We must lift the fog of war
HUMAN STORIES OF WW2 CAN’T BE ALLOWED TO FADE INTO THE MISTS OF TIME
THE old Lancaster Bomber was a stunning sight as it roared overhead.
My mates and I – picnicking on a sunny afternoon last autumn – heard it coming from a long way off and when it finally appeared in the sky above we all gazed up in awe.
So, for that matter, did everybody else around us.
“My dad worked on those,” I remarked as the great aircraft disappeared into the clouds, off to a nearby air-show.
My chums looked dubious but, as the daughter of a man who came late to fatherhood and who served as ground crew in the RAF during World War Two, I assured them I wasn’t feeding them fibs.
They asked me to tell them more. Where was he stationed? What did he do?
Reader, I am ashamed to say I had no answers.
Despite the fact my dad was hugely proud to have served his country and had talked about his days in uniform, I had no real idea of what he experienced between 1939 and 1945.
I have his medals. I have some old photos – he’s in Italy or is it Malta ?– and vague recollections of him getting a newsletter covering his time as an RAF cadet but other than that? Nothing.
I’d listened but hadn’t remembered. And, of course, he’s no longer around to ask.
Worse than me not knowing, though, is the blank spaces left in his grandchildren’s knowledge.
They recall their grandad, of course but only as an old man; the images of him in uniform, all rakish moustache and side cap hat worn at a chocs-awayGinger angle belong to a stranger; his time keeping the ‘planes in the sky as The Battle of Britain raged lost forever.
So the warning this week from The Commonwealth War Graves Commission that the sacrifices of veterans could be forgotten unless more is done to engage the younger generations struck a chord.
The CWGC – which looks after war memorials and cemeteries across 150 countries – has announced a series of events where flaming torches will be passed from veterans to young people, representing the handing over of the responsibility for commemoration.
It’s a great idea but it feels as if this is late in the day; those first person memories are pouring away like sand through a sieve.
We can write all the articles in the world about how important it is to remember the men and women who served in the Second World War but, to many of those aged 30 and under, those stories are about as relevant as a Penny Farthing. Torches are great as symbols but we have to engage with the younger generation in their own spaces like TikTok and Instagram.
We need to get into schools, make World War Two as much about the people as the politics, ensure relevance on the curriculum. Only then will the legacy of those who gave their tomorrow for our today be secured.