During the First World War, Newhaven became one of the major supply ports to the Western Front. Its ships transported stores and munitions across the Channel to France, travelling in convoy and escorted by destroyers for protection. When Germany declared unrestricted submarine warfare at the beginning of 1917, Newhaven Seaplane Station was opened to help protect shipping. Located on the beach, east of Tide Mills, the station occupied five acres with another 6 acres, used for drilling. Added to this were some hired buildings at Tide Mills.
The archives of Newhaven Historical Society include a collection of photographs of life at the station and the men and women who worked there. This short film, illustrated by some of those photographs, gives a brief history of the station, which operated for just two years between 1917 and 1919.
In addition to the society’s own photographs there are a few images from the Imperial War Museum’s collection. The original film extracts are also from their collection, although not of Newhaven, they are illustrative of life at a seaplane station during the First World War.
For sub-titles, just click on CC at the bottom of this video.
The video below is audio-described.
