Hi Been reading this site for a while and eventually got around to joining. My main interest is in recording the experiences of people who lived through the war. I did a few interviews for the BBC People's War site, but most of them have been for the Second World War Experience Centre collection in Leeds. I have recently started putting together a website which details oral history collections (and websites) in the UK which include WWII recordings - Recollections of WWII, which may be of interest to some members. It is far from complete though (there are a lot of collections out there!). I'd be really pleased to hear from anyone who has been involved in interviewing people about their wartime experiences or who can suggest collections/sites to be included on the site.
Hi there mathsmal and welcome I have interviewed my great uncle, Flight Lieutenant Frank Prebble, DFC, and also Flight Lieutenant Ernie Mawson, DFC, who were a bomb-aimer and pilot in Lancaster bombers.
New boy. He He! 'New' boy, at 78 in two months!!! Hi, I was 9 when the war started and have some memories. Left school in '44had a job at Grimsby naval base HMS Beaver, a naval messenger, bell bottoms as well! Did National Service in the Royal Artillery Ack Ack regiment. Three months after demob, I was in the Royal Air force, square bashing at Bridgnorth, trade training at Melksham (electrical mech) posted to RAF Binbrook, joined 617 Squadron working on Avro Lincolns. Later on I went on the fitters course, 6 months. When I came back, we had Canberra's, beautiful aircraft. I now help my wife breeding miniature poodles and putting time in at the local Aviation Museum. Ken
Hi Mathsmal, Welcome to the forum. I think you idea of building up a oral history is great, far too often, people who may have valuable information are ignored by historians because they are not part of the great and the good.
G'day Mathsmal, welcome to the forum. Hope you enjoy it here. Congrats on your endeavour. It is always pleasing to see such projects working to save memories. I interviewed a number of veterans back when I was living in Western Australia (now been in Victoria, other side of the country, for five weeks). The recordings don't follow any structure and include some general discussion to help the subject feel at ease with the microphone etc. Not sure they're overly great to listen to as at least one of them, when put together, would be in excess of 10 hours. Having said all of that, if I can help, please let me know. I really need to get into it again as have been made aware of a 94-year old former soldier/POW who worked in the Sasebo coal mines. All of my interviews have been aircrew to date, though. Btw, I am the former Andy in West Oz! :becky:
Hi Mathsmal, I know the value of preserving oral history. I have some great stories from my grandmother about rationing and being in the spotting service that most would ignore, but were none the less meaningful.
Ah rationing sure brings back memories for me. As a youngster I was sent to the local corner shop to buy some items and I managed to loose the ration book. It took a week for me to be able to sit down again. I can also remember the Australian Cigarettes and tobacco being kept under the counter and only sold to regular customers. The other people were sold imported smokes. :hurt:
