Author John Lee describes himself as 'a son of Southend'. He was born 6 months before the war close to Southend seafront. After a local secondary school education John became a passionate amateur historian. He has toured the world both as a National Serviceman in Malaya and as a frequent and continuing tourist. He knows of many places more idyllic than Southend-on-Sea but as the saying goes "home is where the heart is". Working full time John found it difficult to complete this book which has needed a great deal of research. The privilege of having a considerable source of unique contemporary documents carries with it the liability of careful selection if an endless story is ever to be told.