Navy Museum event aims to preserve Second World War memories

Do you have any Second World War related stories and objects passed down to you from your parents, grandparents and other family members?

Would you like to share and preserve these objects and stories for future generations?

If so, head to the National Museum of the Royal Navy (Portsmouth Historic Dockyard) on Saturday, September 16 (10am-4pm) so that stories about your family's wartime experience – and objects such as diaries, letters, medals, journals and ration books – can be recorded, digitised, and uploaded to an online archive, which will be free-to-use and launch in June 2024.

The event is part of a nationwide campaign organised by Their Finest Hour, a team based at the University of Oxford that is collecting and preserving the everyday stories and objects of the Second World War.

As these stories are fast fading from living memory, it is vital that they - and the wartime objects that often accompany them - are preserved for future generations.

What kinds of war-related stories and objects are being sought?

Any, from the extraordinary to the seemingly 'ordinary'. Every story matters!

A spokesperson said: “We want our archive to reflect the diverse experiences of all those affected by the war: men and women across the British Empire and the Commonwealth who worked in industry, on the land, or in other roles; ran households and fought a daily battle of rationing; served in or supported the armed forces; and even those who refused to go to war for political or religious reasons.

"We are also interested in preserving children's experiences of the war and would like to hear about any relatives who refused to talk about their wartime experience.

To find out more and register (for free) for the event, visit theirfinesthour.org

Anyone with any questions can email [email protected]

*Please do not bring any loaded weapons or potentially dangerous objects to the Digital Collection Day.