The Second World War really began with the Treaty of Versailles, but France and Britain missed numerous opportunities along the line to halt its dawning as the Nazi Machine gathered steam.
Tag: WWII
Secret Army: The Auxiliary Units, Britain’s final line of WW2 defence in case of invasion
Unlike most of Europe, Britain had time to make a contingency plan in case of a German invasion. If Operation Sealion had come off in September 1940, the government had a secret force ready to kick off the resistance straight away… but how effective cou
Dieppe: The Bloody Rehearsal for D-Day
On the 19th of August, 1942, over 1,000 Canadian and British soldiers lost their lives. Vital lessons were learned for the Normandy raid… but was the sacrifice worth it?
Story of Marcus McDilda – Kempeitai Torture – WW2 FEPOW
We’ve got a brand new collection of records coming out on the eve of #VJDay, the 14th of August. As a little taster check out our blog and read about one of the men who could testify to the horrors of being an Allied FEPOW under the Japanese: Marcus McDil
Imperial Prisoners Of War Held In Japan – WW2 POW Records
For the first time ever, the National Archives’ 56,000+ WO 392 ‘British Prisoners of War held in Japan or Japanese Occupied Territory’ collection is available in its entirety online for quick and easy searching. Is your PoW ancestor in our ‘’Imperial Pris
Getting started researching your military ancestor
As the First World War soldiers have sadly passed away, with Henry John ‘Harry’ Patch being the last to go, aged 111, in July 2009. Now every day the papers seem filled with reports of Second World War veterans passing away too, and it’s time to ask about
Life as a German POW at Stalag Luft III
Forget the Great Escape; what was the run-of-the-mill, day to day life like for the prisoners at Stalag Luft III? Read on to find out.
Receiving War Medals after Service – Story of WW2 Heroine
As an Italian grandmother’s war service is honoured 70 years after her brave actions, we look back on the role played by the Special Operations Executive in World War Two.
New Year’s Eve 1943: The end of a year spent at war… and the beginning of another!
As 1943 drew to a close, Britain was a happier nation than it had been for many a year. There was still a way to go before World War Two would be over, but finally it felt like the Germans were on their back foot. A New Year’s message by Deputy Prime Mini
Doodlebugs: when silence meant catastrophe
The ‘Doodlebug’, or V1 flying bomb, was one of the most effective weapons the Germans came up with in the war, and in terms of morale, it was one of the most devastating. Just when people were starting to feel safe again after the Blitz, that hair raising