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SPIRIT OF NORMANDY TRUST THE YOUNG HISTORIAN AWARDS, 2011
The Trust hosted the annual Young Historian Project prize giving at the Imperial War Museum on Thursday, October 13th 2011. Members of the Trust were joined by representatives of the Normandy Veterans Association and the National Chairman Mr. Ed Slater L.d’Hon., as well as parents of the prize-winners and teaching staff from the winning schools.
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Primary level winning entry came from The History Club of Stephenson Way Primary School in Newton Aycliffe. Their project was rated as exceptional and demonstrated empathy - imagining what it was like to be in someone else's shoes - and quality of expression. They looked at 'Unsung Heroes' whose occupations on the home front supported the war effort, such as the 'Bevin Boys' and nurses.
Key Stage 3 division was won by Sophie Lawson of Framlingham College who wrote a highly personalised, and carefully constructed and illustrated piece of research into a grandfather's amazing involvement in the rescue of partisan fighters in the Balkans. Her piece was graded exceptionally outstanding, meriting an additional award of the General Peter Martin prize.
The Senior category was won by Alex Collin of Newcastle-under-Lyme School. This was a highly personal piece of research into a grandfather's expereince as a pilot in the Second World War, and how he was affected by burns following a crash; how he, and others, overcame this challenge with the support of emerging medical skills; and how they supported each other in the 'Guinea Pig Club'.
The prizes were presented by the National Chairman of the NVA, Mr. Ed Slater L.d’Hon.
Guests attending the ceremony included Dr Trevor James, Director of the Young Historian Project; Trevor Beattie co-founder of Beattie McGuinness Bungay; and Bob and Frances van Mook, Directors of Award Productions Ltd, and Sponsors and supporters of the Trust.
The Chairman and the Secretary/ Treasurer discussing the work of the Trust with H.R.H. The Prince of Wales taken at the Confederation of British Service and Ex-service Organisations (COBSEO) annual general meeting at St James's Palace on Thursday 27th of October 2011.
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On May 18th 2011 a cheque for £1216.64 was very kindly handed over to the Trust by Simon Raines and Steve Elliott from The Society of Gentleman Players, to Cyril Haworth, Chairman of the York Branch of the Normandy Veterans Association.
18th February 2010. Brigadier David Baines MBE, vice-President the Normandy Veterans Association, joins The Spirit of Normandy Trust as Trustee.
Brigadier Baines, was born 1923, commissioned from the ranks in April 1943, and landed on Gold Beach in Normandy June 1944 as a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery. He served in Palestine, Egypt, Libya (appointed MBE for gallantry) and Germany. He commanded 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery on operations in Aden 1965-67.
He retired from the army in 1974, continuing in government service for 10 years and then with BP International for 5 years. He was a former Chairman of the Finance Committee for the Army & Navy Club, and since final retirement has worked in OFWAT, St John Ambulance and the Church.
A personal crusade by Colin Jones - to preserve the memory of past sacrifice for the benefit of future generations
My uncle was killed in the first few moments of the landings on Sword Beach. Neither my aunt nor my cousin could bring themselves to visit the grave but always welcomed photographs.
I started going to Normandy over 30 years ago, and in 2004 I started "Castles and Battlefields Tours" (www.castlesandbattlefields-tours.com), to share my love of Normandy. Until 2009 I took many D-Day Tours, Americans and Britons, including one for the MoD taking over 13 senior NCOs. Unfortunately, I could not compete with the larger tour companies, so I wrote "The Normandy D-Day Landings - a glove box guide2, to give people wishing to visit the areas, an easy to follow four day guide. In August 2008 we set about planning the visit for the 65th anniversary of the Wirral and Chester N.V.A. branch. At this point a certain politician said that the 65th Anniversary was not a significant one, but funding the 100th would be considered. I placed an article in the Chester Chronicle, which was picked up by the tabloids, followed by an interview for the Daily Mail, and the public outcry was enormous. Two main sponsors came forward for our branch and we ended up fully funding a seven day pilgrimage for 84 Veterans, wives, sons, paramedics, and carers including 5 serving Cheshire Yeomanry to do the heavy work. As one of its founder members, a registered charity was formed and is still there to assist to-day. The Veterans will get the assistance they need in 2010 and hopefully every year they wish to return.
I now wish to concentrate on our younger generation. Inevitably there are less Veterans each year and our children should know what happened, so hopefully it will never happen again; but as we so recently saw with Saddam Hussein another Hitler could quite easily rise again, especially with the hatred in the world today. So this year, again thanks mainly to a very generous sponsor, I have managed to raise funds to take to Normandy, hopefully fully funded, from the 4th to the 8th of June, 60 children in year 6, to meet up with the Veterans and see first-hand what our heroes did and sacrificed for us. In 2011 I hope that number at least doubles and again every year. So that the Spirit of (the) Normandy “Veterans” will never be forgotten.
caverncolin@btinternet.com;
www.ddaybattlefieldtours.co.uk;
