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During the World War II, a large number of youths, especially from the Reddy community from villages like Maddilapalem and Peda Waltair (now part of Visakhapatnam city) joined the British forces. They were part of the English fighting force and were extensively deployed in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

They saw action alongside the allied forces against Germany’s Afrika Corps led by Field Marshall Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel. Youth who had passed 8th or 10th standard were recruited into the signals and technical grades and were despatched to locations like Java and Indonesia.

During the war, Vizagapatam gained importance for its strategic position. It was considered to be transit point for the allied forces which were engaged in the Burma theatre against the Japanese forces.

The Andhra University campus was shifted to Guntur and it served as temporary hospital and rest facility for the allied forces comprising soldiers from Australia, New Zealand and England. The town defence was handed over to the local volunteers who were hastily trained to handle the job and to the East Coast Battalion that comprised of able-bodied local Anglo Indians. The ECB was located in Soldierpet. (Contributed by Jacob Palayoor)

The Sacred Heart Church was founded in 1872 by the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales. The Missionaries arrived in 1846 and initially set up a small chapel in St. Aloysius School in 1872 and named it Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the beginning, only a few Catholics would attend the church but as the number swelled over the years, Bishop Rossillion purchased the land in 1930 where the church stands today. In 1932, the construction was completed and the church was consecrated.

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