The Archaeology of the Second World War: Uncovering Britain's Wartime Heritage
"A book to inspire local groups to research, reveal and record archaeology in their area." —The Civil Defence Journal 
The Second World War transformed British society. Men, women and children inhabited the war in every area of their lives, from their clothing and food to schools, workplaces and wartime service. This transformation affected the landscapes, towns and cities as factories turned to war work, beaches were prepared as battlefields and agricultural land became airfields and army camps. Some of these changes were violent: houses were blasted into bombsites, burning aircraft tumbled out of the sky and the seas around Britain became a graveyard for sunken ships. Many physical signs of the war have survived a vast array of sites and artefacts that archaeologists can explore—and Gabriel Moshenska's book is an essential introduction to them.
Moshenska shows how archaeology can bring the ruins, relics and historic sites of the war to life, especially when it is combined with interviews and archival research. His work provides for the first time a broad and inclusive overview of the main themes of Second World War archaeology and a guide to many of the different types of sites in Britain. It will open up the subject for readers who have a general interest in the war and it will be necessary reading and reference for those who are already fascinated by wartime archaeology . Readers will find something new and unexpected within the wide range of sites featured in the book.
"An excellent introduction to what is both a first-rate hobby and an increasingly serious academic specialism." —Military History Monthly
1113897414
The Archaeology of the Second World War: Uncovering Britain's Wartime Heritage
"A book to inspire local groups to research, reveal and record archaeology in their area." —The Civil Defence Journal 
The Second World War transformed British society. Men, women and children inhabited the war in every area of their lives, from their clothing and food to schools, workplaces and wartime service. This transformation affected the landscapes, towns and cities as factories turned to war work, beaches were prepared as battlefields and agricultural land became airfields and army camps. Some of these changes were violent: houses were blasted into bombsites, burning aircraft tumbled out of the sky and the seas around Britain became a graveyard for sunken ships. Many physical signs of the war have survived a vast array of sites and artefacts that archaeologists can explore—and Gabriel Moshenska's book is an essential introduction to them.
Moshenska shows how archaeology can bring the ruins, relics and historic sites of the war to life, especially when it is combined with interviews and archival research. His work provides for the first time a broad and inclusive overview of the main themes of Second World War archaeology and a guide to many of the different types of sites in Britain. It will open up the subject for readers who have a general interest in the war and it will be necessary reading and reference for those who are already fascinated by wartime archaeology . Readers will find something new and unexpected within the wide range of sites featured in the book.
"An excellent introduction to what is both a first-rate hobby and an increasingly serious academic specialism." —Military History Monthly
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The Archaeology of the Second World War: Uncovering Britain's Wartime Heritage

The Archaeology of the Second World War: Uncovering Britain's Wartime Heritage

by Gabriel Moshenska
The Archaeology of the Second World War: Uncovering Britain's Wartime Heritage

The Archaeology of the Second World War: Uncovering Britain's Wartime Heritage

by Gabriel Moshenska

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Overview

"A book to inspire local groups to research, reveal and record archaeology in their area." —The Civil Defence Journal 
The Second World War transformed British society. Men, women and children inhabited the war in every area of their lives, from their clothing and food to schools, workplaces and wartime service. This transformation affected the landscapes, towns and cities as factories turned to war work, beaches were prepared as battlefields and agricultural land became airfields and army camps. Some of these changes were violent: houses were blasted into bombsites, burning aircraft tumbled out of the sky and the seas around Britain became a graveyard for sunken ships. Many physical signs of the war have survived a vast array of sites and artefacts that archaeologists can explore—and Gabriel Moshenska's book is an essential introduction to them.
Moshenska shows how archaeology can bring the ruins, relics and historic sites of the war to life, especially when it is combined with interviews and archival research. His work provides for the first time a broad and inclusive overview of the main themes of Second World War archaeology and a guide to many of the different types of sites in Britain. It will open up the subject for readers who have a general interest in the war and it will be necessary reading and reference for those who are already fascinated by wartime archaeology . Readers will find something new and unexpected within the wide range of sites featured in the book.
"An excellent introduction to what is both a first-rate hobby and an increasingly serious academic specialism." —Military History Monthly

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781473822306
Publisher: Pen & Sword Archaeology
Publication date: 01/31/2020
Sold by: OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED - EBKS
Format: eBook
Pages: 224
File size: 25 MB
Note: This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Gabriel Moshenska received a PhD in the archaeology of the Second World War from the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. He conducts archaeological excavation and survey on First and Second World War sites in Greater London, as well as historical research on Civil Defence and the Home Front. His work has featured in television documentaries and a number of academic journals, books, newspapers and magazines. He is a member of the editorial advisory board for the magazine Military Times and he is the editor, with A. Myers, of Archaeologies of Internment and, with S. Dhanjal, of Community Archaeology.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ix

Preface xi

Introduction 1

The Second World War in History, Archaeology and Memory 1

What is Second World War Archaeology? 3

People of Second World War Britain 10

1 The Home Guard 15

Background 16

Home Guard Weaponry 18

The Roles of the Home Guard 22

Wintringham's Guerrilla Army 22

Watching and Waiting 25

The Archaeology of a Stop Line 26

Home Guard Anti-Aircraft Activities 28

Auxiliary Units 29

Summary 31

2 The Merchant Mariner 34

The War at Sea 36

Mines 37

U-boats 38

Breaking the Codes 40

Liberty Ships 42

The Docks 44

Traces of War on, in and by the Waterfront 46

Summary 47

3 The War Child 51

Schools in Wartime 56

Excavating a School Air Raid Shelter 58

Gas Masks 61

Collections 64

Bombsites 66

4 The Prisoner of War 71

Franz von Werra 71

A History of German PoWs in the Second World War 73

Life in a PoW Camp 77

Island Farm and the Welsh Great Escape 80

Wynches Camp 83

Harperley Camp 85

The Future of PoW Archaeology and Heritage 87

5 The RAF Crewman 90

Background 1 91

Fighter Command and the Battle of Britain 92

Bomber Command and the Strategic Bombing of Germany 94

RAF Airfields 96

Air Crash Sites 99

The Naseby Hurricane 104

Excavating Paintwork: Corsair KD431 106

Bodies 108

Sergeant Dennis Noble 110

Summary 111

6 The Air Raid Warden 115

Air Raid Precautions 116

The Wardens' Service 117

The Heritage of Air Raid Precautions 120

Air Raid Shelters 120

Sheltering at Home 123

Sheltering in Public 126

Subterranea Britannica 128

Deep Shelters 128

The Finsbury Scheme 130

Summary 131

Postscript: Health and Safety when Exploring Air Raid Shelters 132

Afterword 136

Photo Credits 140

Index 141

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