Clips
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Antiques Roadshow Remembrance Special - Boer War Story Duration: 04:01
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Antiques Roadshow Remembrance Special - British Legion Poppy Story Duration: 03:45
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Antiques Roadshow Remembrance Special - German POW Toy Duration: 02:42
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Antiques Roadshow Remembrance Special - Helped by French Resistance Duration: 04:32
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Antiques Roadshow Remembrance Special - Mussolini's Door Handles Duration: 03:00
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Antiques Roadshow Remembrance Special - Prince Andrew Interview Duration: 02:26
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My memories of the Remembrance Roadshow
"I can honestly say I felt privileged to be part of the Roadshow's remembrance programme. The people that came along to see us and the stories they told us will stay with me for a long time.
"One lady in particular, Zdenka Fantlova, made a lasting impression. She survived six concentration camps, endured horrors the like of which most of us can't begin to comprehend, yet never lost the will to live or her optimism for a better future. During her time in the camps she kept a little tin ring, made for her by her boyfriend. She risked her life to keep this humble object that meant so much to her. Her boyfriend did not survive the camps. But Zdenka's love for him and the tin ring did."
Fiona Bruce -
My memories of the Remembrance Roadshow
"I was deeply honoured to be asked to take part in this Remembrance Special Antiques Roadshow. The thing that struck me the most about our venue, the National Memorial Arboretum, was the diversity of the memorials. I was awestruck by the magnificence of the Armed Forces, and later spent some time finding the names on the walls of two chaps I knew who had fallen in Northern Ireland and the Falklands.
"I enjoyed meeting all of my guests, hearing their stories and viewing their treasured objects. They were all wonderful and reminded me that although warfare is humanity’s most self-destructible trait, it also brings out the very best of the human spirit.
"Of the stories I encountered on the day of our recording, I was particularly humbled to see the George Cross and George Medal group awarded to Commander Turner RNVR for defusing unexploded bombs and mines. It is hard to imagine the courage exhibited by this gallant naval officer as he went about this dangerous work day after day. Every time he started to unscrew a fuse he could never be sure that it would not be the last thing that he ever saw. His determination to keep doing this is remarkable. Without his brave dedication many civilians would have been killed. It was a privilege to see his medals and to hear his story.
"It is all too easy to take courage and self-sacrifice for granted. This programme will, I hope, go some way to making sure that those who gave their lives for the sake of our country will never be forgotten."
Bill Harriman, militaria expert -
My memories of the Remembrance Roadshow
"I was honoured to be one of the four Experts chosen to take part in the recording at the National Memorial Arboretum.
"The day of the recording was gloriously sunny, with not a cloud in the sky. We each had five stories to record throughout the day, several of which are shown in the final programme and the others can be seen for a limited time using the red button.
The most moving story, for me, was told by the son of a member of a special force of soldiers from World War Two called the Chindits. These brave and hardy men were fighting the Japanese by penetrating deep into the Burmese jungle for months on end.
"There are thousands of war memorials all over Great Britain, almost in every village, but the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum gives a focal point for families of those brave service men and women who have been killed since 1945. During one of my recordings at the Armed Forces Memorial I noticed a family standing quietly at one of the walls of names and I was incredibly moved by the sight of them touching the name of their loved one who had been killed in action.
"It was a truly meaningful day for me."
Graham Lay, militaria expert -
My Memories of the Remembrance Roadshow
"I had expected the Remembrance Roadshow to be filled with tales of courage under fire in theatres of war; what I did not expect were stories of humanity, human frailty and the power of love. Under cloudless skies and surrounded by the names of the fallen and battalion memorials, families talked about their own heroes.
"Each and every story that I heard that day was extraordinary, but the letter left by Teddy for his wife in case he failed to return silenced the arboretum.
"As Teddy’s granddaughter read his words she, along with most of us listening, struggled to keep her composure as he wrote of his love for his wife, for his new baby, and for his country. I challenge anybody to read Teddy’s letter here on the website and remain unmoved."
Hilary Kay -
My memories of the Remembrance Roadshow
"Having known about the Remembrance Roadshow since it was little more than an idea, I had always wanted to take part, and so was both delighted, and honoured, to be part of the team at the National Arboretum.
"The stories we had to share with the families were all remarkable, and I hope I was able to do them justice. The one that I shall always remember was my conversation with the grandson of a Polish airman serving with RAF Bomber Command.
"The story was unusually exciting but what moved me particularly was that I was talking to his grandson who had worked hard to put together the fragments of an almost lost family story, a wonderful example of memory and history crossing generations."
Paul Atterbury -
A poignant message of love and loss
The story of Teddy Burrell's bravery was told by his grandaughter on the Remembrance Roadshow. His last letter to his beloved wife Maisie - a moving extract of which was read to Hilary Kay on the programme - is transcribed here in full and provides testament to the love and loss felt by so many.
TEDDY'S LETTER:
Croft 2nd May 1942.
Dearest,
It’s now about 7pm, & I have about three hours to wait before I do a slot of night-flying training, so I thought I’d try & do a bit of explaining to you.
When you read this letter one of two things will have probably happened.
Either I shall be home, off ‘operations’ or I shall be missing, that is why I want to write this letter dearest.
I think I had better start from the beginning but if this seems a bit confused forgive me because it seems awkward to explain myself.
Well to start with as you now, I gave up a comparatively safe progressive ground job to become an air-gunner.
I could have got out of it but I hadn’t the 'guts'. Some people may think I’m a fool but I believed that by flying I could perhaps help in a very small way to bringing this awful war to a quicker close.
I believed also that by marrying you I was given the right to protect you, I could do this by helping, again in my own small way, is actually fighting in this war.
Well my darling, you know how I became an air gunner, how I went to Ireland on defiant Night fighters, as far as operational flying went this was pretty safe. I considered myself lucky,
I was satisfied too that at last I was doing something, although not much compared with others. Then the squadron started to lose their defiants and air gunner were no longer needed. I tried with the rest of the chaps to become a radio observer but the air ministry said no, so after about three weeks wasted training we were all posted. Two of us eventually arrived here at croft.
Now this is where I have to confess to deceiving you darling, I’ve never done it before, I hope I never have to do it again, I hope you understand that I had to I couldn’t help it.
I wrote to you when I arrived here I said that apart from a few normal changes this station was the same, I couldn’t understand why I had been posted. That was wrong as I have already explained why I was posted.
The main thing was that I didn’t say what aircraft I was to fly in, well they were big four engine Halifax’s, understand darling, I was to fly over Germany of a night & also sometimes of a day. It was the one thing you dreaded wasn’t it? That’s the reason why I didn’t tell you.
I hadn’t the heart darling I love you too much... at the moment there are only two months to go before our baby comes into this world.
I don’t think that it would do you any good, your health, to know what I was doing & too worry as I know you would.
I believe that for this once that what the mind doesn’t know the heart doesn’t grieve you do understand and forgive me dearest don’t you? If anything does happen to me you will know I think that will be soon enough.
Again I could have out of flying but again I hadn’t the gut. If I had refused to fly I would not be a Sgt long but that didn’t worry me the thing that did was the fact that I would be branded as yellow, I couldn’t stand that. You see my point darling?
What could I do? As far as I could see I could do nothing except hope I got away ok.
I’ve got 30 trips to do at the present rate should only take about three months. I sharnt start for about a month as I have to get used to the new aircraft. Taking into consideration all this, hoping nothing extraordinary happens, I should be off flying about September, this is only a rough guess though.
After my 30 trips I shall become an instructor, I shall not be called on to fly on operations again.
30 trips may sound a lot but it’s not really, there are hundreds of chaps that have done 30 trips and volunteered for more, it’s just luck and I am praying I have good luck, not for myself but for your sake, I don’t ever want you to be unhappy darling.
If you do happen to get this letter in unhappy circumstances, which I pray to god you won’t, remember darling unhappy moments often turn into happy ones.
Never give up hope.
There are hundreds who become prisoner’s and are not found for months and months, don’t give up hope until after the war, when you can be certain , keep your chin up, take care of yourself and always keep smiling.
Let the world see that smile that I love so much, whatever happens I shall remember you with your smile beloved, it’s a wonderful and sweet memory.
Have faith in god my darling and remember I always loved you dearly and always will.
You are my most precious possession and I wish I could take care of you as I would like to, but that will have to wait until this war is over.
Well darling I think this is about all.
I haven’t told anyone yet but I think I will tell cis and give her this letter to give to you, I am not writing to mum, I would like you to explain to her if you will darling.
I am afraid this letter is a bit confused but I keep thinking of you and can’t help it, I hope I haven’t missed anything, I don’t think so,
Well darling, to close I want to wish you every happiness forever and I hope I can give you all of it.
I love you my dearest more than anything in the world, remember don’t give up hope and keep your chin up darling. Au revior, not goodbye beloved,
Yours with all my love my dearest
Teddy
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Teddy Burrell's last letter
Credits
- Series Editor
- Simon Shaw
- Presenter
- Fiona Bruce
- Producer
- Louise Hibbins
