From Home Guard to Flying Nightingales: Cotswold’s WWII history comes alive
A free exhibition at Cirencester’s Corinium Museum will offer a glimpse into life in the district during World War Two as part of commemorations marking 80 years since the end of the war.
Published: 18 August 2025
Tales from the Home Guard, land girls, evacuees, US hospitals in Cirencester Park and military airbases in the district can all be explored in the exhibition, which will be brought to life with specially collated personal objects and photographs.
Visitors will also hear about the fascinating contribution of the men who fought and flew in military campaigns and the women, the Flying Nightingales, who risked their lives to help with medical evacuation from the front.
Personal items on display include some loaned by The Living Memory Historical Association in Cirencester, which closed in 2024.
The family-friendly exhibition includes fun activities to try out: sending messages in Morse Code, creating identity cards, a mini trail to locate places of importance in the town, and what to pack in an evacuee suitcase.
Samantha Fryer Ward, Marketing and Events officer at the Corinium Museum, is curating the exhibition as part of a master’s degree course in Heritage Management at Bath Spa University.
She said: “The Corinium Museum and The Living Memory Historical Association in Cirencester have an incredible collection of original items relating to the Second World War, and this exhibition offers a fantastic opportunity to share them with the public.
“The stories of ordinary people living through extraordinary times – still within living memory for some – are so important to share.”
Cllr Paul Hodgkinson, portfolio holder for health, culture and visitor experience at Cotswold District Council, said: “This exhibition is a powerful tribute to the resilience and spirit of the Cotswold community during one of the most challenging periods in our history. By exploring these personal stories and experiences, we not only honour those who lived through the war but also gain valuable insights into how the past has shaped the district, and the world, we know today.”
To complement the exhibition, which is free to visit, Samantha Fryer Ward will be sharing her research at a Corinium Afternoons lecture on 11 September at 2pm entitled Mohawks, Milk Maids and Flying Nightingales: The Cotswold District in the Second World War. Samantha will share some of the stories in greater depth.
Cotswold District During the Second World War will run from 11 September to 12 October 2025. It has been kindly sponsored by the Dorothy Minnis Trust, part of Soroptimist International, Cirencester Girls Club, Hup Agency and Cotswold District Council. It has been supported by the Corinium Museum, The Living Memory Historical Association and Down Ampney Village Hall Management Committee.