Recollections of WWII - West Midlands

West Midlands Collections >

Coventry Archives
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon
Shropshire Archives
Shropshire Regimental Museum
Worcestershire Record Office

Collection websites contain:
Transcripts / Summaries	Audio files	Video files

Coventry Archives
John Sinclair House, Canal Basin, Coventry, Warwickshire, CV1 4LY
Contact: Liz Doull, Senior Archivist
Telephone: 024 7678 5164	Fax: 024 7655 1617
Email: archives@coventry.gov.uk
Collection description: PA1662 Oral History Project - this series contains reminiscences dating from the 1910s to the 1970s, including wartime recollections of the Coventry blitz PA2365 "Coventry Lives" millennium oral history project. Wartime generation and specifically Coventry blitz survivors' reminiscences recorded on compact disc, along with those of subsequent generations.
Recordings relating to World War II: 98 (Includes recordings solely focused on wartime experiences and life histories which include references to wartime experiences)
Subjects covered: Home Front • Evacuees • British Army (Northern Europe) • Prisoners of War (in German/Italian camps) • Italian Prisoner of War (in Allied camps) • Ukrainian Insurgents
Format of recordings: Audio - all or some with transcripts
Access: One weeks notice is required. Restrictions on reproduction will depend on the recording concerned.
Current status: The collection is still under development
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Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon
The Shakespeare Centre, Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6QW
Contact: Mairi Macdonald, Head of Local Collections
Telephone: 01789 201816	Fax: 01789 296083
Email: Mairi.Macdonald@shakespeare.org.uk
Collection description: DR730 - Oral history recordings. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has over several years worked with the Stratford Society to record reminiscences of long-term Stratford residents, many of which include wartime recollections.
Recordings relating to World War II: 15 (Life histories which include references to wartime experiences)
Subjects covered: Home Front • British Army (Northern Europe) • British Army (Burma / India) • Conscientious Objectors
Format of recordings: Audio
Access: Please contact the trust for access information. Some recordings are currently closed at the interviewees request.
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Shropshire Archives
Castle Gates, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 2AQ
Contact: Mary McKenzie, County Archivist
Telephone: 01743 255350	Fax:
Email: archives@shropshire.gov.uk
Collection description: Acton Scott Working Farm Museum oral history collection [Ref. AT2] Oral history recordings relating to agricultural work during the first half of the 20th century. Includes recordings relating to the Second World War period, including recollections of the Women's Land Army. Transcripts are also available. Kings Shropshire Light Infantry [KSLI] This project is currently in progress and staff have recorded twenty interviews with veterans of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI). Men from all ranks have come forward with memories of their military service, from active service in the Second World War to peace time exercises with the Territorial Army. The oral history recordings are also being transcribed to provide an accurate printed record of the audio tapes. The project is due to be completed this year (2008). For more information see the entry for the Shropshire Regimental Museum and visit the pages on the Discovering Shropshire’s History website http://www.shropshireregiments.org.uk/.
Recordings relating to World War II: c.35 in total (Includes recordings solely focused on wartime experiences and life histories which include references to wartime experiences)
Subjects covered: Home Front • British Army (Kings Shropshire Light Infantry) • Womens Land Army
Format of recordings: Audio - all or some with transcripts
Access: AT2 - Requests for access should be made to Shropshire Archives (see website for contact details). KSLI project - Digitised recordings can be accessed on-line at http://www.discovershropshire.org.uk/.
Current status: The collection is still under development
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Shropshire Regimental Museum
The Castle, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 2AT
Contact: Peter Duckers, Curator
Telephone: 01743 358516	Fax:
Email: shropsrm@zoom.co.uk
Collection description: Records and Memories of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry - oral history project.
Recordings relating to World War II: 30 (Includes recordings solely focused on wartime experiences and life histories which include references to wartime experiences)
Subjects covered: Home Front • British Army (Northern Europe) • British Army (North Africa / Italy) • British Army (Burma / India) • Prisoners of War (in German / Italian camps)
Format of recordings: Audio - all or some with transcripts
Access: All the oral history recordings will be available on CD via Shropshire Archives and The Shropshire Regimental Museum. Short audio clippings are available on the website: http://www.shropshireregiments.org.uk/. Copies of the CDs may be available from the Shropshire Regimental Museum. Enquiries should be made to Peter Duckers who will discuss any charges to cover costs.
Current status: The collection is still under development (until April 2008)
Additional notes: Recordings in the collection include first hand accounts of retreat of Dunkirk; D-Day, of D-Day +3, and +8; Chindits and Orde Wingate; memories of the outbreak, and the end of WW2; experiences as a POW in Germany, and the death march of POWs in 1944/45.
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Worcestershire Record Office
County Hall Record Office, Spetchley Road, Worcester, Worcerstershire, WR5 2NP
Contact: Maggie Tohill, Head Of Reposotory (County Hall Branch)
Telephone: 01905 766351	Fax: 01905 766363
Email: RecordOffice@worcestershire.gov.uk
Collection description: The Record Office's oral history project was part of the office's marking of the 50th anniversary of the end of Word War II
Recordings relating to World War II: 160 (Recordings are solely focused on wartime experiences)
Subjects covered: Home Front • Evacuees • British Army (Northern Europe) • British Army (North Africa / Italy) • British Army (Burma / India) • British Army (other) • Royal Air Force (Bomber Command) • Royal Air Force (Fighter Command) • Royal Air Force (other) • Merchant Navy • Prisoners of War (in German/Italian camps) • Prisoners of War (in Japanese camps) • WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force) • WRNS (Women's Royal Naval Service) • Women's Land Army • German Prisoner of War (in Allied camps) • Dutch Prisoner of War (in Japanese camps)
Format of recordings: Audio - all or some with transcripts
Access: We are at present transcribing all the recordings. Once that work has been completed we will be developing a finding aid. Recordings have to be listened to in our public searchroom which is open Monday and Friday 9.30-19.00, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9.30-17.30 and Saturday 9.30-16.00. A CARN (County Archive Research Network) ticket is required. We have limited playback facilites so an appointment is essential. We also need prior notice to enable us to locate any recordings likely to be of interest to researchers. Usage restrictions depend on the terms of deposit agreed with the individual interviewee and vary from recording to recording. It may be possible to negotiate for copies of recordings, depending on what kind of copy is required, its purpose and any restrictions on copying placed on the recording by indivdual interviewwes.
Current status: The collection is no longer being developed
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