h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

People's War Herald
By WW2 People's War Team


People's War Herald (26 November - 9 December)

Helpline

The helpline is still available to answer all your queries. Call 08000 150950 for advice on using the site and information about your nearest WW2 People's War contact; lots of institutions (like libraries, heritage teams and military organisations) are helping people to submit stories.

Collaborative articles

There was a great response to our call for remembrance tributes and we'd like you to keep adding them, if you haven't already done so.

If you have, then two new collaborative topics might inspire you instead.

Kitbag Special - was there a special object inside your kitbag (or the kitbag of your chosen family member) and if so what significance did it have?
Chance Reunions - have you got a story of a chance reunion? You may have met a wartime mate by chance years after the end of the war, or perhaps you were reunited with a school friend or relative during your war service. Perhaps you know a reunion story of a relative or friend.

Either way, this is your opportunity to contribute to a collaborative article, which will feature on the site.

Team favourites

Helen recommends a series of stories written by Tom Canning, a Canadian who served across Europe. Why not start with his story 'Tunisia, 1943'?

'Halt! Who Goes There? Friend or Foe?' serves as a reminder that friendships can be forged against the odds. Kath and David both recommend this one.

Dudley rather enjoyed the forum at the end of the page on 'Food in the army' - Gen1946's father had to barter food to supplement his vegetarian diet as no special provision was made for vegetarians in the army.

For an interesting research enquiry take a look at this user's attempt to find out about their father's time in the Osaka camp as a POW. It's great to see researchers and users giving each other a hand, and you might have something to add.

Were you aware that there was an RAF Glider Pilot Regiment in WW2? Check out this research desk forum started by FloraBunda.

Why not join in the debates on some of these forums? Find a subject that interests you and click on the orange ‘reply’ button; you can keep track of the discussions you have joined in the 'My Stories and Questions' section of your Personal Page.

Shepway Libraries and Folkestone Heritage Team

Local organisations such as learning centres and libraries are coming on board to assist people who need help submitting their stories.

Shepway Libraries, for example, have made a sterling effort to gather WW2 stories and they have certainly filled up the category page for Kent.

According to their Personal Page, the site was an inspiration - 'The People's War Pilot Project gave the Folkestone Heritage team a chance to experiment with Reminiscence activities in [the] library setting,' - and the number of stories they have submitted to the site is testimony to the success of their project.

If like Shepway Libraries and Folkestone Heritage Team you would like to become a WW2 Associate please read our WW2 Associates page for more information. Organisations that would definitely like to get involved can email - [email protected] - to request a registration form.

Calling for more stories

The anniversary of Pearl Harbor is 7 December. We're looking for stories of how the news was received at the time, or perhaps you knew someone who was there? Post your stories to the site.

Some of our category pages are brimming with stories, but there are subjects that we'd like to hear more about. For example, you may have memories of ENSA, the wartime entertainers, or perhaps you spent your war service in a submarine?

We really want to hear more from our Commonwealth allies and, in the UK, we'd like to know more about Wales during the war. We've got some new location category pages too, including North America, Crete and West Indies.

If any of these subjects relate to your memories or your family's war stories, then please get writing – we're waiting to hear from you.