Bombers, war and cotton balls at ‘bonkers’ D-Day exhibition
BBCRAF bombers, beach raids and balls of yarn come together for a “bonkers” D-Day exhibition, dreamed up by a woman born in Northern Ireland and painstakingly put together by an army of knitters from around the world. Brought to life.
The longest yarn, which is on display in St Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen, consists of 80 scenes detailing the preparations and battles of the 1944 Normandy campaign.
The project is the brainchild of Tansy Forster, originally from Magherafelt, County Londonderry, now living in Normandy, France.
He said The Longest Yarn was an “extraordinary idea” to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
“It started as a topper for my garden gate and I’m afraid I got a little carried away,” she explained.
She was inspired to set up the exhibition in Normandy, where, coincidentally, a member of the Enniskillen crafting group, The Knitwits, from St Macartin, saw it.
Claire Holmes said she was “astonished and charmed” by the project, which led her to invite Mrs. Foster and her creation to the city.
“I thought it was amazing so it’s great to welcome it here,” he said.
One of the exhibits from The Longest Yarn, which is on display until 8 February, is shown Weather report provided by Maureen Sweeney from Blacksod lighthouse in County Mayo, which postponed the Allied invasion for 24 hours.
Another scene shows an aircraft carrying a glider towards the Pegasus Bridge – a role Enniskillen veteran Bill Ames, who died in 2020,
The displays were created by weavers from the UK, Ireland, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and France.
Mrs Forster believes that knitted and crocheted motifs have captured the imagination “because it’s different and because people can relate to it”.
“It’s done with our own hands, and it took a little time and thought and love.”
Enniskillen weavers have created a panel at the entrance to the exhibition and are taking part in the next longest yarn project, Britain at War.
They will be filming a scene showing American troops arriving in Northern Ireland in preparation for the invasion.
Some people involved in the D-Day project have traveled to Enniskillen.
Jean Wood, who lives in County Cork, said she became involved in the project after seeing a post on Facebook.
Although she is fond of sewing and making clothes, she has not done much knitting or crocheting.
“But I do it now,” she declared.
Ms. Wood built a field hospital with an ambulance, tents and wounded soldiers near Utah Beach.
To make the scene as historically accurate as possible, he looked at photographs and conducted extensive research.
Ms Wood says it is “fantastic” to be part of something important.
“I would love if children could be attracted to this and find out a bit about what happened in the past so that we don’t forget all the people who gave their lives and were so brave.”
Joe Groves of Cornwall created a scene depicting the first village to be liberated, showing a church and local people greeting the soldiers.
She said that she and one of her friends had to work for more than 300 hours to make it.
“It’s appropriate to pay tribute to the veterans, we don’t want to lose this part of our history,” he said.
