D-Day on the Â鶹ԼÅÄ
bbc.co.uk and Â鶹ԼÅÄi
Anyone watching one of the Â鶹ԼÅÄ's
D-Day programmes who wants to find out more need only go to bbc.co.uk/ww2
or use the red button on their remote for a comprehensive guide to what's
on.
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They can watch real accounts from veterans on interactive
TV, add their own or their family's stories to the People's War website
and find out the facts behind the events of June 1944 on bbc.co.uk and
Â鶹ԼÅÄi.
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The central site for all D-Day related material on bbc.co.uk/ww2
provides online users with comprehensive information on D-Day and links
to related Â鶹ԼÅÄ sites from WW2 People's War and History to Radio 4, News
and On This Day.
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WW2 People's War
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bbc.co.uk/ww2 aims to capture and preserve for future
generations the personal and family stories of the people who lived
and fought during World War Two.
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This community-based website aims to create the largest-ever
archive of personal experiences of World War Two and the project is
supported by the Â鶹ԼÅÄ's Outreach programme, whereby veterans can obtain
technical help with adding their stories online.
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Those needing assistance can call 08000 150950 to find
out their nearest centre.
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Visitors to the site can browse hundreds of stories,
add their own or their family's memories and photos of World War Two,
and join in related discussions and forums.
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History
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bbc.co.uk/history offers a compelling, in-depth portrait
of World War Two and the events of D-Day itself through feature articles,
photo galleries, interactive movies and animated maps.
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Visitors can listen to the Voices of D-Day – an
audio gallery with interview extracts from some of the American, British,
French and German soldiers featured in the D-Day – or launch the
D-Day Count-up, a minute-by-minute description of the Longest Day, exactly
as it unfolded 60 years ago.
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They will also have the chance to take on the role of
an SOE agent behind enemy lines in an animated quiz, Destination D-Day.
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On This Day
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bbc.co.uk/onthisday covers more than 50 key events from
World War Two.
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Media reportage and audio/video clips reveal how some
of the most iconic and defining events of the war were recounted at
the time, and links to individuals' stories on WW2 People's War offer
a unique personal view of proceedings.
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A timeline provides online users with a wider view
of international wartime events.
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Radio 4
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bbc.co.uk/radio4 has comprehensive information on the
network's D-Day related programming and the Listen Again facility enables
listeners to catch up on items they may have missed or to listen again
to favourites.
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News
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bbc.co.uk/news also ties in with the D-Day celebrations.
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Interactive - Red button
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From Sunday 30 May until Sunday 6 June, digital viewers
can use their red button to find out more about the D-Day season; watch
personal testimonies from veterans; and view an On This Day mini-movie.
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The Veterans Remember section and On This Day will change
daily to provide viewers with both the facts and the personal stories
behind D-Day and on Sunday 6 June, On This Day gives an hourly update
of the key events that took place 60 years ago.
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Interactive – mobile phone
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There is also an exciting interactive mission that viewers
can take part in.
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Using SMS mobile phone technology, players will take
on the role of a secret agent in the SOE (Special Operations Executive).
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These agents were charged with the jobs of surveillance,
sabotage and trying to deceive the Nazi regime into thinking that the
imminent invasion would come through the Pas de Calais, rather than
Normandy.
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Tasks and assignments, based on real-life D-Day missions,
are allocated to players via text message.
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Agents' performance in the field will be assessed and
those who successfully complete the mission will be entered into a prize
draw to meet an SOE veteran and take part in a day's tank driving.
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This is a non-profit making experience available on
all mobile networks and handsets.
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All texts and calls will be charged at standard rates
and the whole mission will cost no more than £2.50.
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Real life stories from the People's War at bbc.co.uk/ww2
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The following are extracts from some of the 17,000 contributions
that have already been submitted to the People's War.
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The archive of wartime memories will be a lasting resource
and unique legacy for future generations.
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Stan Veasey from Leicester explains how he nearly missed
out on being part of D-Day altogether when he fell asleep in Gosport
harbour:
"When I eventually awoke, the hard was deserted, except for
a few ever-present Military Police. After a moment of panic, I realised
that obviously everyone had embarked. Eventually I saw a couple of our
fellows looking over the rail high up on deck. By choosing my moments
I was able to sneak aboard. I would imagine I am unique in the annals
of the British Army in being the only soldier who had to ask 'Please
can I join your invasion?'"
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Laurie Burn from Harrogate tells how he and his brother,
Pete, nearly drowned in their amphibious craft:
"We were swamped by the incoming high tide, which flooded the
engine compartment. There was nothing left to do but evacuate, but first,
we fired our guns as long as we could – and Pete gathered together
all his various tins of cigarettes!... It never crossed my mind that
we could lose the war, we were too young to think otherwise."
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Reg A Clarke from Luton tells of the carnage he witnessed
on Juno beach:
"At the uppermost part of the beach I saw firing coming from
a bombed house, just beyond the formidable sea wall of concrete. A nasty
wire fence just in front of the concrete wall was decorated with sprawled
bodies of about 20 Canadians; one was headless... but the most ironic
was one young infantryman being supported by the fence in a kneeling
and praying position."
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James Kyle from New Milton, Hants, was a pilot with
197 Typhoon Squadron on D-Day:
"Immediately the wheels of my aircraft left the ground I was
confronted by an almost unbelievable panorama of ships of all shapes
and sizes, grouped together as far as the eye could see... The Isle
of Wight was surrounded and appeared as if it was being towed out to
sea."
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Arthur Berry from Stockport tells his story of landing
at Bernieres sur Mer:
"The landing craft which I was on ran aground on a sand bank
and after much cursing and swearing broke free with the tide coming
in... we had been issued with 'waders' made of the same flimsy material
as the army gas capes and as soon as one stepped off the landing craft,
they ripped apart and filled up with water."
(LH)
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