Hampshire at War Through Time

Exploring in full colour the history of Hampshire in the Second World War and what remains today. Explores the county's part in Operation Overlord and the Battle of Britain and its involvement in the manufacture of the Spitfire.

In the early hours of 6 June 1944 Allied troops landed on the coast of northern France. Located directly opposite the Normandy beaches, Hampshire would become the main springboard for Operation Overlord, the codename for the invasion of Europe. But in telling the story of Hampshire at War we go right back to the start of hostilities, on a geographical journey around many locations in the county that were somehow involved. This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Hampshire has changed and developed since the war. Home of the Spitfire, Hampshire was one of our most active counties during the war. Here we explore the bombing of Portsmouth, Southampton as an embarkation area for D-Day, the naval provisions supplied by Gosport, the defences built to protect the country from invasion, the New Forest airfields, the role of Middle Wallop in the Battle of Britain, and much more.