The whole of Britain's coastline was involved in the struggle against the Nazis. In the early days invasion was the main threat and the Channel counties and cities such as Plymouth, Portsmouth and Brighton suffered grievously from aerial attack. Dover and the 'Hell Fire Corner' in the South East were shelled by German coastal batteries. In the North, Greenock, Gourock and the Scapa Flow saw training of troops for Norway, D Day and other campaigns and the return of rescued crews of sunk vessels of both sides.

The East Coast was pivotal to North Sea operations against enemy mining and E boat operations. The Western ports, particularly Liverpool, were crucial to the vital Atlantic convoys and the defeat of the U-boat threat.

Preparation for D-Day centred on the South Coast both in terms of planning, training and deployment. The Slapton Sands disaster is covered.

Inevitably the crucial role of Britain's coastal ports attracted enemy bombing and V rocket attention and changed the character of its cities and towns. All this and more is brilliantly described in words and images in this superbly researched work.