Author Description

On the night of 31 January 1953 the east coast of England was hit by howling winds, torrential rain and the most violent surge of the North Sea since records began. The resultant loss of life, extent of destruction, damage and flooding was the worst peacetime disaster to hit Britain in living memory. The magnitude of the events on that night and in its aftermath, the spirit of the people involved and the selflessness of those, military and civilian, concerned with the rescue and relief effort is comparable to the spirit of Dunkirk and the London Blitz. This is the story of that fateful night, compiled from newly discovered reports of the rescues - written at the time by those who were there. These have been blended with a variety of contemporary accounts, many previously unpublished photographs and personal recollections to create a moving account of Norfolk's experiences during the unforgettable East Coast Floods in 1953.