More about this unique oral history and documentary project
The outbreak of the Second World War and the threat of invasion evoked a palpable and widespread spirit of commitment to patriotic duty which is hard to envisage today. While everyone was ‘doing their bit’ for their country they got news of what else was happening on the home and fighting fronts via newspapers, BBC radio broadcasts, and cinema newsreels - but they weren’t aware of everything that was happening, even on their own doorsteps, because certain aspects of the war effort could only succeed if kept totally secret from the public, and thus also Britain’s enemies.
Many of those recruited for this clandestine work were also ‘ordinary’ civilians yet they entrusted with some extraordinary tasks, often of a military nature. Hundreds were extremely courageous by volunteering for missions in enemy occupied countries during which they could be captured, tortured, or killed - and scores were. They’d all entered a new and secret world of resistance, intelligence, and sabotage; a world crammed with what are now highly evocative acronyms and code names such as SOE, F Section, Force 136, Y Service, MI9, SIS, Station X, Enigma, Ultra, the FANYs, the SAS, the Special Duties Squadron, and the Jedburghs.
History is written by the victorious, the liars, the strongest, the most determined.
Truth is found most often in the silence, in the quiet places.
from Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
The operations of these wartime organisations were often inter-connected, yet the ‘need to know’ principle meant that, except at top brass level, those involved had little or no knowledge of each others’ activities. They were trusted to do their jobs and keep their mouths shut, and they did - forbidden to tell even their own parents how they were ‘doing their bit’ for the war. Several decades after it ended many were still sworn to total secrecy, and even when they’ve been officially released from their oath of silence their wartime ethic of secrecy has remained so instilled that it hasn’t been in their nature to speak openly about certain events.
These are WW2’s quiet heroes and heroines, and even though they’re now all in their eighties it’s not surprising that such remarkable experiences remain fresh in their minds. Secrecy is now no longer an issue and nearly sixty have already taken part in individually filmed in-depth oral history sessions. In many cases they’re recounting their own stories for the very first time - not just on the record, but on camera. Other sessions have featured veterans whose wartime work wasn’t quite so secret, but may just as well have been - because they felt ‘their bit’ went unnoticed at the time and hasn’t been adequately acknowledged since!
For the last twelve months Wide-eyed.tv has been on its own mission, dedicated to this extensive filming and archiving project which is proving so insightful. The result is an ever-expanding catalogue of ‘in their own words’ accounts of unique experiences and previously secret events - compelling to hear, and providing new and surprising perspectives on some lesser known aspects of WW2.
All the videotaped interviews will eventually be donated to the archives of the Imperial War Museum and other relevant organisations, and will also provide the core of an Our Secret War documentary series.
