Burma Star Reminiscences At Cradlehall Primary

A group of Primary 7 pupils from Cradlehall Primary have welcomed the opportunity to take part in a project that commemorates the experiences of those who fought in Burma during World War II.

George Davidson of the 297 Inverness Battery Division and Dr James Leask, Regimental Medical Officer (RMO), were both posted in Burma between 1942 and 1945 and have agreed to meet the pupils and share their war time memories.

The pupils will have the opportunity to ask Mr Davidson and Dr Leask about their experiences, as well as look through old photographs and maps to give them an idea of what it was like during those years. The young people will then work with local artist Anna Nicol to produce a creative and evocative book recording the veterans’ memories, depicting images of the historic material, and incorporating the young people’s own artistic responses to the memories and historic material.

The project came about when Highland Council’s Schools’ Cultural Co-ordinator Caroline Leitch discovered that the Inverness branch of the Burma Star Association is planning a 50th anniversary exhibition of the Association at Inverness Museum & Art Gallery in May 2006.

Caroline met George Davidson at the museum to look at a photograph of his battery which he had donated to the museum several years ago. She learned that only four of the Inverness men in the photograph are still alive and she felt it important to record in some way their memories before they are lost forever. She said: "It is particularly important for the younger generation to learn about this part of their history and what better way than for them to meet the men who were directly involved in the Second World War."

Funding from the Scottish Museums Council has been secured for this project to go ahead.

Lawrence Sutherland, Head Teacher at Cradlehall Primary, was very keen for his senior pupils to become involved in the project. He said: "World War II is a popular topic with the children. Meeting individuals who were directly involved in the conflict allows the pupils to relate at a personal level with the former soldiers and the experiences they went through during the Burma campaign.

"In preparing for the meeting with George and James, the children have been studying aspects of the war in the far east and the role of the forgotten army. They were particularly moved by the inscription on the memorial at Kohima war cemetery:

"When You Go Home, Tell Them of Us and Say:

For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today."

The book and artwork recording of the veterans’ memories, created by the pupils from Cradlehall Primary, will be exhibited alongside the Burma Star exhibition at Inverness Museum & Art Gallery, 13th – 28th May, for the general public to look through and discover those stories for themselves.