Ceremony marks 75 years since the Windermere Boys arrived in Cumbria
A ceremony to mark 75 years since the Windermere Boys touched down in Cumbria, to start their new life, will take place at Carlisle Airport today.
In 1945, with no surviving family members, 300 boys and girls from concentration and labour camps in eastern Europe left their home countries behind to live in the Lake District.
The children flew from Prague to Crosby-on-Eden airport to start fresh near Ambleside, which they described as 'paradise'. They were given education, training and language skills, as well as counselling to help them integrate into British society.
The Lake District Holocaust Project is marking the landmark anniversary on the exact same day (14th August) from exactly that same place that the children touched down on British soil seventy five years ago.
The event, streamed live on LDHPUK Facebook page from 2pm, will take place at Carlisle Lake District Airport, with special guests such as Tom Palmer who will be reading extracts from his new book “After the War’ - telling the story of the children and their time in Windermere.
Belinda Hochland and David Shannon will also be there to talk about their close family links and show documents and artefacts from the child survivors, and extracts from the Immigration Officer's report on the day the children landed at Crosby on Eden will be read out by LDHP director, Trevor Avery.
The last remaining 'Windermere Boys' recreated a photograph, taken 75 years ago, before their journey to England.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic altering the scheduled, Trevor said they were determined to mark the historic moment.
He said: “ Carlisle Lake District Airport has been tremendously supportive in allowing access to views across the actual runway that the children touched down on in Stirling bombers so many years ago. It is going to be a hugely emotional moment.
“Some of the material and artefacts are truly incredible and we are proud and honoured tobe able to share the items and stories virtually with so many of the families and people inthe UK and overseas”.