, sites, and stories of this vast county. “A magical journey through the streets of Norwich and around the countryside and coastline of Norfolk. There’s even a tale about a ghost in the ruined priory . . . . Superb stories . . .full of information and very readable indeed.” —Books Monthly (UK)




The Great War


Book Description




The Home Front in the Great War


Book Description

In an overdue attempt to portray the real effect of the war on life at home, David Bilton examines all the major events of the period and charts their effect on everyday life for those trying to live a normal existence. Extensive use is made of personal accounts and the author draws on many photographs, newspaper and magazine material and ephemera to make this very informative and atmospheric.




Cardiff and the Valleys in the Great War


Book Description

Looks at the Cardiff Pals and other local regiments who fought in the Great War and how the experience of war impacted on the area, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German Kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Cardiff were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. An important place for Coal export this book looks at how the balance between working and fighting was achieved by the Dockyard workers??The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Meanwhile, men serving in the armed forces were scattered far and wide. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions.




A Guide to War Publications of the First & Second World War


Book Description

In WW2 information leaflets and posters proliferated. Soldiers were bombarded with Field Regulations, airmen with the latest updates about airborne early warning, bomb sights and radio navigation and sailors with material that helped them identify enemy aircraft and submarines and told them how to operate the new ship board weapons to destroy them.??An abundance of familiar slogans exhorted the population to do the utmost: 'Go To IT!', 'Come Into The Factories', 'Keep Calm and Carry On', 'Dig For Victory', 'Lend A Hand on the Land', 'Walk When You Can'. Other messages warned of the consequences of irresponsible behaviour: 'Careless Talk Cost Lives', 'Loose Lips Sink Ships', 'Keep It Under Your Hat' and 'Be Like Dad, Keep Mum', the latter illustrating just how much social mores have, thankfully, changed in the last 75 years.??This book is concerned with the plethora of printed ephemera that was designed to educate, instruct, inform and entertain. Such original material can still be bought and is easy to store ‰ÛÒ the posters also often making attractive items for display ‰ÛÒ but as with all other authentic historical material supply is finite and examples of wartime publications in first class condition command a high price. This is the first time a single volume has been dedicated entirely to a long overlooked component of wartime collectables. It is designed to complement books which focus on traditional militaria such as uniforms, equipment and regalia and is intended to reveal just how much material was produced, across the board, by each of the warring nations. It will advise enthusiasts about what was produced, what is still available and where to find it and, importantly, how to conserve and store such vintage printed items.




The Great War


Book Description

During the First World War three quarters of a million British people died – a figure so huge that it feels impossible to give it a human context. Consequently we struggle to truly grasp the impact this devastating conflict must have had on people's day-to-day lives. We resort to looking at the war from a distance, viewing its events in terms of their political or military significance. The Great War: The People's Story is different. Like the all-star ITV series it accompanies, it immerses the reader in the everyday experiences of real people who lived through the war. Using letters, diaries, and memoirs – many of which have never previously been published – Isobel Charman has painstakingly reconstructed the lives of people such as separated newly-weds Alan and Dorothy Lloyd, plucky enlisted factory-worker Reg Evans and proudly independent suffragist Kate Parry Frye. A century on, they here tell their stories in their own words, offering a uniquely personal account of the conflict. The Great War: The People's Story is both a meticulously researched piece of narrative history and a deeply moving remembrance of the extraordinary acts of extremely ordinary people.




Visitors' Historic Britain - Norwich and Norfolk


Book Description

This unique study traces the history of Norwich and Norfolk from the time of earliest life to the outbreak of the First World War. It is designed to appeal to the travellers, both single and in family groups, who wish to explore the host of fascinating places on offer in what the Norfolk-born authors believe to be the most unspoilt and mysterious county in England. Norwich has its own section along with three possible walks taking in many of the recommended sites. The vast coast is presented next and finally the book travels to central Norfolk: at all times, places of interest are grouped as much as possible so that travellers can make the most of the time available. Everywhere, legends and stories relating to an area are woven into the narrative. A final chapter considers Norwich and Norfolk through time using rare archive and archaeological material to give a taste of life in days gone by. Top Norfolk photographer Daniel Tink has taken 100 photographs especially for the book and presents these where appropriate alongside some wonderful contrasting old prints and etchings. The book concludes with a comprehensive index and bibliography designed to facilitate further study.Throughout, telephone numbers and websites of attractions are given, providing readers with a ‘toolkit’ to unlock the secrets, history, sites and stories of this vast county.




Norwich in the Great War


Book Description

On the eve of the Great War, Norwich was very much a city on the rise an industrial and commercial powerhouse. It was certainly not, however, without its problems, not least the extreme poverty of some areas, such as the notorious Norwich Yards. This meticulously researched book looks at Norwich on the eve of conflict and charts, in detail, everyday life in the city, year on year, extensively drawing on original material from the period much of it never before published in book form. It largely focuses on how it felt to live in the city: on the joys and trials, on the changes to peoples lives, on the courage and humour, as well as the pride and determination shown by the people of The Fine City. Both dramatic events and the details of daily life are illustrated by many rare and fascinating photographs taken at the time. The massive contribution that Norwich's industry made to the war effort especially in supplying hundreds of thousands of pairs of the perfect marching boot and in building the Sopwith Camel on Riverside is celebrated. As are the incredible deeds of the heroes who travelled from Norwich to the fields of conflict, some of whom gained the Victoria Cross and the many more brave men who did not. Usefully, an At a Glance section outlines the main world events against which home life unfolded. It concludes with a view of the city as the surviving troops finally came home. A separate appendix gives the route for a fascinating 'Great War Walk' around the city centre, taking in many of the places discussed throughout this book.




Norfolk at War, 1939–45


Book Description

This year-on-year study of Norfolk at war is the first such for many years, which utilizes material that has not been published in book form before or, sometimes, at all. In both the First and Second World War, Norfolk was pivotal, albeit for different reasons. During the war of 1939-45 Norfolk was home to many bases of the USAAF, changing the area forever with bases remaining a fond feature of Norfolk life. Another unique and enduring legacy was the arrival and often permanent settlement of many Poles, who are commemorated today by a shrine in the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Norwich. Norfolk was in many ways changed forever as it had largely, up until this time, been proudly, even stubbornly, isolated a feature that could not have changed more dramatically. This study is both inevitably a military and social study. The major events both at home and overseas are laid out, together with a description of how home life unfolded in very dark times when the stoicism and humor of the Norfolk residents were tested. Contemporary material from newspapers, diaries and local records, as well as over 200 photographs, are used to bring life and color and life to the account.