But for these things - Vincent Holyoak

There have been several books on Leicester during the Second World War, but I felt that some significant omissions remained. First and foremost I wanted to give a voice to the people who lived through those times, but whose personal stories are rarely heard in the official records. I also wanted to touch upon some of the themes not generally covered or glossed over in other histories, notable amongst which were the crime wave which swept the city during the war and the race disturbances that occurred during 1943-44. Balanced against these are other untold stories, such as the gallantry and sacrifices of the men, women and children of the city, the requisitioned factories and offices which from 1939 onwards became home to the Army’s largest ever pay office, and the contribution made by the city's industry to the war effort. Finally, I also wanted to take a little time to explore what happened after the celebrations had ended and the bunting had been put away. Although some of the stories may make uncomfortable reading, I have tried to be as balanced in my reporting as possible.