All Our Yesterdays | Forum

All Our Yesterdays Group

Contact - elaineandtashmit@gmail.com

Mobile - 07810130763

We are Elaine Sparrow and Terry Lemmon, who live on the Isle of Wight.  This weekend we are portraying a Red Cross VAD nurse and an injured serviceman, along with a late 1930’s Richards Wheelchair, believed to have been used by the Red Cross here on the Isle of Wight, and restored by Terry.

We became involved in the re-enacting scene in 2009, after researching our parents and grandparents time during the 2 world wars. My mum was in a reserved occupation while Terry’s served as an immobile VAD nurse. Dad was in the 78th Division Infantry Brigade, General Montgomery’s famous 8th Army, and spent time fighting in North Africa, Sicily, then fought and walked up the whole east side of Italy taking part in several famous battles including Casino. Finally he went to Austria to flush out defeated German soldiers who were trying to escape dressed as civilians. During one important battle whilst trying to take the village of Boccaleone, as a Radio Signaller he was always by his Commanding Officer’s side, an important message needed to be sent to the tanks across an open field (German tanks were to their left under cover of hedges waiting to attack) the radio equipment was broken so Dad ran across and back having delivered the message in person. Later his Commanding Officer was injured in that same open field and lay unable to move, so Dad went and dragged him back to the safety of an abandoned house where he continued to lead the battle. He was awarded an immediate Military Medal for this and we were told if he did something like this once he would have done it several times. He lied about his age to join up and served from 1941 to 48 then Reserve Service until 1959.  Terry's Dad was already in the forces on his National Service, in the RAF from 1939, they kept him when war was declared, and he spent his time in India, Burma, Thailand, Malaya and Singapore he was part of the important ground crew who kept the planes in flying condition for the pilots. He suffered enormously in the tropical conditions, and that continued his whole life. He saw the infamous Changi Jail, with a white sign on the roof saying “Japs Gone”.  When demobbed in 1946, he frequently had bouts of malaria, and though a fit person died young of cancer having just turned 62 years of age. 

We think because of everything our fore-bearers went through, the world is a very different place thankfully, than if we had of lost the wars, and this should “never be forgotten”.   

This is why we do what we do. We are authentic Home Front re-enactors. We have numerous  outfits and will only use original accoutrements and memorabilia, We will only wear what is authentic, and use memorabilia that is original in order to be correct. 

We are a small group  of two, who can be a walking display or static with lots of Home Front memorabilia. We guarantee to be authentic, if not, always totally original.

We only go on show if we look accurate with all of the little things right, i.e.: correct specs, the correct amount of make up, length of skirts dresses and trousers. A pet hate is seeing clip on braces instead of buttons. We would never be seen eating with plastic plates and cutlery, or drinking out of modern plastic cups. Food would be of 40’s fayre and wrapped in greaseproof paper not in polythene packaging. Lastly we think there are too many posh civilians about. We could go on and on but we think you know where we are coming from. 

Finally a glimpse of some of the characters we can portray. 1) Cleaner and labourer 2) Railway workers 3) GP & nurse 4) WVS member & LDV with handmade wooden rifle 5) Bank manager and Lady wife 6)Civilians of lower and middle class (with original jewellery etc) 7) Butcher and Mrs Hare (Fox!) 8)Basically you tell us what you want and we can deliver. 

Just for your information we were interviewed at Southwick for the Portsmouth News, it has been posted on their website and U tube.