Year 6 Visit to The Fusilier Museum, Bury

Year 6 enriched our learning in our History topic of World War II by visiting The Fusiliers Museum.  Here we spent a day learning all about what life was like on the Home Front for the men, women and children who lived through the Second World War.

We began with an introduction to family life during the war, led by our leader for the morning, Helen.  Some members of our class even had the opportunity to dress up.  We learned that during the war, some mums became ARP Wardens (ARP stands for Air Raid Prevention).  This meant that when it went dark, they would patrol the streets and make sure that the area was in total darkness, to keep the people safe from being spotted by any German planes flying above.

Later in the morning, we handled some WWII artefacts, organised under the headings of: Role of an ARP Warden, Role of the Home Guard, Evacuees and Rationing.  We learnt lots to take with us back to school!

In the afternoon we met Paul, an amazing man and a veteran who had spent eighteen years serving in the army and who now works at The Fusilier Museum.  He taught us all the Home Guard.  Did you know that the Home Guard didn't only have older men in it, but also younger men who weren't old enough to join the full army, coal miners and farmers (who didn't have to join the army as their jobs at home were too important), and people who were prevented from joining the full army due to a weakness with their eyesight or their hearing?  

We also found out that the Home Guard were originally named the Local Defence Volunteers, but that Winston Churchill changed their name because he wanted them to be prepared to attack as well as defend.

There was some more dressing up for lucky members of our class, and we finished the day by learning how to stand at ease, stand to attention and fall out!