Powell-Thomas, Andrew Devon's Military Heritage

The county of Devon, with its coastline north and south, wild moorland and rolling rural countryside, villages, market towns, many characterised by local industries, and historic cities of Exeter and Plymouth, has a rich military history that stretches back through centuries. Evidence of Devons military heritage can be seen throughout the county with numerous buildings and other structures still standing proud today.
"Devons Military Heritage" explores the long military history of the county, not only the battles that took place on its soil and the measures that were taken to defend it against possible attack but also the heritage of the military units that were raised in the county and which were sent to fight in conflicts abroad. The 1588 Spanish Armada was first engaged by the English fleet off Plymouth, and the famous Devon mariners Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Hawkins, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Richard Grenville were at the forefront of the defeat of the Armada and other encounters with the Spanish during this period. A hundred years later, in 1688, William of Orange landed at Brixham to launch the Glorious Revolution. Devonport has long been a major port and shipbuilding centre for the Royal Navy and Plymouth was a target for German aerial bombardment in the Second World War. Soldiers from the Devonshire Regiment and the Royal Devon Yeomanry and their antecedents fought for the country for centuries and Devon was also the site of the disastrous rehearsal for D-Day where hundreds of Allied servicemen lost their lives off Slapton Sands and in Lyme Bay. The military heritage of castles, fortifications, airfields, military bases and monuments throughout the county is also explored.

The work explores the county's long military history, not only the battles that took place on its soil and the measures taken in its defence against possible attack, but also the legacy of military units raised in the county and sent into conflicts abroad. Devon's most famous sailors, Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Hawkins, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Richard Grenville, were at the forefront of the defeat of the Armada and other engagements with the Spanish in the period around 1588. A hundred years later, in 1688, William of Orange landed at Brixham to launch the Glorious Revolution. Devonport has long been an important port and centre of shipbuilding for the Royal Navy, and Plymouth was a target of German air raids during the Second World War. Soldiers of the Devonshire Regiment and the Royal Devon Yeomanry and their predecessors fought for the country for centuries, and Devon was also the scene of the disastrous D-Day trial, in which hundreds of Allied soldiers lost their lives off Slapton Sands and in Lyme Bay. The military heritage of castles, forts, airfields, military bases and monuments across the county is also explored.