Hello all

Mathsmal · 06-06-2008, 12:38 PM

Hi

I thought I'd introduce myself as I've been reading the site for a while.

My main interest is in recording the experiences of people who lived through the war. I did a few interviews for the BBC People's War site, but most of them have been for the Second World War Experience Centre collection in Leeds.

I have recently started putting together a website which details oral history collections (and websites) in the UK which include WWII recordings - Recollections of WWII, which may be of interest to some members. It is far from complete though (there are a lot of collections out there!).

I'd be really pleased to hear from anyone who has been involved in interviewing people about their wartime experiences or who can suggest collections/sites to be included on the site.

von Poop · 06-06-2008, 12:45 PM

2 years of lurking.
Nothing wrong with that

.

Welcome to 'out in the open', and a nicely presented site you have there.
I can understand the interest in sound archives, I obtained a long interview my grandad gave to the IWM... I've only listened to it once as it was such strong stuff hearing his voice again.

Cheers,
Adam.

51highland · 06-06-2008, 05:03 PM

Welcome and enjoy !!!!! My Father was born in Birstal, nr Leeds.

Trincomalee · 07-06-2008, 12:08 AM

Hello
In March I took part of my father's recorded memories to the IWM . I need to get the rest put onto CD and I will then send a copy to Leeds as well.
Whilst I was at the IWM they asked me to do an interview with them . They are now looking to record the experiences of people who grew up or served overseas with the British forces , postwar .
If you would be interested you could get in touch with the IWM sound archives .

Paul Reed · 07-06-2008, 12:54 PM

Very interesting website - hope to hear more about it.

woodenshoe · 07-06-2008, 01:07 PM

Welcome friend!

Peter Clare · 07-06-2008, 01:36 PM

Hi Mathsmal, welcome to the forum.

Gage · 07-06-2008, 02:10 PM

Hi and welcome.
It's great that there are recordings of recollections. IWM has done a fantastic job. Site looks very interesting.

Mathsmal · 09-06-2008, 01:08 PM

Hi

Thanks for the complements about the site. It came about after I had a couple of conversations with veterans who I hoped to interview. One was a Dunkirk vet and the other was with the Oxs & Bucks and was captured in Italy in 1944. Both would have been really interesting to talk to, but they both said they didn't want to be recorded, as they'd done it before. They didn't have copies of the recordings, so I started wondering where they were. Unfortuantely I think these recordings are probably sitting in a drawer somewhere gathering dust and won't be heard again, which is a great pity. So I thought I'd try and compile a list of collections, to bring a bit more attention to them and to hopefully increase their use. As the number of people who can remember the war declines, I think the recordings are becoming more valuable.

I'm in contact with about another 40 or 50 museums, archives and groups who are carrying out work who still need to be added to the site. Any suggestions for additions, etc would be appreciated. Feel free to send me a private message!

Gotthard Heinrici · 09-06-2008, 05:10 PM

Hi Mathsmal and welcome to the forums. nice to see you putting your head over the parapet!!

06-06-2008, 12:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
Mathsmal Junior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 26	Hello all Hi I thought I'd introduce myself as I've been reading the site for a while. My main interest is in recording the experiences of people who lived through the war. I did a few interviews for the BBC People's War site, but most of them have been for the Second World War Experience Centre collection in Leeds. I have recently started putting together a website which details oral history collections (and websites) in the UK which include WWII recordings - Recollections of WWII, which may be of interest to some members. It is far from complete though (there are a lot of collections out there!). I'd be really pleased to hear from anyone who has been involved in interviewing people about their wartime experiences or who can suggest collections/sites to be included on the site.

06-06-2008, 12:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
von Poop I Like Tanks. Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Perfidious Albion. Posts: 7,618	2 years of lurking. Nothing wrong with that . Welcome to 'out in the open', and a nicely presented site you have there. I can understand the interest in sound archives, I obtained a long interview my grandad gave to the IWM... I've only listened to it once as it was such strong stuff hearing his voice again. Cheers, Adam. __________________ It's only the Internet.

06-06-2008, 05:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
51highland Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ipswich Posts: 703	Welcome and enjoy !!!!! My Father was born in Birstal, nr Leeds. __________________ 51 highland www.keep-em-moving.com Là á Bhlàir's math na Càirdean (Friends are good in the day of battle) Na diobair caraid's a charraid (Forsake not a friend in the fray) Cuimhnichibh na suinn nach maireann . Mairidh an cliu beo gu brath. (In memory of the Heroes who are no more. May their Fame live on forever)

07-06-2008, 12:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
Paul Reed Ubique Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: UK/France Posts: 2,853	Very interesting website - hope to hear more about it. __________________ The WW2 Society: Remembering those from Britain & The Commonwealth who served 1939-45 - http://www.battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/ww2_society.htm

07-06-2008, 01:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
Peter Clare Very Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Windsor UK Posts: 4,965	Hi Mathsmal, welcome to the forum. __________________ On weald of Kent I watched once more Again I heard that grumbling roar Of fighter planes; yet none were near And all around the sky was clear Borne on the wind a whisper came 'Though men grow old, they stay the same' And then I knew, unseen to eye The ageless Few were sweeping by

07-06-2008, 12:08 AM	#4 (permalink)
Trincomalee Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 165	Hello In March I took part of my father's recorded memories to the IWM . I need to get the rest put onto CD and I will then send a copy to Leeds as well. Whilst I was at the IWM they asked me to do an interview with them . They are now looking to record the experiences of people who grew up or served overseas with the British forces , postwar . If you would be interested you could get in touch with the IWM sound archives .

07-06-2008, 01:07 PM	#6 (permalink)
woodenshoe Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: just outside the Windy City! Posts: 16	Welcome friend!

07-06-2008, 02:10 PM	#8 (permalink)
Gage Angels one-five Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Somewhere in Time Posts: 1,189	Hi and welcome. It's great that there are recordings of recollections. IWM has done a fantastic job. Site looks very interesting. __________________ 'There I stood at the bar, wearing a Mae West, no jacket, and beginning to leak blood from my torn boot. None of the golfers took any notice of me - after all, I wasn't a member!' Kenneth Lee - after being shot down on the 18th August 1940. In the USAAF in World War II, over three times as many men were killed as wounded. Donald L. Miller. Avatar: SOE agent Andree Borrel killed at Natzweiler 6th July 1944.

09-06-2008, 01:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
Mathsmal Junior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 26	Hi Thanks for the complements about the site. It came about after I had a couple of conversations with veterans who I hoped to interview. One was a Dunkirk vet and the other was with the Oxs & Bucks and was captured in Italy in 1944. Both would have been really interesting to talk to, but they both said they didn't want to be recorded, as they'd done it before. They didn't have copies of the recordings, so I started wondering where they were. Unfortuantely I think these recordings are probably sitting in a drawer somewhere gathering dust and won't be heard again, which is a great pity. So I thought I'd try and compile a list of collections, to bring a bit more attention to them and to hopefully increase their use. As the number of people who can remember the war declines, I think the recordings are becoming more valuable. I'm in contact with about another 40 or 50 museums, archives and groups who are carrying out work who still need to be added to the site. Any suggestions for additions, etc would be appreciated. Feel free to send me a private message!

09-06-2008, 05:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
Gotthard Heinrici Ostfront is where its at! Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,468	Hi Mathsmal and welcome to the forums. nice to see you putting your head over the parapet!! __________________ *"The Eastern front is like a house of cards. If the front is broken through at one point all the rest will collapse."* - General Heinz Guderian "With amazement and disappointment, we discovered in late October and early November that the beaten Russians seemed quite unaware that as a military force they had almost ceased to exist." - General Blumentritt "In all my years as a soldier, I have never seen me fight so hard." Lieutenant General Wilhelm Bittrich - Commander of II SS Panzer Korps - (Commenting on the British Paratroopers at Arnhem) - September 1944 "Had Clark given more heed to Juin's views...the savage battles of Cassino would probably never have been fought and the venerable house of St Benedict would have been unscathed" Rudolf Böhmler - 1st Fallschirmjäger Division - 1944 (After the bombing of Monte Cassino)

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