Fareham During the Second World War

1940

Fareham's proximity to Portsmouth made it a significant location during the Second World War. The town was within the defensive perimeter of the naval base and was affected by the bombing campaigns that targeted Portsmouth and the surrounding area. Air raids caused damage to parts of the town, though Fareham did not suffer the concentrated destruction experienced by the centre of Portsmouth. The Palmerston Forts around the town were reactivated and garrisoned. Anti-aircraft batteries were positioned on the high ground to the north. The creek and harbour areas were subject to naval activity and security restrictions. In the build-up to D-Day in June 1944, the Fareham area was part of the vast military concentration that assembled in southern England before the Normandy landings. Troops, vehicles, and equipment were staged in fields and camps around the borough. Fort Nelson and the other hilltop positions provided observation points overlooking the Solent. The wartime experience reinforced Fareham's relationship with the military and with Portsmouth. Many local people worked in the dockyard or in war-related industries. The post-war period brought reconstruction and, eventually, the significant expansion of the town's housing stock to accommodate both returning servicemen and the broader population growth of the 1950s and 1960s.