Thread by @ReassessHistory

Proud standards rolled up.
Fade to black.

Issue No 54, July '09, appears to be N.V.A. News' final ed, core newsletter for the Normandy Veterans' Association.

E. Slater's (editor) comments are particularly poignant as ultimately legacy was lacking. /1
#WW2 #SWW #History #DDay80

The NVA went from being a proud, national organisation to melting away like chaff in a handful of years by 2014 as age took the members & left no obvious successor organisation.

The NVA died a very slow death with some branches hanging on for several years after last parade.../2

this was further compounded by comparatively few branch collections ending up in regional or national archives, meaning many accounts have been lost a second time round.

The Spirit of Normandy Trust is a successor but lacks the clout of it's illustrious predecessor. /3

Part of the problem can be seen in how poor our comprehension of the campaign is, and that without strong champions/focal points to anchor and inspire, the narrative has become pretty dire and mired in anecdote and factoid. /4

This is evident in the Normandy Memorial Trust's noble ambition to build a memorial but one underpinned by an amateur interpretation of the campaign, confused collection of cas data, mega-cost, historical illiteracy and flawed vision.

Leading to inaccurate commemoration. /5

I stumbled across a near-complete treasure trove of National NVA Newsletters and other material last year, finding the experience thought provoking &humbling.

Hundreds upon hundreds of accounts which are often missed, interpretations of events, myth created, myth challenged../6

myth debunked. The sheer number of perspectives are astonishing, as are discussions ranging from funding/commemoration/does anyone actually care/how to engage young people/to what legacy they should leave.

Over time the newsletter's emphasis and quality shift. /7

Reflecting the death of members, advancing years, changing attitudes to commemoration and remembrance.

It remains a deep tragedy that more was not done to safeguard the NVA's legacy in the years before, to perhaps provide a more resilient offshoot not dissimilar to the WFA. /8

As we move towards #DDay80, yup that's coming, we have an opportunity to discuss how to engage more millennials, zoomers & Gen Alpha like never before w. genuinely dynamic, diverse content, narratives and fresh approaches exploring muted narratives and providing a firm base. /9

Events need to be placed in context and a good, basic narrative framework established to build on.

This is still, to a surprisingly large, extent lacking.

But a great basis would be to go read, listen, watch & discover more accounts and material. /10

Want to know more about these Newsletters and other information? Well... LMK if you hear of any additional regional newsletters/papers in your local museums or archives.

I am aware @TheDDayStory and @GlamArchives have national sets, latter is D1242/4 from '85 to '09. /11

Hopefully through innovation & dynamic new approaches we can really help establish a more cohesive narrative , enthusing new generations w. fascination for the events of that long hot summer, the painstaking and dangerous work that underpinned it & sacrifice of so many. /thread