Thanet During The War

Thanet played an important role during World War II, with its location on the south-east coast of England making it a strategic target for the German air force. As a result, the area was heavily bombed during the war, and a number of key defensive installations were built to protect the region.

One of the most important of these installations was RAF Manston, which was built in 1916 and served as a key airbase during the war. The airbase was heavily bombed during the Battle of Britain in 1940, and was subsequently used to support the Allied invasion of Europe in 1944. Today, the site is home to the Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum, which commemorates the pilots who flew from the airbase during the war.

Another important feature of Thanet’s wartime history was the network of underground shelters that were built to protect residents from air raids. The Ramsgate Tunnels, for example, were a series of underground passageways that were converted into shelters during the war. Today, visitors can explore the tunnels and learn more about what life was like for residents during the war.

Rationing was also a key feature of life in Thanet during the war, with food and other essential goods in short supply. Residents were issued with ration books, which limited the amount of certain goods they could buy each week. This led to the development of ‘dig for victory’ campaigns, encouraging people to grow their own vegetables and produce at home.

Air raids were a regular occurrence in Thanet during the war, with a number of high-profile attacks causing significant damage to the area. The most devastating of these was the bombing of Ramsgate on August 24, 1940, which destroyed much of the town centre and resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people.

Finally, Thanet played a key role in the Dunkirk evacuations of 1940, with Ramsgate Harbour serving as a key embarkation point for the evacuation of British and Allied troops. More than 60,000 troops were evacuated from Ramsgate during the operation, which has gone down in history as one of the most significant events of the war.

Overall, Thanet’s wartime history is a fascinating and often harrowing chapter in the area’s past. From the air raids to the underground shelters, and from the Dunkirk evacuations to the vital role played by RAF Manston, the area’s contributions to the war effort were significant and have left a lasting legacy.