Were you aware of the WWII practice of taking over villages and using them for target practice? If not, did this surprise you?

Were you aware of the WWII practice of taking over villages and using them for target practice? If not, did this surprise you?

I was not aware of the practice and was very surprised and interested by it. I guess it goes back to the practice of Britain lodging soldiers in citizen’s homes.

I was not aware of this at all. It was very interesting how many people had to move from their homes never to return.

I've read a lot of WWII era books and this is the first time I've read about the British Army taking over villages. I was really surprised that this was done.

I was not aware of this, and I've read TONS of WWII books. Maybe this is a practice the British military was not happy to broadcast. It's like heaping insult upon injury to displace persons and then not compensate them for their property and belongings. They seemed to believe that "people in the cities are being bombed by the enemy, this is what you need to do to equate your loss with theirs." A strange equivalency.

I was not aware of this and yes it did surprise me. I feel badly for the people who lost their homes and were not able to return. War is so ugly on so many levels.

I was not aware of this and have read MANY WWII books, both fact and historical fiction. I was aware of the transport of children to the countryside to escape the London bombings, but this was totally different. In fact, it reminds of a reason the Revolutionary War was fought, to prevent quartering soldiers in citizen's homes. Not quite the same but similar.

I was unaware of this practice. Felt sorry for all of the residents in the town.

I was aware that the the British government took over private property for military purposes as described in "The Island of Extraordinary Captives" by Simon Parkin. I was not aware that the villages were destroyed and the residents permanently relocated.

I was not aware of this wartime practice and thought it abhorrent! To not even give them time to effectively relocate and with no assistance, but also no reimbursement or help to rebuild after the war. Ugh- WAR!

No I wasn’t aware of this and was really surprised. Like others, I too have read numerous books on WWII and read nothing of this. I’ve heard of military being billeted, but not the displacement of people from villages. After reading this book I did look up various articles and learned the US military forces were sent to many villages where 3,000 men, women, and children were evacuated, so the US military could practice. It’s called, Exercise Tiger, and it was a disaster and a secret for many years; even though they say it saved many lives on D-Day.

I was not aware of the practice, but not in the least surprised. It was all out WAR!!

Nor, was I aware of the practice of evacuating villages and using the villages for target practice. Was I surprised? Yes.

No, I was not aware of this practice, and like many others I have read numerous WWII books. I wasn't as surprised that they used the villages as I was that the people were evacuated and not allowed to return. War is brutal...

I was not aware of that practice and I don't know if that practice was also implemented in the US. But humanity back in the mid-20th century, particularly in times surrounding WW2 were much more willing to sacrifice for what they saw as the greater good.

I had no idea this was done in the war. I wonder how many villages were affected by this practice. Can you imagine if this happened to yourself and what you would find when you returned?

I was not aware of this practice to take over entire villages for combat purposes. From the Army's point of view I can see that it made sense (eg. the village of
Tydeham which mirrored the Normandy beaches). However, for the village occupants it must have been horrendous. Not only are you living in wartime but you use the only home you have known.

I was unaware that villages were taken over by the military during WWII. Although this was undoubtedly a necessary part of the preparations for DDay, it is hard to imagine the disruption this caused to residents of the town. They were losing, perhaps forever, the only home they have ever known.

I was not aware of this practice at all. I understand the sacrifices that need to be made in wartime...I can accept it to a certain degree. What I cannot accept is this evacuation was forever and furthermore no compensation offered or made. That they had only two weeks notice was incredulous.

I was not aware that towns were used as target practice. It is understandable but heartbreaking for those who lost their homes where families had lived for generations. I did think it was odd that there were no birds in the abandoned area. Usually, abandoned areas are crawling with birds and other wildlife unless some poisonous contamination is involved. It doesn't seem like the unexploded ordinance would keep birds and wildlife away - Liz and others walked around without issue while being careful, of course. Does the lack of birds simply add to the creepiness of the place or was this a red herring on Bowen's part, making the reader think there could be more going on there?

I wasn't aware of this, but it didn't really surprise me. By the time the U.S. finally got involved in WW2, things were getting pretty desperate. London had endured bombings and citizens had endured economic deprivations for years. I think the government was willing to try just about anything to win the war.

It was news to me, but it made sense given the desperation of the country. Hard choices have to be made that require a decision between two awful outcomes. Conscripting villages and forcing people to move with little notice and without any compensation falls into this category. It makes me think of refugees who have to carry all their belongings to an unknown destination. War is truly a horror.
P.S. I also wondered about the lack of birds.

I was aware of the government taking over small towns and villages for military purposes- training facilities and maybe for medical facilities. However, I question the need to literally “level” these places and permanently displace the residents.

Was not aware of this practice although it not surprising , D Day was in the plans .

Despite having read extensively about WW2 I had no idea this was done...and the fact that there was little if any recompense for the people uprooted left me feeling frustrated and angry on their behalf.

I was not aware of this practice. Thinking about it I can see how it makes sense because of the sheer desperation of trying to win the war; but it would have been kind of the military to at least help rebuild the village if they could not have compensated them financially.

I did not know that the UK government did this, but it didn't surprise me, given the threat being faced. On the other hand, I was surprised people weren't in some way compensated for their loss, if that is in fact what occurred. While it must have been devastating, especially for those whose families had lived in one place for generations, the war effort came first. While I still have not attempted to read "The Power Broker", about Robert Moses, I am aware that he was responsible for destroying neighborhoods in NYC for reasons a lot less urgent than a war.

I was surprised by this practice and also surprised that there was no assistance provided for this hasty move. I was also surprised that the people received no compensation to help them for the loss of their homes and for the possessions they had to leave behind. However, this was a necessity for the war effort.

Although I read a lot of World War II-era historical fiction, I don't recall ever hearing of this practice previously. Of course it sounds appalling today, but during the war many sacrifices were required. So, from that perspective, it's not particularly shocking, although I was surprised to hear that there had been no effort to make the villagers whole, to the extent possible, 25 years later.

I too have read more WWII historical fiction books than I can count, and do not ever remember reading about villages being taken over for target practice or any war tactics.

I read a lot of historical fiction and I've read about properties being taken over for quartering soldiers but not for target practice. So sad for the families that are displaced, especially with the thoughts that they could some day return to their homes and village.