Portsmouth's World War Two Heroes: Stories of the Fallen Men and Women

During the Second World War 2,549 service men and women from Portsmouth were killed in their various wartime occupations. Now this book uncovers their stories; stories that have never been told before: a bomb disposal petty officer awarded the George Cross; a 16-year-old paratrooper; a Battle of Britain hero; men killed in battleships, submarines, bombers and tanks throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Chapters consider each of the forces, including the Merchant Navy, NAAFI and WRNS, and also consider the theatres of war in which these men and women fell.

By using database software, an analysis of all 2,549 casualties has been possible, allowing the author to look at statistics, such as their age and where in the area they came from. Although a touching exploration of the stories of individuals and units, the extra length that author James Daly had gone to in his research has made it possible for the reader to build a picture of the effect that the Second World War had on people of Portsmouth and the community at large.

Available from:
The History Press