Capturing war-time memories, before it is too late

With each passing year, less of the men and women who helped decision Nazi Germany and liberate Europe stay live to stock their stories. Before Remembrance Sunday - erstwhile the work and sacrifice of those who defended the country's state is commemorated - BBC News's Allan Little spoke to 3 veterans.

In 1943, an advert successful the Daily Gleaner paper , "Britain needs you," caught the oculus of a teen increasing up successful Jamaica, Neil Flanigan.

"As loyal members of the Empire, we thought that it was bully to spell and assistance the parent state astatine a clip erstwhile they were successful distress," helium says.

And helium sailed crossed the Atlantic, successful a radical of ships, to articulation the Royal Air Force (RAF).

"The German U-boats were picking america off, sinking us," Neil says. "We thought thing astir our idiosyncratic lives."

Neil is 1 of the past surviving members of the procreation whose younker was defined by World War Two.

Another, Christian Lamb, 102, from London, was successful France erstwhile warfare broke out.

"I'd gone determination to amended my French," she says. "I got a telegram from my father, saying, 'War declared. Return home.'"

Back successful the UK, Christian joined the Women's Royal Naval Service, known arsenic the Wrens, and was posted to Belfast.

She worked arsenic a plotter successful a representation room, tracking the advancement of the North Atlantic shipping convoys arsenic they tried to evade U-boat attacks.

One day, Royal Navy destroyer HMS Oribi arrived successful Belfast for repairs.

"Half a twelve of america went down to person a portion connected committee - and determination I met John Lamb, my aboriginal husband," Christian says.

Over the people of the Oribi's 10 days successful port, John and Christian fell successful emotion and became engaged.

But erstwhile Lt Lamb's vessel near Belfast to articulation a convoy, Christian wondered whether she would ever spot her fiance again.

Ahead of the 80th day of the extremity of World War Two, successful 2025, the BBC is trying to stitchery arsenic galore first-hand accounts from surviving veterans arsenic possible, to sphere them for aboriginal generations.

Working with a fig of partners, including the Normandy Memorial Trust and the Royal British Legion, the BBC has already spoken to galore men and women who served during the War - you tin ticker their testimonies here.

Growing up successful a Jewish household successful southbound London, Mervyn Kersh, present 97, had been pursuing quality of Hitler and the maturation of Nazi Germany since earlier the War.

"We knew what was happening to Jewish radical nether the Nazis - that was a large portion of wherefore I wanted to articulation up," helium says.

Mervyn joined the Royal Army Ordnance Corps - and soon aft his basal training, was heading to Normandy alongside an penetration force.

Meanwhile, the RAF had trained Neil successful avionics - the physics systems utilized connected aircraft.

And helium was stationed astatine bases crossed England, keeping bomber crews successful the air.

"The Germans bombed us, time and night," Neil says. "People from the Empire and Commonwealth died - galore of my colleagues who had volunteered to beryllium aircrew and rear gunners and engineers

"It was ghastly arsenic a young idiosyncratic watching decease - but I had a occupation to do, to get retired and support my craft to marque definite they'd alert safely."

In Belfast, Christian was tracking her fiance's convoy crossed the Atlantic, erstwhile it came nether onslaught from German U-boats.

"They were progressive successful this unspeakable battle," she says. "My friends urged maine to spell location - but I couldn't perchance permission the scene. It was a substance of beingness and decease for me. So I stayed, waiting for information, hoping."

Christian learned HMS Oribi had collided with a U-Boat and been damaged.

But she knew thing of the crew's destiny - until the vessel yet arrived successful Canada and John was capable to ringing to archer her helium was safe.

"There was thing for either of america to accidental - just, 'Thank goodness, convey goodness, convey goodness,'" Christian says.

When Christian was posted backmost to London, she was fixed a top-secret relation readying the D-Day landings, moving from a windowless basement bureau successful Whitehall.

"This was going to beryllium the astir extraordinary, tremendous penetration ever seen successful history," she says. "The full of my bureau was covered with tremendous maps of France.

"I didn't realise however important it was. I was sworn to secrecy. It was ingrained successful america that we didn't adjacent speech astir it aft the War - I didn't archer John till astir 50 years later."

Mervyn crossed the English Channel 3 days aft D-Day.

"That was the archetypal clip I truly realised what I was going into," helium says. "The escapade ceased to beryllium an escapade and I became frightened.

"I had a supplication publication with me, a Book of Psalms, which I did marque usage of, I indispensable admit".

Mervyn took portion successful the liberation of Europe, arsenic the Allied armies fought done France, Belgium, the Netherlands and into Germany.

"That was a marvellous feeling," helium says. "Our sanction was the British Liberation Army, past we abruptly changed to the British Army of the Rhine. We weren't liberators anymore, we were conquerors."

Just days aft its liberation, Mervyn arrived astatine the Bergen-Belsen attraction camp.

"I saw the radical who were capable to locomotion out," helium says. "I spoke to dozens of them - mostly men successful striped clothing. They were arsenic bladed arsenic anything, bladed faces, the arms conscionable bone. It was precise moving.

"I gave them my cocoa ration - it was lone weeks aboriginal that I learned cocoa is the worst happening you tin springiness idiosyncratic who hasn't eaten."

They are a singular generation.

The courageousness and sacrifice of their younker bequeathed to those who came later, these veterans shaped the satellite we grew up in.

The youngest are present successful their precocious 90s, portion immoderate - specified arsenic Christian - are centenarians.

It seems much important than ever to perceive to their stories and grounds their reflections for aboriginal generations.

After the War, Mervyn spent clip arsenic a door-to-door salesman - a occupation helium did not enjoy.

Later, helium worked for galore years arsenic a freelance journalist.

Christian joined John, wearing a wedding formal bought by her parent from a war-time catalogue.

The mates had a household and, successful her 80s, Christian began a palmy vocation arsenic an writer of books connected botanical history.

Neil settled successful the UK and raised a household here.

He was appointed an MBE successful designation of his work to his community.

"I deliberation I made a publication successful immoderate tiny way," helium says, "to marque Britain harmless and dependable today, a state that I inactive unrecorded successful and enjoy."

Do you oregon idiosyncratic you cognize person memories of World War Two? Please stock these experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Some of the stories collected whitethorn beryllium shared with our partners and utilized connected BBC News platforms.

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