Listening to the forgotten voices

THOSE who lived through the Second World War will never forget it and the 60th anniversary of its ending is a poignant time to relive the history of the war in the words of the men and women who were there.

Forgotten Voices Of The Second World War gives voice to personal accounts from one of the most traumatic periods of modern history.

Max Arthur has pulled together this unique oral narrative by listening to hundreds of hours of taped interviews from the Sound Archive, which holds recordings with soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians from the past three decades.

Testimonies span from the outbreak of the war in 1939 to its conclusion. Today, 60 years on, we look at the mixed emotions of children and adults on VE Day in 1945. Their individual experiences range from jubilant celebration to silent contemplation.

CORPORAL ERIC LORD, 5th Battalion, Coldstream Guards

''When the war ended we were issued with some rum, but there was no grand celebration. There should have been a great sense of relief. We should have had somebody to organise something. We should have had somebody to tell us to raise our mugs to the PBI - the Poor Bloody Infantry - but no one did. I just sat there, trying to collect my thoughts, and all I could think was, 'Well that's the end of that. I don't have to dig any more slit trenches or hear the sound of the multi-barrel mortar again'.''

LILIAS WALKER, teenager in Hull

''I remember the announcement being made on the radio that, at such and such a time, the war would be over. Where people had got stuff from I don't know, but immediately there were bonfires and everybody drew back their curtains and turned on all their lights. Every single light in the house was on because, of course, no lights had been allowed during the war.''

LADY ANNE CHICHESTER, British civilian who worked with Red Cross in London

''A cousin of mine and a couple of boyfriends went out to Piccadilly Circus. The whole of Piccadilly was solid with people and they managed to produce flags and streamers and all the cars were hooting and everybody was singing. There was a great deal of drink around, but I never remember feeling frightened. We all moved down in a seething mass to Buckingham Palace and we all stood outside and some lights came on and this was very exciting because having had the blackout we weren't used to seeing the lights come on and everybody called and called, 'We want the King', and out on to the balcony came the King and Queen. Everybody went absolutely hysterical.''

CAPTAIN JOHN MACAUSLAN, Intelligence Officer, 5th Reconnaissance Regiment

''After the war ended, I was surprised that I wasn't at all elated. I just felt a slightly lost feeling - relieved a little bit that one was safe now - but not very happy. I didn't know what to do. I knew I'd have to be a solicitor but I didn't want to be a solicitor. What I knew about was all finished...''

SYLVIA TAYLOR, child in Hook, Surrey

''After the war, everyone was so very happy, elated and relieved. We didn't know what was coming because we didn't remember what was before the war. We thought we would have sweets, heating and coal.''

ROLF WEINBERG, Officer, French Army

''I remember the day of victory. We were lodged in the Hotel l'Opera in Paris. On that day the order came that at three o'clock in the afternoon de Gaulle would speak to us, and he came out of the Opera together with Lily Pons, the well-known soprano, and there was an enormous multitude of people. He said Hitler was dead and that the war in Europe had ended. France was free again. It was such a moment that I fainted out of emotion. I was picked up and carried to my hotel room and a wonderful nurse was holding my hand and she said, 'You should be enjoying yourself with the others'. I said, 'You're right in a way. But for me this is not the time for a fiesta because I'm thinking of all my comrades and all of those who have been killed by this damn Nazi regime'.''

ELLEN HARRIS, Reuters reporter in Parliament

''I shall never forget it. I couldn't move - I couldn't do anything, whatever had happened. Although we'd known this was coming, the House of Commons itself just went into one great roar of cheers, papers went up into the air. I just sat and the tears were rolling down - it was relief after all this long time. And this kept up, the roaring and the cheering and shouting for some time. And then the Speaker dissolved the House...''

Published: 10/05/2005