British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

D-Day Remembered: Documentary with reminiscences of wartime

Title
D-Day Remembered: Documentary with reminiscences of wartime
Transmission details
6 Jun 1984
Description
D-DAY REMEMBERED [Series RADIO VICTORY ARCHIVE] A documentary, broadcast on Radio Victory, 6 June 1984, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy during World War Two, using the memories of people from the Portsmouth area. TRACK 1- In - ... food was in short supply ... A series of short extracts concerning people’s memories of the events leading up to D-Day in Portsmouth. 1- Food: bananas, made from parsnips and banana essence, lack of butter, tripe and onions a delicacy, dislike of bread, queueing for icecream. 2- Blackout: remembered by GEORGE REID. 3- Wrought Iron taken for war effort, raw material into war material. [TONY HOWARTH, D-Day Museum]. 4- Women’s contribution to the war [KATHERINE HURLIN, I.O.W. drove ambulance] knitting balaclavas. EILEEN O CONNELL of Southsea drove ambulance in London, her reactions to devastation in Portsmouth on her return in 1943 -it was shocking. 5- The V1 - feared most when stopped making a noise. Bombing of St Mary’s Hospital [WYN SUTCLIFFE]. 6- VERA LYNN recalls performing in London through air raids and reassuring audiences. 7- Feeling of optimisim prevailed, that Britain would win. Extracts from BBC recording - V sign in morse, and British success in North Africa. TRACK 2- In - The code name ... The build up to D-Day. 6 June 1944 armada of 5,000 ships launched from South coast to cross to France. Allied deception led Germans to think invasion would begin in Calais area. Plans for D-Day kept top secret. Emphasis on security Careless talk costs lives, in spite of this were examples of carelessness [DOUGLAS REEMAN]. Construction of Mulberry Harbour to provide harbour facilities in Normandy [recalled by LAURIE DOUGLAS, who was 9 years and living near Langstone Harbour]. People became aware of large convoys moving into Portsmouth. Roads in Gosport jammed [BETTY DRAPER remembers]. GLEN JONES, a soldier from Portsmouth thought he was being sent to die. RAY DAVIES remembers seeing 1000s of men departing from Southsea. REV MORRIS WOODS [now Bishop of Norwich, then naval chaplain for HMS Vernon] recalls the crossing to France. Recording of Air Commodore speaking from Mitchell Bomber crossing to France on D-Day. D-Day announced in a local school. Out - pasting from the Germans. TRACK 3- In - The dawn of June 6th ... BBC recording describes early phase of invasion. LIEUTENANT PETER STANLEY describes scene from position on Canadian destroyer. RAY ALLAN had to drive DUKW over piles of bodies on beaches. BBC announcements of Hitler’s death and surrender of German forces, fall of Berlin, signing of act of unconditional surrender. Sounds of celebration at victory. Opinions as to the inevitability of war. [Box 6]
Play audio
To listen to the audio files, please log in.
Notes
Tape seems to start some minutes into the programme. Some voices are on left channel only, where the original location tape has been spliced in. Some sticky tape.
Misc. notes
Gauge:-1/8 inch tape
Production company
Radio Victory
Extent
1 tape

Credits

Interviewees
Douglas Reeman; Eileen O Connell; Wyn Sutcliffe; Vera Lynn; Laurie Douglas; Betty Draper; Glen Jones; Rev Morris Woods; Lieutenant Peter Stanley; Ray Allan
Presenter
Steve Kite
Reporter
George Reid

Record Stats

This record has been viewed 702 times.