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Our Greatest Generation

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Learning: Secondary

24/07/2015

BBC Two - Our Greatest Generation

Six elderly men and women tell their extraordinary, inspirational life stories.

To mark the 70th anniversary of VE Day, six men and women women who lived through the war tell their extraordinary, inspirational life stories for a young audience.

To mark the 70th anniversary of VE Day the BBC broadcast a four part television series called Britain's Greatest Generation, which told the epic life stories of some of the extraordinary men and women who lived through the war. Now, six of those incredible people tell their stories for a younger audience. 
 
Jim Purcell grew up in Jarrow and was so poor he often went to school without shoes. As a way of escape 16-year-old Jim joined the Territorial Army, and soon went to France to fight the Germans.  

When he was 60, inspirational Jim took up running and has since run the Great North Run and the London Marathon many times. 

Dorothy Hughes grew up in a strict Victorian family in Wales. When the war broke out she rebelled and joined the Army as a gunner, where she helped overcome prejudice aimed towards women. After the war, Dorothy became one of the first women in Britain to become a Chelsea Pensioner.

Gus Bialick grew up in the East End of London. His Jewish parents had fled to Britain from Poland in 1905 to escape persecution, and his father later fought in WW1. When the Second World War broke out, Gus followed in his father's footsteps and joined the army.

Today, Gus is so thankful for the opportunities that Britain gave to him and his family, that he loves telling school children all about his experiences.  

Elaine Kidwell grew up in Swansea, where she joined the Girl Guides. When the war broke out, 17-year-old Elaine became one of Britain's youngest Air Raid Wardens and helped to treat people injured during the Swansea blitz. Even today, Elaine tries to do a good deed every day.
  
Connie Hoe was born in London's Chinatown in the 1920s. During the war she married a sailor, brought up a daughter, and along with many of Chinatowns' residents was evacuated to the safety of the Oxfordshire countryside during the London blitz. Today, she loves talking to her great grandchildren about her childhood.

Freddie Hunn grew up in the seaside town of Great Yarmouth, where he loved playing in the sand dunes while reciting the words to his favourite poems. Inspired by tales of adventure and derring-do, Freddie lied about his age to join the Army when he was just 16, and later fought in the deserts of North Africa. In times of danger, he would often recite poetry to inspire his men. Freddie passed away two days after giving his interview, a reminder that Our Greatest Generation will not be with us forever.

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