The largely unknown history of black people in Britain during the Second World War is the subject of a new exhibition in Swindon.

The show, entitled Lest We Forget is hosted at Lydiard House Museum, which, from 1943 to the end of the war was the base for a military hospital serving the American 101st Airborne Division and was also a billet for US troops including African American GIs.

Telling the story of black people in Wiltshire living and working with the allied armed forces during the conflict.

Part of a large exhibition developed by Wiltshire Museum as part of the Wessex Museums Partnership, Lest We Forget features art and artefacts form the collection held by Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, including a painting of Regent Circus in 1945 by local artist Harold Dearden and a wooden cross from the grave of an unknown Wiltshire soldier, as well as archives from archive material from the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre and the National Archives, and a memorial wreath from Wiltshire Museum.

Frances Yeo, Swindon’s museums manager, said: “I’m delighted that we’re able to present such a powerful and thought-provoking exhibition at Lydiard House Museum, and especially one that ties in so well with the history of Lydiard and the surrounding area.

“This is the first exhibition in Swindon which showcases our joint working as part of the Wessex Museums Partnership, and visitors have already been struck by the quality and detail of the exhibition and research behind it.”

A special event on Thursday April 11 will allow families to follow in the footsteps of Second World War code breakers by taking part in the Signals & Cipher activity. Participants can send messages using Morse code, make a circuit to send a message, send a semaphore message and have a go at cracking some other codes.

Ms Yeo added: “I’m really hoping that our younger visitors will enjoy our related Signals and Ciphers activities, which provides great value as it’s included in our regular museum admission price.”

Children must be accompanied by an adult and 30-minute slots are available at 11.30am, 12.30pm 1.30pm and 2.30pm.

The activity is free with museum entry, which is priced at £6.30 for adults, £3.45 for children (aged 3-15), £5.55 for seniors (65+) and students, while a number of family tickets are also available. Under threes go free.

Booking onto the activity is recommended as numbers are limited for each session. Places can be booked by emailing lydiardlearning@swindon.gov.uk

The exhibition runs until December 2024.