Aberdeenshire Council

This World War II project focussed on the towns of Banff, Macduff and Whitehills in the north-west of Scotland, with a particular emphasis on Duff House and the Boyndie Aerodrome.

Entitled "What's The War Got To Do With Us?", the project explored:

• the towns, perched as they are on a vulnerable coastline
• Duff House, with its history as a base for units of Norwegian and Polish soldiery and as a German POW camp
• The surrounding countryside, dotted with famous airfields (particularly Boyndie), serving both bomber and coastal command as well as more clandestine operations
• Implications for farming during a time of war.

Pupils from local schools were introduced to evidence from the World War II period at Duff House, the Boyndie Centre and 'in the field' where unique artefacts included:

• Duff House - Polish signage on internal walls, a large painted Norwegian flag, a map of the locale drawn on the walls by German prisoners and shrapnel-damaged walls from German bombs
• Boyndie Centre - numerous objects from the airfield including ground-crew impedimenta and pieces of aeroplanes plus wartime photographs and cine-film.
• Around the town, there are considerable remnants of beach defences - tank-traps and pill boxes - but also significant archaeological remains of the airfields that feature buildings and runways including a control tower near Boyndie.

Veterans were sought to contribute to the project with considerable emphasis being placed on seeking civilians who could reminisce about the Home Front during World War II.