The Archaeology of the Second World War

"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