Osprey Elite 109 : British Home Front Services 1939-1945

The population of Britain was mobilized to support the war effort on a scale unseen in any other Western democracy or Nazi Germany. They endured long working shifts, shortages of food and all other goods, and complete government control of their daily lives. Most men and women were conscripted or volunteered for additional tasks outside their formal working hours. More than 60,000 civilians were killed and 86,000 seriously injured by air raids that destroyed the centres of many towns and made about 2 million homeless. This illustrated summary of wartime life, and the organizations that served on the Home front, is a striking record of endurance and sacrifice. Text by Martin Brayley with illustrations by Malcolm McGregor.

Contents

• Life in Wartime Britain
• Services
  Air Raid Precautions
  Civil Defence
  National and Auxiliary Fire Services
  Police
  Women's Voluntary Service
  Royal Observer Corps
  Royal Ordnance Factories
  Motor Transport Training Corps
  Women's Land Army & Timber Corps
  Local Defence Volunteers / Home Guard
  Air Transport Auxiliary
  NAAFI
  First Aid Nursing Yeomanry
  Ambulance / Hospital Services
  Blue Cross / PDSA