Reliving the spirit of 1940

5 May 2010

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity help soldiers and former soldiers of all ages, who have fought for the country from World War Two right up until the current conflict in Afghanistan. We have teamed up with Yesterday to help them find out more about real life experiences of the era.

1940 was a remarkable year in which Britain experienced the blitz, saw the start of food rationing and sent evacuees away from their homes. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of this astounding year, the TV channel Yesterday is going behind the headlines of the war and talking to real people about their real life experiences. With this in mind – they need your help.

What are your memories of the Second World War? How did you experience life with rations? Did you or a family member take part in sailing to Dunkirk?

They will be sharing your experiences online and you’ll be contributing to an archive of memories around the amazing events of 1940.

Visit the Yesterday website to find out more about this incredible year and to share your family stories.

The channel will also be screening a brand-new programme all about Dunkirk in May. Dunkirk: The Forgotten Heroes will call upon real-life experiences to reveal, for the first time, the true story of the evacuation. The programme will highlight the untold story of the 50,000 soldiers who were left to defend the retreating British Army against the advancing Germans. Some were taken prisoner, others escaped into France where they lived wild until they could return home to Britain, while others made the ultimate sacrifice and died on the beaches of Dunkirk.

Dunkirk: The Forgotten Heroes will be screened at 5.00pm on Friday 28 May. Please check your local listings for more information.

Watch Yesterday on Sky channel 537, Virgin Media 203 and Freeview 12.