Introduction

I doubt that many people would have believed that only 20 years after the First World War, the world would be at war again. This time however, the children of those who took part in the Great War would be caught up in the fighting.

The following is taken from the Pen and Sword website:
Derbyshire's towns and villages were badly affected by the Great War with many lives lost, families ripped apart and a way of life that had changed forever. Building and economic recovery had been hindered by the Great Depression and the county was not ready to face another war, nor for the problems of warfare from the air and some resulting plane crashes on its hillsides. Yet somehow the county and its people found the strength to unite against the enemy once more and ensure that Germany would never be victorious.

Derbyshire at War 1939-45 chronicles life on the Home Front during the Second World War, which reached into every home and affected every citizen, changing lives and the face of the county. It is also a timely reminder of the difficulties, hardships and restrictions faced by Derbyshire as the war dragged on, and how local communites overcame the odds that were stacked against them.

Review

This book published by Pen and Sword Military is a paper backed offering, the cover being made of a stiff card. This offering is written by Glynis Cooper and is priced at £12.99. This publication contains 102 pages of good quality paper, with many black and white photographs scattered throughout.

The contents are as follows:
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1 1939
Chapter 2 1940
Chapter 3 1941
Chapter 4 1942
Chapter 5 1943
Chapter 6 1944
Chapter 7 1945
Epilogue
Bibliography
Index

This publication gives an insight into how the war affected everyone on the home front. From rationing to culling domestic animals because the population was worried that there would not be enough food for everyone. Rural Derbyshire fared a bit better in the food stakes than more urban areas because they had the space to grow vegetables, and thus there was a trade in seasonal veg, where people would exchange or sell what they had grown on their land.

Derbyshire was also a strategic area for Prisoner of War camps, because of it many remote locations and shortage of transport and communication facilities. The rural nature of Derbyshire meant that there was plenty of work that the prisoners were able to do, while the men were off fighting the enemy.

Conclusion

I found this publication interesting, but feel that there could have been a few more photographs, as on page 20 and 21 there is the same photograph but taken from a slightly different angle and this gives the impression that “put one there to fill the space”. I feel that this would be an ideal book for someone who is just starting out with, exploring the history of the place where they live.