Lustleigh WWII book wins national community publication award

A community history project from Lustleigh has received national recognition after winning Best Community Publication at the prestigious Alan Ball Awards.

The book, Home Front to Front Line; Lustleigh’s United Response in World War Two, was published in 2025 to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. It has now been honoured for its research, writing and community involvement by award organisers, the Library Services Trust and the CILIP Local Studies Group.

David McGahey, chairman of the Lustleigh Society, said: “A huge achievement and just recognition of the amazing community we have in our beautiful Dartmoor village.”

Judges praised the publication, noting the high standard of entries this year and highlighting the scale of local involvement behind the project.

They said: “The judges thought that your publication was the result of a huge community effort, brilliantly researched content, well written, with good editing, and beautifully produced.”

The book brings together the work of a large group of volunteers, each contributing research into different aspects of wartime life in the Dartmoor village. Topics range from the activities of the Home Guard and other military units, to the experiences of children and evacuees, as well as the roles played by women, Girl Guides and the local church.

It also explores how tourism continued in Lustleigh during the war years, and concludes with detailed biographies of the 10 men from the parish who lost their lives in the conflict.

The project reflects a broader trend in local history research, where communities document their own stories to preserve first-hand accounts and archival material. Lustleigh itself, a small village with a long history dating back to Saxon times, saw significant changes during the war, including the arrival of evacuees and increased agricultural and military activity.

“It is another publication of which the Lustleigh Society is immensely proud,” said David McGahey, “and this Award really is icing on the cake.”

The Lustleigh Society, founded in 1985, works to research, preserve and promote the heritage of the parish. It also manages the Lustleigh Community Archive, which holds a wide range of historic documents, maps, photographs and parish records.

The Alan Ball Award, established in 1985, is named after a noted local history author and recognises high-quality local and community history publications from across the UK.