Rarely seen correspondence between Battle of the Atlantic personnel and their families will be exhibited at Liverpool Town Hall as part of a series of events to mark Remembrance Sunday.
The display, in the Hall of Remembrance, includes the poignant ‘voices’ of ordinary Merseyside families caught up in the upheaval, grief and uncertainty of the Second World War.
The Western Approaches Museum has loaned letters and birthday cards written by Liverpool mothers to their sons serving with the Royal Navy during the campaign.
The letters will be available to the public on Friday 11 November and Sunday 13 November from 9am – 4pm in the Hall of Remembrance at Liverpool Town Hall.
The Remembrance Service will take place on Sunday 13 November, starting at 10.40am on St George’s Plateau. During the evenings of the 11th – 13th November, the Town Hall, St George’s Hall and the Cunard Building will be lit up red as a mark of respect to all those who served our city and our nation.
This year’s Remembrance Service will also reflect upon the sacrifices of servicemen and from Commonwealth countries.
Deputy Lord Mayor, Cllr Mary Rasmussen, said: “These letters are a poignant and powerful reminder of the emotional impact that the Battle of the Atlantic had, not just on those that took part but also their families.
“They demonstrate why we must never forget the sacrifices made by Armed Forces families and why it is really important to pay tribute to those who have served to protect and uphold the freedom we enjoy today.”
Dean Paton from the Western Approaches Museum, said: “They may have been written almost eight decades ago, but these heartfelt letters are as emotionally resonant today as the day that they were penned.
“We hope they will give visitors to the Hall of Remembrance some insight into the experiences and emotions of some of the ordinary mothers and sons of the city who lived through such extraordinary times.”
