Isle of Bute V-Day

Welcome to the Isle of Bute V-Day Website

BUTE'S UNIQUE MILITARY WARTIME INVOLVEMENT

In the same way that no part of Britain can honestly assert that it was immune from, or untouched by, the events of World War II, so too there cannot be many parts of Britain, especially on a geographic scale of only 15 miles long by 5 miles across at its widest, that can claim to have witnessed greater and more-varied military involvement than the tiny Isle of Bute (see location map), strategically snuggled amongst neighbouring islands and mainland peninsulas in the western waters of the Clyde Estuary. Yet the historical record, which has heroism, sacrifice, ingenuity, commitment and compassion emblazoned across it, is increasingly at risk of fading irretrievably into oblivion.

It is in this context, of a spectacular story to be told and an imperative that it should never be forgotten among succeeding generations, that an application was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund to seek funding for a programme of events to commemorate Bute's wartime involvements, as part of Britain's 60th Anniversary of V-Day celebrations in 2005. The Lottery's "Home Front Recall" Fund very generously allocated a sizeable sum to Bute's commemoration programme, and the establishment of this website is just one of the many projects for which funding was approved. Its purpose is to communicate Bute's story to as wide an audience as possible, and to facilitate people sharing their wartime experiences and accounts of happenings on Bute. To promote the latter objective, this website offers a Forum facility, and all visitors to the website are encouraged to access the forums, and to participate in the discussions that will take place.

COMMEMORATION PROGRAMME

Through comprehensive consultation and partnership-working, Bute's V-Day Steering Group endeavoured to produce a programme of commemoration that would, as comprehensively as possible, touch all the diverse elements in our community in as meaningful and relevant a way as possible. So there was something for everyone - from the youngest (those who have no conception of the sacrifices of their grand-/great grand-parents' generation), through the middle aged (who have varying degrees of anecdotal and/or textbook acquaintance of war-time living) to the very oldest (those who still have vivid and probably painful memories of what it was like to serve actively during, or just live through, those testing times. Moreover, the nature of our events offered a good balance of fun, nostalgia, serious reflection, thanksgiving, and the crucial educational component that sought to ensure that our commemoration would have enduring value.

Given the intensity of activities on and around the Isle of Bute (Bute Gateway website), it isn't difficult to imagine and appreciate the extent to which the war impacted life at every level - from individual households, to the many voluntary organisations, to school life, to the corporate life of this hitherto rather insulated and parochial island-community as a whole. It is this legacy of dedication, adaptability and sacrifice on the one hand and open-hearted hospitality and compassion on the other hand that our programme seeks not only to celebrate, but to etch into the memories of our current generation so that these recollections may be passed on to future generations.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Lord Lieutenant of Argyll and Bute, Kenneth MacKinnon, read out a special citation from His Royal Highness Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, during the special Memorial Service in Trinity Church on Sunday, 26th June 2005. You can read the full text of the Royal message using the link below.

Message from HRH Prince Charles to the people of Bute
Jess Sandeman's book - Bute's War - the book about wartime activity on the island which was published during the V Day commemorations, is reviewed on the Council's website...

"Bute's War" Review

FULL PROGRAMME

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

"Bute Remembers" and the people of Bute wish to record their grateful appreciation to the Heritage Lottery Fund for their generous support for our island's programme of commemoration.

Heritage Lottery Fund

DISCLAIMER: Although the content of this website has been researched with the utmost care, any liability on the part of Bute Beyond 2000, or its parner organisations, or any other individuals involved with the website's development, arising out of any inaccuracies contained in material produced for this website (including its forums) or in linked websites, is expressly excluded.

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