大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Claire White of 大象传媒 Scotland on behalf of Darrell Wood and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

In the same way that no part of Britain can honestly assert that it was immune from, or untouched by, the events of World War II, so too there cannot be many parts of Britain, especially on a geographic scale of only 15 miles long by 5 miles across at its widest, that can claim to have witnessed greater and more-varied military involvement than the tiny Isle of Bute, strategically snuggled amongst neighbouring islands and mainland peninsulas in the western waters of the Clyde Estuary. Yet the historical record, which has heroism, sacrifice, ingenuity, commitment and compassion emblazoned across it, is increasingly at risk of fading irretrievably into oblivion.

It is in this context, of a spectacular story to be told and an imperative that it should never be forgotten among succeeding generations, that an application was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund to seek funding for a programme of events to commemorate Bute's wartime involvements, as part of Britain's 60th Anniversary of V-Day celebrations in 2005.

Through comprehensive consultation and partnership-working, Bute's V-Day Steering Group has endeavoured to produce a programme of commemoration that will, as comprehensively as possible, touch all the diverse elements in our community in as meaningful and relevant a way as possible. So there is something for everyone - from the youngest (those who have no conception of the sacrifices of their grand-/great grand-parents' generation), through the middle aged (who have varying degrees of anecdotal and/or textbook acquaintance of war-time living) to the very oldest (those who still have vivid and probably painful memories of what it was like to serve actively during, or just live through, those testing times. Moreover, the nature of our events offer a good balance of fun, nostalgia, serious reflection, thanksgiving, and the crucial educational component that will hopefully result in our commemoration having enduring value.

Given the intensity of activities on and around the Isle of Bute, it isn't difficult to imagine and appreciate the extent to which the war impacted life at every level - from individual households, to the many voluntary organisations, to school life, to the corporate life of this hitherto rather insulated and parochial island-community as a whole. It is this legacy of dedication, adaptability and sacrifice on the one hand and open-hearted hospitality and compassion on the other hand that our programme seeks not only to celebrate, but to etch into the memories of our current generation so that these recollections may be passed on to future generations.

"Bute Remembers" and the people of Bute wish to record their grateful appreciation to the Heritage Lottery Fund for their generous support for our island's programme of commemoration.

For further details of Bute's commemorations visit www.bute-gateway.org/vday.

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