Second World War

1939-1945

During the Second World War, Hedge End's proximity to Southampton and its docks made the area relevant to the war effort. Southampton was heavily bombed during the Blitz of 1940-41, and the surrounding communities, including Hedge End, received evacuees from the city. The farms around Hedge End contributed to food production under the national Dig for Victory campaign. Military activity in the Hampshire area intensified in the run-up to D-Day in 1944, with troops and equipment assembled across south Hampshire before the invasion of Normandy.