Public asked to share ‘Letters from the Frontline’ for a new exhibition at the National Memorial Arboretum

Members of the public are being encouraged to share letters from the Second World War for a new oral history project at the National Memorial Arboretum developed in partnership with local BBC radio stations across the Midlands. ‘Letters from the Frontline’ will explore the changing experiences and emotions of Armed Forces personnel and their families during 1945, throughout the final months of the Second World War.

A selection of the correspondence shared with the BBC will be brought to life through recitals by family members or actors, creating a gallery of stories for the free to enter ‘Letters from the Frontline’ exhibition that will open at the Arboretum on 3 May. The original correspondence will be framed and displayed in the exhibition alongside the recordings.

“Despite the success of D-Day, Monte Cassino, and the Burma Campaign in 1944 having offered glimmers of hope, 1945 was still an incredibly challenging year,” said Rachel Smith, Head of Learning and Participation at the National Memorial Arboretum. “While the tide had turned, the war would continue for several months, and families exchanging letters with loved ones on the frontline had renewed hope that they would survive to see peace once again. ‘Letters from the Frontline’ will tell the story of those final months of the Second World War, with correspondence to and from Armed Forces personnel charting the journey from trepidation to jubilation, as six gruelling years of conflict finally came to an end.”

“We want to tell the story of the war through the letters written back and forth, to and from the front lines,” said Amy Ford, BBC Project Lead. “Dig out the family archive and together we can bring treasured family memories to life and help preserve them for future generations. ‘Letters from the Frontline’ at the National Memorial Arboretum will share the personal stories of Armed Forces personnel and their families from across the Midlands and showcase their reactions to the pivotal moments of VE Day and VJ Day.”

The ‘Letters from the Frontline’ exhibition, in partnership with BBC radio stations across the Midlands, forms part of the National Memorial Arboretum’s ‘The Year Was 1945…’ commemorative programme which focuses on two major anniversaries: Victory in Europe (VE) Day on 8 May and Victory over Japan (VJ) Day on 15 August. This special programme of activities features a series of exhibitions, events, services, talks and tours, opening a window in time to 1945, sharing the stories of those who lived and served 80 years ago.

The deadline for submissions to the project is 28 March 2025. To participate, people can share information about their letters here.

To learn more about ‘The Year Was 1945…’, visit the Arboretum’s website.