Isle of Man at War, 1939–45

This WWII history presents the remarkable story of the Manx people and their homeland in the Irish Sea throughout the epic conflict.

Few people are now aware of the extraordinary role the Isle of Man played in assisting the allied war effort. Yet for six years, a place best known as a holiday playground became a heavily armed fortress. Hundreds of airmen, soldiers, and sailors were trained in readiness for combat. Thousands of enemy aliens were imprisoned behind the barbed wire of its camps, alongside those of British birth who were deemed to be a threat to security.

Top secret radar was developed, and the Island’s merchant fleet played a vital role at Dunkirk and D-Day. On battlefields around the world, gallant Manxmen fought bravely, whilst at home there was a surprising tolerance for those with pacifist beliefs. Likewise, though there was increased government control in almost all areas of life, these were times of great advancement for Manx democracy.

The story is told in the words of those who were there, some of whom speak for the first time about their experiences. Their accounts bring a freshness and immediacy to this remarkably vivid narrative.