Clacton-on-Sea And The Surrounding Coastline In The Great War

Product Description

Clacton-on-Sea & the surrounding coastline is part of the Sunshine Coast an area of sandy beaches & low-level cliffs facing the North Sea This book gives a brief history of the major nearby villages Brightlingsea St Oysths Clacton on Sea Holland on Sea Frinton & Walton on the Naze as they developed from agricultural areas to seaside resorts in the mid to late 1800s & then into heavily defended hives of activity They were considered by the authorities to be convenient spots for foreign invasion & as a result mock invasion exercises at Clacton had taken place since the early 1900s Being close to the sea many of the inhabitants were heavily involved with yachting & the Royal National Lifeboat Institution so it's not surprising that a great number joined the Royal or Merchant Navy Brightlingsea became a major naval port & the Australian & New Zealander's Engineers trained there for four years Clacton itself saw over a 1000 men sign up & it also had a number of Military & Convalescent Homes that treated injured men Middlesex Hospital for one treated over 9000 men The local villages produced a considerable number of men who were awarded the Military Medal Cross & Walton on the Naze produced one VC in Herbert Columbine The tremendous efforts of others are also covered in particular those of the local women folk A number of appropriate poems many written at the time are included throughout the book as well as rarely seen photographs & insightful reports from the local papers of that period