| Southwold
was in earshot of the guns in Flanders
during World War One. Holidaymakers
were replaced by army recruits camping
on The Common and refugees sheltering
in the Constitutional Hall. Food was
scarce – but worst of all, the
town came under direct attack from
Zeppelin air raids andnaval vessels.
As World
War Two worsened and a German invasion
became more likely, Southwold once
again became a frontline town. The
beach was mined, guns installed
and beach huts were even scattered
over The Common to deter enemy gliders.
Hundreds of high-explosive bombs
and incendiaries fell, killing thirteen
residents, demolishing buildings
and blowing out the windows of St
Edmund’s Church.
The town’s
War Memorial stands on St Bartholomew
Green, commemorating 72 Southwold
people who died as a result of enemy
action.
Explore the Southwold’s
war stories in more depth below.
The
Battle of Sole Bay
The
First World War
The
Second World War
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