West Lothian Council

Through "West Lothian and the Forgotten War", commencing in September 2008 and running to April 2009, West Lothian Council’s Museum Service, together with the Workers’ Educational Association, will form a History Detectives group. The group will gather research about conflicts that have touched the lives of those living in West Lothian from World War II to the Korean War, in addition to National Service. The findings will be recorded for a documentary film, which will include some oral histories and a booklet.

The project will also see two primary schools - Balbardie School in Bathgate and Torphichen School - linking with the Korean War Veterans’ Association in the Lothian & Borders, which established the Scottish Korean War Memorial in the Bathgate Hills. Activities will include visits to the memorial in addition to the National War Museum at Edinburgh Castle.

Commenting on the initiative, Jeanette Castle, Library Services Manager, West Lothian Council said: "We are delighted to have won the funding to develop Their Past Your Future in West Lothian. We are in a uniquely fortunate position of having the Korean War Memorial for Scotland in our area and we are keen to tell the individual stories of the men who gave their lives in that war to inspire our present and future generations, and to take pride in what they contributed to our nation and to our own lives.”

She continued: “We are delighted to be working so closely with our colleagues in West Lothian Arts Services and to continue our rewarding collaborative work with the Workers Educational Association. We have worked with both these groups in the past on highly successful projects and welcome this opportunity to further our partnerships with them."