A Second World War anti-invasion Defence Area was established atSt Nicholas at Wade during 1940/41. This was part of the national response against a possible German invasion following the defeat of the British Expeditionary Force in France in 1940.

The village of St Nicholas at Wade formed the focus of the Defence Area. In 1940, the village was categorised as a Category A nodal point in number 7 Sector, 43 Division, Eastern Command. Brigade Headquarters for troops tasked with defending the area was established at Sarre and between July and August 1940, B Company of 1st Canadian Pioneer Battalion prepared St Nicholas at Wade for all-round defence. A similar separate Defended Area was prepared around the village of Sarre and the road to Canterbury (MKE123800) . The work included fortifying buildings in the village as well as building pillboxes and roadblocks (particularly on the newly opened Thanet Way) and mining structures such as bridges.

The entire village was encircled with a heavily defended trench system, extensive barbed wire entanglements and gun emplacements, the remains of which have been identified by the Historic England Isle of Thanet project (2024). (1)

<1> English Heritage, 2004, Defence areas: a national study of Second World War anti-invasion landscapes in England (Unpublished document). SKE17661.