WW2 around Mersea

The War changed life on the Essex coast completely. For a few weeks in 1940 this was considered to be the front line, but the threat of invasion went away and life settled down. Many bombs fell on the Island, but amazingly no civilians were killed - but a number of servicemen died in accidents.

The West Mersea War Memorial has twenty names on it for WW2, and East Mersea, just one. But there is a longer list of 36 names with Mersea connections who were killed. See the link below - and other links touching on aspects of wartime life.

1939 Evacuees come to the Island

Evacuees come to Peldon

1940 - a diary of life on Mersea from Mary French

1940-41 Coastal Artillery Battery West Mersea - from Noel Beadle

Dunkirk 1940

Mersea Home Guard

Auxiliary Units in WW2

School Days at Mersea in the War Years

Farming in WW2, Women's Land Army, War-Ag

Farmers' evictions in WW2, and the Peldon Protest

Women's Land Army in Essex in WW2

Smack MAGGIE mined in River June 1942

RASC Motor Boat companies on Mersea Island in WW2
- Halifax crash with French Agents on board

Typhoon crash and salvage from River March 1944

V.E. Day 8th May 1945

Memories of World War 2 by Mary Jardine nee French

World War 2 memories from M.J. Gethen
Joy Gethen worked in West Mersea Council offices during WW2

The War Years - Peldon. By Phyllis Day nee Wilson

Peldon Home Guard

Peldon's War Dead

David Wilson Merchant Seaman - The POW's Story

East Mersea War Memorial

West Mersea War Memorial

WW2 casualties with Mersea connections

WW2 remains on Mersea Island