The war years in Hastings and St Leonards
In total there were 85 enemy air attacks on the town. The first came on July 26 1940, the last on August 2 1944. There were 1,476 ordinary air raid alerts and over 100 local 'cuckoo' warnings. The last alert was heard on November 9 1944.
550 High Explosive Bombs, 12 Oil Incendiary Bombs, 750 Small Incendiaries and 15 V1 flying bombs were dropped on the town during this period. 154 people were killed, 260 were injured and detained in hospital and 439 were slightly injured as a result of enemy air attacks. 436 houses were demolished, either by direct hit or as a result of damage sustained in attacks. 80% of all property (a total of 14,818 houses) was damaged.
These figures give only a limited idea of Hasting and St Leonards' ordeal as a front-line town. It's known from German documents that the town was one of several 'invasion' sites under consideration by Hitler. After the fall of France in 1940, the town made preparations to meet the possible attack on the coast. Barbed wire, road blocks, beach defences, bans against visitors, evacuation, invasion exercises, alarms and rumours all became part of daily life. Evacuation meant that the population more than halved, from a pre-war figure of 65,000 to 34,000.
Somehow, life and daily work went on. St Clement's Caves became a place of sanctuary for many families. Some, whose homes had been demolished, set up home there and schoolchildren attended lessons in the underground shelter.
In Spring 1944 a new coastal security area was announced, with more restrictions on travel imposed, as preparations were made for a 'Second Front'. Masses of troops were stationed locally, and in May 1944, Winston Churchill visited the town to inspect the forces. Throughout the night of June 5/6 the roar of hundreds of planes passing overhead was heard. At dawn a great fleet could be seen, steaming down the Channel - D-Day had arrived.
In September 1944, following the lifting of the visitor's ban, holidaymakers flocked to the town, arriving by buses or trains which brought as many as 1,000 visitors at a time. The biggest attraction was the re-opened beach: many children were too young to have enjoyed a seaside holiday before.
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