IWM and CBBC presenter Ben Shires are entrusting you with a super secret Family Mission. Our mission’s code name is: Operation “Titanic” and the success of D-Day depends on it!
Your full mission briefing can be found here: http://ow.ly/iMxl50zYVe1
Ted Cordery was a torpedoman on board HMS Belfast. On D-Day, his job was to operate the ship’s crane and lift the wounded soldiers being brought from the beaches on board to be treated in the ship’s sickbay.
He has never forgotten what he witnessed on D-Day, nor what it was like to watch small landing craft full of men headed to the beaches passing HMS Belfast.
Watch in full: https://bit.ly/3eEIdsO
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Ahoy there! It is Family Mission time and CBBC Presenter Ben Shires needs your help to solve a problem on board HMS Quiff…
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It’s time to dust off those paint brushes, pencils and crayons and get creative with IWM expert, Paris!
This week we want you to take inspiration from the British war artists from the First and Second World Wars whose job it was to record the many different aspects of war; from queuing up at the shops to fighter planes in the skies over London.
Your mission is to pick up a pencil, crayon or paintbrush and create a picture of life at home during lockdown.
Send us your pictures in the comments below!
Voices of War #Victory75
“It was all so sad. But there was the other side that was so wonderful.”
On VE Day, join together with those who were there on 8 May 1945. Listen to Voices of War here: https://bit.ly/2WbKzsY #Victory75
Voices of War #Victory75
What did victory really mean?
From Prime Minister Winston Churchill, to the people on the ground, hear the story of VE Day from those who were there with our three Voices of War sound compilations. We'll be live from 6.00 AM on Friday. Find out more: http://bit.ly/39Cdvyj #Victory75
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This week your mission is to put yourself in the shoes (or the taste-buds!) of families in the Second World War.
Rationing meant that foods such as eggs, butter and meat were often in short supply. Ingenuity and inventiveness were needed to satisfy a family’s sweet tooth.
Get together to try this Eggless Jam Sponge recipe, hot from the IWM archives, and solve the mystery of how to bake an eggless cake.
Tell us what you think in the comments below!
Family Mission Letters Home
What would you say if your only means of communicating with your family was a 25 word message that would take months to arrive?
This week IWM expert Ngaire sets your first challenge from her home floating on the River Thames:
Ron Yardley, Christmas Cake
‘My mother was probably the world’s best cook. And when I left home, she baked me a Christmas cake. And posted it in the first week of November…’
This Mother’s Day hear Ron Yardley, a Korean War veteran on HMS Belfast, talk about his mother’s Christmas cake delivery.
Can you guess how long it took to finally arrive?
'Ah, the mighty Belfast' - HMS Belfast veteran Mike Matthews.mp4
"Ah, the mighty Belfast".
As HMS Belfast's 82nd birthday approaches, we're revisiting the words and experiences of those who served on her—like engineer Mike Matthews.
You can see hear more from other HMS Belfast veterans here: http://bit.ly/2IIwb3N
Voices of War #Victory75
What did victory really mean?
To mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, we’re going to find out by bringing some of the UK’s busiest spaces to a standstill with voices of the past.
From our rich sound archive, we’re broadcasting the first-hand memories of those who witnessed VE Day, VJ Day and the dropping of the atomic bombs, to hear the personal responses to the end of the most devastating conflict in modern global history.
In addition to IWM sites, we’re calling on public venues and organisations to broadcast these important voices too. You can register your interest and find out more about our #Victory75 programme here: http://bit.ly/39Cdvyj
Ron Yardley's Christmas Cake
Ron Yardley was 18 years old in 1950 and serving on HMS Belfast during the festive season. His parents carefully dispatched a Christmas cake to their son... but it would be a while before he could tuck into the sweet treat!
Today is Remembrance Sunday, when those who have died in conflict are remembered across the nation.
Leading Seaman Torpedoman Ted Cordery was on board HMS Belfast on D-Day. The ship supported the landings and cared for the wounded who were brought on board for medical treatment. Ted has never forgotten what he saw that day and the lives that were lost.
Sound on 🔊
We know you love HMS Belfast, but have you experienced a Duxford Air Show?
We’ve 20 Spitfires confirmed at Imperial War Museums’ Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show this weekend, 21 & 22 September. We can’t begin to describe the sights, the sounds, the feeling.
Treat the family to an unforgettable day out and make memories together. Travel by train to Cambridge or Royston and take the shuttle bus, free for tickets holders and a short hop to the show!
Tickets only available in advance, book now: http://bit.ly/2AqnOpt
'We are the last generation of veterans who remember D-Day in the way that it was'
It was a privilege to be joined by veterans on board HMS Belfast today and hear their memories of D-Day. #DDay75 Blind Veterans UK
Learn more about the role HMS Belfast played on D-Day and hear the voices of some of the men who witnessed the events of that day.
Step on board this weekend to explore the story further and see where history happened. http://ow.ly/rIMg50uxBPe #DDay75
Today marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the largest combined land, sea and air operation in the history of warfare.
Hear IWM curator John Delaney explain how Operation Overlord was planned: http://ow.ly/pa8R50uxBxq
#DDay75
All summer children are invited to explore HMS Belfast and the history of D-Day. This weekend, take part in a packed programme of activities and discover how the ship played a part in D-Day on 6 June 1944.
Find hidden messages, predict the weather for sailing, discover ship life and crack Morse code. Collect your Kit Bag on board to begin your mission.
More details and to book your visit to IWM Duxford, click here: http://bit.ly/2EU3AXG #DDay75
'So many of them didn’t make it…' Ted Cordery was a Leading Seaman Torpedoman on board HMS Belfast and watched landing craft pass the ship on their way to the D-Day beaches.
You can discover more about Ted’s experiences in Serving the Seas, an interactive exhibition on board HMS Belfast. http://ow.ly/ZUvr50utyJF #DDay75
It's not every day you see a Spitfire on your way to work!
To mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, we have placed a replica Supermarine Spitfire at London Bridge Station. Watch it being installed...
The Spitfire has travelled from IWM Duxford to take up residence at the station, just a few yards away from HMS Belfast.
Find out more about how we are commemorating #DDay75 across our museums: http://ow.ly/O2nM50utzSS
Mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day with IWM Membership and receive a limited edition commemorative anniversary pack. Become a member for a year of great days out.
Ask our admissions team on arrival, or buy online in advance: http://bit.ly/2UPodxH
John Harrison on HMS Belfast
John Harrison joined HMS Belfast in 1939 during the early months of her service. He recalls: “[There’s] something about some ships, you love as soon as you go on … From the moment I went on [the Belfast] … there was something”. Today marks the 81st anniversary of the ship’s launch.
Mike Matthews was an Acting Sub Lieutenant when he joined HMS Belfast in August 1961. He says: “When I go back on board the ship I get a tingle, which takes me back fifty odd years … I would just like to feel that … when they go on board, [visitors] get a little tingle too”.
Join us on board the ship today, the 81st anniversary of her launch: http://ow.ly/bIO850ngh1C
Relive the moment the guns of HMS Belfast sounded last year to mark her 80th anniversary.
Come on board this weekend and learn more about the history of this special ship on her 81st birthday. http://ow.ly/Z9vh50ngh0b
This Sunday marks the anniversary of HMS Belfast’s St Patrick’s Day launch. Last year, veterans who called the ship home joined us to celebrate her 80th birthday.
Come on board this weekend and learn more about the history of her service: https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/hms-belfast
Ted Cordery on HMS Belfast
Tune in to BBC Four tonight at 10pm and catch Britain at War: Imperial War Museum at 100. The programme, which was first broadcast in 2017 to mark IWM’s centenary, takes a look ten notable objects in IWM’s collections – including its largest, HMS Belfast. In this clip, Bear Grylls ventures onto HMS Belfast to speak to D-Day veteran Ted Cordery about his time on board.
Veterans awarded Légion d’honneur on board HMS Belfast
'Today means memory of many, many men who were with me'
Yesterday, four D-Day veterans were awarded the Légion d’honneur, France's highest honour, during a ceremony on HMS Belfast.
Hear from them about their memories of D-Day and what it means to receive the honour. #DDay75
John Harrison was a Petty Officer Ordnance Artificer with the Royal Navy when he joined HMS Belfast in 1939. He served in the ship during the early months of her service off the coast of Great Britain and the Atlantic. Doris, his future wife, sent him a note promising she would be waiting to welcome him home.
In this clip, John recalls how he won her heart with his piano playing skills – and imparts some wise words for a happy marriage!
Ron ‘Norman’ Yardley was 18 years old in 1950 and serving in HMS Belfast during the festive season. When he left home, his parents sent him a Christmas cake, but it would be a while before this special treat reached him at sea!
Step on board HMS Belfast to learn more about the story of the ship and the men who called her home.
Ron ‘Norman’ Yardley was 18 years old in 1950 and serving in HMS Belfast during the festive season. When he left home, his parents sent him a Christmas cake, but it would be a while before this special treat reached him at sea!
Step on board HMS Belfast to learn more about the story of the ship and the men who called her home.
HMS Belfast was launched in 1938 and played a leading role in the Battle of North Cape and the Normandy landings. Visitors can experience nine decks of living history on this huge and complex warship which provides a unique insight into naval history
