How audio recording of Second World War play will be lasting legacy for Yorkshire's D-Day veterans

Ken Cooke was 18 and working at Rowntrees in York when he was called up to fight in the Second World War, one of thousands of men who risked their lives taking part in the audacious D-Day operation.

His first-hand account of life on the frontline is one of five from Yorkshire’s Normandy Veterans that, since its premiere in 2017, have been brought to life in the award-winning verbatim play Bomb Happy.

Now the last surviving of the group, Ken is set to launch an audio version of the production online, which will be available to listen to from early next month, in the lead up to Remembrance Day in the 75th anniversary year of Victory in Europe.

The powerful play follows the unique journeys of ‘ordinary lads’ and how they found themselves, as inexperienced young conscripts, as part of one of the most dangerous operations of the war.

At times humorous, at times harrowing, it offers a close-up insight into life on the frontline through their own eyes and words.

Ken Smith had just begun an apprenticeship in Leeds aged 18 when he was called up; Bert Barritt, who passed away in 2019, was an office boy of the same age in Bermondsey, London when his war began; George Meredith, who died shortly before the play toured in 2017, was a 16-year-old office boy for Reuters, London; and tank gunner Dennis Haydock, who passed away before the rehearsed readings of the play began in 2016, was 18 and working in a steel factory in Sheffield.

“We should have been touring the show to venues this October and November but of course that has had to be cancelled during the pandemic,” says playwright Helena Fox.

“Sadly Ken Cooke is the only remaining veteran now out of the five whose stories we tell.

“Ken ‘Smudger’ Smith sadly passed away at the start of lockdown, and this made it all the more important to us and to Cookey, to make the audio drama now, in memory of Smudger, and of Bert, George and Dennis whose stories the play features, so their experiences live on as a lasting legacy for future generations.”

The play’s only fictional character, Queenie, gives the accounts of Normandy veterans’ wives, highlighting the lifelong impact of post traumatic stress disorder and giving a glimpse into life with someone beset by memories of war.

Indeed, the play’s very title is taken from a term the veterans use to describe PTSD - a condition that still impacts on the life of Ken 75 years later.

Helena believes the play resonates with contemporary issues facing society.

“The play not only documents the events of D-Day and beyond through the eyes of these young men, but opens our eyes as civilians to the human story behind each fighting soldier,” she says.

“This allows us to better understand the enormity facing the returning soldier – from the Second World War or more recent conflicts - in trying to transition back into civilian life.

“How can he or she fit back into the day to day life of Civvy Street after everything they have seen, or been through?”

Bomb Happy has been recorded remotely during lockdown and is supported through public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Each actor had to build their own sound booth out of duvets and clothes airers to support the recording quality.

The audio version of the play includes a few pre-recorded words from veterans Bert Barritt and Ken Smith at the start, as well as a closing address from Ken Cooke.

It will be launched online at midday on Friday, November 6 by Ken.

The play will be available for people to listen to on the Everwitch Theatre Youtube channel. Visit www.everwitchtheatre.com for more details.

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