E34 - Remembering VE Day & Beyond

May 2015

First this month we talk to our official photographer Shaun Armstrong who’s pictures help to tell the story of our new exhibition; Bletchley Park Rescued and Restored. Shaun was on hand to capture images from the start of the £8 million phase one restoration project, right through to the official opening in June 2014 by HRH The Duchess of Cambridge.

Sarah Harding, director of the 2nd series of The Bletchley Circle was one of last years speakers in our Bletchley Park Presents series of talks. After her sold-out talk Sarah and her sister Gillian sat down to tell us about more discoveries of their mum’s Bletchley Park past.

Over nearly 3 years of the podcast we have had the honour to interview around 40 of our amazing Veteran’s so far. These interviews, along with the Official Oral Archive, are building an invaluable resource of first-hand history, for not just the listeners of the podcast but for future generations to come. It is 70 years since Victory in Europe and to pay tribute to all the men and women who served we bring you the sounds of VE Day and from our own archive, the memories of our Veterans, not only remembering May 1945 but what they did next. For our Veterans their service didn’t end in 1945, as for 30 years and more in many cases, they kept the secret of their vital war work hidden from the world.

The Veteran’s featured, in order of appearance are:

Betty Flavell (WRNS 1944-1945) Joyce Bogoni (WAAF 1945-1947) Lady Marion Body (FO Civilian 1944-1945) Gwendoline Page (WRNS 1944-1945) Betty Webb (ATS 1941-1945) Elizabeth Marshall (WRNS 1944-1945) Dot Tuffin (WRNS 1943-1945) Jane Fawcett (FO Civilian 1940-1945) Marigold Freeman-Attwood (WRNS 1943-1945)

Many thanks to The Three Belles for the use of their music. For more information go to http://thethreebelles.com

Picture: Betty Webb & Marigold Freeman-Attwood ©shaunarmstrong/mubsta.com

#BPark, #Bletchleypark, #VEDay70, #Enigma, #WW2Veteran, #History