Children in Leicester moved by VE Day letter from WW2 veteran
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Helen McCarthy
BBC News, Leicester
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Children at Forest Lodge Academy in New Parks, Leicester, have exchanged letters with a 100-year-old World War Two veteran
Children at a primary school in Leicester have said they were "amazed" to receive a letter from a living World War Two veteran.
The youngsters at Forest Lodge Academy in New Parks received the message from 100-year-old Mervyn Kersh, who was called up to serve for his country aged 18.
The children have written letters in response, and their replies will be sent to Mr Kersh and also saved in a national archive.
This is part of the UK government's national programme to commemorate the 80th anniversaries of VE and VJ Day.
Year 6 teacher Sarah Jackson says she hopes Mervyn Kersh enjoys reading the children's replies to his letter
Teacher Sarah Jackson signed her Year 6 class up to the VE Mail scheme, which is run by charity The Together Coalition.
Mr Kersh's letter described how he was called up aged 18, whilst living in London, and by 19 was landing on the beaches of Normandy three days after the start of the D-Day invasion.
Miss Jackson said: "I think it's really important that we hear the accounts from these veterans so that we can remember the sacrifices they made for future generations.
"He's going to receive more than 30 letters. I hope he enjoys reading them.
"The hardest part for me when I read the letter was that when he went home, he was obviously excited, and his mum doesn't recognise him.
"That must have been heartbreaking."
Archie, Evelina and Asantelucy hold up a copy of the letter they received from Mr Kersh
The Year 6 children have been studying World War Two and VE Day, and were excited to read first-hand what it was like for Mr Kersh, who fought in Europe and North Africa.
Evelina, 11, said she thought he was brave to fight in the war even though he had little choice.
"It must have been terrifying how he went through all this," she said.
"I think he swapped food with other people because he was Jewish, so he couldn't eat most of the food there."
PA Media
The children thanked Mr Kersh for his bravery during the war
Archie, 11, said: "The thing that stands out to me is how he's 100, and he still visits schools and tells people about his story.
"He's going to be shocked because he's going to have so many letters delivered to him."
Asantelucy, also 11, wrote to say thank you to Mr Kersh.
She said: "When Miss Jackson read the letter for us, I was amazed by his bravery, how he fought in the war for us all so we could live in a free country and have free rights and free speech.
"I wrote to him to say I was thankful for everything he did for us."
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