New book reveals how Dartmoor village coped on the home front in World War Two

A Dartmoor based book has been launched 80 years to the day after the official end of World War Two by the Lustleigh Society looking at how that cataclysmic period impacted the village and the lives of its villagers.

‘Home Front to Front Line; Lustleigh’s United Response in World War Two’ is the culmination of a collective effort by volunteers who have each researched a particular aspect of life in this small Dartmoor community and how everyone, young and old, played their part in contributing towards the war effort.

Chapters cover such areas as the Home Guard and other military activity, children and evacuees, the roles of women and girl guides, and religion.

There’s even a chapter about tourism that was still active in Lustleigh throughout the war.

The book concludes with dedicated biographies of each of the 10 men, representing all three services and all echelons of society, who went into battle but were never to return.

‘It is another publication of which the Lustleigh Society can be immensely proud’ said chairman, David McGahey.

‘I know that the volunteers have worked tirelessly to uncover as much as possible about how the village responded with resilience and unity. It’s a fitting tribute to everyone who contributed on the home front as well as those friends, neighbours and family who fought on the front line.’

The Lustleigh Society exists to research, care for and promote the heritage of the parish of Lustleigh. It manages the Lustleigh Community Archive which contains records, maps, parish magazines, photographs and a rich variety of historic
documents relevant to the area.