Hungerford Library to host Their Finest Hour wartime memories collection day

A second wartime memories collection day is being held tomorrow.

West Berkshire’s second collection day is being held tomorrow (Thursday) at Hungerford Library from 10am until 2pm. No booking is required.

Their Finest Hour is a nationwide digital history project collecting and preserving Second World War-related stories and objects to create a free online public archive, before these are lost to history.

The project — run by the University of Oxford and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund — has coordinated 70 digital collection days throughout the UK — including 28 in November alone.

Interviews are conducted by volunteers and objects are photographed and recorded before being returned to their owner.

For a clearer idea of what to expect, watch the video below covering West Berkshire’s first digital collection day at Theale Library in November.

“Many of us have Second World War-related stories and objects that have been passed down to us from our parents, grandparents and other family members,” said project coordinator for outreach and media, Joseph Quinn.

“We are interested in preserving any war-related stories and objects, from the extraordinary to the seemingly ordinary.

“We want our archive to reflect the diverse experiences of all those affected by the war.”

This includes men and women working across British Empire and the Commonwealth; those who endured the daily struggle of rationing; served in or supported the Armed Forces; and who refused to fight for political or religious reasons.

The project team is also keen to hear children’s experiences of the war, including evacuees.

The final digital collection day in West Berkshire will be held at West Berkshire Museum on Wednesday, January 17 from 10am until 2pm.

Please contact gemma.taylor@westberks.gov.uk for further information or to volunteer at a collection day.

Those unable to contribute in-person can do so online at https://theirfinesthour.english.ox.ac.uk/ from the comfort of their home.

The online archive is due to be uploaded on June 6, 2024 to coincide with nationwide events commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day in 1944.