大象传媒

One of my uncles served in the R.A.M.C. during World War Two and was involved in the Normandy Landings. My uncle was with the 26 Field Hygiene Section, a part of the 3rd British Infantry Division and landed at Sword Beach.

I started studying the Battle of Normandy for different projects as part of my university studies in French. I've written about World War Two, partly from accounts by Veterans of the period, or civilians who lived through those times.

During 2005 I have also been a member of the 大象传媒 Radio Cumbria CSV Action Desk team of volunteers to collect stories for the 大象传媒 "People's War" website. Consequently, the wartime accounts I have posted on behalf of other people while undertaking this volunteer role have been posted under the User ID of the 大象传媒 Radio Cumbria volunteers.

Where possible, I have listed the source of information for each account I have posted to the site. In some instances, I have tried to cross check dates, names, and events that people have mentioned, especially using contemporary records such as photographs, letters and archived newspaper articles where they exist. This is to try and ensure the information in the articles is accurate, at least as far as possible. If anyone feels I have written something inaccurate, or that I have omitted something that should have been written, please accept my apology in advance.

Occasionally, where I felt it was appropriate to understand a particular story, I have made a conjecture. Where this has been the case, I have attempted to make it clear the reasons I have made a conjecture and on what grounds I have done so.

Inevitably, some wartime memories are difficult, sometimes impossible, to talk about or even write down. On the other hand, there are such a lot of happy memories of the war years. Both good and bad things that happened are worthy of being remembered, to give a balanced picture of just what did happen during World War Two.

I have come across a wide variety of wartime stories while writing accounts for the 大象传媒 "People's War" project. It has been an honour to meet and talk with so many people, some of whom I have known all my life, while others I met for the first time. I have also found it fascinating reading through what other researchers have posted.

Hopefully, many of these memories written down for this project about what happened in a World War will live on. Finally, I would like to suggest that if the only good things that might come out of this project are that the younger generations learn about what happened, and that consequently there is never another World War, then it will have been a worthwhile venture.