The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Clocks roll back to wartime as festival celebrates local heroes
Parades and reenactments recall Second World War
The years rolled back to the Second World War at the weekend as Defend Fife staged its annual festival.
Following the successful inaugural Defend Dunfermline weekend in 2017, the event came back bigger, stretching out to two sites – Dunfermline town centre and the former Second World War Royal Navy depot at Lathalmond.
The planners sought to tell the story of Dunfermline’s wartime past, including the vital role of the Home Guard and the Polish Army allies in keeping the area safe.
Confidential maps, drawn up by those in the Polish Army who were exiled to Scotland, showed the plans to deter an invasion.
The festival focused on telling this chapter in the area’s history through the eyes of the Scottish and Polish soldiers who worked together to ensure the kingdom was protected.
The two-day festival, which drew in thousands of spectators, was launched by a parade through the heart of Dunfermline with Fife Provost Jim Leishman and the consul general of Poland to the Garden of Remembrance, where wreaths were laid.
Meanwhile at Lathalmond, there were reenactments of battles while military trains were on the go, courtesy of Lathalmond Railway Museum.
The Scottish Vintage Bus Museum also took part and shuttled visitors between the two sites throughout the event.
Scots are also being urged to share stories of the Polish soldiers who were based locally during the war.
Representatives from the Archive of the Institute of National Remembrance in Polish capital Warsaw work to preserve the memory of previous generations and are appealing for artefacts which could boost their collections.
They hope there may be some forgotten letters, documents or photographs in local homes just waiting to be found and fill in the gaps in Poland’s history.
The public can share their stories by email at info@defendfife.co.uk