Project to uncover hidden WW2 histories
Discovering tales of wartime Northumberland will be the aim of a project to mark a key anniversary. Tony Henderson reports
The search is on for the untold stories of wartime Northumberland.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded Northumberland Archives £138,000 for a project commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
At War & In Peace: The WW2 Home Front and Post-War Reconstruction in Northumberland aims to explore the county’s wartime and post-war experiences.
Sue Wood, head of archives at Northumberland Country Council, said: “This anniversary is a huge opportunity as it may be the last chance we get to speak to people who lived through the war.
“Through exhibitions, educational workshops and community engagement the project promises to be a fitting tribute to the sacrifices and resilience of the people of Northumberland, 80 years on from the conflict that shaped their lives.
“Young people will see how lessons can be learned from the past and how the war effort by communities made such a difference - and can be aligned to current efforts to create a more sustainable world.”
Workshops are set to be rolled out across 35 schools, using learning resources created by the team to enable students to explore wartime history through hands-on activities.
Examples include pupils being taught the ‘Lindy Hop’, a popular dance of the times, and some enjoying ‘victory teas’ - echoing the celebrations at the end of the war.
At War & In Peace will also allow Northumberland Archives to add content to their collections by archiving digital outputs from some of the 52 community projects that Northumberland County Council is supporting via the VE 80 Fund.
Grants provided by the council will allow each of the 52 groups to develop their own community project to mark the anniversary. The council will also commemorate the anniversary with a service in Hexham Abbey.
Sue said: “The community initiatives will ensure that local stories and personal histories are preserved by Northumberland Archives so they can be shared with future generations.”
Interviews will be held with descendants of people who lived at the Polish resettlement camp in Morpeth. Many people from the camp integrated into British society creating lasting Polish communities in the area.
Exhibitions will be held at Morpeth, Berwick, in some of the county’s 30 libraries and other public venues, as well as at Armed Forces Day events.
These exhibitions will explore key aspects of life on the Home Front, including campaigns such as ‘Dig for Victory and ‘Make Do and Mend’ along with showcasing the resilience of local communities.
Research will also be carried out on existing archives, uncatalogued materials, and records held at the Imperial War Museum and The National Archives.
All research findings, interviews and exhibition materials generated by the project will be preserved by Northumberland Archives .
Leading military historian Sir Hew Strachan will give a talk marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day ay 7.30pm on May 8 presented by Berwick Literary Festival.
The event, part of May at The Maltings, will see Sir Hew talk on The War to End All Wars: Why the Rules of War Have Failed to Prevent War Since 1945.
Chaired by Lieutenant General John Cooper, former Deputy Commander of Allied Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, the evening will close with a communal walk around Berwick’s town walls, led by pipers from the Berwick Pipe Band, ending at the lighting of a commemorative beacon - part of the national VE Day anniversary programme. Tickets - free for WW2 veterans - from The Maltings.