Wednesday 00:01
As the nation prepares for solemn ceremonies to remember Britain's war dead, the Big Lottery Fund today (Wednesday November 10) announced new awards for Second World War veterans to revisit the battlefronts where they saw action 60 years ago through the multi-million pound Heroes Return scheme.
Memories of the Dambusters and of the war in Europe figure strongly in the travel awards announced today for veterans, widows, spouses and carers from across the UK.
The Big Lottery Fund is today announcing funding for 644 people in the UK to revisit historic locations under the Heroes Return scheme. The announcement brings to more than 18,699 the number of veterans, widows, spouses and carers to benefit from the scheme since its launch in February.
The historic Dambusters bombing of the Moehne and Eder dams in 1943 was recalled as four veterans, together with a war widow and carers, used their Heroes Return grants to travel to the Netherlands with comrades from the 617 Squadron Aircrew Association to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the death of Dambusters' leader, Wing Commander Guy Gibson, and Squadron Leader Jim Warwick at Steenbergen on 19th September 1944.
The group was led by Chris Henderson of Pateley Bridge, Harrogate, who served with the RAF in the 1970s. "The Heroes Return scheme offered a wonderful opportunity for these gentlemen to remember their comrades," says Chris, "and I know the visit to the graves of Guy Gibson and Jim Warwick at Steenbergen cemetery was very important to all of them.
"As always, the Association members received tremendous hospitality from our Dutch hosts, Jan and Connie van den Driesschen, who have looked after the graves for the past 37 years.
"Gray Ward, a former pilot from Barnes, London, and Charles Avey, a former air gunner from Amesbury, Wiltshire, laid wreaths from the 617 Squadron and 83 Squadron associations at the memorial at the Steenbergen cemetery gates, together with Alex McKie, a former navigator from Long Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne, and former air gunner Don Sargison from Coventry.
"Also accompanying the party was Doris Fraser from Vancouver, Canada but originally from Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Doris is the widow of John Fraser who was shot down over the Moehne Dam and, after a miraculous escape from the exploding aircraft, was captured and spent the rest of the war as a POW.
"Thanks to the Heroes Return awards scheme these veterans were able to commemorate not just the sacrifice of Guy Gibson and Jim Warwick but also that of their comrades who died throughout Europe when serving with 617 Squadron between 1943 and 1945."
Also among those receiving awards today is 83-year-old Harry Riley from Leeds. Most of his war service with the RAF was in the Mediterranean and North Africa, though he'd also been in France right up to the Dunkirk evacuation.
"I joined up in 1939. I could see the war coming, and my five brothers were already in the services," says Harry, who lives in Leeds. "Between us, we were in the army, navy, air force as well as the fire service. My three sisters worked on munitions in Leeds. So the Riley family did its bit for the war effort, and I'm proud of all of them. My brothers are all dead now, and one of my sisters died recently."
Harry has just been back to Egypt with support from the Big Lottery Fund's Heroes Return scheme, and still feels very emotional about the visits he made to war cemeteries there. "I found the graves of two pilot officers who were shot down. I knew them well, and it affected me deeply.
"I was a corporal fitter, but we were all friends. There was no such thing as rank in the desert. We all worked together and just got on with it.
"I still have a diary from my time in the desert, and it has the names of the pilots and other comrades who didn't make it back," adds Harry Riley. "I never forget them. The Big Lottery Fund's scheme has been very important for me to make this trip, and I know it is greatly appreciated by veterans all over the country"
Big Lottery Fund Chief Executive Stephen Dunmore said: "The Fund is concerned that every veteran who might be able to make use of a Heroes Return grant should apply for one."
"The grants come from the good causes money contributed by people buying National Lottery tickets and we know that spending on Heroes Return has tremendous public support. It recognises the great sacrifices made by men and women of Britain's wartime generation to defend liberty and democracy, and we believe it is important that those who served in the war, and their surviving spouses, should be able to make a visit to places of great significance to them.
"Our message to war veterans and widows is very straightforward: if you'd like to revisit a place where you or your partner served during the war, please contact the Heroes Return hotline on 0845 4 10 20 30 to discuss claiming a grant."
HEROES RETURN INQUIRY NUMBER 0845 4 10 20 30
Notes to Editors: VETERANS REUNITED In January 2004 the Big Lottery fund launched its Veterans Reunited programme to provide funding to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the events leading up to the end of World War Two. The programme comprises three different schemes: Heroes Return, Their Past Your Future, and Home Front Recall. Taken together, these three schemes will help ensure that all generations of UK residents can commemorate the 60th anniversary together, both at home and abroad.
Heroes Return This £10 million scheme provides funding to Second World War veterans, their wives/husbands, widows/widowers and, where required, their present-day carers to visit the overseas areas where the veterans saw active service. By linking with activities funded through the Their Past Your Future scheme, Heroes Return is also helping to give young people a better understanding of the efforts and sacrifices made by veterans. Commemorative visits can take place at any time during 2004-2005 and grants can be made both to veterans' organisations and individual veterans. Applications must be submitted by 31 March 2005.
Their Past Your Future Their Past Your Future is a UK-wide schools and education scheme to give young people the opportunity to learn first-hand from veterans about their experience of war. The Big Lottery Fund is working closely with the Imperial War Museum and the museums, libraries and archives sector UK-wide to help young people to research and learn about the personal experiences and roles played by forces personnel and civilians. Competitions have enabled schools to take part in World War Two related visits with veterans and further competition trips are planned for 2005. The Imperial War Museum is developing a website (www.theirpast-yourfuture.org.uk) with a wide range of resources for schools to use and details of projects delivered by museums across the UK.
Home Front Recall Home Front Recall is providing grants of between £500 and £20,000 for regional and local projects across the UK in 2004-2005 that commemorate the events of the Second World War and the contributions of different groups in society. The scheme can fund a very wide range of projects including special community days; reunions and exhibitions; recordings of the experiences of those who lived through the War; plays and pieces of creative artwork. In addition, the scheme is funding a number of national grants to organisations such as the TUC to fund a range of commemorative activities. Applications must be submitted by 31 March 2005. Home Front Recall's Public Enquiries Line 08457 458 458 Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
*Big Lottery Fund * Big Lottery Fund is the joint operating name of the New Opportunities Fund and the National Lottery Charities Board (which made grants under the name of the Community Fund). The Big Lottery Fund, launched on 1 June 2004, is distributing half of all National Lottery good cause funding across the UK. * The Big Lottery Fund is building on the experience and best practice of the merged bodies to simplify funding in those areas where they overlap and to ensure Lottery funding provides the best possible value for money. To date, the two merged Funds have committed more than £5 billion to initiatives with national, regional and local partners from the public, voluntary, charity and private sectors, with a particular focus on disadvantage.
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