Leicester WW2 voices to feature in online exhibition
'Voices live on'
Mr Hyde told the BBC the archive has been creating exhibitions about Leicester's 20th Century history for two decades and holds more than 800 recordings relating to World War Two."The legacy of WW2 is probably most visible in the various memorials in the city, but it also exists in the memories of those who experienced it," he said."Many of the people who lived through the war as adults have now died, but thanks to the recordings in the archive, their voices live on."
Mr Hyde enlisted the help of six volunteers - five university students and a colleague - to research topics, listen to recordings, select extracts and create audio clips of those who lived in Leicester during the war.One of the volunteers, Max Barber, said he became emotional whilst listening to the voice of a D-Day veteran."It has been amazing to listen to so many accounts of people from Leicester who lived through the war," he said."I listened back to an interview with David Carey, who survived to tell the tale of the D-Day Landings. "The tone of his voice, the gaps in-between his sentences, the stutters all pointed to the emotions he was reliving during the interview. He'd witnessed such brutality and it was difficult for me to comprehend what he went through."Local history author, Austin J Ruddy said: "It's the perfect time to remember the sacrifices Leicester folk made to ensure our freedom."It's been an honour to play a part in making sure their voices are still heard today."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
15 minutes ago
- BBC News
'Significant' Meriden waste depot blaze fought by 50 firefighters
About 50 firefighters have been dealing with a fire at a waste were called to a "significant fire" that had spread across three-quarters of the large building in Meriden, West Midlands Fire Service fire engines, two 4x4 vehicles and a hydraulic aerial platform were still at the fire off Cornets End Lane at 18:00 BST on Monday, with a specialist high volume water pumping fire service said the blaze broke out just after 16:00 BST and there were no reports of anyone being hurt. Fire teams were working hard to protect the rest of the building, which was about 80m (260ft) by 40m (130ft), and liaising closely with on-site staff, a fire service spokesman said. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight to mark 80th anniversary of VJ Day
Pilots from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) have said they hope to be the "magical ingredient" for commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of VJ Day.A Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster, operated by the RAF Coningsby-based team, will join the Red Arrows in a flypast over the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on 15 August. The display will form part of a commemorative event hosted by the Royal British Legion. Sqn Ldr Mark Sugden said: "We will be on the world stage, but it's something that we're used to. We need to make sure that we are representing a hugely significant day in style." VJ Day, or Victory over Japan Day, is commemorated on 15 August each year, marking the date in 1945 when Japan surrendered to the Allied forces, ending World War Ldr Sugden added: "It's about putting our tribute to the huge sacrifice of all the men and women who served during the 1940s." "Everybody has, however tenuous, a tie to these aeroplanes and what they represent. "So I'm hoping we're the magical ingredient on Friday, and we're really looking forward to being there." What is VJ Day?Sqn Ldr Paul Wise said: "It's the honour. It's what we represent. We live for events like this. "Those freedoms that we enjoy today, they were hard fought and won by people from our local communities. So it's our way of making sure that their memory continues."The event will also include veterans' testimonies, music performances and readings. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
D-Day veteran receives new medals after old set stolen
A D-Day veteran has been presented with new World War Two medals 55 years after his original set was Bird, 101, from Freshwater East, Pembrokeshire, served in the Royal Navy during the moved from Gloucestershire to Pembrokeshire in 1970, and put his belongings in storage because the house he purchased was not ready. "I discovered about two years later that they had been stolen," he said. Mr Bird is one of the only remaining veterans in Wales that took part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, in the war, Mr Bird was posted to Asia, before he left the Royal Navy in 1946 to enter the family agricultural engineering an event held by Military Veterans Club Cymru in Glanaman, Carmarthenshire, on Monday, he was given new medals to honour his bravery."I didn't really miss them. But, nowadays with these marvellous volunteers commemorating the D-Days, VJ-Days, VE-Days, one needs to wear one's medals," he said."My children will be very pleased to have them. I've got three children so I'll have to divide them up."He was described as a "very modest" man by the club's chairman Owen Dobson, who said that Mr Bird did not want any fuss."We have managed to convince him today to come along and have his medals presented," Mr Dobson said."It's vitally important for Tony and his family, and of course the wider public, because the things they did for our freedom today should never be forgotten."As the veterans' club celebrated its first birthday during the event, entertainer Max Boyce attended as a special guest."These are remarkable people, and Tony with all his medals, he's an inspiration to us all," he said.
