Second World War Stories

Through their eyes: 80 years on 

To mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War, we have curated a striking exhibition of specially-commissioned portraits of veterans and their memories of extraordinary times.

Memoirs from Churchill's Secret Army

Spies, Polish countesses and the legendary Colonel Buckmaster, Noreen Riols recalls her memories of the Secret Army.

The secret WW2 love letters between two men

Gilbert Bradley and Gordon Bowsher fell in love before the start of WW2; but when Gilbert joined the army their relationship survived through letters.

Olga Hopkins VE Day Story

lga Hopkins, who served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force during the Second World War, reflects with pride on her service and recalls how she celebrated the announcement of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, 80 years ago.

Capt Richard Akinwande Savage

Joshua's story

Joshua was 19 when he joined the Army in Gold Coast (now Ghana) and went on to serve in the Far East campaign in pre-partition India and Burma.

Coming Home - Muhammad's story

Born in pre-partition India in a village in Rawalpindi Muhammad Hussain, 95, was 16 years old when he ran away from home to enlist in the British Indian Army during the Second World War.

Joseph's story

Joseph Hammond, from Ghana, joined the army in 1943 and bravely served In Burma in the 82nd West African Division, experiencing intense fighting.

Camaraderie and Courage 

The battle continued for weeks after D-Day in the villages, towns, fields and hedgerows of Normandy, with the allies experiencing heavy casualties.

Logistics and Communications

Hundreds of thousands supported those at the front line. Here are their stories, from extraordinary feats of engineering to receiving communications from the beaches.

Remembering Dunkirk - We were still soldiers by God

Harry Leigh-Dugmore was evacuated from Dunkirk as part of Operation Dynamo in May 1940. Read his remarkable story.

Rajindar's story

Rajindar Singh Dhatt was born in Punjab and joined the army in 1941. He was part of the relief at Kohima and Imphal before serving in the gruelling Burma campaign.

A trip back to Cassino

Three generations of the Nixon family will visit Anzio and Monte Cassino to re-live the hardest fought battle of the war.

Pat's story

Pat Owtram joined the WRNS at 18, listening to and translated enemy communications, while she and her sister feared for their father who was a prisoner of war.