What's on: 1940s Day in Darwen (From The Bolton News)

What's on: 1940s Day in Darwen

10:40am Thursday 2nd September 2010 in North West By Catherine Pye, Reporter

A SPECIAL 1940s Day event is taking place on Saturday in Darwen town centre.

The Soldiers Support Group of Darwen has organised the event, which features Forties music, dance, comedy, slides, food, film and military displays, to coincide with VJ (Victory over Japan) Day.

Darwen's Mayor will open the event, the town crier will be present and an air raid siren will start the day.

There will also be face painting, a bouncy Mickey Mouse and Kung Fu Lion Dance.

Never-before-seen images of everyday life for Darreners during the 1940s will be made public with a new DVD.

Put together by Jayne Waring of Darwen Research Group, the hour-long film shows street scenes, bomb damage, advertisements, local serving men and women during the war, and news clips from 1939 to 1949.

Priced £5, proceeds go to Darwen Soldiers Support Group.

And Andrew Schofield, of the North West Sound Archive based in Clitheroe Castle, will be looking to record personal memories of the Second World War, especially experiences of the Home Front.

Mr Schofield said: “Once people have died the memories are gone and we will never have them again.

“In 500 years we could come back and listen to the personal experiences and get an understanding of what that time was like for that person.

“If tape recorders had been invented in the 1400s or 1500s, we would have seen what it was like for ‘ordinary’ people and it would have greatly enhanced our understanding.

“If you read a book on the Battle of the Somme, then the amount of people killed are just figures, but if you listen to a survivor speaking about it, it brings history to life.”

He explained why he was particularly interest in the Home Front.

Mr Schofield added: “In Darwen we are specifically interested in the Home Front because it varies from town to town, and in countryside locations, experiences were different still.”

It is hoped the day could rival similar events in Haworth and Leeds, as well as the East Lancashire Railway War Weekend which attracts visitors from across the country to Bury, Ramsbottom and Rawtenstall.

The Soldiers Support Group, which has been operating in the town for 18 months, has already raised thousands for good causes.

Town Council members have thrown their weight behind the idea.

Coun Tony Melia said: “Anything we can do to bring the community together and help soldiers is great.”

Coun Phil Jones said: “I think it’s wonderful, marvellous, that members of the public want to do this.

“Hopefully it will help raise the profile of the town.”

* The 1940s Day is on Saturday, September 4 from 10.30am to 5pm in Darwen town centre.