What do you think?
Rate this book
Bath at War: the Home Front 1939-1945
At the outbreak of the Second World War, the city of Bath was considered to be relatively safe from enemy attack. The Admiralty was evacuated from London to Bath in September 1939, along with thousands of evacuees from the capital and the south-east. Yet, in April 1942, the city was subjected to two nights of murderous bombing by the German Luftwaffe that killed more than 400 inhabitants and destroyed thousands of historic buildings and peoples’ homes.
In common with many other cities the length and breadth of Britain, Bath had received its baptism of fire and became a true city at war. No longer a quiet spa resort, its contribution to the war effort included designs for warships and midget submarines, the manufacture of aircraft components, guns for tanks and precision instruments for the RAF and the Royal Navy.
Drawing on reports from wartime editions of the Bath Chronicle, the authors paint a vivid picture of life on the Home Front. They describe how Bath readied itself for war and prepared for its defence on land and in the air; the horror and the heroism in the Baedeker Blitz are remembered. Food, rationing, and war industry, entertainment and crime in wartime Bath are also recalled, as are the city’s famous soldiers, sailors and airmen. The spirited VE and VJ-Day celebrations that gripped the city are reported, and the book concludes with a look at the legacy of the war.
Whereas other books about Bath in the Second World War have concentrated solely on the Baedeker Blitz, A City at War 1939–45 is unique in that it looks at the whole experience of war in the city from 1939 through to 1945, and how it affected the daily lives of its citizens. First published in 1999 as Bath at War 1939–45, this new edition has been fully revised and updated
In common with many other cities the length and breadth of Britain, Bath had received its baptism of fire and became a true city at war. No longer a quiet spa resort, its contribution to the war effort included designs for warships and midget submarines, the manufacture of aircraft components, guns for tanks and precision instruments for the RAF and the Royal Navy.
Drawing on reports from wartime editions of the Bath Chronicle, the authors paint a vivid picture of life on the Home Front. They describe how Bath readied itself for war and prepared for its defence on land and in the air; the horror and the heroism in the Baedeker Blitz are remembered. Food, rationing, and war industry, entertainment and crime in wartime Bath are also recalled, as are the city’s famous soldiers, sailors and airmen. The spirited VE and VJ-Day celebrations that gripped the city are reported, and the book concludes with a look at the legacy of the war.
Whereas other books about Bath in the Second World War have concentrated solely on the Baedeker Blitz, A City at War 1939–45 is unique in that it looks at the whole experience of war in the city from 1939 through to 1945, and how it affected the daily lives of its citizens. First published in 1999 as Bath at War 1939–45, this new edition has been fully revised and updated
124 pages, Paperback
First published March 25, 1999
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
No one has reviewed this book yet.