'The house looks much the same now as it did then ...'

Wickham, 1939: as a nation prepares for the Second World War, Wentworth House opens its doors

Wentworth is a family home in the heart of a Hampshire village. For young David, its Georgian rooms are a source of adventure, family and comfort, and the thrill of trips to nearby Portsmouth.

For his mother, Dorothy, war is on the horizon and her beloved home is soon set to become a shelter for evacuees from the Blitz. She records her life as she steps into her new role as a billeting officer in her daily diary:

"one of the most dramatic moments of my life ... during the next few years everything was filled with a feeling of speed and urgency ... We did not know what to expect, but did our best to be prepared for any eventuality."

Told through personal memories with extracts from Dorothy's diaries and articles, this is the extraordinary story of a family living on the Home Front in Wickham

Cover image shows: laying out road markings for troops and vehicles in preparation for the D-Day landings, with air raid shelter and Wentworth House behind. Reproduced courtesy of The Stan Woodford Collection, Wickham Parish Council. These images and others are included in the book with full captions