I was there

The « Shared History, shared memories » project was first developed in 2014 at the Lycée Senghor High school, Évreux with the association Deep Respect. It is a school project about the History of the Second World War that has become a long term programme about allowing pupils to meet veterans and their families raising the issues of peace and war as seen through the eyes of the people who were there.

Pupils have had the opportunity to experience History first hand, much differently than in class. They have become the bearers of the personal stories and memories that were portrayed to them. This collection of accounts is the result of these encounters.

Here are 15 experiences of the war that shattered Europe and the World 80 years ago. They are the voices of civilians (often children), veterans and members of the Résistance.

These are the original accounts from France, Britain and the U.S.A. published in English for the first time. They have been transcribed, translated and are now presented to you in that translation of the second edition of the collection of accounts to be published in 2020 in French.