New Westminster resident Malcolm Smith was just a child living in Portsmouth, on the south coast of England, when the Second World War broke out.
"I remember being horribly frightened by the whole thing because the air raids started before I was evacuated," he says.
Portsmouth had a naval depot, which made the city a bombing target for the Nazis.
Smith has childhood memories of bombs exploding and slabs of concrete from nearby streets falling onto his yard.
"I was living in the middle of Portsmouth, which was a very unhealthy place to be. I was evacuated with my mother to the country," he said.
Smith has harrowing tales he plans to share in an upcoming event hosted by New Westminster's Century House. Organizers are calling it the World War II Café, and people can "sign out" people as human books to learn more about their experiences of the Second World War.
Oana Capota from the New Westminster Museum and Archives came up with the idea to hold the café and model it after the Human Library, a project that aims to debunk stereotypes by offering live people as books that readers can "sign out." The idea is readers get to ask all those uncomfortable questions they may have trouble broaching in real life.
Century House's event puts a historical twist on the Human Library model, as the books are all people who have interesting stories about the Second World War.
"These are all really dynamic people who are sharing their stories," says Shelly Schnee, a recreation programmer with Century House. "I've heard their stories a few times, and they are really interesting. Even though it was a tragic time in their history, there's a lot of love and friendship in their stories. It's really inspiring to listen to them."
Schnee said there are 11 books, and there will be introductions so participants can choose which ones they'd like to sign out.
"We call them books. They are seniors who have some kind of a story to share with the public, so we'll have 11 stations," Schnee says. "(Readers) will get a chance to ask questions of the people, and hear their story and have a cup of tea. They'll get to do that four times. It's a 20-minute conversation."
Century House is a hub for seniors' activities and programs, and both members and non-members are welcome to attend the event.
Smith, who moved to Canada in the 1970s, is looking forward to sharing his story on Saturday.
"I think it's great. As you can tell, I'm a World War II fan. I'm a bit obsessed with it probably because I was so frightened," he says. "It's great to talk to people who remember those times."
Schnee says the Second World War is an important time in history.
"These people aren't going to be around forever," she says. "It's living history, right, it's a great opportunity for us to hear their stories, and it's a great opportunity to tell your stories."
The event is set for Saturday, Nov. 30, from 12:30 to 3:15 p.m. at Century House, 620 Eighth St. Schnee would like people to register in advance. Admission is free, but organizers will be accepting donations at the event. To register or for more information, call Century House at 604-519-1066.
