Walmington-on-Sea
Seaford in Sussex has two claims to fame. It was the last home of Sir James M Stagg, chief meteorological officer for Operation Overlord (otherwise known as D-Day), and a man instrumental in helping us win the war.
On the evening of June 4th, 1944 the young Group Captain Stagg of the RAF met with General Eisenhower and advised him to delay the invasion originally planned for the 5th June. The weather didn’t look good, he told the General, but he predicted that the weather would have improved sufficiently for the invasion to go ahead in the early hours of the 6th. Eisenhower took Stagg’s advice and the rest is history.
Seaford’s other claim to fame was as the location for the fictional Walmington-on-Sea in the original 1971 film version of Dad’s Army.
It is generally agreed that Captain Mainwaring and his plucky Home Guard were based in a modest resort between Bexhill and Deal so Seaford made perfect sense. Sadly, Sussex has lost out in the new remake of the film, with its northern seaside counterpart of Bridlington in Yorkshire standing in for the south coast. Which is a shame, as there can be no doubt that the real Home Guard and residents of the coastal towns of Kent and Sussex had a tough war.
Dad’s Army may have been a brilliant satire but the reason we love it so much is because we know that these people truly were at the frontline of the UK defences. The threat of invasion had been very real. Operation Sea Lion, a major Nazi invasion plan, had identified Camber Sands, Winchelsea, Bexhill and Cuckmere Haven as vulnerable points to breach our defences and the towns themselves were heavily bombed as a result. Especially scary were the daylight ‘tip and run’ attacks, when enemy aircraft would fly in low-dropping bombs and machine gunning people in the streets.
The beaches were no-go areas with barbed wire defences stretched between the sea and the promenades. Those serving in the real Home Guard really were expected to ambush (and kill if necessary) any invaders. It must have been terrifying. But those who still remember their service do so with an unquestioning belief that they would do it all again if asked. And that’s why we won, Mr Hitler.
Next week: panels
On the evening of June 4th, 1944 the young Group Captain Stagg of the RAF met with General Eisenhower and advised him to delay the invasion originally planned for the 5th June. The weather didn’t look good, he told the General, but he predicted that the weather would have improved sufficiently for the invasion to go ahead in the early hours of the 6th. Eisenhower took Stagg’s advice and the rest is history.
Seaford’s other claim to fame was as the location for the fictional Walmington-on-Sea in the original 1971 film version of Dad’s Army.
It is generally agreed that Captain Mainwaring and his plucky Home Guard were based in a modest resort between Bexhill and Deal so Seaford made perfect sense. Sadly, Sussex has lost out in the new remake of the film, with its northern seaside counterpart of Bridlington in Yorkshire standing in for the south coast. Which is a shame, as there can be no doubt that the real Home Guard and residents of the coastal towns of Kent and Sussex had a tough war.
Dad’s Army may have been a brilliant satire but the reason we love it so much is because we know that these people truly were at the frontline of the UK defences. The threat of invasion had been very real. Operation Sea Lion, a major Nazi invasion plan, had identified Camber Sands, Winchelsea, Bexhill and Cuckmere Haven as vulnerable points to breach our defences and the towns themselves were heavily bombed as a result. Especially scary were the daylight ‘tip and run’ attacks, when enemy aircraft would fly in low-dropping bombs and machine gunning people in the streets.
The beaches were no-go areas with barbed wire defences stretched between the sea and the promenades. Those serving in the real Home Guard really were expected to ambush (and kill if necessary) any invaders. It must have been terrifying. But those who still remember their service do so with an unquestioning belief that they would do it all again if asked. And that’s why we won, Mr Hitler.
Next week: panels