​​Evacuation of South Hams for D-Day Training

​​In late 1943, the peaceful agricultural region of South Hams, Devon, was dramatically disrupted. Around 3,000 residents were ordered to evacuate their homes, farms, and villages within six weeks. The British government had requisitioned 30,000 acres of land to allow American forces to train for the forthcoming invasion of Normandy. Slapton Sands and the surrounding countryside were selected because their geographical landscape closely resembled that of northern France.​

Families had to abandon the homes and farms they had lived in for generations, leaving behind not only their belongings and equipment but also much of their livestock. Without access to modern communications like telephones, finding new immediate accommodation was difficult, and many relied on family connections or local generosity. The evacuation uprooted entire communities, closing schools, shops, and churches, and leaving a once busy countryside deserted.

The landscape was quickly transformed into a military zone. Buildings were stripped and repurposed, fields were churned up by heavy vehicles, and roads were widened or destroyed to accommodate the needs of the armed forces. When civilians eventually returned after the war, they found their properties severely damaged, their villages overgrown, and the land in need of major restoration.

Compensation payments were made to residents for the damage and disruption, and organisations such as the American and Canadian Red Cross provided household goods to help families rebuild their lives.

Over time, the South Hams slowly returned to its former beauty. A granite memorial at Slapton Sands still stands today, dedicated to the people who sacrificed their homes and way of life to support the wider Allied war effort.